Stacey Q tells Jen how excited she is to come to Australia and lots more!

TOTALLY 80’s Stars 7 International 80’s Superstars – MARTIKA, BERLIN, LIMAHL of KAJAGOOGOO, PAUL LEKAKIS, KATRINA (ex KATRINA & THE WAVES), MEN WITHOUT HATS & STACEY Q will be together – live in concert – to perform all of their classic hits. Sharing the stage with them will be 2 of Australia’s own Countdown Favourites WA WA NEE and REAL LIFE!

 

I had the chance to have a chat with Stacey Q prior to the Totally 80’s tour that is coming up. Stacey Q is known as “The Queen of retro / electro dance‘ and is well known for her huge hit ‘Two of Hearts’. 

Hi Stacey,

How are you?

Great how are you going?  Sorry I know that I am last on a long list of interviews, at least I got more of a sleep in than the others !

That is fine, never apologize!

Thanks, I am super stoked that you are on the Totally 80’s tour. This tour has many 40 to 50 year olds really keen for July to come around.  Momentum is building now.

Are you as keen as we are?

I am, I have never been to Australia before, this is my first time. So yes I am!

You are going to be in for a real treat then!

I will I hope so, what is it, 30 years later, I think we gave it a run for our money!

What things are you thinking that you will go and see?

I friend of mine that has been to Australia many times is going to accompany me. I know that I do want to see the Irwin’s establishment, I am excited to see that. Joesph just raves about Australia and we plan on having a really great time.

It is good that you have someone to be with you who has been here before.

You have been performing since you were very young, Classical ballet at the age of 5?

Yes I was a ballet dancer until I met my producer Jon St. James.

Did you always want to sing? Or did you see yourself more as a dancer?

No I definitely wanted to be a classical ballet dancer. I was definitely planning on that but then things happened so it did not happen. So I had to find other things like musical comedy, Life stage theatre. Then I met Jon and the singing I really fell in love with and the recording process.  That is why I have continued to make records to this day.

Can you tell us some of the things leading up to your success in the charts?

I am going to say that Jon St James was the one with the vision. He had been making records long before I met him. I have to say that we put together a good crew of musicians. There are people I know that can attest to that because they were in the studio that Jon owned. Making their own albums like Berlin. They were recording out of Casbah recording studio. We all really worked hard and had perseverance because it is easy to get knocked down. We had to concentrate on our product, we had to focus but with Jon St James was on top of that.

A good motivator then.

I did want to mention that when we finally arrived at Atlantic Records that the (this is distorted… ) Kathy was extremely instrumental. When we did the video of “”she was also very instrumental in that.

That was a great video.

You played at Freestyle Festival last year how did the crowd react to your set?

We have been doing the Freestyle Explosion tour about 10 years straight.

Wow that is a long time!

There can be anywhere between 15 and 30 artists  on the tour and we really got it perfected and we are still doing it to this day. We just booked it again this week actually. It is great! Most of us were chart topping artists that weren’t really around each other so this is the first time that we are all on the same show together. So it is kinda cool.

Nice.

I read on one website when I was researching your achievements

“As a student of style, Stacey Q could literally turn rags into a fashion statement. On one occasion she went to the Renaissance fair in Agoura dressed simply in two large pieces of soft leather she bought from a shop in Anaheim.^“

a) Was this in fact true and

b)What costumes can we expect from you on this tour? Maybe not rags?

It is completely true, but I don’t know where on earth you got that information. That is very interesting because I know that I’ve never told anybody that.

Really?

Yes, what I wore to the Renaissance fair was what I was wearing on the cover of SSQ album called ‘Playback’ which is more like a cave girl theme.

I am thinking that I will update the costumes for the tour but I think crowds would like to see things that go with the songs of the day. A little bit old and a little bit something new and I definitely plan on doing a little bit of shopping in Australia!

The other artists on the tour have you worked with them before?

Actually, like I said Berlin was recording out of Casbah Studio, Martika I was on lots of festivals with her in the early 80’s. Mostly I would see her at the airport. Limahl, his work was actually on my first label on EMI America so I know him. I know Katrina we worked together on a quiz show. A few of them I do know.

Teenagers today, well at least many I know are huge fans of electronic music and these days with computers more accessible this days there are many more artists that fall into the genre. Are there any in particular that you like or has your taste in music changed?

As far as dance music I was more of a punk rock child. I grew up a new wave child. So I know that there are a lot of people out there that are using computer generated records and I do want to say I do like Grimes. I would have to say that she is my favorite. I know she is not a teenager but she is considerably younger than myself.

Ah me too!

Interesting you said that you are a punk rock girl, I am too, I listen to Blink, Sum, Anti Flag and Green Day.

I am a generation before you, I was stuck in the 1979 era. I listened to Stiff Little Fingers and The Stranglers.

What are your thoughts on Guns and Roses getting back together?

We think is absolutely wonderful! My boyfriend is a huge fan so we think it is great. I think it is great that they can get back together and meted their relationship after all this time.

Do you have anything that you have not achieved yet in Music and you are keen to achieve?

You know I can not say that I am looking for an achievement in music because my experience was so wonderful. There was a lull in between and I had other things to do to fill my time. I really have to say that what we did I am really really proud of and I really enjoyed it anonymous thank you guys for your support and I can’t wait to get over thereabout no I can’t say that there is anything that I have not achieve that I wanted to. I definitely feel fulfilled.

Looking back over your career can you please tell me a highlight?

Well I think I have to say is the high I felt when I was so high in the charts. Being in the top 10 all over the world I have to say that was my very very high point. Then next would be that we are all still making records and working together. So for me I’m living a high point in my career.

That is great you sound very happy! (both laughing)

Well I feel very excited to be coming to Australia, I am sure looking forward to it.

I will let you go, thanks for the chat today.

Thank you so much.

I shall see you when you come to Melbourne.

Great! By now.

Bye.