This singer songwriter from Canada has depth, meaning and spirituality beyond what you'd expect from most singers.
In my job as a music reviewer, I have to listen to dozens
of CDs a week. Most times, I sub-consciously grab the better
known artists in hopes that their high popularity will be reflected
with high quality music. In this case, I was listening to a little
known artist and have found that her songs have more meaning
and depth then most of what's on Billboard's Top 200 albums.
Originally hailing from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Colleen
Coadic basically formed her own career, by self-producing her
own albums and pushing forward in the face of opposition. Now,
she's working on the release of her third solo album, and touring
nationally. What follows is, one of the most interesting and
in-depth interviews I've had with a musician in a long time.
DM) How is the tour going with Ani so far?
CC) The tour with Ani was great...while the dates have stopped,
with us assuring her we are interested in future dates...as she
heads into 15,000+ seaters in the spring...the interest from
industry types seems to just keep building.
I don't find it to be a Cinderella story of me/us [the band]
being so much grateful for the licensing, production offers/opportunities
that are coming fast and furious, so much as do they indicate
we are doing our work, and getting our come-uppance.
DM) Does the reaction of your fans surprise you?
CC) I am just coming to grips with the alternate faces the
world recognizes me as...on the road with Ani, gave me the experience
I remember from a more social me in past years of performance...people
seeing me as larger than life, because I have chosen such an
outfit and stage, on which to air my thoughts aloud. To those
who deal with me on a daily basis...well, the two worlds seldom
collide, and the latter would be surprised to see the former.
I am growing into grace from being a reluctant public leader...I
am a songwriting singer.
DM) How are you different as a performer then in "real
life"?
CC) Well, there are two stages I currently perform on... they
are supposed to be equal, but one involves people gathered to
numb out and be surface-temporary reprieved/happy. The other
is a gathering of music-feel good aware types. In the former,
my role is almost background. In the latter, I am speaker. In
real life, I am the latter...as my ability to maintain/harness
the awareness/power coming my way increases, the former, including
friends made there, falls to the wayside. It can be a lonely
place. People in the latter don't know how to talk to such a
person as human, everyday etc. People in the former ask questions,
but don't listen to the answers.
DM) What started you in music?
CC) I would listen to the radio with my brother. We would
sound tones together, then form harmonies...to us as children,
it was like two monks in a cathedral...we didn't know we were
sounding perfect harmonies...which, as frequencies go, build
to sound waves, volume, physical repercussions, science. To us
it the affect was mystical. Later, I began to breathe it, all
music, even as I did air.
DM) If I looked in your CD player now, what would I see?
CC) At least one CD of music that arrives daily now from fans
who send their CDs to me. Also Klaus Schulze, and The Chemical
Bros. As we are recording, and immersed in our own music daily,
I am very into meditating, or sex to Klaus, and all out war-dance
to the C. Bros.
DM) Which artists do you admire?
CC) I love Ani's honesty and forthrightness, Paula Cole's
femininity in lyrical content, Sinead for living brave in her
growing...
DM) And who are the artists you try to emulate?
CC) I think I try to emulate Ani's folk honest prowess, and
her Righteous Fans...they are a poor structure...very real, beautiful
people.
DM) Who are your musical influences?
CC) I am a chameleon in my musical influences. Now primitive
honesty of expression catches my psyche, and I am moved longer
by these rather than the fly by night songs that interest me
because I have heard them 100 times in some sheep/cattle element
of communication/sale. I am rarely impressed by live performance.
David Wilcox recently blew my mind.
DM) What do you mean by "primitive honesty"?
CC) There are a few scant artists being true to truth of expression...sometimes
it's not all their 'fault', it's that 'give the people that they
want' thing...and that's cool- everybody, style, thing has it's
rightful place ...but for me, as an artist who sees with great
detail another of like mind's state of consciousness, I hold
"enlightened' one's responsible, and in my 'bad graces',
if they cannot hold the true self to expression above all these
other interfering points...there is nothing more powerful than
say someone who is rawly honest, albeit living their process
publicly-expressing it...the rest is crap...a cop-out.
DM) What level of success are you hoping to achieve?
CC) On many levels I am equal to my objectives, and am creating
higher goals states as I go. As an artist in service... I don't
believe there are any existing limiting boundaries.. and so as
much as my mind will allow and welcome, so do I attract to me.
