Speaker 1: 0:45

You all are in for a treat today, as I am joined by a guest who is a bass player, a solo artist, and has played with world-renowned musicians and rock and roll royalty. Hey, everyone, it's Randy Halsey with Backstage Pass Radio. I am joined today by an amazing singer-songwriter who is originally from Brazil but now calls LA home. She is the current touring bass player for the iconic all-female band you know as Vixen. Don't go anywhere, as we will go on a lifelong journey with the sensational Julia Laji when we return.

Speaker 2: 1:18

This is Backstage Pass Radio. Backstage Pass Radio A podcast by an artist for the artist. Each week, we take you behind the scenes of some of your favorite musicians and the music they created From chart-topping hits to underground gems. We explore the sounds that move us and the people who make it all happen. Remember to please subscribe, rate and leave reviews on your favorite podcast platform. So, whether you're a casual listener or a die-hard music fan, tune in and discover the magic behind the melodies. Here is your host of Backstage Pass Radio, randy Holsey.

Speaker 1: 1:58

Julia, hello, I'm so excited that you're here. Welcome to the show.

Speaker 3: 2:03

Hi, Randy, Thank you First of all. You are one of the few that were able to say my name, my last name, perfectly. I was like, wow, so impressed.

Speaker 1: 2:13

You only get the best here, Julia. You only get the best.

Speaker 3: 2:17

Well, yeah, julia Lodge, you say perfect, I didn't have to say nothing, correct? And you didn't even ask me. So that's amazing.

Speaker 1: 2:24

I don't have the beautiful accent that you have when you say that. So I'm from Texas and it doesn't roll off my tongue quite the same.

Speaker 3: 2:36

But I'm glad that you give me the thumbs up for the correct pronunciation. That means a lot. It was perfect. It really was Thank you.

Speaker 1: 2:40

I think you're actually going to be my first guest from LA since the fires. Since the fire swept through LA First, I guess. Please tell me that you and Richie were spared any damages at your house.

Speaker 3: 2:57

We were thank God this time we could see the fires from here, so it was very scary, but of course we got the bad smoke smelling and everything. But the reality is we got saved this time and it was. We were so, so thankful. But the woolsey fires was a different scenario because he actually hit our canyon in our house as well, but so it's been a little stressful living in california man I know thank god you know I've had some wonderful musicians on my show, some from the Malibu area, some up a little further, I guess in Calabasas.

Speaker 1: 3:38

And then you know I spoke of Bethany Heavenstone earlier in the Studio City area and I mean the fires were like all around all of these people and luckily, none of you know everybody was spared by that, but there was just I mean, watching it from texas right was just so horrifying I it was hard to watch I still didn't make that drive because we live close to malibu.

Speaker 3: 4:03

Just have to go down the mountain, down the hill. Uh, I saw little pieces of malibu, but I didn't go that far that I can actually see the damage during the day and I kind of don't really want it, because I know a lot of people that lost their homes and it's just it's going to be so different now from now on. That whole area it was amazing. Now it's just pretty depressing and sad. So yeah, I didn't do that yet, but but thanks for you know, for your thoughts and stuff.

Speaker 1: 4:34

This is just like horrible. It really is. Do you kind of feel like things are trying to get back to a little bit of normalcy from the fires, like do you see Californians thriving again, or is it still kind of gloomy there?

Speaker 3: 4:48

Well, it feels like every day is a different day here and I mean I am removed enough from that whole area. We are kind of in a mountain area that I don't see as much of that. I mean, I know a lot of the people that lost their homes. They want to get back, they want to rebuild, they want to stay, they love California, but at the same time I see a lot of people that just decided you know what, I can't deal with all this. So they left. And even us, for us was a little. It's very stressful. We rethink a lot, you know, but where would you go after?

Speaker 3: 5:23

like, we love this place, this weather today is beautiful yes but where would you go if it wasn't for here, from here and then's like I don't know that, many people all over the country. It's not enough that you have friends in another state. I mean, I need friends, we need friends, we need a social life. So I don't know. I think we're a little shook for sure. But you know, I feel like a lot of people try to like okay, let's move forward. You know Exactly, I feel like a lot of people try to like okay, let's move forward. You know so exactly. They can.

Speaker 1: 5:52

Yeah, well, before we hit the record button, you know you said you're stuck in your own little world. You got to get out of that little world, julia, and you got to make some really good friends, so you have somewhere to go if you ever need to go somewhere, right?

