The one and only Kate Reid took time from her schedule to chat about her upcoming performance at Jasper Pride, Alberta Fans and hilarious adventures.
GC: First off, thank you for taking the time to chat with GayCalgary Magazine. Your busy schedule has you currently situated in the USA. Can you tell us bit more about what you’re up to?
KR: Santa Fe! I’m teaching down here at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design in New Mexico for the semester, until mid-May. I was invited here as a part of there Artists for Positive Social Change initiative, fulfilling a part-time, contributing faculty role as their artist-in-residence. I’m teaching a 4th year level course that I designed myself where we are delving into some of the social-political movements of the 20th and 21th century in the USA, and some of the songs and musicians that came out of and contributed to those movements. Students will also be working with the artistic practices of song writing, singing, and performance as a way to guide their inquiry and self-expression as these pertain to social justice issues and overall course themes. The overall theme of the course is based on the notion that song writing and performing songs in public spaces are artistic practices that document and archive personal, social and political narratives in the hopes of sharing information and advancing important social justice causes. As one of their projects, the students will be writing their own songs that pertain to their own life experience and a social justice movement that they are interested in/passionate about. The semester will culminate in a public performance of their songs in May. Students are also going to be working in the university’s sound recording studio to record their songs on the university’s independent student record label, Arroyo Records, with students from the music and sound engineering departments.
Finally, I am also part of a diversity/anti-oppression initiative where some upper level students and I will be giving a workshop I designed on diversity and anti-oppression that will assist in developing the university’s diversity policy and statement. Wow...that’s a long-winded answer, right?
GC: Have you been up to any shenanigans outside of serious business?
KR: Haha, any shenanigans outside of serious business you ask? Hmmm.... well, I’m not really into shenanigans anymore—I’m pretty well behaved now that I’m in my mid-40’s.... god, I’m going to be 45 in April! Mostly, in my spare time, my obsession is hiking and just being outside in general doing some kind of active thing, which is definitely not badass. But, I love being outside. I feel whole and grounded out there, especially when I’m hiking. Nothing matters when I’m walking on the earth and taking all of that energy in. I feel connected to something bigger when I’m outside.
Ok, fine, I’ll admit that I went to see Zoolander 2 with a friend of mine just a few days before this interview...but shhhh...don’t tell anyone. :-) That was kind of "shenanigan-esque" ...it was just a lot of silly, ridiculous humour, but the cameos in the movie were awesome!
GC: Fans identify so strongly with your music. You’ve been known to put on a memorable show. Are there any nerves whilst going on stage?
KR: Yes, I get nervous before I perform for sure – some times more than others. Often, it depends on who I know is in the audience, and how the sound system is. If the sound is good and the sound guy (Russell at the Jasper Legion is one of my absolute faves!) is easy to work with and conscientious, then I’m usually pretty relaxed. I always have my little "prep" routine: solid sound check, a good meal with protein before the show, some good alone/quiet time beforehand to summon my energy, some licorice tea, and a bit of Bach Flower Rescue Remedy to chill me out right beforehand.... usually works wonders.
GC: What other musicians influence you? Current playlist?
KR: Current playlist? Well, my playlist is not current...lol...but...currently, I’m obsessed with Joan Baez’ song Diamonds and Rust—about her relationship with Bob Dylan. I can’t stop listening to that right now. And of course, Indigo Girls and Ferron...my lesbian faves. And Tears for Fears is getting a lot of play. I just love 80’s pop. Also, I’m listening to a lot of songs from the labour/union movement, the civil rights movement, and the Chicano civil rights movement in the US—mostly for the course that I am teaching. There are some amazing songs and songwriters out there that wrote such amazing songs during those times, it’s astounding to me. I also listen to a lot of classical music when I’m working at my desk: it gets me into the zone.
GC: What are you most looking forward to while performing at Jasper Pride?
KR: What am I most looking forward to while performing for Jasper Pride? I’m just so looking forward to being in Alberta again and seeing some folks I haven’t seen for a long time. I love the town of Jasper: the scenery driving into the park from Edmonton takes my breath away, it’s just stunning. And, the people are so friendly in Jasper, and I am excited to be working with Ken and Russell at the Jasper Legion, and the gang at Coco’s again. Also, a friend of mine from Santa Fe is coming up with me so she will be seeing Jasper and the Rockies up here for the first time, that will be exciting. And a friend of mine is coming all the way from Ontario, which is amazing.
GC: You’re in for one busy spring! What do you love most about touring?