DM) If you couldn't be a musician, what would you be instead?
CC) I would be a baker, with a very successful main store
that would be growing so fast, I would be reluctant to be famous
by further growth. Baking- creating excellent soothe the soul
body candy is very satisfying to Cancer-mother earth me.
DM) How was it growing up in Alaska?
CC) In terms of chronological age, I grew up in Canada. In
terms of formative years, I grew up on the road, in a van, in
hotels. In terms of really growing into this being, I now recognize
proudly and powerfully...I did so here in Alaska, in the last
frontier, the hard way in many cases... as is the case for many
here. I have tended to take the dramatic route in my life, because
I love the intensity, but I have sometimes mistaken drama with
stupidity/obsession/past.
DM) What do you mean by, "I have sometimes mistaken drama
with stupidity/obsession/past"?
CC) I believe to be a predominantly feminine trait to continually
re-examine the past, in an effort to learn, and resolve that
which keeps surfacing...but when the unresolved has to do with
other peoples' stinted growth...it's like massacring your soul
all over when re-visiting memories/emotional territory you have
grown from, and the other person has not. I am always waiting
for stuck people to join me where I am...not my position, but
from this open, universal space.
DM) Which song on your album would you say best hits the mark?
CC) Hmm...tough one. I enjoy them all at different times for
mostly the soul of them. So many of the songs were a catharsis
for pain of that time involving an open, really painful relationship
I was seeking to learn from, let go of...so they do not speak
of/to me know. I get very moved responses from women for the
song "The Day After". "Fade The Years," particularly
the solo, is important to me because the recording of it introduced
me to Sean Cobb, a master bassist, who I became engaged to five
days ago.
DM) Five days ago? Congratulations. So what's the story behind
that? How did it happen?
CC) Dominick, you definitely challenge me!....here goes, Where
to start? From a past of full rebellion that shunned Christmas,
marriage and any other antiquated state of social being, I have
searched, studied, and am now, and finally, heavily into a powerful
spiritual belief system, wherein I almost instantly manifest
that which I truly desire/need to be 'on the path', when I am
'on the path.' I knew, on the way to record "T o D a Y",
the first day, that something very significant was to happen,
but hey, isn't your second (follow-up)album the significant thing?
In this case no, I met Sean, and knew, although I had to logic
otherwise, (since he was in a 5 year relationship at the time,)
that he would be everything to me that matter. He knew it too,
and did the same reverse rowing. He knew, upon meeting me, that
I was to be with him, said so, and in a short time, he and I
were on the road to honoring our relationship as soul friends.
The romance came much later...after I spewed my demons, and ran
the other way for a long time. I was first attracted to Sean's
power. He is a hemophiliac, who pretty much has taken this, and
several life-threatening conditions/diseases, that have manifested
as a result of the former, to a very high level of consciousness.
With his state of mind, and knowing, he regularly pioneers mind-body
integration/control of them, much to the medical communities'
interest. This requires further explanation to make sense I suspect...
let's just say, in my considerate travels of meeting some heavy
do-ers and shakers on this planet, and some from seemingly beyond,
he is Very Powerful, and our union makes us more so, and complete.
I never knew something like this existed, and never knew to look
for it, and just as the saying goes, just when you aren't looking....
DM) How do you feel the music will change now that you are
engaged to a member of the band?
CC) I have had past experiences with being in a relationship
with someone in the band, thoroughly- unhealthy rip- your- heart-
out experiences that were an effort on my part, and I took some
interesting baggage to those tables - to have love, attention,
and someone who could deal with the artist that was whole long
before the woman/person...they were disasters, and left me with
a bitter, poison in my mouth for a long time. Sean and I are
not even in the same ballpark. Like attracts like, and we tend
to empower those who are ready, and intimidate those who aren't.
The combination of truth teller he- and translator-me is pretty
effective in the arena we like most-music. I expect amazing things
AND they are happening, as quickly as my mind can comprehend.
DM) I understand that the next record released will be coming
out as the trio. How will that sound different?
CC) We are writing as a unit, but we are three, versus all
previous material coming from my (albeit split personality) head.
It's a relief to share "the everything," especially
with these two who are in such demand from world class very well
respected industry types. We all feel privileged, relieved and
very much 'at home.'
DM) Why thank you very much for this interview. I'm glad to
have seen such a unique side of you.
CC) No problem. It was a pleasure.