Speaker 1: 6:06

Yeah, I mean once I have to go out and make new friends. I'm sure I have like easy access to friends. Well, I and I know, being kind of a world class musician you have millions of acquaintances, right and being a even being a local musician here in Cypress, texas, you know, we have those acquaintances. We, we know people by name, but we don't really know those people, right. We, we know people by name but we don't really know those people, right. They're not friends, so to speak, but anyway, um well, thanks for uh sharing your time and chatting with me here and telling the Julia Laji story on Backstage Pass Radio, so I'm glad you're here thank you, thanks for having me yeah, and you know I always think back to how I came to have certain artists on my show.

Speaker 1: 6:52

And I was thinking back a little bit before you came on and you know I have scheduled Cherie Curry, who was the lead singer for the all-female band the Runaways from the 70s, right. And I think that I was out on um Instagram and I said you know, I would love to have somebody from Vixen on the show and a couple of days later you posted something and it popped up and I said who is this? And I said, oh my gosh, this is the bass player for Vixen. Let me, let me reach out. So I think that's how you and I got connected. Is I saw you on Instagram?

Speaker 3: 7:31

Oh see the gram oral.

Speaker 1: 7:35

I know, I know. Well, I wanted to take a quick walk down memory lane if you'd be so kind. So Brazil, right, this is where you were born and raised, correct?

Speaker 3: 7:47

Yeah, I was born in Sao Paulo, brazil, stayed there my whole life. Uh, in about 13 years ago I moved to la and but I was there, I had a band there touring since I was 17. We got like a little grammy nomination thing 2007 if I'm not wrong, and you know, but it wasn't rock okay, but I've been in a music business, only music business. That's where I started and that's all I've ever done since I was 17. It all started in Brazil.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Wow.

Speaker 3: 8:19

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:22

I'm assuming it was music, of course, that brought you to the US. Is that correct?

Speaker 3: 8:27

No.

Speaker 1: 8:29

There's another story, right? Yes, don't tell me it was a boy. It was a boy, right? No, there's another story, right? Yes, don't tell me it was a boy. It was a boy, right? Yes, I knew it, it was a boy?

Speaker 3: 8:36

Yes, but so the thing is I was in that band for 13 years in Brazil. I stayed there, I did everything you can possibly imagine, like the biggest TV shows. I played for a crowd 2.5 million people one night. We did it all. And the band hit a peak and then started going a little south.

Speaker 3: 8:55

Okay, and it wasn't my kind of music, so I wasn't inspired, or you know, I'll go back home and let my bass sit in the side and never touch it and just whatever. So I was not really satisfied as a musician, I guess too, and I didn't even notice that. But I noticed that the band was starting to play less and less and I was like, okay, I have bills to pay, what's going on? Right, but I was still doing it.

Speaker 3: 9:21

Then I met my husband now Richie, and we started to date and things got serious and of course he lives here and I can't ask him to move to brazil. So, um, and I was pretty like I'm so over this band and he's like, why don't you, since we're like trying to make things work out, why don't you just then quit the band, sell your apartment or whatever and move here and try things here? And I was what? Because I never in a million years thought about leaving Brazil. Sure, had a great life there, my family, everything. But you know, I was considering. And then I did consider and I did and it was wild because I was here because of him, so I knew only him and I met a few people through him, but they were essential people to make the doors open for me to get in the music business here.

Speaker 2: 10:18

Because in Brazil.

Speaker 3: 10:19

I was in TV, a lot on the radio here, like who's this girl? So, so that was it. And then but never in a million years I thought about doing something else. I was like, okay, I'll go to LA, I'm going to still try to do music. And that's what happens.

Speaker 1: 10:36

Well, we'll, I'll touch just briefly on this Richie character in a minute. Right, we'll, we'll come. We'll come back to Richie. But I believe you started playing guitar when you were a young teen and if I say anything here that's off bass you bring me back to the reality of it. But you started as a young teen. How did the bass guitar begin for you? Was it always bass guitar or did you start on another instrument and transition to bass? Talk to the listeners a little bit about that.

Speaker 3: 11:09

Well, I had access through my school since I was a young girl. My mom changed school and put me in a very artistic school so I had access to a bunch of instruments mostly classical instruments, you know so violin, flute, a lot of percussion like harp, all these crazy instruments. And I studied in a Waldorf school so they really take serious the arts part. So that was great for me and I really fit in and I was always experimenting. But my main instrument first was the flute and I was a children. I'll go everywhere at the flute and play flute all day long. And lately in life I got an acoustic guitar. My mom gave me one and I discovered myself Didn't have YouTube back then.

