SkidMcSkidder: Hi Rose thank you for agreeing to be April's Featured Artist of The Month, and welcome to this month's "Virtual Interview" - it's great to finally talk to you "face to face" so to speak!

Rose Reiter: You too - Thanks for having me on! For some reason, I've got Jamiroquoi's Virtual Reality song going through my head... I love the Internet...

SkidMcSkidder: Heh, Let's talk about your "musical beginnings" - I read You started playing piano at the age of 3! - at what age did you begin serious lessons and what drew you to the piano?

Rose Reiter: Hmm... My mother was a pianist ( btw, I didn't know her after the age of about 18 months- long story, but apparently she played for some orchestras in Vancouver, BC, and I figure she played while I was percolating)... And my grandfather was a conductor.. SO - I think a lot of this came from my family lines.... ALSO I played by ear... I started when I was about 3 - my father was surprised to see me playing the piano – I was playing a melody line on the piano and from that moment, my father enrolled me in piano lessons. He lost his job and had to sell the piano a few years later, so I went into theatre and dance instead… but my voice always remained… Everytime there was a piano around, I’d play it…

Rose Reiter: I almost failed university because of my piano playing..

SkidMcSkidder: That's right, You studied as a dancer for 12 years - did you ever do anything with the training?

Rose Reiter: Yes, I performed around Vancouver... I danced at the PNE for quite a few years.. Kitsilano Showboat.. I've always been drawn to music in any form - whether it be me playing or dancing.

Rose Reiter: I HAVE A CUTE STORY TO TELL YOU

Rose Reiter:I was in Disneyland with my Dad.. About age 2 - 3... and he had taken me out to some type of concert bandshell performance... Apparently, he couldn't control me at all, and I made my way to the front of the audience, and the lead singer brought me up on stage, and I boogied and boogied to the music.. So it was pretty apparent at a young age that this was my thing.

Rose Reiter:Piano is my first, Guitar my second..

Rose Reiter: Picked up guitar at the age of about 15.. I basically pick up any instrument and play it - it's all about sound for me..

Rose Reiter: BACK to Piano lessons... Have another story..

Rose Reiter: When my Dad took me around to see piano teachers, they all said my hands were too small.. Until we found a Nun that was a piano teacher.. Apparently she was a stern lady.. She placed some music in front of me...
And I played it.. And she cried.. So she took me under her wing for a few years..

Rose Reiter: I hated reading music though... I've always been a better ear-player.

SkidMcSkidder: At what age could you read music??!

Rose Reiter: By age 3 I was reading books.

SkidMcSkidder: Wow!

Rose Reiter: I've always been interested in learning.. always.. It's fun!

SkidMcSkidder: As a teenager you worked as a backing singer?- meet anyone famous?

Rose Reiter: Hmmm... That's when brain cells start dying, right??? OK - I've met some people.. but I'm not a big fan of name dropping.. One person that I absolutely loved meeting was Mr. Patrick Stewart. It wasn't at all related to music, other than the fact that he had heard my album and quite enjoyed the lyrics especially.. He's an absolutely lovely person.

SkidMcSkidder: AS in Jean Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart?

Rose Reiter: You betcha!

SkidMcSkidder: Very cool

Rose Reiter: So. That's the only name that I think most people would know.. Other than that, some Canadian artists..

SkidMcSkidder: Post teens - You describe yourself as a "qualified computer geek" - what does that entail??!

Rose Reiter: Hmmm... I know over 30 software applications to their "expert" level, with various versions... and I guess I'm just really really good at understanding logic of software and applying it.. I've instructed over 7,000 people to date with regards to computers and software.... and I design Access Databases (sorry, no Oracle here) and particularly enjoy Project management and business analysis... as well as graphic and simple web design.. SO, I guess my brain just likes to do a lot of stuff. I've always had a problem with people classifying musicians as the stereotypical DUMB people..

Rose Reiter: When in reality, I've met such brilliant minds in my field that it really shocks even me.. and my stereotypes that I have of people.. but I guess we all carry them. I'm your typical whole-brain person..

SkidMcSkidder: Sure - it's like when I used to have long hair being a biker into the rock scene - although I do a professional scientific job during the day, people just saw the bike, leather and hair and I was a trouble making hooligan!

