Annie B & The Complication

Annie B.: A Marquette alum with rock star status
By Vanessa Harris
October 13, 2011

Annie B. & The Vagabond Company are releasing their debut album this weekend. Photo courtesy of Annette Bzdawka.

Annette Bzdawka, a Marquette alumna and 2011 Wisconsin Area Music Award nominee has dreams of touring the country and sharing her music. Known by most just as Annie B., she has made a large impact locally with her music and with her side project Milwaukee Artbeat, a showcase of visual and performing arts of all types.

Originally from the north side of Milwaukee, Annie B. grew up like any other kid. Her plan was to study hard, go to college, graduate and then settle into a career: the typical American life.

“I was on the path of getting good grades, getting a good job. The good girl type of thing,” she said.

Annie B. found herself continuing down that path here at Marquette, where she majored in psychology. After graduating in December 1991,  her anxiousness to leave the Midwest behind influenced her decision to peruse a doctorate at the University of Nevada-Reno.

But Annie B. struggled to find her place in Reno. She was depressed and frustrated to find that an institution she thought was built on actual knowledge was based instead on political games. Feeling unhappy and out of place, she came home to Milwaukee over her summer break and picked up a guitar.

“I’ve always been interested in music, but I never did anything about it,” she said. “I was told to get a job where you can make money and have a normal life.”

Becoming a rock star wasn’t something that crossed Annie B.’s mind when she first learned to strum a guitar, but that decision became the start of a path that would send her good-girl plan out the window.
Annie B. went back to school full time in Reno the next year, but brought with her a new passion. She performed at bars and found the possibility of a music career more appealing than working as a therapist.

“When I was playing music, everything was positive,” she said.

With her interest in school dwindling, Annie B. tried attending part time but eventually quit and focused all her energy towards music.
After a few small projects, she packed up and moved to Los Angeles in 1999. With no family, no job and no plan besides chasing a dream, Annie B. found a one-room apartment in the heart of Hollywood and formed her first band, Shut Up Marie.

The band received a decent amount of airplay and stirred up good press from the critics, but it was still hard to make a living in the Los Angeles “pay to play” music scene.

Hollywood eventually grew tiresome for Annie B. In 2006, she called it quits and hit the road on her own. Living out of her car and booking gigs around Texas, she discovered her inner peace and artistic freedom, and it showed up in her songwriting.

A year later she came home to Milwaukee to celebrate Christmas and found her mother in the hospital and her father suffering from Alzheimer’s. She’s been here ever since.

“I knew I would always end up back here at some point,” she said. “It’s home. It’s always been home.”

Annie B. has been back in Milwaukee for four years now. In January of this year, Annie B. formed her current band, Annie B. & The Vagabond Company, with funk bassist “Fender” Freddy, drummer Dave Johnson and lead guitarist Cam DeWinter.  Their first album, “Fancies Of A Random Heart,” debuts Oct 14. The lighthearted album is something Annie B. can present to her fans with pride.

“This is a fun project. The songs are a bit more whimsical,” she said. “I always go back to that theme of trying to find peace and love in the world, though. It’s such an important message.”

Annie B. even enlisted the help of retired Marquette French professor Steven M. Taylor and his wife Dr. Marisa Gatti-Taylor, along with others from the French department on campus to help translate her song “Cat Girl” into French.

“I’ll always have a soft spot for Marquette,” she said. “I take pride in being a MU grad.”

The dropping of Annie B. & The Vagabond Company’s first album is an achievement Annie B. has worked hard for. For any musician, the road to success is filled with mishaps that are sometimes too big to overcome. Luckily for Annie B., her rock star attitude keeps her prevailing.

Annie B. & The Vagabond Company’s release party for their debut album “Fancies of a Random Heart,” is Oct. 14 at Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. Live music and art starts at 8 p.m. Local band I’m Not A Pilot performs at 9 p.m. followed by Annie B. & The Vagabond Company at 10:30 p.m.  A door charge of $10 includes a copy of “Fancies of a Random Heart” and free appetizers.
- Marquette Tribune

Annie B.: A Marquette alum with rock star status
By Vanessa Harris
October 13, 2011

Annie B. & The Vagabond Company are releasing their debut album this weekend. Photo courtesy of Annette Bzdawka.

Annette Bzdawka, a Marquette alumna and 2011 Wisconsin Area Music Award nominee has dreams of touring the country and sharing her music. Known by most just as Annie B., she has made a large impact locally with her music and with her side project Milwaukee Artbeat, a showcase of visual and performing arts of all types.

Originally from the north side of Milwaukee, Annie B. grew up like any other kid. Her plan was to study hard, go to college, graduate and then settle into a career: the typical American life.

“I was on the path of getting good grades, getting a good job. The good girl type of thing,” she said.

Annie B. found herself continuing down that path here at Marquette, where she majored in psychology. After graduating in December 1991,  her anxiousness to leave the Midwest behind influenced her decision to peruse a doctorate at the University of Nevada-Reno.

But Annie B. struggled to find her place in Reno. She was depressed and frustrated to find that an institution she thought was built on actual knowledge was based instead on political games. Feeling unhappy and out of place, she came home to Milwaukee over her summer break and picked up a guitar.

“I’ve always been interested in music, but I never did anything about it,” she said. “I was told to get a job where you can make money and have a normal life.”

Becoming a rock star wasn’t something that crossed Annie B.’s mind when she first learned to strum a guitar, but that decision became the start of a path that would send her good-girl plan out the window.
Annie B. went back to school full time in Reno the next year, but brought with her a new passion. She performed at bars and found the possibility of a music career more appealing than working as a therapist.

“When I was playing music, everything was positive,” she said.

With her interest in school dwindling, Annie B. tried attending part time but eventually quit and focused all her energy towards music.
After a few small projects, she packed up and moved to Los Angeles in 1999. With no family, no job and no plan besides chasing a dream, Annie B. found a one-room apartment in the heart of Hollywood and formed her first band, Shut Up Marie.

The band received a decent amount of airplay and stirred up good press from the critics, but it was still hard to make a living in the Los Angeles “pay to play” music scene.

Hollywood eventually grew tiresome for Annie B. In 2006, she called it quits and hit the road on her own. Living out of her car and booking gigs around Texas, she discovered her inner peace and artistic freedom, and it showed up in her songwriting.

