Pamela Moore Interview
Pamela Moore Interview
Pamela Moore is one of the greatest vocalists I have ever heard. My first exposure to Pamela's soulful and sultry voice, was in 1988 when she stole the show in Queensryche's epic rock opera, Operation: Mindcrime. I was thrilled when she returned for Operation: Mindcrime II as the ghost of Sister Mary who is hungry for revenge.
Now, Pamela Moore has released a new album, Stories from a Blue Room .
Without further ado, the interview:
Why do you write and record music? Is it a drive from within you, the connection you feel with your audience, or some combination?
PM: I would say it’s a combination… For me, recording and performing are two different outlets for creativity. Performance deals with more of the visual aspect that is designed to make the musical experience more powerful while recording is all up to the music that is being created. I enjoy both performing and recording equally because they have aspects to it that are very satisfying. When I’m in that creative mode I get so consumed sometimes I literally forget time. That’s when I know I am “in the zone” and it feels awesome! When I perform I get that same trance like feeling but it’s being shared with my audience and that connection in the room is a very powerful drug! There IS something to be said about the adulation of an adoring crowd! Almost as good as sex…. almost! (Laughs)
When someone hears your music for the first time, how do you want to be remembered? Your voice, the song writing, the performance or the connection they make with your songs and what do you do to make that happen?
PM: The connection. I want my writing and performing to touch the listener in such a way that they find ownership in the song! In other words they easily embrace a personal attachment to the performance because they can relate to it. I try to do this by writing about real life situations that most all of us have had happen at one time or another.
When the final encore is done and they are walking to the car I want people to feel satisfied. Kind of like that feeling you when you’ve seen a great movie or had an awesome gourmet dinner with friends!
What was it like in the studio recording Music From a Blue Room? Do you have any fun stories to share?
PM: It was an awesome experience. First, I was excited to finally get the opportunity to work with legendary producer Neil Kernon; he is an amazingly talented man and was one of the key ingredients for making the record sound so good. My song-writing partner Benjamin Anderson (Rorschach Test) and I decided to take Neil's advise and record the bulk of the album at a studio near El Paso Texas called Sonic Ranch. It’s an all-inclusive studio, which means they provide meals, lodging and state of the art studios. Needless to say, this allowed us to completely immerse ourselves into the project without any distractions and we put in many hours in a day without even realizing the time!
One particular night, we had just finished another long day at the studio and the owner of the studio (who is a wine connoisseur) decided we needed to relax and celebrate Bastille Day! So he pulled from his wine cellar a couple of amazing Bordeaux’s and we proceeded to drink but for some reason it caught up with us fairly quickly. (Laughs) It was quite innocent really. We had such a successful day we were reeling with contentment… it’s just that the combination of the wine and sleep deprivation made us all bit goofy! Before I knew it, I was outside playing with a huge toad and Ben was taking pics of himself with corks in his mouth! I felt like I was in a chapter of Alice in Wonderland… To this day I still can’t believe how big that toad was!
When will the tour for Music from a Blue Room begin?
PM: I haven’t yet started touring. I was touring with Queensryche all last year which took up all my time but now I am in the rehearsal phase with my solo band and hope to start booking shows this next year before I join Queensryche in Europe next summer.
Do you prefer to play stadiums or small venues and why?
PM: Actually, I love playing anywhere! I might prefer the smaller venues a little more because they tend to feel more intimate. However, the large festivals and arenas are awe-inspiring… gazing out to a wash of thousands and thousands of people is quite a rush!
Which song on your new album means the most to you and why?
PM: All of my songs on BLUE ROOM have special meaning for me. I tend to write semi-autobiographically so a lot of my lyrics come from personal life experiences, either my own or those of people I know. My favorites seem to change each time I listen to the CD.
With so many artists making tribute albums to the songs and artists that inspired and influenced them most, If you decided to make such an album what would some of the songs be and why?
PM: This is always a tough question for me because I have so many favorite artists who have influenced me in one way or another!
If I have to name a few I would say U2 because they are brilliant songwriters and tell powerful stories that most people can connect with. Bono as a singer has wonderful phrasing and is such a passionate singer. Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel for the way they weave lyrics into music so elegantly. Perfect Circle, Tool, and Puscifer for passionate songs that make you think and feel at the same time.
God my list can go on and on…
What is your fondest memory of music in your life?
PM: I have a so many!
Winning Best Vocalist award in a High School competition. (It was my first competition ever)
Many fond moments with Queensryche:
Recording “Suite Sister Mary” for Queensryche at Le Studio in Montreal. Experiencing my very first professional tour with Queensryche in 1990 (The Empire tour)
Receiving my first Gold and Platinum records.
Recording basic vocal tracks for a project that Brian Johnson (ACDC) was working on. (He is awesome!)
Writing and recording my latest Cd STORIES FROM A BLUE ROOM
What was it like returning to the Role of Sister Mary for Operation: MindCrime II? Mary's role in the second Mindcrime was much more profound and emotional than in the first. What did you think about her ghostly presence in the story?
PM: It was AWESOME! I was wondering how it was going to work because as most people know, Sister Mary killed herself in OMC1. But as the storyline became more familiar to me I started to understand my role as “ghost Mary” and the character really came to life, in a ghostly sort of way. (Laughs).
I enjoy working with Geoff too. We work well together on stage and vocally our voices match up. It’s very satisfying.
How has your experience with social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook changed the way you interact with your audience? Do you feel it has brought you closer to your fans?
PM: Most definitely it puts you more in touch with the fans and that is a very good thing. If you think about it there are over 200 million people on myspace! That’s a staggering number! Granted maybe half those numbers are bands (Laughs) but needless to say, that’s a lot of exposure!
Thank you for your time.
PM: Thank you for inviting me. Such great questions too…I do appreciate that!
For those interested, I invite you to visit my websites: www.pamelamoore.net and www.myspace.com/pamelamoore.
Get her new album, Stories from a Blue Room at
