The Eighth Note is 8 quick Questions with Wellington Musicians. A chance for us to catch up with people & see what they’re up to, or introduce you to a new musician/band and their music. Up next is Cathy Elizabeth, who records under the name Rain, and whose debut E.P was released in March.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about your music:
My name is Cathy Elizabeth and my artist name is Rain. I’ve been writing music since my early teens, and since returning to Wellington I began working together with other musicians to develop my songs into a full band sound. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to work with an amazing producer, and to get my songs recorded and produced. So the songs that I’m releasing now are my life’s work really, and include songs I’ve written in the past along with more recently written tracks. I’m a rock chick at heart with folky roots, but my recorded music has many styles and flavours. My sound is still developing as I experiment with different moods and instrumentations.
What have you been working on lately? Any new tracks or albums on the way?
I’m currently working on my second EP which is set to be an all-rock EP. I’m aiming for this to come out around July 2021, and I may release a single from the EP in June.
Where is the best place people can follow you & find your music?
Follow my Facebook page. I’m also on Bandcamp. My music is on Spotify, Apple Music (and other major platforms) and I have some video clips on YouTube. The best way to find my tracks is to search by track title + Rain. Searching for ‘Rain’ on it’s own will result in you swimming in a sea of rain-on-the-roof sounds … which is very soothing, but alas does not find me! My most popular track on Spotify is Hold Me Down so that is a good place to start.
What were the 3 most influential albums to you growing up?
My dad listened to a lot of Dire Straits at home, and certain songs, like Private Investigations, have an incredibly haunting quality for me. All of the emotion of that time in my life comes flooding back. It’s amazing how music has the ability to do that. I’d say Love Over Gold made a lasting impression on me. As a teenager I had Jimi Hendrix on blast! Great voice, great guitar player, and just great songs to lose yourself in. I had the compilation album Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix. But Queen was my all-time favourite band as a youngster, and A Night at The Opera had me captivated. Theatrical rock at it’s finest, such creativity and flair … such beautiful intricate composition infused with hard rock guitars and operatic backing vocals. It definitely opened my mind to the push the bounds of where you can go with music. As an artist I think it’s important to be fearless with one’s creativity.
Which other Wellington musician (s) would you most like to work with?
One such fearlessly creative artist would have to be the incredible Aldous Harding. I admire her work so much, because she is unafraid to be so uniquely herself in her music. Her stage performance is oddly enchanting and awkwardly riveting. And while I realise that this is a persona, and all part of the act, that in itself is the form of presentation that she has come up with from the ideas in her mind. It’s bold and it’s genius and I love it.
What’s your favourite Wellington venue to play in?
I put on my debut EP release at The Pow Wow Room on Courtenay Place and the staff were fantastic. It’s a great space for a modest-sized event, with an 80 pax capacity. It’s a good layout and the sound was great in there. Their partnership with RadioActive allowed me to get into the studio for an interview to promote the event, which was awesome. I will look at holding my next EP release there for sure.
In your songwriting or composing, how do the compositions and songs take shape?
It varies. Sometimes I write the chord progression first, then hum a melody over it, then write some words to fit. Other times I’ve written the words and melody first, say while I’m out driving or travelling on a plane, then I will pick up my guitar when I get home and figure out what the chords should be for it. A few times I’ve written just the words first, as a poem or piece of prose, then I find some chords and a melody to put it to. Sometimes it just happens all at once, and it falls out super easy. I love those ones! Then there’s the other times when you try and try to make something work but it’s just not happening. I walk away from those. If it’s getting frustrating it’s just not going to happen. It’s quite something to be able to catch that little creative spark as it blows through. But always alone. I’ve not found it easy to create in collaboration with others. I think because I always just want things my way. Or I feel a bit exposed, having all that messy creative process on display in front of someone? It feels quite vulnerable.
Where/when is your next gig?
I have a support slot opening for The After at Valhalla this Thursday night 28th May at 8pm. Then the next gig will probably be my next EP release, hopefully in July. Perhaps I should look at a mini tour at that point, and take it to a few places around the country?