A year later she came home to Milwaukee to celebrate Christmas and found her mother in the hospital and her father suffering from Alzheimer’s. She’s been here ever since.

“I knew I would always end up back here at some point,” she said. “It’s home. It’s always been home.”

Annie B. has been back in Milwaukee for four years now. In January of this year, Annie B. formed her current band, Annie B. & The Vagabond Company, with funk bassist “Fender” Freddy, drummer Dave Johnson and lead guitarist Cam DeWinter.  Their first album, “Fancies Of A Random Heart,” debuts Oct 14. The lighthearted album is something Annie B. can present to her fans with pride.

“This is a fun project. The songs are a bit more whimsical,” she said. “I always go back to that theme of trying to find peace and love in the world, though. It’s such an important message.”

Annie B. even enlisted the help of retired Marquette French professor Steven M. Taylor and his wife Dr. Marisa Gatti-Taylor, along with others from the French department on campus to help translate her song “Cat Girl” into French.

“I’ll always have a soft spot for Marquette,” she said. “I take pride in being a MU grad.”

The dropping of Annie B. & The Vagabond Company’s first album is an achievement Annie B. has worked hard for. For any musician, the road to success is filled with mishaps that are sometimes too big to overcome. Luckily for Annie B., her rock star attitude keeps her prevailing.

Annie B. & The Vagabond Company’s release party for their debut album “Fancies of a Random Heart,” is Oct. 14 at Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. Live music and art starts at 8 p.m. Local band I’m Not A Pilot performs at 9 p.m. followed by Annie B. & The Vagabond Company at 10:30 p.m.  A door charge of $10 includes a copy of “Fancies of a Random Heart” and free appetizers.
- Marquette Tribune

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

written for ArtMilwaukee by Jodie Niles
www.journeyswithjodie.com

Performing for ArtMilwaukee’s “Arabian Night” after party on Thursday, June 2nd is Milwaukee native singer/songwriter Annie B. with her band, The Vagabond Company. The band features Annie B. on Lead Vocals, Dave Johnson on Drums, “Hollywood Fred” on Bass and Cam DeWinter on Lead Guitar. Though Annie’s been around for a while, the band didn’t officially have their first gig together until February of this year, and it didn’t take long for them to find their groove… in Milwaukee and beyond.  Not only will they be playing at Summerfest this year (Sunday, July 10th on the big Briggs & Stratton stage!), but they will also be opening for the BlackCAPS  in Madison next week  Friday (June 10th) and heading out to Chicago and Lake Geneva this summer, with a CD Launch Party not long after at Shank Hall!
[Full schedule available at: www.anniebmusic.com].

Getting  Annie B. to sit still for more than a minute is certainly a challenge, as I’ve come to learn, working as her personal booking assistant these last few months.  That’s only because the big energy in her little body never seems to stop.  Whether she’s connecting on the phone, checking email and updating her Facebook page, organizing a community event, planning her performance schedule, practicing with her band or getting ready for an interview, Annie is always giving the most she can, and with a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

Sitting at the kitchen table of her home on a typical morning, she and I, along with two other helpers, enjoy what Annie’s boyfriend has endearingly come to call “The View.” The four of us gather around, laptops open and ear pieces on (well, me anyway), ready to get down to business….and sometimes, yes, that does include monkey business. Between the calls and research we also work up a lot of laughs between us.

Annie’s been a great influence on me because, as an artist, I know how it feels to want to just “do your thing” and not deal with the “business stuff.” But Annie’s self-respect and confidence compel her to make things happen, and her “go get it and have fun doing it” spirit is contagious.  Her natural friendliness and ability to connect with others draws people and opportunities to her, and she’s willing to put the time and effort into it because she believes in herself and takes what she does seriously. And yet....

Easily distracted, on this particular day, the day I’ve FORCED her to answer my interview questions, she scurries about doing anything she can to avoid having to sit and focus on me and my questions. After all, there are dishes to wash, a refrigerator to clean a cat that needs some TLC.  Not to mention the phone calls, emails and press kits that need to be done….but I digress.

“Hey, Annie, let’s do this,” I say.

“Yeah, I’m comin’. I just have to put on another pot of coffee. Remind me to call so and so back. And can you add this venue to the database? Oh, and don’t let me forget to stop by that other place and drop off a CD. Did we ever hear back from so and so?”

“It’s all under control,” I say. “Let’s do this.”

“Okay, just hold on a sec. Let me just run to the bathroom really fast!”

I give her the eye, because she knows that I know that she is reluctant to sit down for a few minutes, for fear she’ll forget something drastically important to do. After a few more minutes of coffee making, message checking and idea throwing, she thinks of something else that she wants me to do, and I have to stop her and remind her that she needs to go to the bathroom.

“Oh yeah! Okay, just one more minute,” she says, and we all laugh

Still walking about, she eventually shuffles back over to the table, sits down and forces herself not to look at her computer screen or put her hands near her keyboard as I begin the interview. She is excited to share, and takes her time answering each question. As always, she’s thinking of her audience and giving them the most she can…even if it does mean saving the refrigerator cleaning for later. And so we begin:

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a singer?

A: “Well,” she says with a smile…”I wanted to be a movie star when I was 4. I used to sing Beatles songs in harmony with my little sister …but I really decided when I was in graduate school in Reno and learned how to play guitar. I was really depressed during the first year of my PhD program in Clinical Psych.  I had come home for the summer and learned how to play guitar.  I actually started studying voice at The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music back in undergrad at Marquette…but didn’t seriously pursue it… it was more of an exploratory thing…I just was drawn to it. I feel super lucky to stay that I got to study with a blues/jazz singer out of the Chicago area who is now signed to Blue Note Records...Jackie Allen.”

“So, you didn’t know in high school?”

