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STRAW INTERVIEW – THE ROCK N ROLL MUSIC COMPANY
Straw Family
What does music mean to you?
Sally: Music means a lot to me. Actually I sometimes forget how important it is. I can go for a long time without playing because I’m so busy with my other full time job. But when I finally get to play again, I realize how important and giving it is to me. Because I can relax in a very different way and I can go into my deepest thoughts in a way that I can handle. That’s the special thing about music. You can use it as a support like it was a therapist or something.
Carsten: To me it means that I´m alive 😉 and moods like creativity, play, beautiful hours, fellowship, experiments and lots of love
Henriette: Music is like therapy for me and always helps me through difficult times. It makes me feel good.
Which band or artist inspired you to become a musician?
Carsten: Sorry to say, but I think it was the band Slade – I was a big fan of the guitar player Dave Hill – but I don´t know if it was their looks or the music – maybe both. Later I fell in love with Carlos Santana, Eric Clapton, the fantastic band Sky and then finally and the most – The Eagles – But I will need to add, that when I in 1986 for the first time heard my wife’s voice, when I was recording the musical “North from Love” I have been inspired ever since. She wasn’t even my girlfriend then :-). Today the most inspiring feeling appears, when I hear the voices of my girls, playing together with the band.
Henriette: As a pretty young girl, I was a big fan of Barbra Streisand. She had a wonderful voice. Also, Ricki Lee Jones had a great way to use her voice. I would like to be able to sing like that. I pretty much sang along with every song on the radio. ABBA also was a great inspiration.
Frederik: Actually it was my grandfather who inspired me to play music. He played Hammond organ and I grew up listening to his music and watching him play. The joy on his face when he played was so inspiring – that I wanted to experience the same joy.
What are your top five albums of all time?
Carsten: The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over, Delta Blues band with Billy Cross: No Overdubs, Sky: Sky, Eric Clapton & B.B. King: Riding With The King, The Notting Hillbillies: Missing…
Henriette: The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over, Eric Clapton & BB King, Tracy Chapman (her first), Celine Dion: A new day has come, Mariah Carey: Music box.
Frederik: That is a though question – there are so many great albums in the world and it’s hard to only pick five. But currently I would say these five albums in no particular order.
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall (1979)
Pink Floyd – Pulse (1995)
Gary Clark Jr. – Black And Blu (2012)
John Mayer – Where The Light Is (2008)
Dire Straits – Brothers In Arms (1985)
Other than being a musician, what else in the entertainment business would you be good at and why?
Carsten: Sound engineering and video editing has always been a big part of my work. It’s really fun and challenging in a really good way – And of course, as a coach and psychotherapist that’s my education. It is also an important part of the artist’s life – finding a balance in existence.
Henriette: Nowadays it´s very important that you´re able to do different things which concerns the music industry. E.g. within advertising and press. It is necessary to constantly draw attention to yourself as an artist in order to exist and survive. Make sure people have the possibility to listen to your songs in an easy way.
Denise: I think I would be great at acting, because I’m good at empathizing with other personalities.
If you had to pick another music genre to play, what would it be?
Carsten: Sorry to say, but I hate the small boxes that the music business always want us to get in – music is feelings, lifestyle and expressions – try to box that !!!
Henriette: Me as a singer – I like singing every good song – It´s not important what genre it is. A few years I only sang Musicals with a lot of passion, and I have sung many genres over the years.
Denise: Musicals – I love musicals!
Frederik: I’ve always had a soft spot for pure blues and funk. So maybe a collaboration between these genres.
What do you think musicians can do to make the world a better place?
Carsten: Tell stories from the core of the soul and do it with a passion that affects all who hear it.
What projects are you currently working on or will be working on in the future?
Sally: We will continue to work on releasing new singles and videos and right now we work with one of Denise’s new songs that will be the next release. But we´re still looking for a US management, that will present the family to the Americans. Maybe as a part of a bigger show.
In one word describe the feeling you get from music.
Henriette: Peace.
Frederik & Denise: Healing
Carsten: Peace.
Sally: Meditation.
What is your favorite city/venue to play?
Carsten: I really love to play in my hometown Soroe at the club Kulturcafe Ludvig.
But – Any time and everywhere there are people who want to hear our music.
What’s the one band or artist you haven’t seen live but would like to?
Henriette: I would like to see Electric Light Orchestra.
If you could play with any other band or artist, who would it be?
Frederik: Pink Floyd! Or just David Gilmour.
Denise: Alison Krauss.
Carsten: I would love to play with the one and only Timothy B. Schmit
Henriette: I would love to sing with Celine Dion.
How has music made a difference in your life?
Carsten: It has always been the place for me to relax and think things over.
Henriette: It´s difficult to imagine life without music. It has been in my life since I was 13 years old. I imagine my life grey without music. Music makes me happy when I fell blue.
Sally: Actually music has always been a part of my life. So I really don’t know how my life would be without it. So it’s not like I can remember the time music came to my life and made a difference to me. But to other people in my life I have always been a little different. Especially among people with no music in their life. It has been one of the things that made me special. If I didn’t felt like I was worth something or if I didn’t felt beautiful I could enter the music and in that way convince myself that I at least was special. That’s how it helps me making a difference that I can use.
Is there an instrument you don’t know how to play but would like to?
Henriette: I would like to learn how to play the piano.
Sally: I already play the piano… but I would really like to start playing the guitar. Once I actually could play a tiny bit. But I stopped again. Why I don’t know? I love the piano but the sound from a guitar is so much different so you can make a completely other song and be inspired in a complete different way with it. Another positive thing about the guitar is that you can take it with you anywhere very easily. That’s just amazing and cozy! But yet It hurts so bad at the fingertips when you’re about to learn!
Frederik: I would really love to learn how to play lap steel. I find it such an interesting instrument, and the sound it makes WHOU! Fantastic! It sounds amazing!
In a couple of sentences, what is your story?
Mom and Dad, both musicians for several years. 3 children together but almost divorced 12 years ago. Decided to fight and get together. From here the songs originate from the Straw and with the time the children became older, they became a natural part of the Straw family.
What’s the one charity/cause your most passionate about?
Carsten and Henriette: Abused children
Denise: Street dogs.
What’s the last concert you’ve been to?
Carsten and Henriette: Carpark North 🙂
Denise and Frederik: John Mayer.
When you hear the word music, what’s the first thing that pops into your mind?
Denise: Being alive.
Carsten: “Straw” and “Which of my guitars should I choose”
Henriette: Then I can´t wait to play and create more music.
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