Speaker 3: 11:53

You know I am old, but you know I had my developed my ears a lot on that school as well, always singing, and then of course, I try to join an orchestra. I was around 13 years old, maybe 12., because I had developed my ears so much. Um, I was always faking my reading site so my teacher would play for me and I would kind of listen and play back, pretend I was reading the charts and you're cheating, yeah, and then I.

Speaker 3: 12:24

But that was then. I was like, yeah, I'm faking it, until the day that I tried to make a test to pass the orchestra. I play all the music beautifully. And then the maestro said that's great, now let's have the first sight reading, right? And I was like oh fuck.

Speaker 1: 12:41

Yeah, you got found out, yeah.

Speaker 3: 12:44

I was naive, I didn't expect that, and he put the thing in front of me. I'm like I can't read that he's like, oh shit.

Speaker 3: 12:52

So I got very, very disappointed, very frustrated, and I basically stopped playing. My mom was like heartbroken because she knew how much I loved music. And that was the phase, you know, teenager phase. And then my mom was like Shulia, you know, there are all the music, it's not just Mozart, beethoven, it's just there's a lot of other stuff. And then she introduced me to rock and roll Led Zeppelin, jimi Hendrix, james Joplin In Brazil they were playing a lot of Aerosmith, guns N' Roses back then and I was wow. I was like I can't believe this music is so cool and I, you know, I was like a little hyper kid and I loved it. That's when I found out about the bass and I wanted to put together a band in my school and I ended up becoming the bassist, mostly because there was already a drummer and I actually wanted to be the drummer but, yeah yeah, but.

Speaker 3: 13:46

I became the bassist and um since then it's been my instrument for life. I love that instrument.

Speaker 1: 13:54

Yeah, you know what it's funny Out of 20 musicians, I would bet that 18 of them can't sight read music right. I bet that most of them play by ear or a little bit, you know. For guitarists it's tablatures a big thing, right, you can learn to play, but a lot of them just don't know the theory right. And it's good to know the theory, I think, as you well know.

Speaker 3: 14:16

It is. But honestly, I went to college. Later in life I learned how to read again and the whole thing and again. If I used five times in my whole life, it was too much. If I used five times in my whole life, it was too much.

Speaker 1: 14:31

So what artists were shaping you as a musician back in the teenage years? Who were you getting into? Who were you listening to? Right?

Speaker 3: 14:41

Right when I started again, I was more about what was happening on the radio, because I mean, computer and YouTube and internet wasn't really a thing. So there was a lot of Guns N' Roses, a lot of Aerosmith, a lot of Metallica and there was Rush. There was an era of Rush and when I discovered Rush I was like whoa, what is this? So there was a lot of those bands. So I remember my first song that I learned on bass was actually a song from Aerosmith. Because of that, because I was having access to those songs that were on the radio, yeah.

Speaker 3: 15:18

Slowly, when we got the you know internet and stuff, I started listening to way more varieties, you know, because you have to go buy the albums and the CDs and it was expensive. So, it's just like whatever was playing the radio, and that was, you know, 90s. Yeah, a lot of 90s music, but Brazil. I feel like it was 10 years a little behind, okay, still. So I don't know, yeah sure and who do you feel what?

Speaker 1: 15:45

go ahead.

Speaker 3: 15:46

Finish your thought there no, those were the bands that I'm thinking here, even Marilyn Manson. At one point there was a big Marilyn Manson area. I was actually rediscovering him the other day with his new album All these bands, alice in Chains. But I feel like my two big ones was Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses, because of the rain.

Speaker 1: 16:09

Yeah, and so that was back in the rain. Yeah, yeah, and so that was back in the day. Who do you vibe with these days? Are you a radio listener and who are you listening to? Are you a streamer? Who's doing it for you these days? Who do you like?

Speaker 3: 16:26

Well, when I moved to America I discovered a lot of bands that I wasn't really aware of in Brazil, like, for example, tom Petty and I love him so much, I mean his writing, his singing Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles All those bands are so massive here In Brazil I wasn't really aware of them. So once I moved here I got super crazy into the old stuff.

Speaker 1: 16:54

Okay, yeah.

Speaker 3: 16:56

And I love it like hearts. Yes, so I really still I try to listen to the newer stuff, but I always go back to the real instruments, real sounds, organic. So right now, funny enough, like I told you, I just decided me and Richie decided to, for some reason, watch some videos and we watched this video from Marilyn Manson with his new album and it was such a beautiful composition of everything, like the images and everything. I was like, oh, I can vibe with that. Yeah, I vibe a lot with Alice in Chains, newer bands and stuff. I mean it's not new but like it's not from the 70s, like Hailstorm, I like, I like Slipknot, what else?

