 By Melissa Hetu Jakalope: "Life in the Band"Growing up we all had dreams of what we wanted to be when we got older. My dream has always been to be on television. I hope that one day this dream will come true, the reality is many people do get to live their dreams...if they choose to. For Katie B of Jakalope, her dream has always been to have a band and today this dream has come true. I recently had a chance to talk to this young singer about the experience of being in a band. Truth.Explosion: How has being in a band affected you?
Katie: I think that being in a band kind of changes everything, doesn't it? I would say that just being in this band and realizing things. I just finished reading The Alchemist and I loved how it was all about your personal legend...have you read that book?
TE: No, I have not, but I've heard about it before...
Katie: In The Alchemist he is searching for this treasure and he is saying in the book that if you set out to do something, the world will let it happen for you. Sometimes there might be drawbacks so you have to work to get back to where you were and keep going. I really love the idea of that story; that sometimes everything can fall apart and it just means that you have to work to get back to where you were and keep going and the world will let it happen. I really found that in my life, everything from when I moved to Vancouver, because I wanted to get into the music business and after three months I had a job at a studio and then from there I started working. I've had this goal of being in a band and by having the goal and by aiming right at it, it's been falling into place. When I was reading that book it was really interesting because that's exactly how I feel. I want to do everything and so far I've been slowly checking off from that list. With my band and meeting Dave "Rave" Ogilvie was a big thing, he is one of the key people for me. Maybe somebody who's read the book will understand (laughs).
TE: So, this dream of being in a band goes back to when?
Katie: My mom put me into singing lessons and at first I cried and I hated it. But then I went into some music festival theatre thing and I won and I was like "wow, this could be really good". From then on, I just decided it was what I wanted to do and I've based my whole life around that. It's working, so it's crazy.
TE: So your family and the people around you have always been supportive of you?
Katie: Absolutely! Actually my parents have been at most of my shows, my mom is here today. You hear a lot of people say that the entertainment industry, parents don't suggest it and most people don't and I can understand why because it's really difficult. There are a lot of risks and sacrifices that you have to make but my parents always said "if that's what you want to do then go for it, but make sure you do it." So if ever I fell off the path, my mom would be like "you set out to do this, go and do it." They've been so supportive and they are so happy, I am really lucky.
TE: Awesome! I can imagine that everyone in the band is really close to each other...
Katie: Dave is like a dad, but I don't feel like he's old enough to be my dad...he's definitely been that figure. Him and his wife Rose, I really feel like they've taken me in. I really feel safe and I know that they are looking out for my best interest; our interests are one and the same. So we are really close in that sense. We are constantly working together he and I. I mean the band too but since Rave was the one that picked me and who started this, he's really helped develop me into somebody who can be successful at this so yah, I'd say we are really close.
TE: How do you like touring with the guys in the band?
Katie: It's awesome. It's so fun. The guys who are in the band have all done this a million times. I'm the only one who's never done it before so they really look after me. They'll warn me and say "look, at this kind of show this is more than likely going to happen," or "be prepared for this" or "don't worry about this." If something happens, I know they are going to catch me if I fall, probably also literally (laughs). Sean will run behind the drum kit and pick me up. We've had all kinds of things go wrong and if we were all a new band I think we would be freaking out but they all keep me really comfortable because they've been through it all. They are awesome; I am so lucky to be with these people.
TE: Were you at all intimidated by playing with guys who had a lot of experience?
Katie: Not really because I knew they wouldn't have me be the front person if they didn't think I could do it and that's a really important quality when you are working with anybody, you have to make them think that you can do it and then you will. If Dave Ogilvie thinks I can get in front of a band and sing in front of something like 13 000 people, then I must be able to do it because you only get dealt challenges that you are able to overcome. I figure if they think I can do, then I can do it. Then I just go!
TE: Do you still get nervous before performing or during the performance?
Katie: Of course you get nervous. I don't want to forget the words or sing it wrong, so you always get anxiety but that's one of the things that I like about it, is that quick rush of like, "ok, here we go, this is it!" I love that feeling and I really love the songs because we wrote them all together so, I'm excited when I go on stage.
TE: What have you learned from being in this band?
Katie: I am not really sure what I've learned. I've learned all kinds of things from just what it takes to get a tour going to what it takes to make sure that you are ready, you know those fine little details that are really important. I've learned how you've got to trust people. I've learned about communication and that it's so important because there are so many people involved in a band and having a label and an agent, your communication is so important to keep the people you work with close to you. That's what Rave has always told me, make sure you know exactly what is going on all the time and everything runs smoothly. I'm still learning. This is still new. You might ask me tomorrow and I might say "I just learned...It's constantly changing".
TE: Before you go, can you tell me what the "truth" is about Jakalope?
Katie: (laughs) The truth about Jakalope?
Dave: You know come on!
Katie: I don't know...I don't have an answer for that...
Dave: The truth about Jakalope is that anything goes. That is the truth!
Katie: That's true
Dave: Every day is a new adventure, the path has been carved but which one we are going to take we don't know and how we are going to get there, we don't know, but we just keep moving forward and the truth is nothing is going to stop us!
Click here for more by Melissa Hetu
|