Rose Reiter: Yup - that's exactly it... Actually, one of the most profound statements I ever heard come out of anyone's mouth was a Biker-dude who said "Every day above ground is a great day! " And I think it really blew my mind how my images of people - the reality versus the fantasy - what is reality.>>>>

Rose Reiter: Hence my album.. Real - Mr. Stewart was an inspiration for that one..

SkidMcSkidder: You've been working on your latest album "Real" for the last year or so - how's that progressing?

Rose Reiter: Well, it's going slower than I expected, but quality over speed in this case is the answer...

Rose Reiter: We started out wanting to create an album that was down-to-earth.. Real.. exploring the meaning of real and to think that I could even answer that - would be very arrogant.. however, along the way, I've discovered some cool thoughts.. One: Real is what I make it to be.. My thoughts are my reality. That was the biggest one.. TWO: We all feel - at some level or another.. it's OK to feel love, anger, fear, loneliness, hope, joy, and right now, I'm looking for one more... "thing" persay... We have 13 songs pegged - and the songs have changed throughout this project - But about 7 are complete Hope to have the rest done by JUNE of this year.

Rose Reiter: Here's another quote that you can use.. .It's from my interview with UBW this week.."We wanted this to feature a dynamic range of material, as well as place the material in somewhat of a story… I think that part of it will be very subtle, although initially, my dream was to put together more of a concept album, but I can’t say now how that will work out, as we’ve taken off songs and put new ones in. The production philosophy on this album was to simply stay out of the way of the voice. Every instrumental and arrangement choice has been made to try and support my vocal characteristics,
rather than have the arrangements crowd the voice.

AND I wanted to make people feel. I want them to connect to their hearts. Might sound kinda corny, but I really think we spend so much time looking around for external satisfaction- when perhaps the greatest happiness and greatest realities comes from within...

Rose Reiter: OOOmmmmmm.

Rose Reiter: Everyone breathe in...

Rose Reiter: And breathe out...

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud). Of course, I'm doing more yoga now - interesting that..

Rose Reiter: We kept it as acoustic as we could… NOW, with that said, we couldn’t afford to fly to Vancouver and hire drummers for every song, so we did have to rely on Gerry’s drum programming for some of the songs. - Gerry is my partner in this..

Rose Reiter: AND had I lots and lots of money - we'd have real drums throughout the album...

SkidMcSkidder: Nothing wrong with sequenced drumming - all my backing stuff is programmed!

Rose Reiter: I agree. As long as there's life to the drums...

Rose Reiter: ACTUALLY

Rose Reiter: HAD I TONS OF MONEY

Rose Reiter: I"d fly to REALWORLD in England..

Rose Reiter: I do LOVE Dance music..... I am going to have one of my songs re-mixed by a guy in L.A. who has done stuff for Jessica Simpson and J.Lo...

SkidMcSkidder: I've been dabbling with trance for a few years myself

Rose Reiter: I love trance stuff... You know, there's really not much I don't like in terms of music.. EXCEPT
Some country songs

SkidMcSkidder: Ditto!

Rose Reiter: And some 24-tonal jazz..

Rose Reiter: The stuff that is abstract and has no melody lines - really don't like..

SkidMcSkidder: And again!!

<<Rose Reiter sends what looks like a baby emoticon>>

Rose Reiter: I have found a friend!

SkidMcSkidder: Phew - I thought you meant you wanted my baby!!! (Laughs Out Loud)

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)!!!

SkidMcSkidder: That's the reason my recording has ended - I lost my home studio to a nursery

Rose Reiter: Ah yes.. that's why I'm probably not going to have children of my own... My music is my child... I love kids, though.. Really do.. Intend to foster.. Or help-out some other way. There are so many kids out there that need it.

SkidMcSkidder: You record your material in your own home studio which you added a "vintage WBS console" to a while back - my forte being Kawasaki's describe for me what one is...!

Rose Reiter: WBS stands for Ward Beck Console.. It's mainly being used for monitoring and summing -
Most of the work is done in the box right now.. G4-dual - Logic Platinum 6

Rose Reiter: And MAN

Rose Reiter: It's sooo easy to spend lotsa money on this.. One of the reasons why our release date keeps getting pushed is because our home-project studio 1.) Took a long time to set up and 2.) Is a home studio... It's technically riddled with issues - that we battle every time we want to do stuff.

