{"id":15609,"date":"2016-08-10T08:20:22","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T15:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=15609"},"modified":"2016-08-10T12:20:13","modified_gmt":"2016-08-10T19:20:13","slug":"video-feature-interview-janet-robin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2016\/08\/video-feature-interview-janet-robin\/","title":{"rendered":"Video Feature &#038; Interview: JANET ROBIN"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>VIDEO FEATURE &amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h1>Musician:<strong> \u00a0JANET ROBIN<\/strong><\/h1>\n<h1>Music Video: \u201c<strong>View From Above<\/strong>\u201d<\/h1>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cnrn1UG1TLk\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>JANET ROBIN Web-Exclusive Interview<\/strong><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>with\u00a0<em>M Music &amp; Musicians<\/em>\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How did the idea of \u201cView from Above\u201d come to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was feeling a little depressed at the time I wrote it, and instead of doing something negative\u2014I put it into a song, trying to lift myself up and look at things from a positive <em>view<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is your creative process for writing songs?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Really, it\u2019s just like eating or some other natural thing for me. It has to be natural. If I\u2019m feeling creative I have to do it, right then\u2014whatever that means, either playing guitar, singing, or sitting down and writing a song. I start by playing something on guitar, maybe a riff or chord progression, and if it moves me\u2014I start humming along some melody. Sometimes actual words will come out. I make sure I\u2019m taping it just in case I forget. I have hundreds of these ideas on audio notes on my phone. I go back and listen, and if it still moves me, I sit down and work on it. If there\u2019s enough time, often I will finish it in that one writing session. Creativity is really interesting, it\u2019s like a yearning, something you just have to get out and can\u2019t contain.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What songwriting tip would you like to offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t push things. If it\u2019s not working right then, but you still like what you\u2019re working on, go and do something else and come back to it with fresh ears. It\u2019s good sometimes to step away instead of forcing something that may not be ready to come out.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15618\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-01.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-01\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-01.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-01-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you keep song ideas fresh\u2014and continue to think of new ideas?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I try to be a listener\u2014to friends, family and myself. I draw from their experiences, as well as my own journey through life. If you continually try to move forward, try new things, meet new people, get out and tour, you will have a lot of things to write about.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us one experience where something unique inspired you to write a song.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I was having a phone conversation, and I was being a little self-deprecating. And my friend said to me, \u201cOh Janet, don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re like a beautiful freak.\u201d I just loved those two words together, and ended up writing \u201cBeautiful Freak\u201d for my 2004 acoustic record.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How does where you geographically live or travel influence your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think wherever you live does influence your music, if you\u2019re open to it. A lot of it comes from what you listened to growing up. And yes, where you grew up. There are regions in the world where cultures define a specific musical style. I have traveled quite a lot, to various places in the world. I remember Prague and being open to the music played there\u2014Gypsy and traditional Czech, and even their flavor of rock \u2019n\u2019 roll. I ended up writing a song \u201cEverybody Falls in Love in Prague\u201d\u2014on my last record that features a little eastern European flare.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-15613\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-11-Live-France-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-11-Live France\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-11-Live-France-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-11-Live-France.jpg 330w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Who influenced you to pick up an instrument and write?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>My brother Steve was the initial inspiration. He started taking guitar lessons, and I just liked to copy everything my older brothers did. So, I thought I\u2019ll try that. Luckily, it was so natural for me with the guitar. I became obsessed with playing, and would lock myself up in my room for hours practicing\u2014while my friends were outside playing cowboys and Indians. My brother is now a dentist and still comes to all my shows. As for writing, I listened to all that 70s and 80s rock that my brother was listening to. I wanted to emulate what I heard\u2014Zeppelin, the Beatles, Aerosmith, Bowie. Taking lessons from Randy Rhoads [Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne] didn\u2019t hurt either. He wasn\u2019t only an amazing guitarist and teacher, he taught me how to use guitar licks as a \u201cmain hook\u201d in writing songs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Top 5 Musicians who inspired you to become a musician?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Randy Rhoads, Jimmy Page, Ann &amp; Nancy Wilson, the Beatles, Lindsey Buckingham.