Rock•-and-roll (räk''n rol') ; noun; popular music usually played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repetition of phrases and often country, folk and blues elements.
A page torn from the dictionary can’t begin to define the spirit of rock and roll exuded by Toronto native Suzie McNeil and her sophomore solo effort, the fittingly titled Rock-n-Roller. Loaded with eleven tracks that run the gamut from the insatiably catchy first single "Let’s Go" to the chugging, break-up ball-buster "Free", Rock-n-Roller is the product of Suzie’s fierce attitude, independent spirit and furious determination to have the voice of a strong woman heard.
"Usually, a woman singing rock has to have an element of strength or balls to her. Are people scared of that? It’s hard to say," Suzie says. "I think a lot of times men especially want women to be soft and gentle, and not all of my songs are like that. But I couldn’t do it any other way."
Co-writing the entire album with long-time musical cohort Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe), Suzie harnessed the true power behind her voice. After being the last woman standing on the pressure-filled Rock Star: INXS and gaining a wealth of experience working with P!nk, Dave Navarro, Clay Aiken and Buckcherry, among others, Suzie found herself melting through the shyness and vulnerability she had once felt as a songwriter. The result is Rock-n-Roller, an album packed with songs that reveal Suzie to her core as a lover, a fighter and a rocker.
On the revenge track "Free", the talented, young singer-songwriter’s attitude is front and center as she recounts her real-life breakup with a no-good boy.
"That ex-boyfriend was really hard on me and he hurt me a lot. It was driving me crazy the way he would try to manipulate me, and I’m sure other girls can relate to that," she explains. "The song isn’t loosely based; it’s truly about him – I talk about everything. And it helped. After we broke up, I’d listen to that song and know I was back on my feet again. I’m most proud of that song because it’s as real as it gets."
Moreover, Suzie hopes the attitude that breaks through on songs like "Free", the equally sassy, sultry "I Wanna Know" and crashing, pop-rock epic "Fast Lane" inspires the fairer sex not to ever be the weaker one.
"For women, and for younger girls, too, the album has a bit of attitude to it," Suzie explains. "You know, things aren’t always all gumdrops and rainbows."
But when it comes to matters of the heart, Suzie isn’t afraid to show her tender side either. On the sweeping ballad "Naturally", Suzie’s gorgeous vocals virtually coo with emotion, recounting the feelings of finding true love, as the romance of the music transports listeners away. It’s the kind of passion you simply can’t fake.
"I’m a very expressive person. I’m kind of an open book – maybe too much sometimes," Suzie explains. "I’ve never really worried about being too personal in my music. All I usually think about is there’s definitely someone out there who has the same feelings as me."
Suzie wears her heart proudly on her sleeve with the emotionally charged power ballad "Don’t Tell Me Goodbye", in which she takes a hard look at commitment and what it means to fight, forgive but never leave the person you love.
"I think when you’re in a long-term relationship, you fight and you want to know that through thick and thin, they’re going to be there," Suzie explains. "Say anything to me and shout and fight and say you hate me and tell me this and tell me that -- but don’t tell me goodbye. You can claw my eyes out right now, but don’t leave me. That’s what the song is about."
And, of course, Suzie also speaks to her first love on the album: rock and roll. On the slinky title track "Rock-n-Roller", she urges would-be superstars not to change just because they want fame and superficial windfalls. Believing in yourself and being genuine, she argues, is the real way to be a Rock-n-Roller.
"I think rock and roll has always remained a pretty genuine, real style of music", she insists."It’s something that’s been around for years and years and has stood the test of time. You can’t fake rock ‘n’ roll. You can try. But you can’t."
