Interview with Janine Elliot and new album ‘Boxed in’
Janine Elliot began playing the piano from the very early age of 4 and started having lessons at the age of 5 also later taking up violin viola oboe and composition and winning numerous competitions around the South East of England during her youth.
As an adult she has won competitions for music composition in the UK and abroad. She now plays some 25 instruments and performs all the instruments in her albums.
She studied for B.Mus and later M.A in electro-acoustic music at Birmingham University leading to a long career at BBC Radio working as a sound engineer. She has also worked as a classroom teacher and as a music teacher of piano, violin, cello, oboe, guitar, drums and voice.
She has written a total of 51 albums, argely ambient and electronica, some of which have been used as theme tunes for radio or in film productions.
This new album ‘Boxed in’ is about 21st century life and looks at the pros and cons of a 21st century existence.
All the music is written performed and sound engineered by Janine.
Chasing Tunes got Boxed in with Janine and the results can be seen below:
INTERVIEW – JANINE ELLIOT
What is your new album about and where did the inspiration come from ?
‘Boxed In’ is an album about the pros and cons of a 21st Century existence. Sometimes we can feel boxed in by all the stress of daily life, and my music is a sketchpad of people’s lives, including my own. The opening track “Boxes” is about putting thoughts into a box so you can forget all about them and continue getting on with living.
What inspired you to start a career in the music business ?
I started playing the piano at the age of 4, picking up tunes played at nursery school and then just playing them when I got home! I started having piano lessons at the age of 5 and then violin, viola and oboe, plus singing and composition, winning lots of competitions. I bought a reel to reel tape recorder at the age of 10 and started to explore recording my own music and sound effects – much inspired by broadcaster Kenny Everett – even creating my own bedroom radio station, composing music sigs and making programmes. So it seemed inevitable I would then go on to studio Music and electroacoustic music at University and then work at the BBC as a sound engineer. Throughout all this time I continued to develop my own compositions – winning competitions at Bourges in France and the UK SPNM, leading to trips abroad. I also started writing my own albums; synthesised and acoustic, often without vocals, some that have been used in Film music and radio sig tunes. In fact “Boxed In” is my 51st album! I started “Boxed in” with the intension that I would get my music out there for people to see just what I am capable of doing. It took just 10 weeks; having written and performing it all as well as doing all the recording and production.
What are your fave tracks or artists of all time ?
My music is inspired by David Bowie, Genesis, Pink Floyd and John Barry, so I guess they are my favourite artists! Favourite tracks of all time include The Motors “Airport”; Elkie Brooks version of “Lilac Wine”; “Snow Bound” Genesis; David Gilmour “And Then….”; Moby “Why does My Heart Feel so Bad”; Abba “Fernando” and Goldfrapp “Utopia”; and loads more !
The album ‘Boxed in’ features the melodic single ‘Bright Lights’ and is out on 12 June 2017 with distribution from Universal Music Operations worldwide.
Janine Elliot online:
https://www.facebook.com/janine.elliot1
@ElliotJanine