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What instrument<\/strong><strong>\/equipment can you not live without\u2014that helps you write, record or perform?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Being a guitar player, I really love having my guitar on hand. But I like all kinds of stringed instruments, especially different types of guitars\u2014electric, acoustic, 6-string banjo, mandolin. Even specific brands of guitars influence my inspiration. I worked with the talented luthier Rick Turner on a hybrid acoustic-electric guitar \u201cThe Deuce.\u201d It has a very unique sound and I have gotten a lot of inspiration playing that guitar. I also endorse Taylor, Gibson, and Fender\u2014as far as guitars go. Each one of those guitars has a different sound and might even remind me of songs I grew up listening to. And that can inspire me as well. I also have a 6-string banjo that I love playing. It\u2019s a super unique instrument\u2014Gold Tone makes it, and I have been a longtime endorser. I also play a little piano but I would say guitars are really the thing for me.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about your work as a guitar coach for Jennifer Jason Leigh in Quentin Tarantino\u2019s <em>The Hateful Eight<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That was a really fun experience last year. I have never been on a big movie set before and this was on location in Telluride\u2014in the middle of winter\u2014freezing cold. Luckily, I was in the trailer most of the time teaching Jennifer in between her scenes. It was a great experience working with someone who had never played guitar before. I only had a few months to turn her into a \u201creal\u201d guitar player, which for this scene meant a somewhat complicated fingerpicking pattern, singing while playing, and having a hand cuff on one arm. She worked really hard\u2014was very committed. Quentin is a perfectionist, rightly so. He wanted her to feel like a real guitar player, since he was going to film her singing and playing live. No cuts or anything\u2014filmed and recorded live. Unfortunately with only a few weeks left on set, I was called out on tour, and had to get a sub to finish up until the actual filming of the scene. So I missed that. But I was so happy to be a big part of making her a guitar player for that one little scene in the movie. I was really excited when I got to see it on the big screen.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-15617\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-Take-Me-As-I-Am-2016-300x263.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin - Take Me As I Am - 2016\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-Take-Me-As-I-Am-2016-300x263.jpg 300w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-Take-Me-As-I-Am-2016.jpg 607w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Any film compositions or other film and TV work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I composed a few short films: <em>Traces<\/em> and <em>Use Me Up<\/em>\u2014both featured in a few major film festivals, including the Hollywood Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. They were a lot of fun to work on\u2014utilizing my guitar composing skills in a much different way was a great experience. You have to be really specific to match a scene or character\u2019s emotion, depending on what the director wants, of course. I truly enjoyed the process and hope to do a feature length film someday.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 1px; border: none; color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/>\n<p><strong>You\u2019re known for your guitar work. Tell us about working with musicians like Lindsey Buckingham?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing musicians in my career, not to mention fantastic guitar players. Lindsey, of course, is one of the best in the world. He\u2019s also a great arranger, writer, producer and live performer. Working with Lindsey was like going to grad school and getting a PhD. He is a perfectionist\u2014and nothing lower than that will do. He really challenged me to rise to the occasion. Super inspiring! I think we connected so well with our mutual love for guitar\u2014that made it even more special.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How was the actual tour?<br \/>\n<\/strong>The rehearsal process was intense and I learned so much\u2014even just about how to rehearse. One tour we opened for Tina Turner. It was all arenas\u2014so exciting. I had only dreamt about that while growing up looking at rock magazines. I didn\u2019t know it could actually become a reality\u2014to play in such a big venue. Opening for Tina Turner was so inspiring. Talk about power. I watched her almost every night on tour, and she didn\u2019t miss a step or hit a bad note <em>ever<\/em>. Her 20 years-younger dancers had trouble keeping up with her on stage. I was so amazed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lindsey seems to have been pretty influential.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I had a few private writing sessions with him, and he even came to see one of my shows when I started my solo stuff. He was one of the main reasons I started solo work. I didn\u2019t think I could do it but he told me to get out there and do it. Over the years, he has sent me his demos; we\u2019ve talked about songs and songwriting. It was and is incredible to have someone like that in your life. I still see him on occasion when he comes home for gigs with Fleetwood Mac, and it feels like a brother returning home. I learned how to become not only a pro musician by touring with him, but also more about songwriting and singing\u2014and putting together a great live show. I learned a lot from my former band, Precious Metal. But Lindsey just seemed to take me to another level and thank god at the time I was ready for that.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15616\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-06.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-06\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-06.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-06-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>I believe you also worked with Heart.