Speaker 1: 17:43

You like the heavy stuff? Yeah, it sounds like you like the heavy stuff yeah.

Speaker 3: 17:46

I do like the heavy stuff, but I also like the ballads and the very chill stuff from the you know a lot of background singing, so I listen to a lot of different stuff, like from you know, of course, flitwood mac to whatever. There was a new band that I discovered lately that I forgot already but from you know sleep, not whatever.

Speaker 1: 18:08

So I I have that whole I think there was a whole period when, like back around 89, right when hair metal was going out and grunge was coming in, I think, I turned off the radio and I went dormant for like 25 years and I didn't listen to anything. So, as a musician here in the greater Houston area, when we play out, it's all of that old stuff, america. And you know the Eagles you mentioned earlier. You know the Eagles you mentioned earlier, and I don't it's crazy because I just don't. I'm an old soul and I don't listen to too much new stuff, even though I should, right. But we get stuck in our ways and we love what we love at the end of the day, right.

Speaker 3: 19:00

Well, what I found out for me is a lot of the new stuff unfortunately sound very, very, very, very similar on the production and the instruments. A lot of them they re-amp the guitars, re-amp the bass, they they treat the drum so they all kind of sound too similar. Yeah, compressed too much. And after a while I found out, no matter how great the composition is, I get tired, I get like fatigued in my brain and I just want to hear a fucking acoustic guitar.

Speaker 1: 19:21

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 19:22

Like you know, like come on, Only because I missed the real sounds. And then the imperfections there were perfect. You know those singers, they were singing amazing stuff, Not a tune or nothing. Oh, but it's not perfect the background, but it's amazing but it's not perfect. The background, but it's amazing and it's real. Yes, it's so. I miss that. So that's why I always tend to go back to the old stuff, although I like to listen to the new massive production and compressed, and then you know I liked it.

Speaker 1: 19:54

But I go back to the sometimes, sometimes acoustic the rawness of acoustic is just the best right there's, there's, it's not fabricated in any way, it's just raw and it's from the heart and it's it's sometimes. That's the way you should listen to, to music at the end of the day you know, I like, I like the balance, I really do.

Speaker 3: 20:15

I am a libra, I guess, right. But but yeah, but I'm not gonna be like oh, this sucks because it has tracks and shit like that.

Speaker 1: 20:22

I mean, it's okay, I get it, but I I go back always to the basics, for sure, well, if we, for if we fast forward this journey to somewhere around and again, correct me on the dates, I'm horrible with dates but somewhere around 2021 you joined in on a project called Smith Cotsen, right? Yeah, tell me a little bit about how that project came about and how you became a part of that right.

Speaker 3: 20:51

so Smith Cotsen is Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden guitar player, and Richie Cotsen, which is also my husband. So me and Richie I mean actually Richie met Adrian's wife way before he actually met Adrian and they became friends and Natalie said you should jam with my husband or meet my husband or whatever.

Speaker 3: 21:11

I mean, he's a guitar player and he was like yeah, I know who your husband is. So, long story short, we meet, everything is great. He's an awesome guy, we all get along. And every year they would come here to LA because they live in England as well, but they come to LA and they have like a Christmas here or maybe some birthday. Natalie's birthday is in the end of the month, in the end of the year, so there's always a jam there that happens, and you know, um, we would always end up in the studio jamming for hours with all the musicians. There's always other musicians too, sure, so we'll be just jamming for hours. It was always fun.

Speaker 3: 21:53

And then at a certain point, I think natalie suggested to both of them why don't you guys try to write something together? I bet you have stuff in common? And they were like, yeah, that would be a good idea. And they decided to get together and try to write and see if they could match. And they did.

Speaker 3: 22:12

And then, you know, in the beginning I was not necessarily going to be the bass player, or I don't even know if they had a thought on it Like because Adrian and Richie recorded everything. Richie record a lot of drums, a lot of the bass. So they weren't thinking about that, they produced themselves. So by the time they had to put together a show, they were like, who can we get for the band? So I know they had some other people in mind, but again, I was right here and we had already jammed so so many times. We were always hanging out together after the the recording sessions, whatever, and they're like, well, let's try julia, right, but I think they try to find the drummer first okay and no, I'm lying, they got me first, yes, because then we try to um.

