Surviving in a musical uniform

Surviving in a musical uniform

Although Joan Wasser, front lady of Joan as Police Woman, is known for her lesbian iconic status on the American soul scene, she’s fast becoming a musical fag hag due to the array of gay royalty such as Elton John, the Scissor Sisters and her best mate Rufus Wainwright with whom she regularly plays.

The band’s name was inspired by a 70s cop show, so it’s to be expected that Wasser’s music and persona channel a poise that blends a forthright and lasting stoicism.

With a mission to dig deeper into the emotional experience, it follows that her lyrics are somewhat bleak but insightful at the same time. I can’t really write unless I’m writing something meaningful to me. I don’t think I would be able to write a light pop song. That’s not where my head is, Wasser told Sydney Star Observer.

The lyrics usually come from the melodies, but usually I’m compelled to write a song because there’s something on my mind that I need to resolve somehow and usually within the writing of the song I reach some conclusion or resolve for myself.

Joan as Police Woman’s new album To Survive is motivated by a tempestuous breakup, Wasser’s mother’s cancer battle and the world’s current political landscape, most clearly exposed through Wasser’s stunning duet with Rufus Wainwright, Too American.

This record is a little less straightforward. I really let the songs remain in the form they were written in, Wasser said.

I didn’t try to fit them into a standard song form -” I let them be the way they came out originally.

I wrote the whole record while on tour. During that time I use writing to stay focused and say sane a little bit. My mum was dying and I was also having a complicated personal relationship. It really helped to get it all out.

Wasser will hit Australia early next month in preparation for a 7 October gig at the Factory Theatre with a full band and a swag of new and old songs.

info: Tickets for her Factory Theatre show can be bought from www.factorytheatre.com.au or call 9550 3666. For more details on Joan, log onto www.joanaspolicewoman.com.

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