Izzie’s Caravan is a blues-rock outfit with an international flair, that can trace its roots directly to Dire Straits’ massive hit, “Money For Nothing.” Guitar and vocalist, simply named, “Izzie” recalls: “Those powerful drums followed by that insane guitar riff had such a profound effect on me, after that, I always knew that guitar would have some part to play in my life.”
In this interview spotlight, I chat with Izzie about the music, the challenges, the tech and more.
Full Q&A along with links and music below.
You’re from overseas and record blues rock music. Are the two related in some way? Has your locale influenced the type of music you make?
Hey there. Glad to speak with you. Well, I could say I’ve been fortunate enough to fluctuate between South East Asia and Canada and at a socio-cultural level it has given me a broader outlook on life. But I think as a musician, considering I grew up listening to the classic rock bands of the day, I believe that transcendent experience of investing myself into the world of rock n roll clearly was the dominant force that shaped my music.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to keep going?
From a very young age I was fascinated with the guitar. And being lucky enough to listen to great records growing up, whether it’s early Aerosmith or the Stones, or dissecting an Iron Maiden album cover…there was always something so magnetic about being a rock musician. I still remember the first guitar I ever got…it was a fairly inexpensive Bass, of all things, and that feeling of taking it home and opening up that case was such a profound moment in my life that from thereon I’ve never really let go of rock music. Even with this band, it’s ultimately more about making that transition from vicariously living as a rock star through the music of other bands, and finally making a childhood dream a reality. I’ve always felt I’ve had it in me to do this and do this right, and I don’t want to carry that regret of never having pursued music professionally. And the thrill of listening to your song on the radio, seeing your name on the charts…its such a trip man!
How is “On The Pull” different than previous releases? Were you trying to accomplish anything specific?
This is honestly our identity record. This is the record that defines me as a musician, and who we are as a band. To me, ‘On The Pull’ will always be a special record because I’ll always look back at it as being the EP where I stepped up and delivered, and made a definitive statement about what I stand for a musician…and I do so unapologetically. I’m proud to say its a great EP and its my own way of giving rock and blues fans something they can appreciate. The fact that it reached the jamband charts and seeing our name amongst this absolute elite list of artists was easily one of the greatest moments of my life.
Name one or two challenges you face as an indie musician in this over saturated, digital music age? How has technology helped you (since we know it does help)?
I’m not going to lie, it’s extremely challenging. The world has changed, the music business has changed, traditional procedures are history, there’s mass proliferation of content…and for us the biggest challenge has been to figure out how we can become the signal from the noise for rock and blues fans, so to speak. I see myself as the classic underdog story. We’re a straight up blues rock band, I’m absolutely stubborn about the the fact that we will never stray from the kind of music we play, and the best thing is having a band behind me that not only comes from the same musical background that I do, but also believes in me and the music I write. But yeah, I do believe that there’s cynicism that resides in rock fans today which makes it obligatory for them to cling on to nostalgic acts. To all rock and blues fans, give us a listen and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
What was the last song you listened to?
I’m going to be shameless here and say that it’s actually one of our tracks called ‘Roadkill Rita’ which is going to be our first single off our next album called ‘Blow The Lid’…I’m actually mixing that today. Yeah, you heard it here first! We’re back in the studio writing a ton of stuff and we’re already a few tracks into our new album and man, do we have big plans for this one!
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
Considering I grew up with a CD collection, I’d have to say CDs. Not for purity or any other reason but for the fact that I still remember my mass collection of CDs…everything from The Doors catalogue…oh yeah Aerosmith’s Pandora’s Box boxset…those were the good days.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I’ve never used Bandcamp so maybe I’ll look into that. Until then, I’ll reserve my judgment till when these companies start paying artists for their hard-work in a just and equitable way.
Where is the best place to connect with you online and discover more music?
I would love for rock and blues fans to visit our website at www.izziescaravan.com. We have a ton of content upon there…everything from free music to videos to interviews…We’re an open book so visit us there. We really want to connect with our listeners so we’re also launching some members exclusive services in September which will literally immerse fans in our world so please come and be part of the ‘Caravan’.
Anything else before we sign off?
Yeah for sure. I know 2020 has been a rough year. But we want to do our part to be there for rock and blues fans, so we have massive news coming up on September 2nd, which also happens to be my birthday, so tune in to our website and facebook page at Izzie’s Caravan buckle up for a fantastic year of great blues rock tunes!
