Marie Wilson

Imagine, travelling the world with the likes of Bryan Adams, The Corrs, KD Lang, John Fogerty. Having the opportunity to co write songs with talented artists like Ed Rollins (Collective Soul), Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams) and Mark Hudson (Hanson, Aerosmith). Most of us can only dream of meeting these artists let alone having enough talent to actually gain their respect. Enough respect that they want you to play alongside them on their world tours.

Marie grew up in the eastern Melbourne suburb of Box Hill, a long way from Los Angelos where she currently resides. She is living proof that a girls dreams can and do come true. Femail.com.au talks with Marie Wilson on what she knows best, music!

FM: Was music always going to be the focus for your career?

Marie: No, actually I was concentrating on a qualification as a Physical education teacher. I took music as a second major by chance at school, but the prospect of getting ahead with a musical career actually looked better! So I got a band started at College and it was really exciting especially when I come to the realisation that I could really be a success, but my mother was less than impressed!

FM: When in Australia Marie, where do you prefer to stay?

Marie: Well I travel around to catch up with friends and family. Currently I am staying in Williamstown, it's a beautiful place.

FM: Is the fame important to you? If so how big do you want to become?

Marie: The music is of course more important to me than the fame. I would imagine high profile fame would be tiring as well as restrictive in the places you're able to go.

The sort of fame I have like signing autographs after shows is nice, it's pretty low key. I'm still the sort of person that will walk in to a local pub and ask to play and I love it and it sells more records which makes more money and me the freedom to do what I enjoy; play music for a living.

FM: Madonna's 'Like a prayer' is your favourite song, which is surprising considering your sound is so different. Have you met Madonna or had much to do with her throughout your career to date?

Marie: No I haven't met her, but I would love to, she's amazing the way she reinvents her image and is always ahead of the bunch. She has her own record label and looks after her own interests, obviously not somebody to sit back and let people make decisions for her - she writes the cheques. She's a total professional a wonderful artist and a great performer.

In terms of image, I guess it's not something I spend a lot of time on but I do find Madonna's different images intriguing. I'm so conservative I won't even let anyone touch my hair....but I think it would be great to come up with a new look all the time, I'll work on it!

FM: Does your next album have a similar sound to your first album'Real Life'? Is contemporary rock still the focus?

Marie: It's very much contemporary rock, but what I am trying to achieve musically now is to put out a CD that somebody can pull out in 20 years time and still respect it. My focus is not too achieve a 'now' sound. I want to create a classic album like Fleetwood Mac who's music is timeless.

It's hard to say how it compares to the first album because I haven't finished it yet. But I know I love the songs that I have for it so far.

FM: Me, Myself, I is Rachel Griffith's new movie soon to be released in Australia. You are covering Me,Myself, (Joan Armatrading's classic) for the soundtrack representing this movie. Were you a fan of Joan Armatrading or did she have any influence on your music?

Marie: I think Joan Armatrading's music is great and not the track just Me,myself I but many more. Joan's version is rock and mine is a pop, it was hard developing Me myself I as I couldn't get the original melody out of my head. And I have seen the film Me, myself, I and it's a great film.

FM: You choose to work in America mainly. Is writing in America more inspiring because you're surrounded by a network of talented artists/producers that you can collaborate with? And just how hard was it for you to get a break in America?

Marie: Initially I went o/s just to see what it was like. Australia is such a long way from the rest of the world and you really have to rely on what people tell you, and it's makes you think, is that really what it's like?? I tend to be more focused on my work when I'm O/S. At home I tend to get distracted and visit family, friends and head off to the beach.

America really opened up my eyes though because initially nobody knew me and it was tough, but my break came when I was asked by Joe Hardy to come to Memphis for a week and stay with him. He took a punt on me and I haven't looked back. Joe helped me compile my last album 'Real life' and is working with me on the next. We have a definite chemistry when we collaborate.

FM: You have the opportunity to be part of the fantastic concept of writing workshops. What's this experience like, how does this type of program work? And what do you get out of it?

Marie: The objective of Songwriter camps is to get two or three together, a producer, a performer and writer.

It's a bizarre experience because when it comes to song writing it's very personal and I have a problem with baring all to strangers. Where ever possible I will meet up with the person I have been assigned to write with prior to the workshop and try to get to know them a little better. It's like stripping off in front of someone. Honesty and not being subconcious is essential when writing otherwise you wind up with a superficial song.

When I write by myself, my songs are motivated by personal experience that's what makes it so personal, but I will keep co-writing because I have learnt so much by being exposed to both talented and experienced people

FM: And finally, which person has helped you achieve the most throughout your career?

Without a doubt it's been my manager as she believed in me before I did. The best advice I can give to someone wanting to get ahead in this industry is to get a good manager, one that can afford the time. It should be treated as a partnership and be satisfying for both parties.