“It’s more of a challenge for women to get recognition and respect in the music industry. It’s still a boys’ club in many ways. I feel like women are always having to prove themselves. There’s still an assumption that women aren’t going to be as skilled and accomplished as men, particularly as instrumentalists.”

Anni Piper: Blues, Chips and Men

Australian born recording artist Anni Piper, known as the First Lady of the Blues in her homeland, returns with a new album. ‘Men Are Like Potato Chips’ (Release Day: June 1st, 2026) is the seventh studio recording from Piper, who now resides in Portland, Oregon. She is not only a sultry vocalist but an accomplished bass player, insightful composer, and show stopping performer. The nine songs that make up the recording are originals with the exception of John Prine’s ‘Angel from Montgomery’ featuring Tim Langford of Too Slim & The Taildraggers on guitar. Piper made this album a family affair and is proud to feature her son Flynn Piper on backing vocals. Stylistically, it is a diverse collection, ranging from traditional blues to face-melting blues rock. Piper’s originals are thematically quirky, often humorous, and offer a bold, unique perspective on relationships and intimacy.

(Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

Piper states unabashedly “It’s been more than twenty years since I released my first album. Over time I got so tired of hearing that I needed to be careful not to be ‘too sexy’, and finally I said ‘f**k that’. I’m a sensual person, and I’ve been doing this too long to not release art that authentically reflects my personality.” Piper’s debut album won Best New Talent at the Australian Blues Music Awards. She subsequently secured a deal with Blues Leaf Records in New Jersey. Piper decided to make her home in the USA, where she has performed at festivals and distinguished blues venues in over 40 states, breaking hearts and taking names everywhere she goes.

Interview by Michael Limnios                         Archive: Anni Piper, 2015 interview 

Special Thanks: Frank Roszak, Anni Piper, Sveinn Kjartansson & Doug Deutsch

What drew you into the blues scene? What musicians have continued to inspire you and your music?

The first time I remember hearing the blues I was 14 years old and it was Paul Butterfield Blues Band playing ‘Born in Chicago’. It grabbed my attention immediately and I guess I never was able to let go of loving that sound. Stevie Ray Vaughan was a huge influence when I started playing the blues. His musical catalog obviously shaped a generation of guitar players. I absolutely love artists like Freddie King and Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, and as far as blues players of today, Ana Popovic is one of my favorites. She is just insanely good when she plays live, and she can even work a wah-wah pedal in stilettos. That’s my kind of artist.

Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album ‘Men Are Like Potato Chips’?

This album was a long time in the making. It’s been six years since my last release ‘Blow Up Doll’ which came out right at the start of the COVID lockdowns. All my launch gigs were cancelled and it took a long time for me to find my feet again. I had the opportunity to get creative in the studio on this new recording, I’m using a lot of breathing as ambient sound. For example, the song ‘Devil Bride’ has a lot of horror-style demonic sounds underneath the guitar solo, and that’s just me making creepy breath sounds with a bunch of effects added. In ‘Match With A Sasquatch’, I wanted a sound effect of shaving cream spraying, but whipped cream sounded much better so that was fun to experiment with.

All the guitar tracks were recorded by Ted Swanson and Tim Langford in their home studios, which was a new way of working for me, as I’ve always had the guitar players live in the studio on my previous recordings. They might have done things from afar, but I flew my son Flynn Piper into the USA from Australia to sing backing vocals.

“Music, of course, is the universal language. I love the fact that you can walk into a blues jam anywhere on the planet and start playing tunes together because of that shared skill of improvisation. My sound is best described as blues rock. I love the structure that comes with a traditional 12 bar blues, however, I also enjoy having some freedom with my songwriting and being able to step outside that format.” (Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?

It depends – sometimes I need to lock myself away from the rest of the world in order to get any songwriting done. Sometimes, like the song ‘Stalker’, the entire song came to me while driving to Ted Swanson’s home studio for a pre-production session. I finished the demo that same day. If you listen to my lyrics, it’s pretty clear that I have a sense of humor. I like to have fun, and I don’t take myself too seriously. I think that comes across in my songwriting. Thematically, I cover a lot of different topics. The new album includes subject matter that ranges from potato chips to sasquatches so it’s pretty broad and eclectic. Thematically a lot of the songs are about relationships, or to put it more bluntly, about sex. Well, it’s on my mind a lot of the time!

