You can listen to a clip of Skye's version of Into Action - http://disco.emimusicpub.com/emiweb/(let's_get_movin')_into_action_skye_sweetnam.mp3
The short epic history of your new favorite little monster with the candy-coated smile
SKYE SWEETNAM
Once upon a time, upon an orange moon in May 1988, a little wild child popped out of her mommy, screaming. With a big curl of hair on her head and pretty little eyes as blue as the Scottish Isle, she was appropriately named SKYE. This little girl grew up to a bigger little girl- that's me.
Like the story goes, a young girl with big dreams starts out in a small town, in this story, Bolton, Ontario. I was a little attention getter and I was always armed with spunk, a big mouth and a will to capture the moment. So when I was asked to sing on the spot in a hair salon, I performed as if I was playing for a million. Little did I know, I had just performed one of the most important concerts of my life.
It was that day, the little pink demo I had made at twelve, was passed on though a chain of connections in the biz. The lady in the salon passed it to her lawyer brother. He passed to a manager of a young producer (James Robertson) who I ended up writing my first record with. I played hooky to record in his parent's basement over the next year and crafted Noise from the Basement. I also found a love for stop animation films and made my first one on a shelf in my bedroom to the song “Imaginary Superstar”. It made such an impact that I was whisked away to Hollywood to get an infamous record deal! (By the way, all my friends totally flipped out!)
I immediately started touring everywhere on the planet. I went from summer camps, to twenty-one plus clubs (when I was sooooo underage), to arenas with Britney Spears when I was sixteen. I conquered Japan like Godzilla and I even lived out my life long dream as I was the singing voice for Barbie in Mattel's DVD The Barbie Diaries.
So the time came around for album number two, and I was more ready than ever to get back in the studio and show everyone that I'd learned a thing or two. I found myself in various different basements in Canada... playing punk rock with my band, to jamming in James Robertson's pad. But eventually I couldn't resist the wild howls of adore ya, scorn ya, California. I was hesitant to be plugged into the LA writing machine, but I proceeded with caution. Through one way or another I ended up in Tim Armstrong of Rancid's basement and I was finally writing some upbeat summer anthems that hit home. First there was “Ghosts”, a song about coming to a big city but not loosing yourself in it. Tim and I ended up writing more tracks, one in particular “(Let’s Get Movin’)Into Action” was rerecorded for Tim's solo record. It made its way to the #1 most requested song on KROQ in LA. I was even featured in the music video with Tim and the Aggrolites (Hellcat) which blew up on YouTube.
Then I get the call from the label that the most in demand, production/writing team in the industry is open to try and write together. Dun dun dun dun… THE MATRIX!
It was no secret that these guys are hit makers. I was worried I'd come out sounding like one of the many pop/rock dolls that I was compared to in every interview for the last three years. Not to mention, it was intimidating going from the basement to one of Hollywood's finest studios. Luckily The Matrix, (L. Christy, G. Edwards, S. Spock) were looking to expand their horizons too. Needless to say I ended up scratching out my “anti-Matrix” stamp on one of my guitars.
First came the heavy hitter “Music Is My Boyfriend” which really nailed down the golden center for the feel of this record. Once I knew what these guys are capable of, the ideas flowed out of me like a rapid river. “Human” the rhythmic pop tune about separating yourself from the world became a hidden hit. “Cartoon”, “Make-Out Song”, “Babydoll Gone Wrong”, are all songs that you don't even have to hear to make you wonder what kind of craziness went down in the studio.
During my time in Los Angeles, I ran into ultra cool MC/Rapper Ak'sent. I suggested she do her thing over my song “Boyhunter”, a girl power anthem about hunting down boys as if they were animals! After The Matrix heard her, they knew as I did, the two of us playing off each other over a hot beat was too hard to resist.
The Matrix and I ended up writing the rest of the record together.
I like to create a hybrid of all things cool. I took influence from being on the Britney tour, from my favorite place in the world JAPAN, from my DIY rebel roots in the basement, and from my grandfather's bulldozers in the real rock business....
It seemed appropriate to title this record SOUND SOLDIER! For I am music warrior; defending noise in the fight against silence! I'm a tutu wearing new breed of doll with killer lipstick in my pocket to use on the boys I hunt. I stand for auditory extremes and a wicked fashion sense! I pledge to maintain sonic integrity and I will always promise to play my music loud! So you may wonder what you're listening to: one part punk funk, one part little girl wanna-be... like a razor in a lollipop, too-sugary-to handle on the outside but it bites back when you least expect! Who cares what it is as long as YOU like it. You can hate me after the song is over! "Nanananana I got a MICROPHONE!"