“Oh, in high school?  I was mostly ste - Journeys With Jodie

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

written for ArtMilwaukee by Jodie Niles
www.journeyswithjodie.com

Performing for ArtMilwaukee’s “Arabian Night” after party on Thursday, June 2nd is Milwaukee native singer/songwriter Annie B. with her band, The Vagabond Company. The band features Annie B. on Lead Vocals, Dave Johnson on Drums, “Hollywood Fred” on Bass and Cam DeWinter on Lead Guitar. Though Annie’s been around for a while, the band didn’t officially have their first gig together until February of this year, and it didn’t take long for them to find their groove… in Milwaukee and beyond.  Not only will they be playing at Summerfest this year (Sunday, July 10th on the big Briggs & Stratton stage!), but they will also be opening for the BlackCAPS  in Madison next week  Friday (June 10th) and heading out to Chicago and Lake Geneva this summer, with a CD Launch Party not long after at Shank Hall!
[Full schedule available at: www.anniebmusic.com].

Getting  Annie B. to sit still for more than a minute is certainly a challenge, as I’ve come to learn, working as her personal booking assistant these last few months.  That’s only because the big energy in her little body never seems to stop.  Whether she’s connecting on the phone, checking email and updating her Facebook page, organizing a community event, planning her performance schedule, practicing with her band or getting ready for an interview, Annie is always giving the most she can, and with a smile on her face and a song in her heart.

Sitting at the kitchen table of her home on a typical morning, she and I, along with two other helpers, enjoy what Annie’s boyfriend has endearingly come to call “The View.” The four of us gather around, laptops open and ear pieces on (well, me anyway), ready to get down to business….and sometimes, yes, that does include monkey business. Between the calls and research we also work up a lot of laughs between us.

Annie’s been a great influence on me because, as an artist, I know how it feels to want to just “do your thing” and not deal with the “business stuff.” But Annie’s self-respect and confidence compel her to make things happen, and her “go get it and have fun doing it” spirit is contagious.  Her natural friendliness and ability to connect with others draws people and opportunities to her, and she’s willing to put the time and effort into it because she believes in herself and takes what she does seriously. And yet....

Easily distracted, on this particular day, the day I’ve FORCED her to answer my interview questions, she scurries about doing anything she can to avoid having to sit and focus on me and my questions. After all, there are dishes to wash, a refrigerator to clean a cat that needs some TLC.  Not to mention the phone calls, emails and press kits that need to be done….but I digress.

“Hey, Annie, let’s do this,” I say.

“Yeah, I’m comin’. I just have to put on another pot of coffee. Remind me to call so and so back. And can you add this venue to the database? Oh, and don’t let me forget to stop by that other place and drop off a CD. Did we ever hear back from so and so?”

“It’s all under control,” I say. “Let’s do this.”

“Okay, just hold on a sec. Let me just run to the bathroom really fast!”

I give her the eye, because she knows that I know that she is reluctant to sit down for a few minutes, for fear she’ll forget something drastically important to do. After a few more minutes of coffee making, message checking and idea throwing, she thinks of something else that she wants me to do, and I have to stop her and remind her that she needs to go to the bathroom.

“Oh yeah! Okay, just one more minute,” she says, and we all laugh

Still walking about, she eventually shuffles back over to the table, sits down and forces herself not to look at her computer screen or put her hands near her keyboard as I begin the interview. She is excited to share, and takes her time answering each question. As always, she’s thinking of her audience and giving them the most she can…even if it does mean saving the refrigerator cleaning for later. And so we begin:

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a singer?

A: “Well,” she says with a smile…”I wanted to be a movie star when I was 4. I used to sing Beatles songs in harmony with my little sister …but I really decided when I was in graduate school in Reno and learned how to play guitar. I was really depressed during the first year of my PhD program in Clinical Psych.  I had come home for the summer and learned how to play guitar.  I actually started studying voice at The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music back in undergrad at Marquette…but didn’t seriously pursue it… it was more of an exploratory thing…I just was drawn to it. I feel super lucky to stay that I got to study with a blues/jazz singer out of the Chicago area who is now signed to Blue Note Records...Jackie Allen.”

“So, you didn’t know in high school?”

“Oh, in high school?  I was mostly ste - Journeys With Jodie

By Kevin Lynch


"Let's do it!" the wildcat voice cries on the opening moments of the album Fancies of a Random Heart by Annie B. and the Vagabond Company. Annie B.'s unbridled exuberance marks a clarion new voice in Milwaukee rock. Cam DeWinter's incisive guitar and a kicking rhythm section seal the deal, from the caffeine jolt of "Coffee Beans" to the retro-strut of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'."

The 2011 WAMI Award-nominated singer hosts an event at Shank Hall on Friday, Oct. 14. The $10 cover includes a copy of the new CD. She led a punk band in Los Angeles, but the Milwaukee native is glad she's back with a new style. More than a rock vixen, Annie's an award-winning video producer and cultural activist. "People in Milwaukee want substance," she explains. "They're real. I went out to L.A. to get a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, but I found how the world worked."

So your music and your show, called Milwaukee Artbeat, give people substance?

That's a big part of it. The interview and multi-arts show debuted in the spring of 2009. In summer we do "Artbeat in the Heat," which is more of a festival. We raise money for children who don't have access to art in their schools. When you're a little kid, art and music help develop a different part of your brain that allows you to learn a whole new skill set that's critical to be successful. But Artbeat is also a way to showcase the city's amazing talent.

How did you get the inspiration for Artbeat?

I always wanted to have my own show. It's my little Conan O'Brien thing. And it's a worthy show, like the amazing power of spoken-word artists.

You think this is important to sustaining a larger culture?

This is kind of in your face. I don't care if you don't think you'll like capoeira (a Brazilian art form that blends martial arts and dance). I go and look for artists. It's a lot of work. But it's new ideas and a fun night of entertainment. This CD party is a mini-Artbeat with live painters at 7 p.m. I'm Not a Pilot, the Shepherd Express Best Milwaukee Rock Band for 2010, opens at 9 and we go on about 10:30.

Why should people care about Artbeat?

The concept came out of the word "heartbeat," because having a creative outlet is crucial to human development, to find out about themselves. Our interviews focused on how art can be healing, cathartic—a healthy, positive force in anyone's life. You've got to get it out. One screenwriter did something like "The Last Appearance of King Kong." You never know what you're going to get. - Shepherd Express

Annie B. and The Vagabond Company play Shank Hall Oct. 14 in support of their new release, "Fancies of a Random Heart."
Annie B. and The Vagabond Company explore the "Fancies of a Random Heart"


By JC Poppe
Special to OnMilwaukee.com

For every sugary sweet pop tart the music industry gives the world, there is a woman with her guitar and an attitude inspired by rock looking to belt it out like Alanis, Joan Jett or other powerful personalities.