What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as artist and has this helped you become a better musician?

Oh boy – there are a lot of personal issues that I’m still struggling with in my life. How about trying to overcome my tendency to be an introvert? I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly outgoing. I do better when I’m around people that I know well. So of course being a performer on stage forces you to overcome that inclination toward being shy.

How has the music influenced your views of the world? How do you describe your sound and music philosophy? 

Music has given me the opportunity to travel the world and perform. If I hadn’t been a musician, I would have stayed in my home town in Australia for most of my life. I wouldn’t have seen all the amazing sights, and wouldn’t have spent time with a variety of interesting people that I never would have had the chance to meet. I’ve been lucky enough to have been exposed to many different cultures and I’m grateful for the way new perspectives have allowed me to grow in self-awareness. Music, of course, is the universal language. I love the fact that you can walk into a blues jam anywhere on the planet and start playing tunes together because of that shared skill of improvisation. My sound is best described as blues rock. I love the structure that comes with a traditional 12 bar blues, however, I also enjoy having some freedom with my songwriting and being able to step outside that format.

“Blues is an art form that it important to preserve because it has universal themes we can all relate to. Musicians travel, so they pick up ideas from the places they visit and help promote them so we can all enjoy something new from a different part of the country or different part of the world.” (Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?

My first album was released 22 years ago! I can hear the difference in my vocals. I have a lot more control of my voice nowadays. I think my songwriting process has stayed very much the same over the years. Ideas usually come to me when I’m not actively trying to write a new song. I’ll use voice memos on my phone to record ideas in the moment so I don’t forget them. It can take time for me to develop my ideas and have them come to fruition. For example, one of the songs on my latest album was written 12 years ago. But another one was finished two weeks before we went into the studio, so it varies. I have never owned a home studio and that’s something I would like to explore in future.

How do you find opportunities for women in the music industry and the blues rock scene in particular?

It’s more of a challenge for women to get recognition and respect in the music industry. It’s still a boys’ club in many ways. I feel like women are always having to prove themselves. There’s still an assumption that women aren’t going to be as skilled and accomplished as men, particularly as instrumentalists. I’ve been told before that I ‘play bass like a man’ from audience members. I don’t think they understand that isn’t necessarily a compliment.

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music/musicians in today’s society?

Blues is an art form that it important to preserve because it has universal themes we can all relate to. Musicians travel, so they pick up ideas from the places they visit and help promote them so we can all enjoy something new from a different part of the country or different part of the world. Blues music originated with African Americans and I think it’s important for young people to have an awareness of their history and culture. There are so many examples of Black excellence in this music that I think it will continue to be inspirational for many future generations.

Life is more than just music, is there any other field that has influence on your life and music?

I’m passionate about working out. Most of my music equipment is heavy! So I like to be strong and physically fit enough to move it without it being a struggle. I’m single and I live alone so usually I don’t have any help to load and unload things. I think it makes a big difference to my stamina and energy levels on stage.

“Music has given me the opportunity to travel the world and perform. If I hadn’t been a musician, I would have stayed in my home town in Australia for most of my life. I wouldn’t have seen all the amazing sights, and wouldn’t have spent time with a variety of interesting people that I never would have had the chance to meet. I’ve been lucky enough to have been exposed to many different cultures and I’m grateful for the way new perspectives have allowed me to grow in self-awareness.” (Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

What moment changed your music life the most? What´s been the highlights in your career so far?

I remember hearing ‘Whole Lotta Love’ by Led Zeppelin – the opening track of the ‘Led Zeppelin II’ album -when I was 12 years old. My older brother brought it home and put it on the stereo and my mind was blown. That was probably the moment that started me on the track to becoming a musician. I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever heard. Also hearing ‘Born in Chicago’ by Paul Buterfield Blues Band when I was 14 was another big moment in my musical history and that was the point when I decided I really wanted to explore the blues. But rock music has always had a huge influence on me too, and it definitely comes out in my songwriting.

