Heart, Vanguard Vixens

n the annals of rock and roll history, the word “institution” gets thrown around quite often, however, at this point, it’s hard to think of any better word to describe legendary Seattle band, Heart, and its role in the international music community. Helmed by sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson, Heart has been delighting and blowing away audiences while racking up hit after hit, for over 40 years. While the band’s roots can be traced back to the Pacific North-West’s vibrant garage rock and roll scene in the late ‘60s, Heart would rise to prominence and establish itself as one of the fieriest and most ferocious of the mid-late ‘70s American hard rock bands, and, along with contemporaries like The Runaways, completely redefine the expectations for female performers in popular music.

Though the band entered a lull in the early 80s, starting in 1985, Heart would rise again with the three multi-platinum albums and a string of top 10 hits that would carry them through that decade and into the next. This output not only showed the act’s versatility and ability to evolve, but also further cemented them as irreplaceable pieces of the rock music tapestry. 

In the years that have followed, leading up to present day, Heart has continued to dazzle and inspire awe in audiences the world over, and done so while never diminishing its passion for music, or sacrificing the integrity of its art and sound. The band remains one of the most authentic, honest, diverse and original rock and roll acts in the entirety of contemporary music and shows no signs of slowing down or resting on its well-earned laurels. As further proof of its excellence, Heart has been honored with a variety of awards in recent years, including induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Grammy Foundation: Northwest Chapter, VH1 Rock Honors and performance rights organization, ASCAP.

Recently, CULTURE was able to catch up with Heart front-woman, Ann Wilson, to hear all about the impact of developing musically in Seattle, the rise of women in the music industry, Heart’s future ambitions, and of course, the legendary singer’s opinions on the cannabis legalization movement.

“[Cannabis] is obviously less dangerous and harmful than alcohol, and it has many good uses for people; especially people who are very ill, but also for people who suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or pain of different types. It’s just strange to me that we’re still even talking about it.”

Seattle is now a city that’s largely associated with rock and roll thanks to acts like yours, how do you think your hometown helped to nurture and influence your sound in the early days?

Well, growing up there, there were just tons of ripping garage bands that barely anybody has ever heard about, like The Sonics. That’s what we grew up on. So when we started Heart, that’s what we were—a garage band. We were just playing in bars, playing what was on the radio, and then eventually we learned how to morph our sound into something that was our own.

It seems like these days, the music industry and popular music becomes less of a “boys club” with each passing month. Is it exciting for you to see so many women rising to prominence both as artists as well as business people in the industry?

Oh yes, it’s a very good thing! It’s good for music, for the minds within in it to be equal. Women are powerful. Men are powerful. Sometimes boys need a moderating influence, and sometimes girls can be too emotional and need boys to calm them down. We do things for each other. So when we work together in music, that music shows the power of what men and women can do together. 

Do you and your sister feel like your presence in music as popular artists, especially in rock and roll, helped open those doors for women in music these days?

Well, I don’t think we were the only ones, but our presence was definitely felt and many, many young women have come to us over the years and said thing like, “It was because of you I started playing guitar Nancy!” or “It was because of you I started singing Ann!” So that makes me feel grateful, and I feel like it was just a timely thing. It was only a matter of time before somebody got out there and kicked the door open, it couldn’t be one sided forever.

I know when Heart first started you faced a great deal of discrimination and marginalization based purely on your gender. What inspired you to persevere and continue making your music?

Well, the inspiration to keep on doing it was just the music itself. We just loved playing music and playing music together. Those people who gave us shit about whatever, were just like water off a duck’s back. Not to say that it wasn’t frustrating at times, or hurtful to be kicked to the curb because of your gender, but those things, you know, if you don’t pay attention to them—or you look them straight in the eye—they tend to disintegrate.

 

“Not to say that it wasn’t frustrating at times, or hurtful to be kicked to the curb because of your gender, but those things, you know, if you don’t pay attention to them—or you look them straight in the eye—they tend to disintegrate.”

 

In the past, CULTURE has been fortunate enough to feature some other amazing women on our cover. Lily Tomlin, Melissa Ethridge, Margaret Cho, Roseanne Barr, and they are all huge advocates for the medical cannabis legalization movement across the globe. How do you feel about medical cannabis?

Oh of course! We think it should be legal in every state in the country! It’s obviously less dangerous and harmful than alcohol, and it has many good uses for people, especially people who are very ill, but also for people who suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or pain of different types. It’s just strange to me that we’re still even talking about it.

Do you and your sister have any plans to work on any new original material for Heart coming up soon?

Yes we do! We have some more songs that we’re working on. We’re not ready to go into the studio yet, but that’s in our future definitely!

When you do sit down to write new material, has your approach to songwriting changed in the decades since you and your sister began writing music?

It’s different every single time we write a song; sometimes they drop into our laps, sometimes it’s like pulling teeth to get them. Everyone is different. The good part about it is when you get the inspiration, and then you get the drive to do it.

Do you look to similar things for inspiration when trying to write new songs?

Mmm, well, it all comes from lots of different things actually. 

 

“We think [cannabis] should be legal in every state in the country!”

I know you and your sister recently released a children’s book entitled, Dog & Butterfly. Can you tell me a bit about that project?

Well, it’s an illustrated children’s book that’s intended to be read to children who are around the age of five or six. It’s based on the story of the song, “Dog & Butterfly,” and me seeing my dog chase a butterfly and getting the metaphorical song from it. So now it’s a children’s book. 

Was making a children’s book out of a song something you and Nancy always wanted to do?

Oh yes! But, we came up with the idea to one from that song only about a year ago.

Well, looking ahead, does Heart have any big ambitions for 2015?

Well, we have lots of amazing stuff coming up, some of which I’m not at liberty to talk about because it’s not absolutely locked in. But, we’re going to New Zealand, we’re doing more travel abroad and more creative projects of different types.

www.heart-music.com