Speaker 3: 23:01

So we played together. It worked great, it was fun. Then we got to try some drummers and we ended up getting a brazilian drummer as well, which is my buddy, bruno valverde. And so when the four of us played together, it really worked and it's beyond also the music. It has to be a good vibe. Everybody has to feel, you know, connected. I think for Adrian and Richie at this point to create a project, it has to also be a very pleasant project. So we all vibed it all together. It was great, it sounded great. So that's how it became. But they are already about to release the second album, actually the third album, because they had a second EP and stuff.

Speaker 1: 23:46

So that's how it happened. Yeah, so I'm assuming that you don't have part with them anymore, right? Is that correct?

Speaker 3: 23:54

What do you mean?

Speaker 1: 23:55

So you're not recording with them at this point in time, right yeah, oh you are.

Speaker 3: 24:01

So the first album. They recorded everything, right.

Speaker 2: 24:04

Yep.

Speaker 3: 24:06

This album, and then they had the live album, which I am in it. So it's me and this third album, five of the. I don't know if it's 10 songs, Don't know, Don't quote me right now, but I think five of the. I don't know if it's 10 songs.

Speaker 3: 24:24

Don't know, don't quote me right now, but I think five of those songs I recorded the bass, okay, so, but and bruno also recorded some drums, but we are not necessarily we are recording their parts. You know what I mean. Like, yes, they have the whole idea and stuff, but we go there and record our way, but their parts. So that's why I am participating on that way, okay fair enough.

Speaker 1: 24:45

Well, I love Richie's work and the winery dogs, right, great, great stuff. So again, we're kind of marching down the Julia road here and you joined world-renowned female band Vixen I think. What was it? 22, somewhere around 22?.

Speaker 3: 25:03

It was right after I joined Smith Cotson. Yeah, so it was in the end of 21. They start talking to me, and then by 22, I joined the band yes, okay.

Speaker 1: 25:13

and who reached out to you? From Vixen? How did that come up? How did that come about?

Speaker 3: 25:18

Well, I knew Larry Moran, the manager, because of all these cruises right, the Monsters of Rock cruise. My husband always plays there, so I always I knew Larry, so he knew me, he has seen me playing and Britt Lightning, the guitar player. She is my good friend and I, in the beginning of all this, when I moved to LA, I met Britt in an audition for whatever band we're trying to do, and me and her and another friend of mine we tried to put together a band. So for one hot second, me and Britt had a band together but then I think she got the gig with Vixen and then I just got my band with my other friend. So years later she reached out to me and say, hey, listen, they are looking for a bassist and I do feel like, because I know you, I feel like you would match great with the girls. Are you interested?

Speaker 3: 26:12

And I said funny enough, I am because I was kind of getting bored of my you know what I was doing at the point, so I said yes, funny enough. I was kind of getting bored of my you know what I was doing at the point, so I said yes, funny enough.

Speaker 1: 26:26

I'm kind of searching for something exciting and new and then so I met the girls and that's it. Yeah, so crazy. Had you followed them long, like prior to joining in them, or were you never really a follower or a fan?

Speaker 3: 26:34

talk to the listeners a little bit about that well, you know, again in brazil, I think they maybe had one or two hits that were like I think love is a killer, if I'm not wrong, because brazilians love balance yeah um, and probably edge of broken heart, but or maybe crying, I'm not sure, but I was not really aware of them okay, as much makes sense, yeah and and.

Speaker 3: 26:58

But when I moved here and I saw brit joining the band, then I became familiar and I was like, oh, I think I heard some of their songs and then I I was, you know, looking for what that was and I was like this is such an amazing band, you know, the whole thing is just like all of them are badasses and they look great, they sound great and it's just so. I was very proud of her when she joined the band, so. But so when she obviously when she invited me and Roxy I talked to Roxy then I was like, yeah, of course.

Speaker 1: 27:31

No brainer right.

Speaker 3: 27:32

Exactly what it was.

Speaker 1: 27:34

Well, it's my understanding that there may be new music on the way from the band. Is there anything that you can share at this time, or do we just need to wait and see what comes out from Vixen?

Speaker 3: 27:49

Well, now that Rosa is in the band, she's super incredible. She's a super strong vocalist and it's funny because we're all kind of the same people there. We're all strong women, but we were all about the music and sounding good. So I feel like there's a big excitement there for new material For all the sides like us, the band and the fans as well. So I'm sure we're going to be working with some stuff. I know we're going to record something for the end of the year, but singles probably are coming and hopefully a full album, because, again, the excitement is there for sure.