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While in Precious Metal, prior to the Lindsey Buckingham stint, the singer from Precious Metal (Leslie Knauer) and I had the opportunity to write with Ann &amp; Nancy Wilson. That was an amazing experience\u2014especially when you are writing with people who not only influenced you but are also your musical heroes. They were awesome to work with, and we wrote a few great songs together\u2014along with Sue Ennis, Heart\u2019s longtime co-writer and friend. [Ennis has co-written over 70 songs with Ann &amp; Nancy Wilson, including \u201cStraight On,\u201d \u201cEven It Up,\u201d and \u201cDog and Butterfly\u201d]. We all had a blast up in Seattle working together and it was certainly unforgettable. One time later on, I ended up opening solo acoustic for Ann &amp; Nancy when they were touring as an acoustic duo in the late 90s. I still see them on occasion, when I go to their shows in town. They are mesmerizing talents\u2014inspiring, hard-working women.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Did you work with any other musicians?<br \/>\n<\/strong>I toured with Meredith Brooks, another great guitarist. I don\u2019t know if people think of her as one, but she is. We knew of each other here in the Los Angeles scene in the early 80s\u2014especially since we were both female guitar players. There weren\u2019t many back then. It\u2019s all about timing though. She was coming out with a new record and wanted a girl to do radio spots with her, to play and sing and have female background vocals. She never forgot me, and I got a call from her manager. The \u201cradio spots tour\u201d turned into being the guitar player in her band for a few major tours, including one tour opening for Melissa Etheridge. I was still doing my solo thing at the time and Meredith was really supportive, and let me sell my CDs at all the shows. And one time she did a solo date herself and had me open.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sounds like you had good camaraderie with other musicians.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I did a short tour with Michelle Shocked back in the early 2000s and she is an incredibly talented songwriter. She wanted to me to shine with my guitar skills and really gave me a lot of moments to do so. That was really gracious. She has been a longtime supporter of my solo work, and we continue to be friends.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15615\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-08.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-08\" width=\"330\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-08.jpg 330w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-08-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>What was the last tour you played as a guitarist?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Air Supply was the last major artist I toured with, and I have to say both Russell and Graham (the singers) are two of the nicest, kindest, thoughtful people I know\u2014not only in the music business but just in general. I did basically a full year of touring with them. They tour like crazy. This was the first time <em>ever<\/em> with a female musician in their band. They really couldn\u2019t care less about that, and treated me with a lot of respect\u2014just like any musician\u2014the way it should be. Unfortunately, I left that gig when I had an opportunity to work with John Carter Cash on my new record. With their constant touring schedule, I just couldn\u2019t do both. I never thought I would leave a paying touring gig, but I was becoming more and more committed to my own music. They saw that and understood, and fully supported my decision. We are still friends. In fact, I opened for them once when they played a show here in LA.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s nice to hear about positive experiences with musicians and touring.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have been fortunate to have wonderful experiences with these artists and so many more. I think if you work hard, take yourself seriously, then other people will also treat you the same, and you will be rewarded in some way\u2014perhaps have an opportunity to learn more from others. It\u2019s always about learning and growing\u2014as an artist, and as a person. They work hand in hand.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Which experiences stand out?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Writing with Ann &amp; Nancy Wilson, at Nancy\u2019s house in Seattle, was a lot of fun and a big highlight. That said, going to Maui with Lindsey and our band was even more fun and inspiring. He decided he wanted to try recording with his solo band\u2014this was after touring. So instead of doing it at home in LA, why not fly everyone and all the gear to Maui, right? He rented the back lobby bar of a major hotel in Maui, closed it to the public and had all this recording gear brought in and set up. Our entire 10-piece band flew to Maui. We had five guitar players in his band. It was a really special sounding band. We didn\u2019t have any specific new songs, he just wanted us to jam and come up with stuff. So our days consisted of getting up, going snorkeling, and then going to the lobby bar-turned-recording studio and jam with each other while recording until about 6 pm. Then we would all go out and eat or go to a luau. And yes there were a lot of mai tai\u2019s consumed. It was a really inspiring, unifying experience. Another great learning experience\u2014took me out of my world in LA and completely focused on being with Lindsey, the band, and playing music. Lindsey may be a rock star and may be able to do these kinds of crazy things, but he is the real deal, and all about the music. Capturing inspiration, writing, playing\u2014all those things make him a genius, and push everyone around him to bring out the best of their abilities.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-15614\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-10-JanetliveintheUK.