That attitude is exactly what Annie B. attempts to bring to the table on her latest effort and album with her talented band The Vagabond Company.

As they prepare for their album release party Oct. 14 at Shank Hall, Annie B. gives OnMilwaukee.com a detailed interview about the new music and the background of the band.

OnMilwaukee.com: How were the songs written for this album? Was it based around jam sessions or did everybody come up with different parts or ideas separately, track them, and then you all wrote around them?
Annie B.: All the band members wrote their own parts for these songs, yet all but one of these songs were written in their basic forms (chord changes and lyrics) before Annie B. and The Vagabond Company was formed. These songs were all written as I sat at home with my guitar working alone. Except, of course, "These Boots..." written by Lee Hazlewood and "Everything," written by Josh Walden, the bass player of Shut Up Marie, my Los Angeles-based project from 2000-2006.
This CD is certainly an extension of my most recent effort before "Fancies of a Random Heart," my stripped-down solo/ acoustic CD entitled "The Kiwi Cafe." Four songs are taken from "The Kiwi Cafe" ("Chase Her," "The Shining Light," "Over Me" and "No Surprise"), and I wanted a full band to record these songs, so that's what we started with in assembling songs for this CD. Then, a few other songs written at different times throughout my career were pulled in, and the most recently written songs include "Cat Girl," "Hope" and "Coffee Beans." The title "Fancies of a Random Heart" refers to how my brain works. I am a total scatter-brain, just want to have fun at any given moment, and this CD is proof! These songs come from all over the place, both temporally and stylistically, and I don't know how to control how that happens in my brain. It just happens and I have to get it out, and I don't care if people think it's all over the place. Because I'm all over the place and that's just who I am. I was never the kind of girl in the high school lunch room to hang out in just one section; I flitted all over the lunch room almost every day. I've always been the all-inclusive type, and I think it shows here on this CD. More evidence of how I incorporate variety in my work is with my local art and music interview and showcase series Milwaukee Artbeat.

OMC: At times your voice and style resemble Alanis Morissette. Has she been an influence on you or am I hearing something that's not there?
AB: Alanis is definitely a huge influence, as is No Doubt, PJ Harvey, '60s chick singers including Nancy Sinatra and Grace Slick, and even country singers. My dad always suggested I sing country music, and I guess my influences are always pushing me in different directions, so I obviously never "went country." I've always preferred to be a loud rocker-chick, leaning more toward Alanis, Ann Wilson, Grace Slick, Justine Frischmann, Melissa Etheridge and Debbie Harry. I'm a soprano, so I need to sing higher notes to get the strongest notes coming out loud and clear how I like them.
Sometimes I feel like I'm screaming, but I'm not that Shut Up Marie punk rock riot-grrl anymore. I'm right now in the process of finding my grown-up "big girl" voice, I guess, and I perhaps this CD is allowing me to start on that path a bit.
Then there's the angry chick stereotype that Alanis really brought to the forefront with her first mega-hit. I don't believe I come across as an angry chick singer, but I do love to belt it out. Can a girl be loud and a powerful force and not angry? I'm here to tell you that I can. I like to keep it light, just not when it comes to volume.

OMC: The playing on your album is very good. How did you assemble the musicians in your band?
AB: This is another all-over-the-place element we've got happening in this project. Our drummer, Dave "DJ" Johnson, is a metal drummer I met when I was playing the part of Izzy Stradlin in a Guns n' Roses tribute band back in the fall of last year. His band Cold Rold Steel opened, and we met after the show and soon thereafter decided to try and see if we could work together on an original project. I am a big fan of the hard-hitting drummers and he brings it. His biggest influences are Neil Peart and the dueling drummers Phil Collins and Chester Thompson.
I met funk bassist "Hollywood" Fred Hughlett through guitarist Todd Pearson earlier this year. Fred is amazing to work with - he hears stuff I don't, and makes sure everything is where it needs t - OnMilwaukee.com

Annie B. and The Vagabond Company play Shank Hall Oct. 14 in support of their new release, "Fancies of a Random Heart."
Annie B. and The Vagabond Company explore the "Fancies of a Random Heart"


By JC Poppe
Special to OnMilwaukee.com

For every sugary sweet pop tart the music industry gives the world, there is a woman with her guitar and an attitude inspired by rock looking to belt it out like Alanis, Joan Jett or other powerful personalities.

That attitude is exactly what Annie B. attempts to bring to the table on her latest effort and album with her talented band The Vagabond Company.

As they prepare for their album release party Oct. 14 at Shank Hall, Annie B. gives OnMilwaukee.com a detailed interview about the new music and the background of the band.

OnMilwaukee.com: How were the songs written for this album? Was it based around jam sessions or did everybody come up with different parts or ideas separately, track them, and then you all wrote around them?
Annie B.: All the band members wrote their own parts for these songs, yet all but one of these songs were written in their basic forms (chord changes and lyrics) before Annie B. and The Vagabond Company was formed. These songs were all written as I sat at home with my guitar working alone. Except, of course, "These Boots..." written by Lee Hazlewood and "Everything," written by Josh Walden, the bass player of Shut Up Marie, my Los Angeles-based project from 2000-2006.
This CD is certainly an extension of my most recent effort before "Fancies of a Random Heart," my stripped-down solo/ acoustic CD entitled "The Kiwi Cafe." Four songs are taken from "The Kiwi Cafe" ("Chase Her," "The Shining Light," "Over Me" and "No Surprise"), and I wanted a full band to record these songs, so that's what we started with in assembling songs for this CD. Then, a few other songs written at different times throughout my career were pulled in, and the most recently written songs include "Cat Girl," "Hope" and "Coffee Beans." The title "Fancies of a Random Heart" refers to how my brain works. I am a total scatter-brain, just want to have fun at any given moment, and this CD is proof! These songs come from all over the place, both temporally and stylistically, and I don't know how to control how that happens in my brain. It just happens and I have to get it out, and I don't care if people think it's all over the place. Because I'm all over the place and that's just who I am. I was never the kind of girl in the high school lunch room to hang out in just one section; I flitted all over the lunch room almost every day. I've always been the all-inclusive type, and I think it shows here on this CD. More evidence of how I incorporate variety in my work is with my local art and music interview and showcase series Milwaukee Artbeat.