Speaker 3: 28:29

So yeah, I'm pretty sure that we're going to be working.

Speaker 1: 28:33

Well, we're excited about that. Be on the lookout. So I know you're extremely busy these days. Besides Vixen, I know you fairly recently released a couple of solo singles, I guess it was in 24. I think what the ride and the horizon were were two singles you released last year. Am I correct there?

Speaker 3: 28:56

I might have released horizon this year, but my memory and my I might be wrong.

Speaker 1: 29:02

Okay, I think Spotify list it as 2024, but maybe it was this year, I don't know.

Speaker 3: 29:11

Right, well, the ride for sure was last year. But yeah, I mean I slowly, I'm slowly releasing my stuff. I stopped putting pressure on me because I have so much material that I write. But, like you said, a lot, of, a lot of times, life takes you to a different direction of course you know, the priority can't be I mean, could be my music, but at this point it's not.

Speaker 3: 29:35

you know, um, um. So I'm slowly releasing and I'm proud of everything I do, because I do it on my own. I do it here in my little studio and Richie helps me sometimes a lot with the mixing, because once there's drums, Forget about it.

Speaker 1: 29:53

At least you're honest. At least you're honest, right.

Speaker 3: 29:56

Yeah, I'm like when there's drums I don't even know where to start to mix anything. Yeah it's an art, for sure. Yeah, and I never. I mean everything that I do and I learn how to record and use the Pro Tools. Everything was because I was curious and I was in need of that.

Speaker 3: 30:11

So, quarantine was when I really started running the Pro Tools and finishing songs and I had time, you know, and I was like learning softwares. I learned Final Cut to edit videos. So I like doing all that stuff but it's too much, honestly, too much time and I get stuck sometimes, honestly, because I have an idea I want to sound good. I don't have necessarily the tools that I want or the time, but I've been releasing them and I like it.

Speaker 1: 30:42

I love the songs. I listened to four or five of them on on the road this morning and and I love the songs and I like some of the older stuff too. Um, you talked about recording in your home studio, which is where a lot of people record these days, of course, but who? Who played on the songs were? Did you do all the tracks minus the drums, or did you have guest people come in? Talk to the listeners a little bit about the players.

Speaker 3: 31:11

Yeah, I played everything with the exception of the ride. I played on the guitar. I had the riff, I played the guitar but it wasn't sounding as big as I wanted because I was plugging straight. I have this SAC-21 pedal, which is Rich's pedal, so I had everything here but I couldn't make it sound good and big. And I'm not really a guitar player, I can't play. But I told him can you play and make it a few tweaks? Maybe I needed some solos, but I had some ideas of the solos that I wanted. I couldn't play that so he was like yeah, so that's why, also, he's in a video and so when you see a video of mine, you will see who played who what yeah?

Speaker 3: 31:57

yeah, so that's all. He played guitar, so he's in a video. Doug pinnick's acts I, I'm obsessed with that band and him is just so amazing and he put some vocals, so he's in a video. You know what I mean. So, but usually the rest is me. And then I produced the drum and I go to my buddy, mike Michael the passion, and, um, I sit there with him and he records for me and he's very sweet, but usually I play everything.

Speaker 1: 32:32

Does Richie send you a bill at the end of the sessions when he plays for you, or are you guys working out in other ways?

Speaker 3: 32:36

You better, not because I'm a great cooker.

Speaker 1: 32:39

Right, I was going to say don't pay, don't pay, don't pay. Right, I was going to say don't pay, don't pay, don't pay. Julia, what advice would you maybe give to an aspiring bass player, or even an aspiring musician, for that matter? You know, you've kind of made your living in music and there's so many people that would love to do that. They don't realize the grind in music. It's not as glamorous sometimes as it seems to be. What advice would you give a young or old bass player that just wanted to learn the instrument?

Speaker 3: 33:17

I think a few things Like first, know what you want to accomplish. Know what you want to be, where you want to be at, like you know, 25 years from now, whatever. Do you want to be a session musician? Do you want to be a side musician? Do you want to be a solo musician? Because once you have these ideas, it's way easier to focus on something.

