Q&A: Rock and Roll Writers Festival founder Leanne de Souza

Image: Festival foundersLeanne de Souza &Joe Woolley

In April over 40 authors, musicians and commentators will take part in the inaugural Rock & Roll Writers Festival in Brisbane.

Panelists and keynote speakers include music writer and chief critic at Sydney Morning Herald/Fairfax Media Bernard Zuel, Bluejuice frontman writer and presenter Jake Stone, Sunday Mail music writer and one of the most syndicated rock writers globally Ritchie Yorke, Fun Machine frontman Chris Endrey, memoir writer Nikki McWatters (One Way or Another; the story of a girl who loved rock-stars) and Jenny Valentish who penned the Australian music industry psychodrama Cherry Bomb.

TMN chats to the festival’s founder, Leanne de Souza who last year announced that after 23 years as manager of acts such as manager of The Medics, Katie Noonan and Kate Miller-Heidke she was taking long-service leave from the music industry.

You made the decision to temporarily leave the music industry last year, did you take the sabbatical to start this festival?

Yes, I took a personal three-month sabbatical last year after leaving the business of music management after 20 years. I immersed myself in things I loved – music and books were central to that. The nucleus of the idea was to create an event for fans of songwriting, music writing and fiction influenced by music. Joe Woolley, another long term stalwart of the Brisbane music community, and I brainstormed our mutual passion for the seed idea at the pub over lunch – we were compelled to make it happen.

If the festival isn’t the first ever literary festival for rock ‘n’ roll, it’s certainly the first in Australia. Has that mantle come with any drawbacks so far?

Surprisingly few, however it is early days in the roll out of the inaugural event,and it isvery much a ’proof of concept’. We are super clear on the vision and what we want the festival event to stand for and achieve. I’ve learned over the years, at times it doesn’t hurt to not know what you don’t know and do it anyway! It has been humbling to have so much support from across both sectors – writing and music. There is genuine excitement at the opportunitiesfor both art forms thatworking together presents.

Why rock ‘n’ roll specifically?

To me, primarily rock and roll is an attitude. Rock and Roll means doing what is in your heart, with conviction and not giving a damn what others think about it.

I love the potential tension and discourse between “high” and “low” art. To take the grit, sweat, sexiness and irreverence of “rock and roll” and mix it with the traditional “high brow-ness” of literary events is exciting.

Tell us about the pitches you carried out to gain speakers, partnerships and sponsors for the event, how open were the people on the other end?

We are really clear on the cut and balance of critics, memoir/biography, fiction writers, songwriters and commentators. We actively discuss the work we love, discover and debate new work. We read and listen to music daily. There was no submission process, we actively courted the writers that represent the values, points of view and stories that resonate with us personally.

A common attitude and belief in the vision is paramount – between ourselves as individuals, the DNA of the event brand and those of potential partners. Sponsors and stakeholders were approached early in the planning process.

I am particularly excited about the potential of deep on, and offline, engagement for our audiences with our partners : The Brightside, Oztix, Avid Reader, Sonic Sherpa, Tryp Hotel, Mountain Goat, Church Road,, Stoneleigh, Deutz, Monkey Shoulder, The Odyssey Project, Qld Writers Centre, 4ZZZ, Brown Dog Productions and Playlistr powered by Nightlife.

What smarts from your career as an artist manager came in handy as you put the festival together?

It has been rewarding and somewhat validating toknowmy skill setcan be transferredto directing a festival. The whole kit bag has been handy to manage the vision and project plan, budgets, marketing, publicity, stakeholder engagement and so much more.

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about bloggers dramatically changing what it means to be a music journalist. Where do you sit in that argument?

I don’t. I am not a music writer or blogger or journalist. I am a fan of quality music and writing. I consume blogs, magazines, books and songs.I know a lot of music writers are doing it tough when it comes to making a living. I am committed to valuing the art forms any way I can. Creating a platform for artists to build a profile for direct engagement with and growth of their own audience is one way to achieve that.

What do you hope your delegates take away from attending the festival?

Very simply the Rock and Roll Writers Festival is for the fangirl/boy in all of us. The Rock and Roll Writers Festival is not an industry event.

Hosting the inaugural event in a live music venue is a way to deepen the immersive experience for the patrons. There is no parallel programming,sothe audiencecan hear from every speakerand there’stime to talk, meet the writers and have a quality drink (or a few), chinwag andafeed between panels.

We hope every patron goes home with some different thinking on wordsandmusic,on a range of themes. Oh a whole stack of new books to read and albums to listen to!

The Rock & Roll Writers Festival is to be hosted on April 2-3 at The Brightside in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.

Check out two of the announced side events below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/544219879084611/

https://www.facebook.com/events/1773244759561775/

Leanne de Souza is also afoundation board member of theQueensland Music Network Q MUSICand a previous Executive Programmer ofBIGSOUND(2006), an experienced workshop facilitator for the boutique consultancyFIELDWORXand previously a lecturer in music business at Griffith University, TAFE and JMC Academy.

Photography: Stephen Booth