Hailing from London, Ontario, Canada, rocker Rose Cora Perry fronts the newly-formed alt-rock band, The Truth Untold and is now the first Canadian female guitarist to be signed with Blackstar Amplification. No stranger to the indie rock music scene, Rose started her own record label at the age of 15, was named the premier Canadian endorsee of Daisyrock Guitars, produced an award-winning music video trilogy series from her new album, ‘Onto The Floor’ and was named Top-10 indie talent in Canada by Starbeat.
Rose’s relationship with Daisyrock Guitars caught the attention of UK-based Blackstar Amplification, resulting in an exclusive invitation to perform as the only Canadian at the 2017 Summer NAMM. Prevented from using her own HT Soloist 60 due to the event’s backline policies, Blackstar enthusiastically provided Rose with a new STAGE601MKII, making her the first to play that model in a live setting. Observing Rose’s talent and realizing that the company needed more emphasis on female musicians, Blackstar then signed Rose as an endorsee. Loren Molinare, Head of Artist Relations explains: “We really see the future of rock with female musicians – they’re writing credible material and inspiring young girls to pick up guitars. We’re excited to welcome a talent like Rose who is a great role model and a great addition to the Blackstar roster.”
I interviewed Rose to not only find out more about her and her music but also about her path to becoming an endorsee of Blackstar. Here is the interview:
Congratulations on your Blackstar Amplification endorsement. How did you feel when they endorsed you as their first Canadian female guitarist?
Thank YOU! I am pretty darn honoured to say the least, especially as their roster includes industry legends like Al Jourgensen (Ministry) and Kevin Armstrong (Iggy Pop)! It’s also pretty amazing to be joining the ranks of my fellow Canuck endorsees Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies) and Jeff Stinco (Simple Plan).
As a musician who likes to keep her set up simple, to me, what makes a great amp is one wherein you don’t need a litany of pedals in order to obtain the “sound” you’re going for. That’s why I LOVE my Blackstar and that’s why it has come to define the sound of my band, “The Truth Untold”.
I hope to inspire other musicians – women rockers, especially – to give Blackstar a try. The cleans are deliciously crisp, while the distortion roars.
You formed your own record label at the age of 15. Explain the process of how and also why you did it.
My first band, HER, was on the brink of releasing our debut album and I wanted us to be taken seriously, rather than just seen as another “high school band”. As both of my parents are entrepreneurs I was born into a business-minded family.
So, when I proposed the idea of forming my own record label through which we could release our debut, my parents were more than happy to assist me with obtaining a lawyer and accountant to make it happen. I learned quickly by observing my peers in the industry that above talent, image and marketing were/are paramount to success.
Having a label behind our release gave us a one-up on the competition.
In addition to acting as my own label, HER Records has also become a platform through which I have offered other entertainment industry-related services to my fellow artists and small businesses including publicity/promotions, band management/advice, guest speaking, branding and graphic design.
Explain how you taught yourself about band management, publicity, and promotions.
Honestly, a huge part of it was/is simply trial and error (I’ve made TONS of mistakes but those are GREAT opportunities for learning!); that and watching what my more successful peers did (and importantly, did NOT do).
I’ve also outright asked others I’ve admired for advice. So long as you’re courteous, kind and appreciative of those willing to take time out of their day for you, most will generally try and offer some insight into their success.
I think one of the things that bars many musicians from taking their careers to the next level is that they quite simply let their “egos” get in the way. I get it – we’re a sensitive bunch. But this is an industry that is CONSTANTLY changing where it pays off to be “on trend” before it becomes “trendy”, and so, an open-minded attitude toward LEARNING new tips and strategies from the various resources at your disposal is an ABSOLUTE must.
There is ALWAYS room for improvement: playing and otherwise.
Prior to releasing my latest album, “Onto the Floor”, I took a good three months to study current marketing strategies, which is how I came up with the idea to do a Music Video trilogy. It had been six years since I had released anything so I fully acknowledged I needed a refresher.
How did you become associated with DaisyRock Guitars?
My relationship with DaisyRock Guitars began some 14 years ago when I reached out to them to see if there was a potential opportunity for us to work together. I had just discovered their revolutionary guitar line catered specifically to the needs and statures of female players, like myself, and I was really excited to see if we could align our efforts.
The company was still in its infancy and had only just started expanding into Canada so the timing ended up being perfect. After some back and forth discussion, I was given the distinct honour of becoming their very first sponsored Canadian artist.
I have proudly continued to use and promote their guitars ever since.
How did your relationship with DaisyRock Guitars lead to your new endorsement with Blackstar Amplification?
Fast forward to this past summer: Tish Ciravolo, the founder of DaisyRock Guitars, extended an invitation to my band, The Truth Untold, to attend Summer NAMM (Nashville) in association with my longstanding sponsorship. She also encouraged us to apply for a noteworthy showcase at the event under the DaisyRock brand.
Not only did we get selected to perform at Summer NAMM, but it turned out we were the ONLY Canadian act on the bill. This, of course, gave us a unique “angle” in terms of soliciting interest from the media and instrument manufacturers, alike.
When we discovered that Blackstar Amplification would be exhibiting at Summer NAMM, you better believe one of the first things we did was email their A&R team to send them a direct invitation to our performance. It has always been my philosophy that the worst response you can get back is a “no”, but if you never ask, you’ll never “know”!
Happily, we received back a friendly reply from Blackstar in which they expressed interest about checking us out.
The day prior to our showcase, we made the additional effort to go to their booth directly with a hardcopy invitation (just in case they forgot) and were pleased to discover our gig was already on their agenda 🙂
Explain what happened with the backline policies at NAMM. Why couldn’t you use your HT Soloist 60?
