Leanne Kingwell may not be a name you're familiar with, but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be!  Her latest album, Show Ya What, is full of tracks that carry on the tradition of Aussie Pub Rock started with bands like Cold Chisel, AC/DC, etc.  Her voice is reminiscent of artists like Kay Hanley (formerly of Letters To Cleo fame), but lyrically, she's all Leanne.

I first met Leanne when I saw her supporting Diana Anaid on her tour late last year, and was blown away by her stage presence, energy and lyrics.  Afterwards, I spoke to Leanne, and found out that she always had aspirations to do stand-up comedy, but was scared of people not laughing at her jokes, so she decided to put her comedy into her music.  Some of this is evident on Show Ya What, with tracks like Drop Your Pants, You Stink, and My Hero.

I caught up with Leanne recently to find out more about her writing, life, and what's coming up in her life:

Hi Leanne, how are you today?
Hi Leigh. I'm really good today. 

You recently supported Diana Anaid at a few of her gigs in Victoria, how was that?
It was a lot of fun. Diana's a cool chick and a fellow Independent artist.
Apart from the Bon Scott Celebration concert In Perth and some gigs with the Choirboys and The Angels, I'd been head down, bum up writing and laying down new album demos for a good part of the last year so I didn't do a lot of live gigs. It was good to get back in the saddle for a couple of live sets with Diana.  Also gave me the opportunity to roadtest a couple of the new songs.

Your album, Show Ya What, is full of a few different styles with songs, from humorous to heartfelt, from pop-rock to AC/DC-esque.  How would you describe your sound?
Ummm…I should have some down-pat publicist's answer for that shouldn't I?   What I wanted to achieve with "SHOW YA WHAT" was an upbeat and honest album that takes you on an emotional ride with a healthy, 'fuck you - I'm still standing vibe' and a dollop of non-politically correct humour.  Something to make you wanna crank up the amps, get wrecked, dance, sing along, annoy the neighbours, trash the house, have a good time.

It's gotten some great reviews around the world and been tagged everything from "Pop Rock" to "Power Punk" to  "Southern Rock" to "Roots Rock". It even got written up on a couple of "Hardcore Metal" sites and magazines. Go figure.

I think it's sorta cool that I got Album of the Year nominations in   mainstream music press like Billboard Magazine alongside ultra Alternatives like The Village Voice and did really well on the Adult Contemporary, College Radio and Top 40 American radio airplay charts, but no one could really pigeon hole my sound. I'd like to think that's because it’s totally LEANNE KINGWELL'S music and not some currently-in-vogue-sound-alike clone of someone else's.

Whatever, it’s all rock 'n' roll to me. 

Oh, you know, flashing my tits for Girls Gone Wild. Getting trashed with Britney. Taking driving lessons from Lindsay. Coke with Kate.  Being spanked for telling lies…

Who are your main influences with your songwriting?
As an impressionable young catholic schoolgirl, I spent all my pocket money buying back-catalogues from the 70’s: The Clash, Sex- Pistols, pre Soul Train Bowie, T Rex, The Angels, AC/DC, Easybeats. I also dug the shit out of Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges and the Ramones.

Later on I had a real thing for Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and some of the other great founding fathers of Blues Rock.

As eclectic and retro as all that sounds, I figure I did my music theory study before adapting what’s gone before and making it my own. The world is full of aspiring Rock chicks that think that 12 bar is a strip club and an axe-lick is putting in your largest tongue piercing to blow someone in A&R. (Poor things).

As far as the subject matter for my songs goes, that comes from everybody who ever broke my heart and everybody who helped put it back together again.
Life's just one big research trip, ain't it?

So when you're not writing or performing, what do you enjoy doing?
Oh, you know, flashing my tits for Girls Gone Wild. Getting trashed with Britney. Taking driving lessons from Lindsay. Coke with Kate.  Being spanked for telling lies…

What's in the near future for Leanne Kingwell?
The recording studio. I’ve finally got a whole bunch of demos for the new album done. It’s just a matter of picking out the right ones and recording them now.

I’ve had some approaches from US promoters who want to set up some gigs for me over there. I’ve been avoiding touring overseas but I don’t think I can put it off much longer, so that’s on the cards.

Apart from that, I’d just like to get laid and read a good book. Not at the same time. 

Be good to yourselves and those you care about.  Anyone else… fuck ‘em.

Do you have any messages for our readers?
Be good to yourselves and those you care about.  Anyone else… fuck ‘em.
Oh, and keep buying Independent music. The major record companies have got enough bread.

Tags: Leanne Kingwell