Speaker 3: 33:39

That's why I also quit reading when I had to learn how to read, because it was so overwhelming for me and I wasn't using any jobs that I was doing, because my goal was to be in a band, was to be a musician that plays with other people, help writing and the whole thing. So I'm not even necessarily too much of a side musician, sometimes here and there, but I was always in bands and I love that. I love that, you know, I, I love that, that, that energy on on a bed. So I know what I wanted and and I kind of put aside and I think it was good for me because I could focus in what I really wanted. So, for sure, know what you want. If you want to be a teacher, um, because every genre of the music, it's a different mindset that you're going to have to have for sure.

Speaker 3: 34:27

And you know again, you have to understand that yeah, there is some glamour here and there but, like you said, there's the amount of hours and money I spend with everything. I mean it's it. You know it's a lot until you see that back. It takes time. So you have to absolutely do that because it's something that really makes you excited and happy. I was talking to one of my girlfriends. She's's a singer. She's amazing and she's dealing with that too. She's going for her solo career but she has a job in another amazing band and she's like, every time I go work for my career I get fucking depressed. It's so much on my back Like, it's so much that I have to do. It's like all the jobs you have to record, write, promote, mix, do the flyers you have to like sell the T-shirts, everything.

Speaker 3: 35:28

The whole thing and it gets. It's a lot of work. So she, she's just. I always think about my project. I get depressed, so I'm focusing on the band that I'm in and I was like I get it it's. It's so odd. So you have to somehow find a balance to not let the whole project have to have a passion or a love to want to play that instrument.

Speaker 1: 36:07

I don't think. I don't think that you can just pick up an instrument because somebody else wants you to like a. Like a mom or a dad says here, johnny, you're going to learn the guitar. Like their heart may not be in that, so would you say that there has to be?

Speaker 3: 36:23

um, you know, you have to feel it in your heart to want to learn to play the bass or the drums or the guitar yeah, absolutely, because it's like you're never going to be good at anything if you're just going to start, like from a place that you don't even care about it right, I mean like music or anything else. If you want to be a doctor or psychologist, you have to love that shit you have to like want to go online and learn.

Speaker 3: 36:47

Oh, look at this technique. Or like, discover new things, and it should be exciting. That process. I remember when I was young it was exciting. Yes, you know, I was like, oh my god, I can't believe you can do that on the bass. Oh my god, look at this band. It was super exciting. Obviously there was less information, which was a little easier, I think. Now, a day, everything's like at your fingertips, yeah yeah.

Speaker 3: 37:11

So that can also probably make you lose your mind. But and then you have this incredible like bass players, for example, they do anything. They do, like you know that, crazy things that I haven't seen in my life. That's all great. But, like again, what do you want to accomplish with that? Like, how far do you have to go in your instrument If you are still in your bedroom? Don't have a band, or not writing music, or not even is that for a show? So I don't know. Everybody has their own goals.

Speaker 3: 37:44

I guess, I feel like it's very important to try to write some stuff, have other skills, maybe sing a little background. If I wasn't a singer, I couldn't sing background for Vixen. I would never have gotten that gig, for example, sure. So I like exploring a little bit more, but always have to come from something that you really are passionate about it, because if you don't love, you're not going to be good at it and then you're going to be like why can't I succeed?

Speaker 1: 38:08

yeah because we don't like enough I agree, I agree with you wholeheartedly and I and I always I don't always I I like to ask that question periodically because I think so many times parents want to live vicariously through their kids like they had a passion to be a musician or a rock star or whatever. So they say, here, johnny, you're going to learn the piano or you're going to learn the guitar, and they force them into that and they don't really want to be a musician. Right, and I believe that I'll bet for you and I, growing up, that nobody ever had to tell us you need to practice the piano, you need to practice the guitar. It's because you loved it. Nobody had to tell you that, right, you were playing regardless. In fact, they had to take it out of your hand when they, you know sometimes.

Speaker 1: 38:57

So I like to hear your perspective on that. Well, I asked you a little earlier about new music, maybe from Vixen, but I also wanted to have you speak on anything new and exciting that you would like to speak on in general. That maybe that I didn't tee up for you. So, outside of maybe Vixen, what about from a solo, new solo material, any other projects, anything you want to share with the listeners there?

Speaker 3: 39:27

that maybe I yeah, I I try not to be too much all over the place because I do get overwhelmed and then I get like so for sure, vixen, they um. We have some exciting shows coming this year, um, starting on the monsters of of Rock cruise, which I always love. We're going to UK, we're doing some fun festivals and I love that vibe, I love them. It's very nice. Sure, some new music from them. Smith Cotsen is coming out with this album and, like I said, I played on five songs, so I'm excited for that Plus on the 5th. It for that plus on the fifth. It sold out already, actually sold out in 15 minutes.

