Suzy Kory- Keeper of ‘The Secret Garden’ ·
Interview conducted on June 05, 2020
By Dan Locke
Suzy Kory a Country Rock artist who Rocks
How did you discover music?
I always loved music as a child, but it wasn’t until I discovered rock music as a teenager that I wanted to become a performer myself.
I heard the first concert you saw was Guns N Roses. Tell me about the first time you meet Axl Rose?
I had to beg and plead with my parents to let me go see Guns N Roses because at the time I was 13 and they felt it wasn’t; the place for a teenager to be. Luckily, I convinced them to let me go and that changed everything for me. Guns N Roses had become my favourite band and after seeing them live I realized that I wanted to become a performer.
Although my parents were supportive of my love for music, they made it clear they did not want me to take that path as a career. I would end up working my way up the corporate ladder in my second passion, aviation and moving to the Middle East.
A few years ago, I moved back to North America and when my birthday came up, I told everyone I only wanted one thing…to meet my idol Axl Rose. Despite the fact people thought I was nuts I knew better. I flew out to LA and drove to his home in Malibu. At the moment that I was coming up to his home he happened to be walking in the street just outside. We chatted briefly and took a picture together. He was such a gentleman and very kind. It was one of the best moments of my life.
How did you start to write music?
Meeting Axl Rose made me realize that if I truly believed in something, I could manifest anything. It was really after meeting him that I made the decision to pursue my dream of becoming a performer that I had put off all these years. Although I had no real musical experience and no connections on the industry, I started immersing myself in music. I would go to open jams not meet musicians and conferences to meet industry people.
I would write and record my first rock EP, ’Spellcasting’ with producer John Angus MacDonald (The Trews) in 2017 and follow the release with a string of shows in Toronto, LA and even Brazil.
In 2018 I started working with my current producer Brent Woods (Vince Nil, Sebastian Bach, Taylor Hawkins) in Los Angeles. We spent a few weeks working on finding a unique sound and that’s when the music turns an organic turn towards country-rock.
How was it to perform at the famous Whiskey A Go Go?
The irony is that it was my second show ever performing original music. My first was opening for LA Guns in Toronto so when I found out they were playing The Whisky a couple of months later I contacted the promoter and asked him for a slot that night.
I can remember passing by the day of the show and seeing my name on the marquee. It was a moment I will never forget because as a teenager it’s a place I had always dreamed of playing, knowing the history of all my favourite bands who had played there before. Later that night I went to a coffee shop nearby alone and sat there taking it all in.
How was it to perform in Brazil? Tell me about that.
A year earlier I was at a show in Toronto and saw a band from Brazil called Trampa. They were openers for another band I was there to see. I was so blown away by the guitarist and went to speak to him after they got off the stage.
We formed a friendship that night and when I started writing songs, I would send him the stuff i was coming up with. Months later he would tell me about a festival they were playing in Brazil and asked if I’d like to be a part of it. Without even thinking about it I said ‘yes’. We agreed he would a band together for me and they would rehearse my songs so that we could do a rehearsal or two when I got there before the actual show.
It was really an incredible experience being on such a huge stage. I honestly felt like a Rockstar because there they had roadies take out stuff and set everything up… I even had my on-dressing room with my name on the door and catering inside!
it was pretty cool to later find out I was the only Canadian artist in the festival.
Tell me about your latest release Outlaw?
The song is kind of autobiographical because I wrote it about being a female in the music industry doing things by your own set of rules. I am really someone who follows my instinct so sometimes I might do things that appear spontaneous or don’t make sense to others, but it’s proved to work well for me. I really encourage people to always make their own rules which means trusting your gut feeling.
I shot the music video for the song in downtown LA and it’s really cool that two of the members of Puddle of Mudd, Matt Fuller and Dave Moreno are in the video along with Ben White. They are all really great guys and we had such a great time together with the director Vicente Cordero and my makeup artist and friend Peggy McIntaggart Seagren.
What is your favorite track on the album?
The title track, ‘Love Revolution’. I wrote and recorded it with my producer Brent last year, but decided to release it in 2020 because I felt this huge shift in humanity happening in 2020. I certainly couldn’t have predicted everything that’s happening right now, but I see how it’s all playing out into bringing people together.
I can’t wait for the single to come out on June 18th. I think the message of the song couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time.
How do you see yourself in the next five years?
I am a true believer that when you are going to do something you need to know ‘why’ you are doing it. There has to be a purpose. For myself, the purpose of my music is to inspire, uplift and motivate people. What I would love to see over the next five years is that my music has led to a positive effect on humanity.
I am also a motivation speaker and use my own story to inspire people to pursue their own passions. My hope is that I will be able to continue to add incredible experiences to show people what is possible when you get out of your own way and let the universe deliver what is intended for you.
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