OMC: At times your voice and style resemble Alanis Morissette. Has she been an influence on you or am I hearing something that's not there?
AB: Alanis is definitely a huge influence, as is No Doubt, PJ Harvey, '60s chick singers including Nancy Sinatra and Grace Slick, and even country singers. My dad always suggested I sing country music, and I guess my influences are always pushing me in different directions, so I obviously never "went country." I've always preferred to be a loud rocker-chick, leaning more toward Alanis, Ann Wilson, Grace Slick, Justine Frischmann, Melissa Etheridge and Debbie Harry. I'm a soprano, so I need to sing higher notes to get the strongest notes coming out loud and clear how I like them.
Sometimes I feel like I'm screaming, but I'm not that Shut Up Marie punk rock riot-grrl anymore. I'm right now in the process of finding my grown-up "big girl" voice, I guess, and I perhaps this CD is allowing me to start on that path a bit.
Then there's the angry chick stereotype that Alanis really brought to the forefront with her first mega-hit. I don't believe I come across as an angry chick singer, but I do love to belt it out. Can a girl be loud and a powerful force and not angry? I'm here to tell you that I can. I like to keep it light, just not when it comes to volume.

OMC: The playing on your album is very good. How did you assemble the musicians in your band?
AB: This is another all-over-the-place element we've got happening in this project. Our drummer, Dave "DJ" Johnson, is a metal drummer I met when I was playing the part of Izzy Stradlin in a Guns n' Roses tribute band back in the fall of last year. His band Cold Rold Steel opened, and we met after the show and soon thereafter decided to try and see if we could work together on an original project. I am a big fan of the hard-hitting drummers and he brings it. His biggest influences are Neil Peart and the dueling drummers Phil Collins and Chester Thompson.
I met funk bassist "Hollywood" Fred Hughlett through guitarist Todd Pearson earlier this year. Fred is amazing to work with - he hears stuff I don't, and makes sure everything is where it needs t - OnMilwaukee.com

Sound Check | Inside local music

Annette Bzdawka fronts Annie B & the Vagabond Company.
Oct. 12, 2011

Annie B. & the Vagabond Co. stopped by the Tap Milwaukee studio to perform.

Calling all musicians: Annie B. and the Vagabond Company is looking for a guitarist to join the band.

"We want someone who wants to do something different, somebody with an edgier style, somebody who wants to put the time in," said frontwoman Annie B. (a.k.a. Annette Bzdawka). "The band rehearses a lot, and it's paid off, because we've come very far in a very short time."
Annie B., a WAMI Award nominee for best female vocalist this year, has been making music since the early '90s, playing clubs in Los Angeles for eight years before settling back in her native Milwaukee in 2008.

The Vagabond Company came together this year, putting together a CD with a big lift from local guitarist Camille deWinter and 12 other musicians (including I'm Not a Pilot's Peter Thomas) in about four months' time. The album, "Fancies of a Random Heart," drops at a CD release show Friday that features local artists creating pieces on the spot.

Who's who: Singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist Annie B., drummer Dave "DJ" Johnson, and "Hollywood" Fred Hughlett, bass guitar. Annie B. spoke for the band.

When formed: Early 2011

Website: www.anniebmusic.com

Band name back story: We're all just a bunch of vagabonds that came together, especially myself. I lived in my car for a year and moved from Milwaukee to Reno, Nev., and lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, Austin. I have been a vagabond since about 1992, around the time when I started getting serious about playing music.

They say they sound like: I get a lot of comparisons to Alanis Morissette when it comes to vocals and songwriting style. We fit right alongside artists on the adult alternative stations.

We say they sound like: A little bit Janis Joplin, a little bit surf rock.

Sell yourself in 20 words or less: We're a hard-hitting rock band that likes to take our music to different places. We definitely like to have fun.

Describe your look: (The men) wear button-down shirts with patches. This is the first band where I wear dresses for every show, and I'm not sure how much I like it.

Unofficial band beverage: The band drinks Miller High Life. I would choose a microbrew beer.

First gig: The Tonic Tavern (in Bay View) in February. That was one of those things where we really kind of threw the show together, and the venue is more designed for acoustic artists, but I was really happy with how things went and I felt like we definitely were on the right track.

Worst gig: For me, it was the Brady Street Festival in July. I smashed my fingers as I was trying to move a barricade, and it didn't really hit me until I started playing that those were my strumming fingers. I was in so much pain. And it was so blazing hot that day I almost passed out after the third song.

Song you've written that you're most proud of: There's a song called "What Do You Do" on my solo acoustic effort, "The Kiwi Café," that seems to touch people's hearts. I've gotten a lot of really good feedback about the lyrics and the song all around. The song's very simple musically and lyrically, but the message is powerful: What do you do when you're feeling alone in the world, feeling lost, and trying to find your way? It's a universal theme, and it touches all of us.

Favorite cover song in your set: "These Boots are Made for Walkin'?" by Nancy Sinatra. I'm all about the female rocker and all about the girl power. It's a perfect song for this band.

Biggest band achievement: We had our first show in February, and less than nine months later we're putting out a new CD. I'm really excited about that.

Where do you want to be in five years? I'd like to be touring all over the world.

Why do you do this? I've always been brought up with this mentality of: go to school every day, get a good degree where you can get a good job. I was in grad school for clinical psychology out in Reno and started having second thoughts about all that and my path in life. I came home for the summer, I called my college sweetheart who played in a band in Milwaukee, and I said, "Teach me how to play guitar. .?.?. " I realized music is where I want to be with my life. I can't do anything else.

Next gig: CD release party, 10 p.m. Friday, Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farrell Ave. $10 cover includes a copy of the CD. I'm Not a Pilot opens. Doors open at 7 p.m.