KR: What do I love most about touring? The Paris, Ontario venture is a really sweet little festival that’s just starting out. It’s called Skylight Festival and it’s in its second year. It combines social justice, arts, spirituality, and faith and they are just lovely people there at Skylight. I performed there last year and they invited me back. I sang a few "camp" (as in summer camp, not "gay" camp!) songs at the end of my set and many of them knew those songs so I invited a bunch of people up on stage to sing with me. It was a lot of fun and they were a great audience! I went to a Christian camp for 8 years when I was a kid and a teenager: it was a ton of fun and I learned a lot of songs there that have stayed with me. It was fun to sing those again with people who knew them. So, to answer your question: I guess that brings me to my favourite part of touring: it’s definitely the interesting people I meet on my travels. I have met some really lovely, fascinating people out there, and have had many surprises when it comes to audiences, and who is out there listening. Music has allowed me to make some really amazing connections with other people: some have turned into great friendships with people who have enriched my life immeasurably, and others were just brief moments of connection, which were still so impactful and heartwarming. These friendships and moments are what makes being a musician so rewarding. There are so many interesting and kind people out there in all kinds of different places across Canada—small towns, big cities, rural areas—people I would not have had the chance to meet if it weren’t for playing music. I love how music brings people together.
GC: Where do you find the crowds most enthusiastic and welcoming?
KR: I have said this many times in the past, but hands down, my favourite province to play in is Alberta, and I have told Alberta audiences this many times...it’s a fact in my little world. And people are always amazed when I tell them how Alberta is my favourite province to play in. They think that Albertans are so conservative and reserved but it’s the complete opposite in my experience. There is something so laid back and present about the people in this province. I’m so not in the closet at all about my love for my Alberta listeners. I just love performing for them: they are enthusiastic, and supportive, and they are not cliquey or reserved and they don’t talk during my performance like other audiences occasionally do — they listen and they sing along. Attn. Crystal Cave: if you are here for Jasper Pride, watch out, I might just ask you to come and sing Truckdriver with me....
GC: Any hilarious gig stories you’d like to share?
KR: I don’t know if I have any hilarious gig stories per se but definitely some hilarious experiences on tour, and hilarious billeting stories that I probably can’t share here. Sometimes staying with people can work out swimmingly, and other times, not so much. I did have a lot of laughs while on tour a few years back with Evalyn Parry, another queer artist from Toronto. We laughed a lot. Definitely meeting Captain Cupcake in Nanaimo back in 2009 at the Cambie Hotel and Bar was a highlight.
Several years ago, while I was doing a few shows in Alberta with local musician, Toni Vere, we ended up playing this gig at this dive-y biker bar on short notice because Money Penny’s –the lesbian bar where we had a show booked—got shut down by the city the day before our gig for some kind of health inspection infraction. So, Toni ended up finding us another place to do the show: at the Baja Bar and Grill, in south Calgary. It was the kind of place that smelled like a lot of beer had been spilled on the floor and a lot of cigarettes had been smoked there back in the days before they banned smoking in bars and restaurants. Anyway, the place was full of a lot of biker dudes in denim and leather. Of course, a bunch of lesbians showed up to hear Toni and I sing. Admittedly, I was a little worried about singing my songs at the Baja, I wasn’t sure how the regulars were going to respond. But all the women were dancing up at the front and the biker dudes also came up front and joined them: they were really into dancing with the lesbians. But it was clear that they didn’t know they were lesbians: it seemed as though the bikers were thinking they were going to get lucky with all of those women. Then, I started singing. And, it was almost like slow motion: I watched the colour drain from the biker guy’s faces and those proverbial light bulbs went on in their heads. They finally realized that the women they were dancing with weren’t the slightest bit interested in them—that the women were queer! It was so hilarious because suddenly, the biker guys all just sort of turned around, and slunk to the back of the bar together. All of the women noticed, of course, as did I. I made some joke about it after my song was done, and we had a good laugh about it—it was a great moment! It was one of those moments where it really felt like, as a bunch of queer women and lesbians, we had the power in the room that night, that we didn’t have to worry or feel concerned about being outnumbered. The biker dudes left us alone and let us take over their bar—it was great fun!
GC: If you could offer advice to the next generation of LGBT artists, what would you say to them? Would it be similar to a message you could send to your past self?
KR: Write and sing about what matters to you most. Follow your own instincts and be open to all kinds of experiences when it comes to your art. I am amazed that singing has brought me back into the education system and into universities as an instructor, and performer—I never imagined that music would lead me back to education. When I left teaching, I swore I would never go back because teaching didn’t feed my soul, and that all I was going to do was music. But doing this work inspired me to go back to school recently and get a Master’s Degree in Arts and Social Justice and now, I get to teach on my own terms about things that I am passionate about. I also get to use songs to teach—it’s incredible really! So, yeah advice: follow your own heart and write about what you are passionate about. And be professional: just because you are a musician doesn’t mean you have to subscribe to that "musician or artist stereotype." I get up early, I exercise and eat as healthy as possible, I’m on time for sound checks and performances, and I don’t spend my money at the bar. And above all, have fun—because playing music is fun!
GC: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat, your positive outlook is contagious.