Speaker 3: 40:07

I was so excited wow the grammy museum show is a show. Is it like a q a show? So that's pretty exciting. We are rehearsing like this week it's all acoustic, so it's a totally different very cool on the songs they're gonna going to chat with the crowds of that.

Speaker 3: 40:25

I'm excited for that, um, because it's it's very different musical uh material from Vixen and Smith got it. It's very different and I like that and my solo stuff. I'm always working on new music. I have two pretty much ready to go. They are a little different. It's more about the lyrics on those. Um, I love playing with background vocals. I sit here for hours. I'm good at it. I always was. I think this was one of the my, my first talents that I discovered. I can do any background, low, high.

Speaker 1: 41:01

That's awesome. Harmonize with yourself right.

Speaker 3: 41:04

Yes, I love it. I love it, I love um and you know always trying to work on my vocals because I never go out and tour with myself singing. So when you don't sing too much, the muscle right, you come back to record and I want to think like and wilson's is not gonna work.

Speaker 1: 41:21

Don't we all, don't we all, don't we all.

Speaker 3: 41:24

So you know always working on releasing new stuff and material, my material. I'm trying to focus more on my stuff too, because I really thrive when I put it out.

Speaker 1: 41:34

You know the songs.

Speaker 3: 41:36

So good.

Speaker 1: 41:36

Well, that's awesome. I can't remember if you said have you ever done one of the Monsters of Rock cruises? Are you a veteran of that and do you love them?

Speaker 3: 41:46

I do love them. I've done a few uh different cruises, like the 80s, the kiss cruise okay the monsters of rock for me is my favorite just because of the amount of bands that I know, the people I guess yes, of course, see a lot of your friends and hang out and go to the bahamas. Nothing wrong with that I'm gonna.

Speaker 1: 42:06

I'm gonna have to hang out and go to the Bahamas. Nothing wrong with that, I'm going to. I'm going to have to break down and go on one of these, Julia, I see the advertisements for them all the time and it's like, oh my God, how cool would that be? You know, being a musician, it's like wow. I mean, you just kind of immerse yourself in musical pandemonium, which is an amazing thing, right.

Speaker 3: 42:23

Yes, yes, I love it. And it's a whole week and you know you get to get out of the boat. If you're like tired of being in a boat, they dock like twice or three times and you can go to your room and relax. I mean, it's not like music, music, music. Yes, but you can be too?

Speaker 1: 42:39

Yes, exactly. Well, where can the listeners of Backstage Pass Radio find you on social media?

Speaker 3: 42:47

Well, everything is under my name Julia Laje, L-A-G-E and Spotify, YouTube, all my singles that I release up to now. I have videos for it and I love them. All Majority of them. I edit it, so it's like how it is. I do it all on my own, so if you can support, that would be amazing. Sure, you know I'm out in every social platform, from music to listen to music, and also I love Instagram, so if you want to reach out on Instagram, I'm always there.

Speaker 1: 43:18

Yep.

Speaker 3: 43:18

Julia underscore Laji on Instagram.

Speaker 1: 43:26

Yeah, thank you for following me there on Instagram and I believe Julia Laji.

Speaker 3: 43:29

L a g ecom as well. Right Dot com. Exactly, yep.

Speaker 1: 43:31

Yeah Well, julia, listen, it's been super cool getting to chat with you. Uh, thank you so much for dropping in and sharing your story with me. I wish you a continued success in the near future and I look forward to hearing the new music in the future solo Vixen, all the things that you have going on and all you guys make sure that you go out and follow Julia on all of her social media handles. I ask the listeners to like, share and subscribe to the podcast on Facebook at Backstage Pass Radio Podcast on Instagram at Backstage Pass Radio and on the website at BackstagePassRadiocom. You guys remember to take care of yourselves and each other, and we'll be right back here on the next episode of Backstage Pass Radio.

Speaker 2: 44:16

Thank you for tuning into this episode of Backstage Pass Radio. Backstage Pass Radio. We hope you enjoyed this episode and gained some new insights into the world of music. Backstage Pass Radio is. We hope you enjoyed this episode and gained some new insights into the world of music. Backstage Pass Radio is heard in over 80 countries and the streams continue to grow each week. If you loved what you heard, don't forget to subscribe, rate and leave reviews on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback means the world to us and helps us bring you even more amazing content. So join us next time for another deep dive into the stories and sounds that shape our musical landscape. Until then, keep listening, keep exploring and keep the passion of music alive.