Notes
Leanne Kingwell ROCKS! Her distinctive vocals and classy band hit the bulls eye with 'GUN', A four track EP featuring a cover of Fischer Z's 1980 smash 'So Long' plus 2 originals. 'Gun' is the follow up release to Kingwell's highly acclaimed debut solo album 'New Tattoo'. - Billy Pinnell GUN - EP Review - Rock Of Ages Magazine (UK) by Steven Nagle (01/06) Rock godess-to-be, Leanne Kingwell makes a speedy return to the pages of 'Rock of Ages' with this brilliant second instalment... Those of you who remember our review of Leanne's album 'New Tattoo' will remember that we said there was real potential here with the right direction, infrastructure, backing and experience... Well, we were right. The new EP 'Gun' is a testament to what more studio time and more direction will do for a songwriter, and in all honesty, I have to compliment this artist on a good new release. Boasting three new songs, including the riff-bound intelligent rock of 'So Long', the piano-based 'Lost' and the building, punchy 70's pop/rock of 'Holding Your Gun', this release is definitely worth a listen.... plenty of attitude, a stronger feel to the vocals and a lot more direction to her music. The backing vocals and production quality are much more accomplished, and Leanne will probably go on to be the next Debbie Harry if this trend of improvement continues. BIOGRAPHY Word is out on Leanne Kingwell's debut solo album, 'NEW TATTOO'. And the word is good. Critic, Patrick Emery says 'Profane... fuck you subtext... rocks hard.' MAG (Music Australia Guide) reckons 'Assertive songwriting of the highest order. Highlights abound on every track...' 'Off the Record' say, 'A huge talent... Fantastic musicians... Sensational.' The Australian Mood asserts 'These songs have tremendous appeal live.' Long-time album reviewer, Billy Pinnell, calls it 'Passionate, powerful, sexy. One of the most exciting albums released in the last decade.' Not bad raps for a rebellious catholic schoolgirl who started off in the early nineties, playing bass, singing and writing with cult Melbourne grunge outfit 'Happy Gas Stare'. 'Midnight gigs in sleazy bars just seemed a better alternative for me than midnight mass,' Leanne recalls. 'I spent so many years playing in scuzzie pub venues that I started to believe all air smelled like beer and urinals. But, ya gotta pay ya dues, doncha?' 'Rock n' Roll was not the way to get your 'go to heaven, tickets' when I was growing up. My childhood was dedicated to sport and study. My teenage rebellion was listening to The Clash, Bowie, Sex Pistols and the like, on a 15 dollar walkman, under my blankets when my family went to bed. Maybe that's why I still have a thing for solitude and dark places.' Leanne took 3 years out to write and record 'NEW TATTOO'. Why so long? 'It was a musical direction and craft thing. I'd started off in a headbanger band that morphed into a glam rock outfit and then further de-evolved into a pop act with a major record deal. So, I'd had lots of experience learning what I didn't want to do anymore.' 'I saw The Angels gig at the Palace in 2000 and it absolutely knocked me out. I was one of a dozen girls in a room of about 1500 guys who just went off and knew the words to every song. That gig got me thinking about how to create some kick arse rock n' roll that girls would dig as much as guys. My brief to myself after that night was to make, a chick record with balls.' 'The world is full of aspiring rock chicks who think 12 bar is a strip club and a rock lick is blowing their A and R guy. I'd missed roots rock by about half a century. I had to do a lot of homework. Learn a lot of new things, musically. Then adapt them so that they became mine.' So, has Leanne Kingwell found her true voice with 'NEW TATTOO'? 'I'm happy with NEW TATTOO. It's not political, pretentious, too cynical or in any way downbeat. The opposite in fact. It's a good, honest, consistent, album that takes you on an energetic and emotional ride with humo