- Piet Levy, Special to the Journal Sentinel
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Quirky, can't be pigeonholed, fresh: labels too often used to describe artists that are, well, quirky, resistant to pigeon holes and fresh. So here's my contribution to the reviewer's vocabulary crutch lists: unusual. In Annie B's case that's a good thing. And nowhere is that individuality more apparent than in her first solo CD's second cut: 'The Kiwi Café'. Like its namesake, this tune is a little rough and fuzzy and not exactly pretty on the outside, but it's rewarding, sweet and juicy in the inside.

On other CDs, this cut's background café noises (gum smacking, orthopedic shoe wearing waitresses serving a bustling lunch (or delayed brunch but definitely not a dinner crowd), cash register ringing and percolating coffee may sound cliché or gimmicky. But you can easily picture Annie B perched on a stool in the corner of the place, so it works. And, in keeping with the aforementioned vocab crutches, Annie B does indeed strike the first time listener as quirky---quirky enough to fill in for Phoebe at Central Perk, though thankfully, with nary a smelly cat in sight.

And (bear with me, the café comparisons are about to have the Closed Sign flipped over on them), as with most cafés/diners, you don't necessarily frequent them for their post-modern, chewing gum collection under the chipped Formica- topped, wobbly table décor. You're into it for the comforting gravy, mashed potatoes, meatloaf and extra thick shake. And so it is with this CD---it's what it does for your emotional well-being that sets it apart from the music world's equivalent of fast-food belly filling.

Annie B serves up sincere, comforting and heartfelt lyrics with a delightful side order of tasty guitar licks. In fact, both the lyrics and the chunky riffs share a spark of spontaneity that's irresistible.

Even her claims of 'changing the world together' in 'You and Me', draw you in, stomping out the last bit of pessimism and cynicism you're harboring. Which is not to say Annie B. is politicking for presidency of the Li'l Mary Sunshine club. 'No Surprise', cut #.6, is just one example of what she calls, appropriately enough, 'Aggressive-percussive stuff', which isn't all that surprising if you've heard of her non-solo stint. Her band, Shut Up Marie (not to be confused with the aforementioned Mary), is built on a definitely un-sunny foundation of punk-metal.

This CD's softer, lighter Annie, fuelled alternatively by angst and optimism offers a clean sometimes raw sound that's a welcome respite from the one-dimensional, uni-themed, artificially sweetened fare that's unfortunately not always limited to character-less eateries. - Rocknworld.com

"Having Annie B. play at our reception truly made it an exciting artistic destination for visitors. Those who came to the gallery had the opportunity to experience outstanding local visual art as well as performance art. We were very lucky to have her take part in the event and I hope our organization can collaborate with her again in the future."
-Alisyn Kay
Milwaukee Plein Air Director


"Annie B. is a Harley-Davidson Museum favorite. Her acoustic performances at Motor Bar & Restaurant are crowd favorites. This holiday season we discovered another of Annie B.’s talents – her diversity. When asked to perform at our Holiday Site Lighting event, Annie pulled together some great holiday classics adding her own personal style and soul to make the event truly special for our customers."
-Karen Buschman
Harley-Davidson Museum
Special Events Planner
(414) 287-2884 (work)
(262) 309-3416 (cell)

"We've had Annie play at our lounge for over a year. Each time she plays she brings a certain energy.Shes very talented and very versatile. We love having her play and look forward to having her back."
-Kris Peters
Owner, Klavier Lounge
Germantown, WI - please see individauls listed.

Revn Kevin's MetalShop CD Reviews...

The next disc out of the mailbox was a little something I hadn't heard in awhile. Some good girl punk agnst was provided by Shut Up Marie with their 11 track CD called "Gimmie". I would say this disc gives me an original Pretenders/Chrissie Hynde type of vibe with its range of material. From the raging anger of the opening track "Broken" (yeah I'm scared but I would know what to do with you) to the pop track "Everything", vocalist Annette Marie is in front, belting it out. Shut Up Marie has been jammin the local club scene since 2001 and is a tight, simple 3-piece unit of guitar, bass, drums played by Steve Braverman, George Radai, and Gene McEwen respectively along with vocalist Annette. Even with a wide variety of styles, the band is solid and provides plenty of sonic space for the vocalist to work in. Is she a strong enough performer to carry this band to the next level? I think so and we should be hearing more from these guys in the future. If you want more info on the band then get on a "Short Bus" and go check out www.shutupmarie.com. - Rock City News, Los Angeles

MorleyView: Shut Up Marie


antiMusic's editor Keavin Wiggins saw Shut Up Marie play several months back [at the Raven's Heart Benefit] and was really impressed with the band and especially the vocals of the singer Annette. This LA group has been creating a buzz for their energetic live shows. Their latest CD Gimmie is an entertaining set of songs that incorporate a few different musical looks from the band, while still retaining a common identity (mostly the passionate vocals from Annette). She took time out of her hectic schedule this week to answer some questions via e-mail. Here's what Annette had to say:

antiMusic: OK, I guess the obvious first. Where did the name come from?

Annette: It came to me in a dream! In the dream, I was down in the basement of my parents' home, in my brother's room, (since, in real life, I used to always sneak into my older brother's and sister's rooms to listen to their cool records), listening to some random indie movie soundtrack that my older brother owned. It was, of course, a fictitious soundtrack, since it was made up in my dream. Where we grew up, in Milwaukee, WI, my brother & sister used to listen to the cool college station WMSE (still one of the biggest & coolest college stations in the U.S.), & they used to listen to a lot of indie music in general. So, in my dream, I'm sitting here listening, and this song comes on, called "Hey, Mama", and I really liked the song - it had this kind of sweet Cranberries-type melody line. Well, this was one of those dreams where I knew I was dreaming - they're called lucid dreams or vivid dreams or something like that - and I thought to myself, "Hey, this is a really cool song… I'm gonna write that song when I wake up!" And then I grabbed the sleeve that the LP came in, and looked at the credits on the back, and it said that the song "Hey, Mama" was already written by this band called Shut Up Maria and the Babes in Bedland! (Like, Babes in Toyland, although I never really listened to that band!) So, I was like "Damn! I can't wake up & write that song!" But when I did wake up & realize that there was no such group or song (yet), I wrote the song immediately after waking up. And the name of my band at that time was "Jaded". That song "Hey, Mama" is on the first Jaded record, released in Reno in 1997. (You can actually find this record online - I found 2 copies at ebay.com this week!) Then, later I was in another band called "Breather" in L.A., and it came time to change our name, since there was another Breather in Chicago that had been around longer than us, and their trademark stuff was going through. So when it came time for my band's name to change, I asked the guys about changing it to Shut Up Marie (rather than Shut Up Maria, which would probably peg us as a Latin-punk-rock band). And, like most laid back rocker-dudes, they were like, "Sure, why not?"

antiMusic: How did the band get started? Where's everybody from?

