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Time to get signed!

An interview with Sarah Bard

When did you become aware that you could sing?

I've always sung for as long as I can remember but I decided I wanted to be a singer when I was 9. I remember feeling a distinct connection with people singing on TV. Somehow I knew that that was what I wanted to do. When I went to secondary school and started singing lessons with a peripatetic teacher it was though that I had potential. I'm still not sure whether my decision when I was 9 was a deep soulful connection with my destiny - or a happy coincidence!

What were your early influences?

My mother's family is of Irish origin and I have always been surrounded by storytellers and amateur performers. My father's mother really encouraged my sister and me to perform plays and songs for her. And a family friend, Jenny Mace - a professional singer - inspired me to sing and perform. This led me to subject both sets of grandparents and family friends to hours of various 'plays' and 'performances'.

How did your family react?

Both my parents have been extremely supportive, though for a few years my mother tried to persuade me to do something else. She finally realised I might have a future in singing when I was 16 and she saw me perform Celine Dion's 'Think Twice' at a charity concert. She said 'the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, and at that moment I knew you could do it'.

What about your education?

I got 10 GCSEs, 2 AS Levels and 3 A Levels at school, and then went on to University where I gained a degree in English and Drama. The school I went to, Davenant in Loughton, valued the performing arts very highly and this was a wonderful opportunity for me to experience performing many types of music. My parents encouraged me to go through school and university. It gave me time and space to develop personally and musically. I was concerned at first that I would miss out if I didn't go to 'stage school', but I found there were many opportunities. I became President of the Musicians' Society and, through that, met so many people I learned from - some of whom I still work with.

Have you had any specific musical training?

I had six years of singing training from the age of 12. I began with classical music then moved on to a more modern focus because this was where my passion lay. But for me, experience has been my best teacher.

Can you remember the first song you wrote?

Yes! My cat died when I was 16 and I wrote a song about the way it made me feel. It was called 'why isn't it raining?'. It was not my best-ever work but it was very honest. I had used words before this to explore how I felt but I'd never put them to music.

Can you play any musical instruments?

I had a few piano lessons when I was young but when I started writing my own songs I knew I needed to be able to play, so I taught myself the piano, and later the guitar. I recently set up a home studio which is absolutely fantastic. This consists of a high spec. laptop, with the musical editing programme Cubase. I use an external sound card (Tascan) and a midi keyboard. This wasn't hugely expensive to set up but gives me so much freedom to develop as a songwriter and as a producer. It means I can write a song, then immediately experiment with its production. Being able to play the piano and guitar means I can replicate so many other instruments using the software.

What was your first professional engagement?

The first work I ever had as a performer was as a wedding singer. I'd sing in the church while the newly-weds were signing the Register. When I was at University I met Daniel Spiller, another singer/songwriter. We started an electric duo together, which we called 'Velcro'. We used backing tracks on mini-disk, he played the guitar and we took turns to sing lead and do harmonies. We sang covers, some old, some new, in pubs and clubs around the Midlands. We got those jobs through various agents after doing a few local showcases. Daniel introduced me to Pat Gardner, and at Pat's studio Bedlam Sound, I recorded my first album, 'Falls Away'. I got a loan to press the album. A friend set up a website for me, another friend did all the photos. The website meant I had an international shop and people bought the album from as far away as Canada and Finland. I paid back the loan with the sales from the album and the money I earned from gigs I did to promote it. These gigs were two acoustic sets: a mix of covers and original songs which can be found on the album. My guitarist, Tim Bond, would do a short set before mine. This was great as he provided the sex appeal for all the women in the audience!

Is ongoing training important? Where do you go for it?

I will pick up on my vocal training in the near future but my focus at the moment is on dance. My friendship with the Nottingham based choreographer Sue Sparham means I have benefited from her teaching. I have found it very important to have a teacher who is sympathetic, patient and clear. One-on-one training can be expensive but choreographers like Sue often offer evening classes open to the public. I regularly go to her class on Monday nights at the Nottingham Ice Arena.

Have you had any good - or bad - advice?

