A Dirty Dozen with LIZZIE EDWARDS from LIZZIE & THE MAKERS – September 2021

According to a recent press release: “NYC-based Lizzie & The Makers have teamed up with Glide Magazine to premiere their new blues rock stomp “Lover By Proxy” which is released today.  The moody track is the second single from their sophomore studio album Dear Onda Wahl out this fall which was produced by renowned producers Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie, Tin Machine) and Mario J. McNulty (David Bowie, Prince). Lizzie & The Makers have announced a handful of NYC area gigs as a warm up to their full US tour to be announced soon. Lizzie & The Makers is singer / songwriter Lizzie Edwards, guitarist Greg McMullen, bassist Brett Bass (Gregg Allman, Bernie Worrell), drummer Steve Williams (Sadé, Digable Planets) and keyboard player Rob Clores (Black Crowes, Jesse Malin). Recorded at Mission Sound Recording in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, LP Dear Onda Wahl threads rootsy, shoegazey, psychedelic layers throughout its core. Lizzie & The Makers’ debut album, Fire from the Heart of Man was released in 2015, followed by the EP Meanwhile… three years later. A 2017 concert collection Live at Rockwood Music Hall conveyed The Makers’ famously visceral stage show.” We get Lizzie to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

There are definitely references to older originals on this new album that probably only diehard fans would notice! I also think that Rob Clores’ parts on the keys are subtle yet fascinating – what might seem like a traditional rock song at first will sound more otherworldly on the second or third listen.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

My grandparents were classical musicians and my father was a rock guitarist and singer – so I guess you could say it’s in my blood! I knew by around age 5 or 6 that I wanted to be a musician, it was all around me.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

From the beginning, it was all Aretha Franklin. Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” as well as Bonnie Raitt’s “Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About” were also undeniable influences. Later down the road, Billie Holiday, AC/DC and Ann Peebles also became regular rotations on my playlist!

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Ann Peebles, Bonnie Raitt, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Pink Floyd.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Mavis Staples – she is legendary and a force to be reckoned with. I absolutely adore her and her music.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

That’s hard question to answer for me – we have so many influences and really strive to have an authentic voice as songwriters and performers. I’ve been compared to Annie Lennox, Grace Potter, hell, even Taylor Swift. I used to tell people we were like the Black Crowes with a female lead, but we are definitely a little stranger and more alternative. Some people say ZZ Top, others say we are more psychedelic and art rock than that. So I guess I’d say we are 21st Century Rock and let the listener form their own opinion.

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

I would say I’m definitely in charge of the drinks – Greg would be the first to crack out the guitar and start playing. None of us are very skilled in the kitchen, haha.

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

A few years back, we were in Austin for SXSW and I got us in to see Billy Gibbons at Antone’s. He had to walk right by us to get into the venue as we were waiting in line, and I immediately got chills. Greg will tell you, as I was riding the rail during the show, there was no one else in the room but me and Billy, ha. It was a magical show and an unforgettable moment for me. I hope to officially meet that man someday.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

If I couldn’t be a musician, I would love to be a music supervisor for film. I can’t fathom a life without music, so if I had to choose another profession, music would still somehow factor into it.

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

Hmmm, that’s a good question! Maybe that’s the one! I’d love the opportunity to talk more about my classical piano training and my favorite composers – Chopin and Rachmaninov still influence my songwriting today, 100%. I’m not tired of answering any certain question yet, but I’ve question that is difficult for me to answer is regarding the genre of our band – I couldn’t possibly fit us into one genre, and I think it varies from song to sing while still being cohesively our sound. I wish we didn’t have to fit into a category or mold for people.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

I wish I had the confidence to pursue original songwriting and performance earlier in life. I wasted a lot of time doubting myself and I often wonder where I’d be now if I had believed in myself more as a teenager.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Aretha Franklin’s session for “I Never Loved a Man The Way That I Love You” at Muscle Shoals. That is my favorite Aretha song and really marked an evolution of her sound. That track is inspiring and heartbreaking all at once, Aretha’s piano groove is contagious and the rhythm section, the Swampers, are just unparalleled. Everyone is speaking the same language on that track and it’s a breathtaking piece of music.

LIZZIE & THE MAKERS LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

Category: Interviews