5 Q&A With Roxanne Fontana
What inspired you to write the lyrics/music for "Daydream In The Dark Night?"
Well, lyrically, it is a song of profound frustration. It comes off I think as cynical by the way I am singing it, so that tones it down a bit… But it’s covering everything, it’s speaking to everyone. It’s pulling my hair out and saying basically, ‘what the fk do you want?’ If I was like most songwriters today I’d probably just write that, but that’s cheating, that’s crap, that’s no-talent. So, who am I talking to? A lover? Society? The music business? I think you find that you can more times than not apply your current emotions across the board. I’m sure it was triggered by a lover – but then I realized it could be to everyone. These questions. The song is filled with questions. “Do you want strength? Do I just ignore? Do you want a reason? Is it in season?” That’s anger and annoyance and passion, wanting to shake society, or the music business, or a lover – as I said, ‘what the fk do you want from me.’ Isn’t it great? More people should feel this way. I hope people tap into that and identify with it – God, I’d have a huge hit! People need to not float through life wishy washy, they should look life in the eyes, and question things – their happiness, what’s going on around them. Even God, in the bible says he hates the luke-warm, I agree! Keep me awake, what side are you on and why. The catch phrase as it were, ‘A daydream in the dark night makes it that strong,’ is the wrap up, my thinking like this gives it legs and energy. Musically, it’s just the blues really. I came up with all those bits like Moroccan horn parts, and the stylophone (like David Bowie used to use), to probably cover up that it’s just the blues. In fact, Bowie’s ‘Rebel Rebel,’ is just the blues.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for this song?
I’m a perfectionist in the studio, one of those torturous types. I won’t let it go if the snare drum doesn’t sound as it should --- and then I might be wrong. So it’s torturous and I don’t enjoy it but on the other hand I love it, I love the process of finding my own rainbow. I was annoyed at some of the guitar sounds, and picked up my electric DANELECTRO and played those bits that go throughout, the notes, the lead solo, and I was not in a studious mood, or a happy mood – it was really like I had to just let fate take over. And when it was done the engineer timidly said, ‘that was good.’ Hah. Yeah it was, and I loved it. I don’t usually enjoy things until their over and done, and I have the finished product then I can sit back and enjoy thoroughly. Doing the percussion bits involving 4 of us at once was enjoyable though on this song. The rest of the track had been done, and it was in all our headphones, and it was rocking good.
How does this song fit into your overall artistic vision and what can listeners expect from you in the future?
As I said I think strangely enough it really captures it on so many levels, in the ways I already stated. I have songs that are very rock n roll, in other words, just about love and romance and the disappointments and happiness with those… but this one does seem to capture some kind of psychological bag. I love to change moods in music too, and I will continue to do so. It was my idea to put in these Moroccan horns, and thank God it was able to be done! My last album, I did a video to every song – I go from being a poetic eyeglassed maiden sitting in a garden to getting topless and singing about superficiality approvingly. My satisfaction comes from being committed to everything and nothing. The new album that is coming soon is a collection of different types of rock n roll.. There is some psych on it, with sitars, and one that’s even jazzy.
Can you walk us through your creative process when writing and composing music?
My creative process is basically having my guitar (which I don’t really like to play onstage but I’ve had to from time to time doing acoustic shows and not having a band), and a melody being born out of a riff or chord change. It usually happens on its own, and I don’t ever and never have, sat down to write a song. And I’ve written so many, and I have so many records out. I think I have about 70 songs copywritten in Washington, even though I’m not a mainstream artist. But my way of writing is as typical a process as someone who ‘sits down to write a song’ or someone that went to school to learn how to do it. And in that order of those three ‘ways’ to write a song on your own, the latter would be the most likely to bring forth something not special or original. So just letting it happen is my particular formula.
How do you approach collaborations with other musicians and maintain creative synergy?
Such a good question, and an important one. If a producer, or songwriter lacks vision that could be a recipe for disaster (meaning a bad record). As I produce my own records for the most part, it is a delicate tightrope to balance on. I may have my own vision of what I want the drums to do, and I’ll say it, same goes for the bass parts, and the guitars, etc… but I have to be careful, so very careful. Especially I am in England now so I work with English musicians. I’m an Italian girl from New York City. I would want that if I tell a drummer what to do, he would say, ‘ oh that sucks, let me try this.’ But I’m aware I’m not likely to get that from an English person, so I’ve learned to say, ‘I’m thinking along these lines, but what do YOU think, do you have any ideas that might work better?’ hahah, in NYC I’d never have to be gentle like that, in fact that would open the doors to all sorts of horrors, haaaa, but in NYC I’ve been yelled at and told off, sometimes to my benefit, sometimes not of course. So the English has taught me a different way of collaborating. But although I am good at what I do, I have to realize that someone may have a better arrangement for a part than I have. And it does happen sometimes!
