I caught up recently with my cousin Daniel Roa aboard his intergalactic space yacht. We talked about the year that was, post-Socrates existentialism and time travel. Just over a year ago, Dan jumped from being one of Winnipeg's most in demand session drummer to attempting to pierce through the saturated and competitive Québec francophone signer-songwriter scene. The result is an accessible yet creatively interesting product that has garnered some attention in Québec. Here are his answers to my MANY questions:
Dan, 2009 saw you complete the transition from being one of Winnipeg's most in demand session drummers to taking on the role of band leader to execute your creative visions en français. How did this happen and where are you today in relation to your goals as a singer-songwriter?
I think the transition between drummer/backup musician to the role of frontman was something of a artistic necessity, although with anything I do, I like to take calculated risks. I had (secretly) been working up song ideas with no concrete goal in mind since the early 90's - actually, one of my first musical memories as a child is of singing some kinda melodic hook!
That said, I needed to get kicked in the ass and motivated to make the leap to the front, cause I was getting quite comfortable with the life of a session player, although it was starting to wear on me (quarter life crisis ;P). Thanks to my lady friend some close friends in the biz who had heard my tunes, I mustered up the courage to do a few local shows, and reception was good. I then gained a lot of experience as a frontman and bandleader with the band "Johnny Cajun" - a zydeco/funk/cajun party band that still performs.
All of that encouragement, and more importantly, the need to express something deeper than paradiddles forced me up there. I fell in love with the songwriting process, and la langue française keeps wooing me (I have regular dates with Petit Robert - not a small hairy frenchman with a moustache, but a dictionary!).
As for goals, well, I just wanna make the best music I can. I want to be uninhibited, free to say and play what I want, how I want to. Hence the reason why the first album is all over the place stylistically! But if that's the worst criticism I get, great! I'm really excited about this next record, I want it to move and groove, but of course, I won't shy off any subject matter!$#@!
... and other than making great music, getting out there is my goal; more inroads in Québec and especially francophone Europe where we're headed this spring.
You've had the chance of touring with Daniel Lavoie across the province of Québec recently amongst many other gigs around the country. What are some of your best memories from being on the road this year?
Some of my best road memories this past year... hmmm... I have to say the beautiful rooms they have in Québec. Places like L'Anglicane in Lévis, le Domaine Forget on the north shore of the St-Laurent, oh, and the amazing cheeses they make out there!!! Look out France, y'all got some competition!
There is one great road story that sticks out: we played two nights at the Place des Arts in Montréal, and when my bass player Gilles Fournier opened the door to his hotel room, he was greeted by two middle-aged naked men sitting on the bed watching the hockey game - can't get more Montréal than that! He turned around to see the receptionist running down the hall with a panicked look on his face; too late, but no one got hurt. Who knows, maybe they were expecting a third party, a troisième étoile!
You and only a handful of others over history have ever been able to export their craft to the french speaking Québec masses. To what do you attribute your success in the 'oh-so-hard-to-breach' franco Québecois market for an outsider such as yourself?
Success exporting my product to Québec might be more a of goal than a realization. True, (some) industry folks know I exist, and some peeps from the general public do too, but it's so easy to get lost in the sea of great artists there, especially when you're not physically on the scene more than a few times a year. However, I have had the good fortune to play all of the major francophone showcase events in the last two years, and was able to participate in some major festivals. As for radio play, it's only the beginning; we're working with a new radio tracker to try to crack commercial radio (difficult when you're not on a major label, and you're an "outsider").
It is a very closed market, but if you find a way in with the public, they are very loyal and still buy more records than anywhere else in North America. So I only see the work that needs to be done, and it's going to be over the long term, with many albums, many shows, many interviews, and hopefully some lucky breaks!
How have your years of being right behind the spotlight; on the drummer's stool, helped you get you where you are today?
I'm very fortunate to have gained a ton of experience as a drummer and studio musician - skills and knowledge that I'm able to apply confidently as a frontman, bandleader and songwriter. A lot a young artists haven't spent much time in the studio environment, and therefore feel uneasy and fearful in such a setting - it's really unnerving when you have to put all your trust into the hands of others when recording songs that are so close and personal to you, especially when you don't have the language to communicate what you want. So on that front, I'm really fortunate, although I still have tons to learn.
During live performances, I really thrive on connecting with the audience and making it clear that it's a two way street, a shared experience. Years on the bandstand has definitely given me a comfort level on stage - I love it!
What's next for Daniel Roa in 2010?
You ask what's next for 2010? A showcase in Ottawa in mid-January, tons -o-gigs around Winnipeg during the Festival du Voyageur, we're opening for Ariane Moffatt in Vancouver at the Place de la Francophonie 2010 in late February (near the end of the Olympics!!!), and then a tour in Switzerland and France starting mid-March. In between all that, I'll be spending most of my time writing tunes for the next album, due out sometime in the future!
Sounds exciting to me! ;)
Check out Daniel Roa's website at http://www.danielroa.com/ and his facebook group here.
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