About the Album...

Making this album has been quite the journey. I feel like I've caught you all up in some Guns 'n' Roses strip tease of a record release promise. Well, I have no promise because I simply don't know. It's out of my hands now and when those who are in possession of it decide the timing is right, it will be passed into your hands.

Now that I've reached the end, I listened to what has unfolded and I can't believe that some of these stories, some of these ideas, some of these experiences were mine. I'd easily take a few songs off to hide those embarrassing parts of me the way you tuck away regrettable junior high photographs of horrific hair and ridiculous clothing. Or the way you burn them.

That would be an unfair rewrite of history.

Some songs I'd like to fine tune and others I'm already ready to remake. However, if I keep going back I'll never go forward so I've finally let go. I don't know how to describe it to you, which is typical of many musicians. In fact, I read somewhere that you HAVE to learn how to describe your music and describe it well if you want to market it properly. In fact, you should be able to compare your music to someone if you want others to take an interest. That's marketing. Artists just LOVE feeling like they can be canned and labeled.

While I know you think that's humorous, I also know you're still wondering what it sounds like. Would you settle for alternative pop? No, really. One song is a lovely throwback to Sgt. Pepper's, another sounds like a Cher dance hit made for Disney… without her voice, another is a drum-n-bass/trip-hop conglomeration… Are you feeling a bit seasick yet? Me, too.

Photo compliments of Megan Foley

I thought of calling this body of work a thousand different things to describe the variety of it that is, indeed, me. My favorite so far is "Dirty Little Whore" because the album just sorta gets around, you know? And eventually, you'll have your hands all over her. And you'll be passing her around, talking about her behind her back, but you'll love her in spite of her wild inconsistency. We'll see. I don't want anyone confusing theconcept with my dignified reputation as a person.

No matter what, sincerity lives wholly in each song. That is the thread. The consistency. The genre, if you will. In keeping with that theme, I can sincerely tell you I have no idea when it's coming. That's marketing.

Photo provided by J. Ellis

Selected Vocal Recordings

"Weather"	Featured Vocals, :brownstudy	Really Nice Recordings
"Rivers Norules"	Featured Vocals, JakGalt	GALT|Faculty
"Intro," Moses	Back-up Vocals, Moses	Jam Faction
"Burning Brightly," "Unity," "Truth Interlude"	Back-up Vocals, Ayro	OmoaMusic
Essential Sauce, EP	Lead Vocals	SF Midi Mafia
"Astral Waters," "Native Slipstream," "Agua de Beber," "Dance With You," "Tribal Romance"	Featured Vocals, Henrik Libreo	Urban Loops
Amy Arena, self-titled album	Lead Vocals	Domo Records

With an eclectic interest in music ranging from show tunes to experimental noise projects, Amy Arena expresses a diverse range as a vocalist. An inherent need to give expression to her own feelings as well as the complexities of those people and life forms which can not speak for themselves, Arena's vocal style possesses a chameleon characteristic. Beginning with the heady voice of a cherub at a very young age to a bluesy growl of a discontented youth in her high school years, Amy has come to sing on a variety of stages. Not excluding many solo performances as musical theater characters and within the church, Arena's experience extends from her first performance in Hollywood as the sixteen-year-old back-up singer for Ionesco to her own world tour with her alternative/pop self-titled debut album. Arena took a hiatus to complete college before forming a coalition with Industrial songwriter, Ed Clair for multiple projects.

After performing alongside Martin Huerta in the band Mothman, Arena discovered that while she still looked hot writhing on the floor to the powerful trip-hop sounds, she lost some connection between her voice and her soul. She learned that vocal nodules caused the struggle and found a unique session with vocal coach, Seth Riggs, would spare her from surgery. Studying for a bit with Riggs' student, David Stroud, Arena simultaneously explored her new voice in tripped out experimental recordings with her friend Shane in Berkeley, CA. Dissatisfied with a sound that encouraged lounging rather than moving, Arena then hooked up with a prominent San Francisco tech-house DJ, Henrik Rosdahl to record a variety of dance tracks with an esoteric vibe, some of which have disappeared to the ethers.

Moving to Detroit during the scare of 9/11 to join the highly acclaimed electronic producer, Jeremy Ellis, in an adventure of love, Arena took off on another turn with a short stint of opera training. Since the move, Arena has appeared on several stages as Ellis' back-up singer and has created and performed good old-fashioned protest songs with guitarist, Lance Alan, from Penumbrae, along with some beloved rock tunes. More originals in the alternative music vein spawned from sessions with local soundtrack composer, Ray Urena, as well as recordings and performances with hip-hop and electronic producer, :brownstudy. However, Arena has mostly been attempting to brush up on standards which she recently show-cased at the popular Buzz Bar in downtown Detroit. Several lengthy sojourns to the east coast gave way to experimental, hip-hop, and house projects with various producers. Coming around full-circle, Amy Arena's musical focus returns to the inspiration found with Ed Clair and an album is soon expected from these two now on separate sides of the continent but on the same page in creativity. Recruiting the contributions of Arena's high school pal and diverse musician, Jen Urban, Arena and Clair once again summon a soulful and intoxicating potion from a blend of many different musical ingredients.

* Others who have written, performend, and recorded with Amy Arena were excluded for no reasons of bias. Amy Arena has simply, in time, forgotten some names and information to give appropriate credit. If you wish to correct any oversights, please, send an e-mail. The preceding list is not all inclusive.