Annette: My band Jaded moved from Reno up to Seattle in 1998, and broke up in 1999. Everybody moved back to Reno, but, I moved down to L.A. with no friends, no family, nothing. I stayed in a youth hostile in Fullerton for a week! I was, however, armed with the brand-new 2nd CD that Jaded was about to release, but never did…. This CD was my ammunition to build a new band. I quickly built a new band & called it Breather, and we had our first gig in L.A. at the Coconut Teaser in October of 1999. That lineup consisted of "Shark" Evangelista on drums, a guy named Kenny who drove a BMW on guitar, and the bassist… well, I can't remember! There have been many members in & out of the band, either as Breather, or as Shut Up Marie, since that first show. Mark and I worked together until January of 2004. Today, the lineup consists of myself, guitarist Steve Braverman, who's been in the band since summer, 2004, and our new bassist Andrew Pierce, who has been with us since January of 2006. We parted ways with Gene McEwen (our drummer after Mark) in or around March of this year. We're looking for a drummer at the time of this interview (May, 2006). All 3 of us, oddly enough, are from the Midwest. Steve's from Chicago, and, even more odd, myself and Andrew are from the Southeastern WI/Milwaukee area!

antiMusic: Is Gimmie your first record? How long did it take to come together?

Annette: Gimmie is Shut Up Marie's 2nd release. S.U.M.'s 1st release was a 4-song EP called DEMO, which charted at CMJ (College Music Journal), and Album Network (another airplay trade magazine). DEMO was released in 2001, and charted at CMJ in the summer of that year, and at Album Network later that year. You can still buy this record online, too, but we don't have any copies left. We've sold over 1,000 copies of that record. I have a few copies still in the original shrinkwrap that I am keeping in hopes that they'll be worth $50 apiece someday!

Gimmie took 4 years from start to finish, for 2 main reasons. But because it took so long, - RockNWorld.com

Revn Kevin's MetalShop CD Reviews...

The next disc out of the mailbox was a little something I hadn't heard in awhile. Some good girl punk agnst was provided by Shut Up Marie with their 11 track CD called "Gimmie". I would say this disc gives me an original Pretenders/Chrissie Hynde type of vibe with its range of material. From the raging anger of the opening track "Broken" (yeah I'm scared but I would know what to do with you) to the pop track "Everything", vocalist Annette Marie is in front, belting it out. Shut Up Marie has been jammin the local club scene since 2001 and is a tight, simple 3-piece unit of guitar, bass, drums played by Steve Braverman, George Radai, and Gene McEwen respectively along with vocalist Annette. Even with a wide variety of styles, the band is solid and provides plenty of sonic space for the vocalist to work in. Is she a strong enough performer to carry this band to the next level? I think so and we should be hearing more from these guys in the future. If you want more info on the band then get on a "Short Bus" and go check out www.shutupmarie.com. - Rock City News, Los Angeles

Singer, songwriter will give free concert at local coffee shop

By: Katie Niekerk – Lifestyles Editor

Pronouncing Annette Bzdawka’s full name trips the tongue, so when one of her co-workers started calling her “Annie B.,” it stuck. And now, that’s how the singer, songwriter and guitar player prefers to be known.

Annie B. will play a free concert tomorrow night at Sue’s Coffee Roasting Company in Gilroy. Her music ranges from grunge-like to lighter, more airy tunes.

“Some of it can be dark and some of it can be poppy,” she said. “Some of it is really moody and some of it is really upbeat with a little punk influence. I use my guitar as a percussive instrument, too, so for the most part, it’s good, slammin’ acoustic.”

Born in Milwaukee, Annie B. started playing music when she was about 10. She went to college in Reno, NV, but after realizing the academic world just was not for her, moved to Los Angeles in 1999 to pursue her musical career in earnest.

“I was seriously a book-worm (in school),” she said. “I had a 3.8 GPA. But when I was in the academic environment, I felt stifled and really unhappy. Since I decided to just pursue music as a career, it’s like a whole new world for me.”

Taking risks for what you love – as long as you’re willing to work hard for it – is part of Annie B.’s message to her audience and to other artists. She works at a Los Angeles restaurant to pay her bills, but she has a number of music-based projects in the works.

Along with branching out to play more shows in other parts of the state, Annie B. is working on recording her first full-length [solo] album, which she hopes to have released by the end of this year. She’s also the host of s a TV show called “Live on Sunset,” which profiles various bands playing in Southern California. Hopefully, she said, the show will be available via satellite in the next several months. It will be broadcast mostly overseas, but also in the United States, she said.

The artist recently has also been focusing more on her solo career after playing with bands for the past several years.

“(Playing solo) is a new thing for me,” she said. “When you play with a band, you can always hide behind this big wall of sound. This is different, but it’s good for me and I’m enjoying it.”
- The Gilroy Dispatch, Gilroy, CA

2007:

June:
-Kansas: The Liberty Press (KS statewide distribution): Artist feature
-Wyoming Public Radio: Interview: KUWR 91.9 Laramie, 90.5 KKZW Green River
-Jackson, WY: KMTN 96.9 The Mountain Radio Interview
-Green River, WY: KUGR Radio Interview
-Toas, NM: KTAO Radio Interview
-Holbrook, AZ: KWKM Power 95.7 Radio Interview
-Stillwater, OK: The Daily O’Collegian (Oklahoma State U. paper): Artist feature

April:
-Ames, IA: KCCQ 105.1 Radio Interview
-Ames, IA: Host for VEISHA Celebration (Iowa State U.)
-Elko, NV: KHIX Mix 96 Radio interview
-Elko, NV: Elko Daily Free Press
-Green River, WY: KUGR Radio Interview
-Green River, WY: Rocket Miner (daily paper)
-Garden City, KS: Garden City Telegram
-Lawrence, KS: Event Feature in Lawrence.com

