Ravenheart Music: Interviews

I pride myself at Ravenheart that I like all types of music. Rock, Metal, Goth, even a little bit of Country Music. Now, if we perhaps take some Rock, add a little bit of Country, then put into the mix an awesome voice, that then gives us Tina Lie (pronounced Lee). Tina comes from Norway, and she has impressed me with her latest cd 'Free Enough To Fall', that has picked up a good review on this very site. I have now been given the opportunity to interview Tina, and here it is!

Hi Tina, Scandinavia at the moment seems to be an ever increasing hotbed of Rock and Metal Music. Would you like to tell us here at Ravenheart, what made you get into the music business in the first place?
Hi Ravenheart, I started singing when I was just a kid and played the piano: I also pride myself as you say that I like all types of music and my cd collection contains a lot of different style.

Norway in particular, did garner this rather dodgy reputation a few years back of being the home to church burning satanists who were also so called Black Metal Musicians. Are you able to tell us what the music scene is now like in Norway?
Yea I guess we had that kind of reputation for a while, but I think the music scene has changed a lot. Good quality music in a lot of different genera and a lot of great musicians has come out of Norway lately.

I must admit to not having heard of you until recently. Can you give us here at Ravenheart a brief insight regards your musical career and any other music you have released?
That’s not so strange that you haven’t heard of us, we are more like a underground band in the rock/blues scene but have expired our fans along the way. 'Free Enough To Fall' is our second record, the first one, 'He Tickles My Fancy' is sold out.

And can you tell us about the members of your band?
They are all great full time musicians and I am helpless without them. On the last record I also hired musicians in the US to lay some tracks with great success, and off course my wonderful producer Byron House that made the record com live.

Can you give us any further information in relation to your latest cd, 'Free Enough To Fall', and any fave tracks you may have on this record?
My favourite tracks are Consumed, Solid Ground, Freedom Child

I always like to see who released the album. I see SIWU Music is the label. Can you give us more information on SIWU Music?
SIWU Music is a small label and management. Two great guys, Bjornar and Roar that really loves what they are doing and mean the world to me, without them I would have been helpless.

I see you are actively involved in the song writing process. Would the lyrics by and large relate to any personal experiences?
I mostly write the melodies and have on the last record used a good friend and lyric writer’s lyrics, Anne Spencer from Wisconsin USA, she has stories to tell and I bring the stories out the people. But the song Get It Right is my own and this song is a result of a weary bad day!!

I understand that you have eight American Tours under your belt. I can only assume that your music goes down a storm in the USA, and having heard your latest and rather awesome album, so it should :) What has the media reaction been like in the USA, and indeed elsewhere too?
It has been a joy playing the States and a great learning process for me, we have played smaller clubs and more larger stages and the press has always been kind to us, I love to travel and it is the meeting of new people everywhere that intrigues me a lot and give me huge inspiration to make new stuff.

The album was recorded in both the USA and Norway. What was the studio/recording experience like?
The Chicago studio was huge but still nice and cosy, we had an excellent technician there and had a great time recording. When Byron (producer) and Maruro Magellon (drummer) came over to Norway they where bout impressed by the studio here to and we love to think about it as a good collaboration over seas.

You have a distinctive voice that to be honest has captivated me. Do you do any vocal training or does it just come naturally?
I started out when I was young taking classical lessons and I went to a music school, but it was when I got older I developed my natural voice. I am glad I have the technical training it makes it easier to keep my voice well for a long period of time

Generally, who or what would you consider to be your musical influences?
Oh so many, from classical music(Puccini, Brahms...), folk, rock (Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat, Richard Thompson......) and anyone who had a story to tell I guess!

And what type of music do you listen to in your spare time?
Now a days I listen opera..he he

Do you have any hobbies when not making music?
A lot..Gardening, Old American cars (we have seven..), horses, hiking in the mountains, readin, knitting, painting and more

Are there any plans in the pipeline for further gigs, more so here in the UK?
Hopefully we will come to the UK in the fall or spring, and we are looking forward to it.

And any early plans yet for any future albums?
I have already started writing but no exactly a recording date yet.

Thanks Tina for your time, and we at Ravenheart Music here in England wish you all the very best. Is there anything you would like to say to anybody via this website?
Thanks for the interest you have shown us, and I hope to see you on a show in the near future.