Due to the sheer size of the event and the number of exhibitors who are putting on product demos, there are strict policies regarding sound levels that everyone – performers included – must adhere to.
As with most festivals/conferences, full backline is provided/shared among performers so we literally only needed to show up with a guitar and drumsticks on hand in order to play.
Though amps were being supplied, the backline policy at Summer NAMM permitted guitarists to provide their own amps (in order to reflect their “sound”) so long as they were under 40 watts. My Blackstar HT Soloist 60 is BARELY over – at 60 watts – but it was a “no go”.
When I explained this to the Blackstar fellas the day before our gig, they were more than willing to provide me with an amp for the showcase. I was blown away by their graciousness! It was also pretty darn awesome to see them seated in the front row, catching us live in action.
What did you think when Blackstar supplied their new STAGE601MKII to you at NAMM? After your performance, what were your thoughts about the STAGE601MKII?
When Blackstar initially offered me the use of one of their amps for our showcase, I was overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude. But before I got too carried away, I wanted to ensure in fact, I was understanding correctly so I clarified that this was their intention. I know, I’m so Canadian!
I think it goes without saying (especially given we’d only just met!) that this was an extremely generous offer on their part and I feel very privileged to have been able to debut the STAGE601MKII at Summer NAMM.
As I’m “used to” the sound and functionality of a Blackstar, being able to use an amp of their brand also gave me more confidence with respect to my performance as I could anticipate how it would “sound”, even though I had never used that particular model.
Right from the get-go, the Blackstar team treated me with nothing but respect and professionalism. They continue to be very encouraging and I am truly honoured to be endorsed by them.
As for the STAGE601MKII, like all the amps in the Blackstar product line, it packs a punch. I think most guitarists would be amazed by how powerful and LOUD even Blackstar’s smaller combo amps are, and yet that power is controlled (ie: if you want feedback, you really have to force it).
The STAGE601MKII was easy to navigate to get my ideal tone settings. One of Blackstar’s best most recent improvements, in my opinion, (as I got to see with the STAGE601MKII) has to do with their footswitches now being compatible with any standard patch cord. Very smart.
Would you like to see more endorsements for women musicians from equipment manufacturers such as Blackstar? If yes, do you have any thoughts on what needs to happen to achieve that outcome?
I think when it comes to the endorsement world, it’s a two way street in that:
a) Artists (female and male, equally) can’t be afraid to ask and get turned down (worst case scenario they’ve now heard of you and may be more apt to bringing you on in the future as your career develops)
b) Instrument manufacturers need to make their product lines and brands equally appealing to both genders
Obviously, it can be a bit intimidating for a female to approach a product line if you only see “dudes” associated with it. They (the female artist) may, for example, think that the company doesn’t want to have women associated with the brand as a result. BUT you never know if you don’t ask and we all know what happens when you assume. Besides which, I see absolutely no problem with becoming a trailblazer – you may just inspire other women to do the same!
As it stands, the industry – especially the “gearhead” world – is still by and large dominated by males so it makes sense as to why you see fewer women at the forefront of branding efforts for major companies. However, with female guitar virtuosos like Nita Strauss and Orianthi getting attention, I think that will start to change rather quickly. It’s inspiring.
The key, in my opinion, is to stop seeing female musicians as “females” first (which results in the focus being on their looks and sexuality). We are ALL musicians – our gender is irrelevant – let’s keep the focus on the music.
What else should equipment manufacturers do to specifically support or cater to women musicians?
The reason I was attracted to DaisyRock Guitars was because their brand specifically caters to females by creating lighter weight instruments with thinner shorter scale fretboards. These differences reflect the general reality that women, on average, have smaller physical statures and hand spans than males.
I had previously tried my hand at performing with SGs and Strats and I found, in both cases, by the end of a 45-minute set, my shoulder would be killing me from the weight of the instrument, which in turn, limited my mobility and affected my show(wo)manship detrimentally.
At 5’4 and 105 lbs, I’m very petite so guitar weight DOES matter. Equally, I’ve always been partial to combo amps as I find them less challenging to lug around.
In the future, I’d like to see even lighter combo amps, if possible – without the tone or volume being sacrificed.
I also think that from a marketing stance, it would be smart on behalf of instrument manufacturers to create two complementary product lines: like a HIS and HERs for gear.
I’m not suggesting the female version(s) would be pink with bows BUT they could – like DaisyRock did – accommodate the specific needs of female musicians in order to help them perform their best…and as a result, it would probably increase their revenue stream!
What’s the best way for people to discover your music? Can you share your touring and/or new-music-release plans for 2018?
People are welcome to connect with me via my official website www.rosecoraperry.com or through any of my social media channels:
www.facebook.com/rosecoraperryofficial
www.instagram.com/rosecoraperry
I always love to chat music!
Perhaps a good starting place would be to check out my Music Video trilogy series for the first three singles from my new album, “Onto the Floor”. The plot lines are connected so be sure to watch them in order: “Away I Go”, “Six Feet Under” and “Empty”.
Part I: Away I Go
Part 2: Six Feet Under
Part 3: Empty
As for our 2018 plans, we’re gearing up once again to take on the Summer Festival circuit. Keep an eye on our tour schedule as we get closer to the Spring as we may be coming to a city near you.
We’re also in the process of recording our first E.P. as a band (my most recent release was done as a solo venture with session players) which is really exciting. We’re hoping to release some material later this year under “Rose Cora Perry & The Truth Untold”. Stay tuned!