SkidMcSkidder: I hear ya!

Rose Reiter: So, if any readers out there want to donate studio time (RealWorld, perhaps??) that would be lovely.. As it would really help me and my songs.. I write ALOT of material.

Rose Reiter: ALOT

Rose Reiter: ALOT

Rose Reiter: ALOT

Rose Reiter: 300 or so song ideas in the last 1.5 years. Easily.

SkidMcSkidder: Wow! That's pretty damned prolific!

SkidMcSkidder: I'm getting around the issue by currently negotiating writing a local studio's web site for them in return for free recording time!

Rose Reiter: Well - that's why we needed a studio.. I have what's known as song-diarrhea.. how the hell do ya spell diarrhea.. Hmmm... ANYWAYS - I have too much material to handle here so I hope to send off songs to publishers for consideration for other artists as well as publishing deals..

SkidMcSkidder: And are all the ideas of the same flavour? i.e. acoustic-based ?

Rose Reiter: NOPE...

Rose Reiter: I write for various genres... Have been focusing on pop . pop-rock / pop-easy listening lately..
And I want to do good dance music.. MY ultimate goal... Peter Gabriel is what I consider to be one of the most amazing writers out there.. Some songs take years to develop others only a few minutes... And I write based on what I have around me. If there's a piano only then that's what is written.. When I lived in an apartment only quiet songs were written.

Rose Reiter: So, my environment determines my music, I find. I want to write more upbeat fast moving stuff this year.

SkidMcSkidder: And lot's of trees! (I remember the photos of your cabin!)

Rose Reiter: YES

Rose Reiter: I love living here.. it's very inspirational. Next to a lake in a forest. Quite the scene.

SkidMcSkidder: What's the music scene like on Vancouver island?

Rose Reiter: I'd say it's sometimes better than Vancouver... The community here is a very cooperative "family" almost - it's great to see artists helping each other here - it's not usually a competition (like the big cities can be at times)... Unfortunately for me, the scene is really focused around acoustic and folk and I'd like to see that expand to pop...
Because my music doesn't necessarily fit the scene right now.. Especially my piano based songs.. So I intend to help change that. Diana krall is from here.. So there's an audience for what I do. Venues are also easier to find - but still, the live music scene is becoming more difficult for us musicians..

Rose Reiter: Nelly Furtado is from Victoria..

Rose Reiter: Vancouver Island has some amazing talent on it. I think it's the trees..

SkidMcSkidder: I'd describe you as a solo artist - But, have you done any work as a band to date?

Rose Reiter: Yes.. my first album was band-based... Worked with the same players for between 1 and 3 years.. Did some cover band work.. Ha - that was pretty funny. I was auditioned to join this cover band. Out of 20 singers they chose me.. When the show came.. I did my job.. had the audience enjoying it.. And I got kicked out, I think, in part due to the fact that the entire audience was shouting "RRRRR-ooooossse" "RRRRR - ooooose" as I finished my songs. So, I left the cover scene. Almost when to Asia to do cover work for the Sam Feldman agency. That's way back when I decided to do an indie album instead. So I worked with my band for a few years.

Rose Reiter: Now I'm hiring musicians as I need to. Logistics are an issue for where I'm at.

SkidMcSkidder: You've played in Japan & Spain right - how did those gigs come about??

Rose Reiter: I was about 17 years old... entered a Speech-Essay contest for an organization called the "Reiyukai" - or, Friendship society.. (to this day, don't know if that society was a cover for anything.. anyways...) I won second place, and was sent to Spain to represent Canada.. SO, I did.. and performed a few pieces in front of some larger crowds..

Rose Reiter: Japan - I went there twice - again for Reiyukai

Rose Reiter: LOVED Spain.. Would go back there in a heartbeat.

SkidMcSkidder: what part?

Rose Reiter: Madrid.

SkidMcSkidder: I've been to Barcelona - beautiful

Rose Reiter: Yah... can't wait to go there again. Toledo was nice too.

Rose Reiter: Japan was amazing.. Again, by this time I was about 19 ... and performed in front of a few hundred people..