In the past I would have said winning an Australian Blues Music Award was my biggest career highlight, but that was surpassed last year when I got to record my new album and sing a duet with my son. Flynn Piper sings ‘Angel from Montgomery’ with me, and it’s the only cover song on the new album ‘Men are like Potato Chips’. I have photos of him at 5 years old in the recording studio during the sessions for one of my earlier releases. He’s now 23, and he lives in Australia while I am based in the USA. We don’t see each other as often as we would like to, so it was a very special moment for both of us to finally perform together.

What keeps a musician passionate over the years on stage? You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and bars to open air festivals and theatres. How do you navigate between these different worlds?

It’s like a compulsion really, there is something so incredible about connecting with an audience on that level. When you enter the flow state, everything else just falls away, it’s like an out of body experience. It’s addictive and I haven’t been able to stop chasing it. Different venues require matching my energy on stage to the vibe from the people who are there listening. More intimate venues are different, I might tell more of the stories behind the songs. Whereas at a festival I will try to work with a bigger stage, move around more, and pull the energy and connection from my band.

“My sound is best described as blues rock. I love the structure that comes with a traditional 12 bar blues, however, I also enjoy having some freedom with my songwriting and being able to step outside that format.” (Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

How do you prepare for your recordings and performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?

I work out seven days a week when I’m at home and also when I’m on the road. Bass guitar is a heavy instrument and wearing it for hours during a performance can start to put a strain on the shoulders. I struggle with anxiety in general, but particularly around live performances. I feel like mentally I’m at my worst on days when I’m performing. I’m the bandleader, and my name is on the marquis, so the buck stops here and if anything goes wrong I’m ultimately responsible. It can be incredibly stressful, even just making sure everyone gets to the show on time is difficult because I often don’t have any control over that. I have been doing hot yoga for 15 years and have found that extremely helpful. The relaxation techniques help me to focus, and the breathing from yoga also helps my lung capacity for singing.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

I think one thing I have learned from music is that playing original blues music isn’t going to pay the bills. This is the first time I have recorded an album in six years and to be completely honest maybe 20% of that was not feeling ready but 80% was because I didn’t have the finances to make that happen. Studio time, hiring musicians, and radio promotion are all big expenses. While you make some of that money back eventually, it’s really a big gamble on whether your music is going to be successful or not, and whether that investment is going to pay off. I had a particularly hard tour a few years back where I drove 3000 miles across the USA alone with a car full of music equipment. I had no budget for hotel rooms so I slept in my car and showered at the gym every morning, and picked up my band at the airport after a week of driving. We still had to sleep on friends’ couches during the tour. It was exhausting and I knew I wouldn’t be capable of doing this forever – so I decided to go back to school. I am now working as a nurse full-time and doing music part-time. I don’t regret my decision at all because I am making great money and I enjoy nursing as a career even more than I thought I would.

I work in a behavioral health facility so my patients are experiencing either mental health issues or substance detox when they come into my care. Having nursing as a career has allowed me to become financially independent for the first time in many years. So while it’s a lot to take on, I feel that it was the right decision. My colleagues often tell me I am like Hannah Montana, that I can be anonymous at work and be a rock star by night. I like the way they describe it!

What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?                                   (Anni Piper / Photo by Sveinn Kjartansson)

Blues is timeless. It’s about universal themes that we can all relate to, young or old. I have been more focused on social media for promoting my music and have been successful with that. I never had many followers on my Instagram account but one of my recent reels from the recording studio has had almost 1 million views. I think another way I have tried to modernize and reach another generation is by using curse words on my latest album ‘Men are like Potato Chips’. I had always been very against this as a songwriter. However, I have found some things about my current home town of Portland OR to be very frustrating. There are too many musicians for too few gigs, and there is a cutthroat attitude around the ‘old guard’ in the community that can lead to exclusion. For example, I have seen situations when someone who has been hosting a jam session retires, the venue doesn’t choose a new host. The old host of the jam session bequeathes the privilege of the jam session to a new host and it’s the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It’s like a feudal system, and I feel like I have been expected to bow down and pay my respects to musicians who are arrogant without merit.

Let’s take a trip with a time machine, so where and why would you really want to go for a whole day?

Easy - I would travel to the future and take the next hit song back with me!

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