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JANET HOLMES
Artist: Janet Holmes Album Title: The Road to The West Cat No.: MSMCD129 Genre: Singer-songwriter/Celtic rock Release date: 12.7.04 Label: Market Square
One woman’s journey on un-travelled roads by Tara McWeeney
It’s not often that you find Country singer Lyle Lovett and indie hero’s The Smith’s on the same album, especially not covered by a woman. However, Belfast born and bred Janet Holmes, has never stuck to one genre of music throughout her whole singing career, so why would she start now? Holmes has been singing since she was 14 when she performed with a heavy-rock gospel group called SOS, since then she has performed as one half of an acoustic duo and in Bird-Dog, a band which fused bluegrass and Irish traditional music. So it’s easy to see the why Holmes’ first solo album, The Road to the West includes such a wide range of influences. But then as she says herself, “I just like what I like and if it’s a good tune then it will always be a good tune. If you find a brilliant melody it doesn’t matter what genre is it from and you shouldn’t judge music like that.” What is surprising though is that it took Holmes so long to get around to recording this album and that she had to be coerced into doing it by her fellow musicians and friends. Although she has always had an amazing singing voice she always thought of her singing as more of a hobby than a real career, as she works full time for the civil service as a welfare officer. After she had her first baby she put her singing and songwriting to the side. “It wasn’t just fear that was holding me back. I think it was circumstance as well. Basically because I was too comfortable, which meant I didn’t have to step outside what I didn’t know,” she explains. “I also think that maybe I didn’t believe in myself as much as I should have.” This is where mutual friend Colin Harper steps in. A music journalist and biographer, Harper was putting together a tribute to Bert Jansch and asked Holmes to front one of the tracks on the album- which was called People On The Highway: A Bert Jansch Encomium. One of the other artist involved was Cult British R &B singer Duffy Power. Once Power heard Holmes sing he invited her to sing some tracks on his album, True. “Ultimately this is what inspired Colin to encourage me to make a solo album,” says Holmes. “So then me and Colin decided to work together on it. I had some songs that I had written previously and he had some of his songs. That is basically how the album came about.” What has resulted is the beautifully crafted The Road to the West. Holmes and Harper used a core band called The Hillbilly Soul Foundation plus special guests such as Martin Hayes, Henry McCullough, Colin Reid and Barry Bynum. Holmes found that working with such an array of talented musicians had a profound effect on her own work, especially for someone who was used to letting others lead. “I have always been part of other bands and in a way you hide among the band. You don’t maybe shine the way you should,” she says. “When you’re working with musicians that are so serious about what they do, you go up a knotch yourself as well. It brings the best out of you and you achieve lots of things you didn’t think you ever would.” Three years in the making, as Holmes had her second child while making the album, she is delighted with the end product and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process. “It has been a real journey and now the final product is amazing. I think how did I actually achieve it,? Especially because of all the artists that we have on it as well,” says Holmes. There were some surprises along the way as well, mainly down to the experimental and open minded nature of this album. “I really wasn’t sure whether some of the songs we brought to the album would suit me. But then when we did them and the musicians involved made their contributions it brought them in a whole different direction that I wasn’t prepared for. The best part of it was that it worked,” she enthuses. Now with the completed album behind her for Holmes the next step is performing live under Janet Holmes. Although nervous, really she exudes positivity and you get the feeling that she has enjoyed being put out of her comfort zone especially with what has resulted. “When I’m performing live that has been a test. It’s completely different being billed as myself rather than being part of a band. But I can do it and that’s what is so good,” she says. “I suppose it’s the fear. Part of you thinks can I really do this? Can I live up to what people have thought about the album? But so far we’ve had two really great successful gigs and it’s been great.” The only regret Holmes has now is that she never did it earlier but it has made her all the more determined to make it work now. “I suppose it’s just the timing and the path in life you take but I’m going to seize it now or else it’ll just pass me by again and the chance will be gone forever,” she muses. The album has been received well in her native Northern Ireland so it looks promising for everywhere else. Although she going to see where the album leads her. “We’re doing everything that we can in the perimeters that we have but at the end of the day it all depends on people and if they like what they hear, she says. “ If they do then things will keep on happening. So far its all been thumbs up, so we’ll see what happens next.” The Road to the West by Janet Holmes and The Hillbilly Soul Foundation was released on 26th July 2004 on the label Market Square. www.janetholmes.com
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