March:
-Arkade.com: Featured Artist (Shut Up Marie)

Feb.:
-Los Angeles: Music Connection Magazine: Review for "Gimmie", latest release from Annie's band, Shut Up Marie

Jan.:
-Toas, NM: KTAO Radio interview

Stillwater, OK O'Colly:
Published: June 27, 2007


2006

Nov.:
-Tulsa/Claremore, OK: KRSC Radio interview

Oct.:
-Elko, NV: KELK Radio interview

Sept.:
-Reno, NV: “Pick of the Week” in Reno Gazette-Journal
-Reno, NV: “Best Bet” in the Reno News & Review
-Reno, NV: KTHX Radio interview

Aug.:
-Tulsa/Claremore, OK: KRSC Radio interview

July:
-Lubbock, TX: KTXT Radio interview
-Milwaukee, WI: WMSE Radio interview
-Madison, WI: WSUM Radio interview


- Updated as of 6/07

2007:

June:
-Kansas: The Liberty Press (KS statewide distribution): Artist feature
-Wyoming Public Radio: Interview: KUWR 91.9 Laramie, 90.5 KKZW Green River
-Jackson, WY: KMTN 96.9 The Mountain Radio Interview
-Green River, WY: KUGR Radio Interview
-Toas, NM: KTAO Radio Interview
-Holbrook, AZ: KWKM Power 95.7 Radio Interview
-Stillwater, OK: The Daily O’Collegian (Oklahoma State U. paper): Artist feature

April:
-Ames, IA: KCCQ 105.1 Radio Interview
-Ames, IA: Host for VEISHA Celebration (Iowa State U.)
-Elko, NV: KHIX Mix 96 Radio interview
-Elko, NV: Elko Daily Free Press
-Green River, WY: KUGR Radio Interview
-Green River, WY: Rocket Miner (daily paper)
-Garden City, KS: Garden City Telegram
-Lawrence, KS: Event Feature in Lawrence.com

March:
-Arkade.com: Featured Artist (Shut Up Marie)

Feb.:
-Los Angeles: Music Connection Magazine: Review for "Gimmie", latest release from Annie's band, Shut Up Marie

Jan.:
-Toas, NM: KTAO Radio interview

Stillwater, OK O'Colly:
Published: June 27, 2007


2006

Nov.:
-Tulsa/Claremore, OK: KRSC Radio interview

Oct.:
-Elko, NV: KELK Radio interview

Sept.:
-Reno, NV: “Pick of the Week” in Reno Gazette-Journal
-Reno, NV: “Best Bet” in the Reno News & Review
-Reno, NV: KTHX Radio interview

Aug.:
-Tulsa/Claremore, OK: KRSC Radio interview

July:
-Lubbock, TX: KTXT Radio interview
-Milwaukee, WI: WMSE Radio interview
-Madison, WI: WSUM Radio interview


- Updated as of 6/07

By Lisa Lewis
Features Writer

Many musicians feel the most at home in a recording studio, while others are content to live on the road and share their talents with others.

The latter is the case with Annie B., a Los Angeles artist who lived in Stillwater briefly and recently moved to Austin.

“I love driving my car,” she says. “I love seeing this beautiful countryside. I’ve met so many wonderful people out on the road. Hopefully I’ve touched the lives of some of the people I’ve played in front of. I hope that the people I play for really enjoy the gift of my music.”

Annie B. appeared on MTV’s “Rob and Big” show in December and is working on a new album after leaving her L.A. punk-metal band of seven years, Shut Up Marie, to pursue a career as a solo artist.

She is currently on the road for three months and will play a free show at 8 p.m. on June 30, at Joseppi’s Italian Kitchen. She has played in Stillwater before, at Mike’s College Bar and The Third Place, the coffee shop, and said she is “pretty stoked” about playing at Joseppi’s.

Although she is mostly known for being an acoustic rock artist, Annie B. said her concertgoers can expect a variety of music styles, along with a few covers of artists like Janis Joplin and Weezer thrown into the mix of mostly original songs.

“My style is sort of more percussive,” she said. “I’m a little bit aggressive with my guitar. There are some songs that are acoustic punk, I guess you could say, and other songs are really folksy. It’s kind of all over the place. I try to have fun with my audience and get engaged with [it].

Annie B. has been playing music since the fourth grade and credited her parents with her interest in music. She said Sheryl Crow is a pretty big influence, but her other influences are constantly changing.

“Right now I think I’m getting a little bit more influenced by some of the more organic acoustic artists that I’ve heard on the radio or that I’ve heard recently,” she said.

She actually does sound quite a bit like Sheryl Crow in her songs, but perhaps with a little unique edge. To listen to song clips and find out more about her, visit www.myspace.com/annetmarie.

Annie B. moved to Stillwater after meeting her most recent boyfriend, an engineering student who graduated in May. Last year, when she first went to The Third Place to set up for a show, he was the only male there.

She said the two hit it off after she asked him to move to a different table so she could use the one he was at to play her set.

“He asked me that night if I was spoken for,” she said. “But things just didn’t work out between us. There will never be any hard feelings. We did kind of have this whirlwind relationship to be honest with you. I was madly in love with the guy. I’m really glad I went through all of that because it’s moved me to where I’m at right now.”

Annie B. wrote her newest song after the break-up and gets the inspiration for her songs from observation and events in life, she said.

“Sometimes I’ll just write a silly love song, or I’ll write a story about a couple I see in a restaurant or a story about a boy or a girl. Largely it’s from stuff that’s going down in my life at the time or maybe stuff that’s going on in the life of a friend.”

She stressed that one of the most important elements in her music is the message.

“One of my strongest songs, it’s called ‘Lay Down,’” she said. “Basically, it talks about how the only way you can really see the sky is if you lay down.

“When you are walking around this earth you’re facing forward and you’re not looking at the sky. You’re mostly facing the things right in front of you. When you lay down and look at the sky it gives you sort of a different view of the world.

“I think the most important thing in life is to just follow your dreams and follow your heart and to just live your life according to peace and love.”
- The Daily O'Collegian