"In the music I found something about myself and I found a healer."

Meene Cryle: Feel the Dream

Meena was born 1977 in a small catholic upper austrian village as the third child of a master electrician and his wife, a woman with a suprior altruistic attitude towards life. In summer she walked around barefoot, sheltered among cows, meadows, trees and proud of her scratched knees.

When she was three Meena had her first encounters with ski, being pushed down the hill. When Meena learned to speak she immediately was taught how to sing. Grandpa played the zither, mother and sister sang together with her. As she was fifteen, Meena founded her first band in company with Chris Fillmore. In the meantime word had got around. Meena´s naturalness and power on stage, her authentic voice had aroused interest. The first thing she did was putting a band together. She worked on stage with locals and musicians of international reputation as well, she played low paid and well played gigs. She met producers and managers, booking agents, co-producers, publishers and label bosses. "Somebody tried to make a pop singer of myself, a rock queen, even a Tina Turner or a Janis Joplin double. As a matter of fact, I was asked to learn the corresponding show routine. To no avail. It would have been easier to tame my wild curls. And then, at the end, then Thomas Ruf entered the place. He decided - against the regulations of the mainstream music bizniz - to take me under his wings.

Interview by Michael Limnios

Meena, when was your first desire to become involved in the blues & from whom have you have learned the most secrets about blues music?
When I started talking as a little child my mother teached me singing as well. I grew up on a little farm, somewhere in nowhere and making music was and it still is something very natural to me. my brother gave a cassette to me when I was seven, a sampler with Jimi Hendrix on it and he endowed me the first vinyl I ever had - it was dave brubeck. I started with jazz and rock. Then I met Chris Fillmore and he brought me more and more into the Blues. The pure and natural life is the secret about the Blues music.

What was the first gig you ever went to & what were the first songs you learned?
I´m sorry but I hardly can remember the first gig I´ve  played. I think it was in a small schack and I had to sing one song and it was “heartbreaker” from Led Zeppelin - it scared the crap out of me those days.

Do you think that your music comes from the heart, the brain or the soul?
Singing means to me stay with your feeds on the ground to feel the rhythm but raise your mind to the sky to feel the spirit. The brain tells you the story, the soul is the feeling and the heart gives you the beat.

What does the BLUES mean to you & what does music offered you?
Singing is my life and in the Blues I found my way to sing.

What do you learn about yourself from music? How has the blues music changed your life?
In the music I found something about myself and I found a healer. My life started  getting  easier when I raised my voice the first time.

What experiences in your life make you a GOOD musician and people?
I`m not shure if I´m good ;-) for shure I´m gifted, and I´m more then thankful for that. in a human way? I think my parents teached me pretty well.

How/where do you get inspiration for your songs & what do you think is the main characteristic of you personality that made you a songwriter?
Everything that touches me, hurts me or makes me smile has the inspiration for me to write new lyrics or sing a new song. I´m a natural composer I knock my brain out in that moment.

Are there any memories from studio with Jim Gaines, which you’d like to share with us?
It felt to me like coming home and Jim Gaines healed my wounds like a father, he made me believing in myself more the anyone before.

Which memory from Blues Caravan 2010 makes you smile?
Going for a cigarette with Jonny Dyke.

Which of historical blues personalities would you like to meet? Of all the BLUES people you’ve meeting, who do you admire the most?
Billie Holiday, John Lee Hooker, Willy the Ville, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Etta James,...sadly the list is getting longer every year. Otis Taylor really impressed me, we played on the same festival two years ago.

Some music styles can be fads but the blues is always with us.  Why do think that is? Give one wish for the BLUES
Let the Blues grow - sometimes the bluesmusic scene seems to be like a big old tree, deep rooted, with massiv and strong branches and under the big shadow of the leaves from this old big tree, there are growing some really interesting young and inspired musicians but under those big leaves they don´t get enough light.

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians thinking of pursuing a career in the craft?
Work hard, stay open minded, keep your personality and always be polite - but never kiss somebody ass.

From the musical point of view is there any difference and similarities between: bluesman & blueswoman?
Of course in a physical way. Let me say, I think singing is linked in a very direct way to the personality of the person, man or woman doesn´t make a big difference in my opinion. what´s much more in my interest, why there are much more man in the business then woman?

What is your “secret” music DREAM? What turns you on? Happiness is……
Honestly, I live my dream.

What are you thinking when you guys are on stage, how would you describe your contact to people when you are on stage?
We aspirate the mood of every venue when we arrive, every venue tells it´s own story. When I come on stage  I take a look at the audience, just to be shure with who I will spend that night and then I let myself go. I love to chat with the audience after the show if they just give me the time for a cigarette before.

How you would spend a day with Frank Zappa? What would you say to Thomas Ruf? What would you like to ask Memphis Minnie?
I would ask Frank what kind of riff he is playing on “Watermelon in Easterhay”, I talk to Thomas nearly every second week per mail, I would hug and kiss Memphis Minnie.

Meena Cryle - Official site