SkidMcSkidder: You recently recorded a track for a Tina Turner tribute album which also features some serious names artist-wise - how'd you get involved in that project?

Rose Reiter: Internet...

Rose Reiter: We've spent the last few years trying to connect me with various sites, people, etc.. via the internet.. Jake Brown from Versailles Records called me up and had heard some of my songs - and liked my voice.. I don't think he knew what my range was - but he took a chance anyways! and we recorded it here and FTP'd it down to him... UNFORTUNATELY the first time we FTP'd it, there was corruption.. SO, we ended up having to actually re-cut the damn song in 1 or 2 takes - and sent that only a few hours before it was due for mixing. I only did the vocals. Had no part in the production of it.

SkidMcSkidder: So the internet has played a major part in promoting your music to the world?

Rose Reiter: Yes - and I encourage every artists out there to really make use of this! This is revolutionizing the way music is being delivered.... I know, I know.. how do we make money doing this? Well, that's part of our homework - and there are plenty of artists out there who are successfully utilizing the power of the Internet to 1) sell their music and make more money back then labels would pay them and 2) increase their visibility on the audience radar. As much as this is my heart and soul, it's still a business these days.. and I have to be able to pay my rent and eat.. So I'm utilizing the DMS model (Digital Music Services) to help me out.. Especially writing as much as I do Using DMSs - might be the answer for a lot of indies..

Rose Reiter: OH and did you know that us Indies have 25% of the global market!

SkidMcSkidder: I can believe it!

Rose Reiter: So, I hope to make my music successful and thereby inspire other musicians to use their power and distribute their music through new channels.. CD Baby... The Orchard.. Indiepool.. There's lots of good stuff out there.

SkidMcSkidder: I still miss MP3.com - I had a good listener base there

Rose Reiter: Well... there are now over 129 different DMSs... so there's more to choose from....
But yah.. the music industry is in revolution.

SkidMcSkidder: : Have you ever done any live internet radio broadcasts?

Rose Reiter: Not yet.. Have really been focusing on the production of songs - and intend to start doing live Internet broadcasts by late this year or early next year. I think it's a great way of bringing the audience together BUT it doesn't replace LIVE. I love LIVE music.

SkidMcSkidder: I'm sad to say I've played more webcasts than live shows!

Rose Reiter: Well - it's more difficult for musicians to play out these days... With companies like Clearchannel buying up many of the venues... With the move to purely DJ music (although I do love and admire many DJS) - I think there are many reasons why playing live is not always the best idea... I mean, many of my audience members are around the world - are they going to fly out to see me? Most likely not - So I definitely want to connect to them - and live broadcasts allow for that.

SkidMcSkidder: I was introduced to the art by my good buddy Jerry the webjay over at www.bumpskey.com

Rose Reiter: Will definitely want to check that out..

SkidMcSkidder: Based in New Jersey

Rose Reiter: LOVE NJ.. and NY. Been there a few times..

SkidMcSkidder: Cool

Rose Reiter: played once in NJ.

SkidMcSkidder: Only been to the west coast meself - married in Vegas!

Rose Reiter: WOW!!!

Rose Reiter: Went to Vegas once!! For a weekend..

SkidMcSkidder: No - I wasn't dressed as Elvis! (Laughs Out Loud)

Rose Reiter: HA!!! Did you guys check out the Stratosphere?

SkidMcSkidder: Yup! I bottled going on the bungee ride though

Rose Reiter: Smart move..

Rose Reiter: Where were you married??? One of the chapels?

SkidMcSkidder: Chapel opposite Circus Circus. Then went on the coaster on the side on NY NY

Rose Reiter: I LOVVVVVEEEEEEEE rollercoasters.

Rose Reiter: How was NY NY??

SkidMcSkidder: Bumpy!! had a bruised shoulder for a few days after and guess what...!

Rose Reiter: Oh no!

SkidMcSkidder: I travelled thousands of miles from home and got onto the ride next to a guy who came from Wolverhampton which is like 1/2 hour drive from where I live!!!

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)!! isn't that how it is!

SkidMcSkidder: Us Brits we get everywhere!!

Rose Reiter: You know us Canucks - we love your accents!