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-10-JanetliveintheUK\" width=\"330\" height=\"495\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-10-JanetliveintheUK.jpg 330w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-10-JanetliveintheUK-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Is it true that you have a personal Donald Trump experience?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well listen, I am not a fan of his at all, I\u2019ll be honest. And I haven\u2019t been ever since he screwed over my old band, Precious Metal. He agreed to appear in our cover version of the song \u201cMr. Big Stuff.\u201d The label president\u2019s family had done a lot of business with him and knew him quite well. Things went awry\u2014like they have many times with him doing business. After filming the video, he threatened to pull out unless we paid him a lot more money. There\u2019s a lot more to the story but that is basically the main position we were left with. He had agreed to a small amount to help us out, and help his friend at the label. We couldn\u2019t afford his new terms and had already done the filming with him. We had to re-shoot with a body double. While posing for promo shots from the video shoot with him, Trump managed to put his arm around my stomach and exclaimed \u201cWow, you have a tight body.\u201d I was young and didn\u2019t know how to respond. I was intimidated. But really, it was inappropriate. I don\u2019t think much has changed for him. In the end, the video still came out, but it would have been a lot cooler if it had been him in it because it would have helped us with the promotion for our band. Back in the 80s, videos were huge on MTV, and having a guest like him in our video would have been great.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 1px; border: none; color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/>\n<p><strong>As a talented guitarist, and a musician in charge of your own career (with your Ani DiFranco-inspired Little Sister Records), any thoughts about women\u2019s empowerment and the possibility of a woman (Hillary Clinton) in the White House?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Women have come a long way\u2014in politics, in business, and in rock \u2019n\u2019 roll. There\u2019s still a long way to go, but we continue to trail-blaze and hopefully make things a little easier for other women coming up. I teach guitar in between touring, and over 70% young girls come to me because I am a girl. Perhaps they feel more comfortable. I also have young boys that come to me because I studied under Randy Rhoads. Those boys really couldn\u2019t care less about me being a female teacher. They just want to learn from someone who learned from Randy. So it\u2019s two-fold: I have girls that want to learn from a girl, perhaps because they feel more comfortable and maybe are more inspired by seeing another girl guitar player, and I have boys I work with that will hopefully grow up gender-blind, and will respect women not only in the music business but also life in general. I do find it interesting that there is a category for \u201cfemale guitarists.\u201d It has helped me because sometimes bands are looking for that\u2014maybe for a look in the band. In many of my hired gigs, they wanted to hear female vocals\u2014as well as someone who could play guitar. Ultimately though, it shouldn\u2019t be a category. When you listen to a guitar on a track, if there is no video playing and you are not at a live show, you can\u2019t tell if it\u2019s a guy or girl. You can with a singer, so I get that. I\u2019ve been on some \u201cTop 10\u201d female guitarist lists and I do take that as an honor. But maybe it should be just one list that also includes female players. Usually, they are not thought of, and maybe these female guitar lists will help that in the future. So for now, perhaps it is just the way it needs to be until people start thinking about (and including) all the amazing women guitar players out there, along with the men. Regarding the White House, I am extremely excited about that possibility. I was hoping that in my lifetime, I would get to see a woman become president. It\u2019s ironic that it was an African-American man first\u2014still the man coming first. Nevertheless, I can see it\u2019s a real possibility for a woman to be the president, and I think that\u2019s pretty damn amazing.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>For someone only now discovering your music, what one other album will give valued perspective on their new Janet Robin journ<\/strong><strong>ey?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Certainly the first one I did with John Carter Cash, <em>Everything Has Changed<\/em>\u2014which features \u201cView From Above.\u201d I think that record really shows versatility of my guitar playing and songwriting, with different genres of music. Of course, my new record, <em>Take Me as I Am<\/em> (also produced by John Carter Cash &amp; Chuck Turner) is a good one to check out when it\u2019s released in a few weeks. The CD release show is Sunday, August 21 at 7:30 PM at The Whiskey A-GoGo in Los Angeles\u2014tickets still available! (<em>laughs<\/em>) On that recording, I think I went back to my rock roots more than ever, and it\u2019s also the first time I wrote almost every song except for one cover and one co-write. I really dug into my soul for this new record.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What PRO are you with\u2014and how do they help a songwriter\/artist like you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I am with BMI. Really, all the PROs are basically the same. They collect information and money from companies that use your songs, and they pay you a royalty. The only reason to sign up with any one of them is if you have a record coming out and\/or have songs in a film or TV show, or in a commercial. They also track your tours. So when you play live at a venue, you can list what songs you played at the shows and the venues pay a royalty fee to the songwriters.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 1px; border: none; color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/>\n<p><strong>What are your Top 5 favorite albums of all time?