Bad advice: 'Keep up the day job!' This might seems a bit risky but I know if I get a 9.00 - 5.00 job I'll end up loving the stability. Mind you, I have found so far that although I'm not fulfilling my ultimate ambitions, there are a large number of jobs connected with singing. This leads me to the good advice: take all the experience you can. Some of the places I have played in have been extremely grim but the worse the venue the more it's been able to teach me about how to deal with a tough crowd, or how to keep the energy up when you think no-one cares! And so often you'll find, at the end of the night, someone tells you they loved every minute! It's been worth taking all the work I can, within reason! It's amazing how many contacts you can make if you get yourself out there and keep asking for them. Also I find my fiends are all so talented - it's great to help each other. I do backing vocals, or I'll sing the lead part on a new demo that my songwriter friends Justin Stoneman has made. I'll always benefit from the experience, and in turn he contributes to my music and, I'm sure, will include me in his success!

You experienced life on the road with an S Club tribute band. What did you learn from it?

When the tribute band 'S Club Heaven' was advertising for a new Hannah, I had made my album 'Falls Away', and the producer I had worked with was tour managing the band. On the strength of the album the tribute company asked me to audition. I got the job!

The experience of performing such a demanding show for such large audiences was only beaten by how lovely the people I worked with were. We had to find so much energy to sing live and perform all the choreography at the same time, and although this was sometimes hard, we just had so much fun! Often, the gigs were far away (from Aberdeen to the Isle of Wight), we rarely stayed in hotels overnight, and the long hours in the van took their toil, but we would make up games, stories and songs, anything that came to mind to entertain ourselves! We would regularly play theatres in city centres and so, after the sound check, we'd be able to shop! There were extreme differences in our backstage facilities, from an ant-infested hut with no heating and no mirror to the luxury of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, which has mirrors framed with light bulbs and, in my opinion, is worthy of an appearance on MTV's Cribs! We were rarely told what the venue would be like before we got there and this taught me self-sufficiency: always be prepared - with your own mirror! Sometimes after the show we would have to sign autographs as the characters we played. I always had to concentrate, as on occasion I'd nearly sign 'Sanna'! It was strange to hear people screaming someone else's name at me with such excitement, and they treated me differently when I played the part of Hannah from when I played the part of Jo. It was six months into my time with 'S Club Heaven' when our 'Jo' left and I took her part. Having worked with the group I was really comfortable playing the character, which involved a lot more lead singing, because I felt the support behind me. Fitness became even more important as we sang and danced live - and this was difficult when we were eating two meals a day in Motorway Services!

We laughed so much I was sad to leave after 9 months but I wanted to travel the world. I was away for a year and while away, mostly in Australia, instead of the usual backpacker bar-work, I sang in clubs and pubs. I got the bulk of the work by walking into a bar which was well known for live music, asking for the phone number of the agent they used to book their bands, and getting in touch with him. I was able to play him a copy of my album and he agreed to take me on. I had no equipment and so he paired me up with an Australian musician, Paul Jordon. Paul came complete with a van and all the gear, he could play the guitar and sing, and he wanted a female singer to add variety to his show. We performed in venues for backpackers and venues for local people. I found the tone of tall these gigs was remarkably similar to the gigs I'd done as 'Velcro' in England. It's nice to know I could get work all around the world wherever they have live music, but I'd have to commit to singing covers!

What are your aspirations - and how are you going to make them happen?

I want to be a well known singer/songwriter. I love to hear how other people sing my songs but I love to sing them myself too. I'd like to go on tour with dancers and musicians, to have people listen to my music and really feel a connection with it. I'd quite like a World Number One album actually! And, for the near future, I'm looking for a record deal which might give me these opportunities.

I did everything backwards! I made the album first, then I was in 'S Club', and now that I'm back from travelling I feel I'm ready to take my career to the next level. It is a particularly good time for me: my music developed as I travelled, and the experiences I have had give me confidence as a performer. I hope a wide variety of people will enjoy the new songs. I have recently finished a 4-song Demo Package to give to people who might want to take a part in furthering my career. To make the demo I selected four of my songs which showcase my vocal range and song of the different styles I write in. Working with JP from Fusion Visual Communications, Pat Gardner at Bedlam Sound and in my own studio, I recorded and produced the songs. The package is made up of a spiral-bound book including the demo CD and personal statement. Each of the six photos inside captures different aspects of my music. And of course the book includes my contact details. I have had my website redesigned (www.sarahbard.com) with the songs from the demo, recent photos and up-to-date information about me. My favourite page is is the profile where personal information appears over an image of me as you move the arrow across the page!
I don't have an agent or a manager but I am looking for one to help me get the best deal I can!