SkidMcSkidder: Hey Rose - I was reading some archived mail from you and you used the word "Skookum" saying it was a Canadian term - but what does it mean?!

Rose Reiter: HAA!!!(Laughs Out Loud)!!!!

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)!!!

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)...

Rose Reiter: Ahem..

Rose Reiter: Ok - I have a unique language - of my own. BUT yes, skookum is actually a word.. Meaning - Good... fine.. or "hunky-dory"

SkidMcSkidder: Right

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)..

SkidMcSkidder: You've done quite a bit of score writing for various films - how'd you get involved in that?

Rose Reiter: Actually... Gerry has done more of that... I've only assisted.. I've always wanted to do more..
My songs right now are what I'm trying to promote to Film and TV. So, I'm stepping back from scoring (because I don't think I'm really qualified yet) and focusing on soundtracks.. And it's going well.

SkidMcSkidder: Good stuff

Rose Reiter: Will update you on that later this summer - I hope to have some placed by then.

SkidMcSkidder: Excellent

SkidMcSkidder: On your FAOTM page under "worst / embarrassing job ever had" you mention a stint wearing a styrofoam cut-out car - what was that all about?

Rose Reiter: Arts Club Theatre... I was about 17... They were doing the show "Driving Miss Daisy" and I was part of the marketing team. SO, I had to build a Styrofoam car.. And I might add, I'm not really that great at visual art. And I wore a chauffeur's hat and handed out pamphlets to these (mainly) rich people that were entering the theatre..

SkidMcSkidder: Hah! Liked to have seen that!

Rose Reiter: I was never afraid of making a fool of myself. And I'll send you a picture if I can find it.

SkidMcSkidder: Great!

SkidMcSkidder: Finally...

SkidMcSkidder: When you're not writing / recording material, or doing computer-geek stuff, what else keeps you occupied?

Rose Reiter: Physical activities... walking, hiking... meditation.. yoga.. crib-playing... but I really do think a lot.. .So I really like to do things that involve the use of my physical aspects - not just my mental aspects.. I really try to balance out my thinking self with my physical self.. Want to get back into horse-back riding... roller-coasters or anything that goes really really fast... and also brain-dead stuff - like playing vid games.. pinball... disc-golf.... a little disc-golf - do you have out there?

Rose Reiter: And I plan to take up paragliding. I love eagles.. And I'd like to fly like one. Sometime this life.

SkidMcSkidder: Disc-golf doesn't sound familiar - what's it involve?

Rose Reiter: Disc-Golf: Specialized frisbees that are thrown towards "holes" - and you have a certain number of throws per hole to achieve par... the holes are either chain baskets that catch the frisbee or metal posts.. It's quite fun - if you guys ever want to come out here - we'll take you for a round. 18 holes.

SkidMcSkidder: That'd be an expensive round of golf! (Laughs Out Loud)

Rose Reiter: YUP! But if I'm rich and famous - will fly you guys out..

SkidMcSkidder: What about the most important hole - the 19th???


Rose Reiter: 19th???

SkidMcSkidder: The club bar! (Laughs Out Loud)

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud). Make mine a G&T!

SkidMcSkidder: I'll take anything in an intravenous drip!!

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)

SkidMcSkidder: Well, that's me spent Rose - anything else you wanted to talk about before we wrap it up?

Rose Reiter: Oh - I could go on for about another hour easily... Do you guys have daylight savings time??

SkidMcSkidder: Yep

Rose Reiter: We just changed over here too... part of the reason I was a little late today.

SkidMcSkidder: What time you got?

Rose Reiter: 3:05 pm my time.. that's 11:05 yours, right?

SkidMcSkidder: Snore...huh?? Yup!!

Rose Reiter: Thanks so much for having me on as your FAOTM!!! And great work with the site!

SkidMcSkidder: No problemo - thank you - it always makes me feel good when I've a quality artist as FAOTM and April is top shelf! 8-)

Rose Reiter: Since having the baby, do you get much sleep??? You should be used to no sleep, right??

SkidMcSkidder: Sleep... I remember that.... you close your eyes for more than 1/2 half right??

Rose Reiter: (Laughs Out Loud)!!! Thanks again - and have a good sleep!!!!!

SkidMcSkidder: THANK YOU ROSE! You rock!!