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band<\/em> (1967) \u2013 The Beatles<\/p>\n<p><em>The Beatles<\/em> [White Album] (1968) \u2013 The Beatles<\/p>\n<p><em>Rumours<\/em> (1977) \u2013 Fleetwood Mac<\/p>\n<p>Led Zeppelin\u2014any album<\/p>\n<p>Heart\u2014any album<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15610\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-Janet-Robin.jpg\" alt=\"Top5-Albums-Janet-Robin\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-Janet-Robin.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Top5-Albums-Janet-Robin-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about working with producer John Carter Cash.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>John is one of the most down to earth people I know and have ever worked with. He is all about the music\u2014about capturing true performances and bringing out the best. He never settles. Chuck Turner, who produced my new record (along with John as executive producer) is the same way. Those two guys always manage to push me to my limits\u2014to bring out the best. Even send me home (which they did) to practice more. I love that they care so much. It\u2019s what music is about, and what recording an album is all about\u2014doing whatever it takes. If you have to practice more, then go home and come back better prepared. Capturing the best moment of a performance takes work, practice and confidence. They are very open minded and didn\u2019t just railroad over any of my musical ideas. They listened and had me try a lot of different things before we would all agree on a part. I love working at Cash Cabin. It\u2019s filled with pictures and memories of Johnny and June, and their family\u2014 and it\u2019s all very personal. I feel honored to be there amongst his family\u2019s belongings. It inspires me and it feels like a family there. I wish they were both still alive because I know I would have loved meeting them. They raised a fantastic son.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What inspired the standout title track of your new album <em>Take Me as I Am<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m gonna turn 50 next month (September). I don\u2019t hide that fact. I\u2019ve just been thinking a lot over the last year and I\u2019ve reached a point in my life where I just don\u2019t care that much about what people think or say about me anymore. I never became a rich famous rock star, but I am so happy where I am\u2014and grateful for all the amazing experience I have had as a musician. I do feel lucky. I\u2019ve been able to make a living as a working musician. I\u2019ve seen the business change so much over the years. I think it\u2019s awesome that you can make it on your own if you want to get out there and make it as a musician\u2014whatever that may mean to you. It\u2019s always nice to have help\u2014I\u2019m not gonna lie. But at least these days you can get out there, release your own records, tour, promote and depend only on your loyal fans. If people don\u2019t like my music or think I\u2019m too old or whatever, I really don\u2019t care. I have so many wonderful people in my life that support me\u2014family, friends, and my amazing loyal fans. The last two records were fan-funded. I raised $20,000 for <em>Everything Has Changed<\/em>, and $10,000 for this new album. You know take it or leave it\u2014here I am. It\u2019s what you get. (<em>laughs<\/em>) If you don\u2019t like it, it\u2019s fine because you just have to take me as I am.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s next?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have another project called The String Revolution\u2014four-piece <em>all guitar<\/em> band. I\u2019m the only girl. It was my idea to put this band together. I really wanted to orchestrate four guitars\u2014much like what I learned from Lindsey. This is mostly acoustic and mostly instrumental. We are also getting ready to release a new record in October, and it will be mixed by Matt Hyde. He did Rodrigo y Gabriela\u2019s <em>11:11<\/em> and was Grammy-nominated for a Slipknot record.<\/p>\n<hr style=\"height: 1px; border: none; color: #ffffff; background-color: #ffffff;\" \/>\n<h2><strong>For more info and to stay updated on Janet Robin:<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/janetrobin.com\" target=\"_blank\">janetrobin.com<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/janetrobinmusic\" target=\"_blank\">facebook.com\/janetrobinmusic<\/a><\/h3>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/thestringrevolution.com%20\" target=\"_blank\">thestringrevolution.com\u00a0<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-15612\" src=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-03.jpg\" alt=\"Janet Robin-03\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-03.jpg 660w, https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Janet-Robin-03-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>VIDEO FEATURE &amp; WEB-EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW &nbsp; Musician: \u00a0JANET ROBIN Music Video: \u201cView From Above\u201d JANET ROBIN Web-Exclusive Interview with\u00a0M Music &amp; Musicians\u00a0magazine publisher, Merlin David &nbsp; How did the idea of \u201cView from Above\u201d come to you? I was feeling a little depressed at the time I wrote it, and instead of doing something negative\u2014I [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15620,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7725],"tags":[7898,5097,7883,7871,3155,7869,5346,5879,7890,206,7887,6733,7901,5261,7857,7872,7885,2316,7889,7877,7866,7900,7873,4239,7886,4315,7880,2483,7888,7896,2270,7882,3010,3618,2317,2280,7878,7879,4749,7868,7867,7870,7897,7769,7884,7892,7899,7881,7894,3720,7893,3818,7874,7895,7891,7902,7823,7875,7876],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15609"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15609"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15633,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15609\/revisions\/15633"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15620"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}