I'm thrilled to have Marti Dodson, lead singer of popular band, Saving Jane from my home state of Ohio! GO BUCKS!!!!!! Marti, its a pleasure to have you on here. Its great to see great bands coming out of Ohio. Lets get started...
AF: What inspires you to write?
MD: Life in general, but I specifically write when I am feeling bummed about something. So watch out...if you tick me off, you are sure to hear about yourself in our next album! :-)
AF: How did you first get started in the industry and how did you first "big break" come along?
MD: I started performing at bars and clubs when I was in college...that was really the first time I pursued something as a means to get a career going. I did that for a few years and because of that, we got a steady gig as the house band for a radio station in Columbus. And because of that, we got a manager, and because of that we got a record deal, and the rest is history!
AF: What is your favorite part of touring?
MD: I love playing shows...each show is unique in the sense that you have a moment in time with that crowd that will never be replicated again. You will never get the exact same collection of people in the same place with the same circumstances...and that makes every night special. Also, I love eating at gas stations...
AF: What is your favorite late-night tourbus snack?
MD: Well, this band LOVES our beef jerky. But my all time favorite is Sheetz, the greatest gas station ever conceived. You order all of your food on a computer screen, and you can get anything you want at any time, from breakfast to nachos (and my personal favorite, the soft pretzel.) Yum!
AF: I might as well get to my standard poll question. Now...I know you're from Ohio, as am I (Dayton) and we're surrounded by Wafflehouses (and not so much IHOPs.) So tell me...where is your favorite?
MD: That's tough...I bet I can count on one hand the number of times I have intentionally eaten at Waffle House. I am more of a Cracker Barrel girl myself...just the thought of their sourdough bread makes my little heart beat faster. The only time they let me down is when my table game doesn't have the right amount of pegs...
AF: Okay so funny story. My grandfather used to live in Lebenon, TN. When he came back from WWII, a friend of his asked him to see if he wanted to be a partner in a restaurant. My grandfather said no, wasn't really his thing. Turned out, it was the Cracker Barrel!!! I could afford to pay my cell bill! Ah well, can't win'em all right? And while I'm at it, I agree...I can't STAND when there aren't enough pegs. I swear some poor golfer steals them b/c he can't afford real golf tees. Cheap ass.
AF: So where did you watch this years OSU/Michigan game? All I can say is GO OSU!!!!! And by the way, I love your version of "Hang on Sloopy." O-H-I-O!
MD: Oh thank you! I was in Columbus (WOOHOO!!) for the game this year..I watched half of it at a BW3's, and the other half at a little bar called Carribbean Jerk...the second half was better, cause there was an ex Michigan football player in the bar, and I got to watch the Bucks whip his team. GO BUCKS!!
AF: Haha! Classic!
AF: What do you want for Christmas this year?
MD: World peace. And a kitten. Seriously.
AF: As my hero Lennon said, give peace a chance. And pet kitties. I can't pet kitties, I'm allergic. I CAN kick them into traffic though. But...I don't have the heart to do it.
AF: Okay, I'll get back on topic here (wait...am I ever on topic?). Anyway, what are your touring essentials? iPod, favorite movies, etc.
MD: I bought this little thing from Victorias Secret (no, not what you think! Gutterbrain!)...it is a terry cloth pillow, blanket, and eye mask..that zips into another, bigger pillow. It's pretty much the greatest thing ever, because I am now equipped for sleeping at all times no matter where I am. I also always have music, one or two books, and a journal handy...you never know when inspiration will strike!
AF: I MUST HAVE ONE! I don't know if you knew this or not, but I majored in napping in college. Yup! How this one slipped passed me I'm not sure! I'll need a woman to go in and buy it for me though. By law, I can't walk into that store as a guy and the girls not think I'm some sort of perv. Um...mind making a quick stop for me while you're out doing Christmas shopping? ;-)
AF: So movies...what are your favorites?
MD: I am SUCH a girl when it comes to movies. I love Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird, and silly stuff like. Legally Blonde and Coyote Ugly...but I also love Anchorman (I'm Ron Burgundy?...). Actually, there are many series of movies that I have never seen, and this bit of information horrifies the guys in my band. I have never seen Star Wars, The Godfather, Rocky...shall I go on or do you want me to stop so you can take me to the video store?
AF: Yes. Stop there. Please. My inside hurts. We're going to the video store and we're starting with Star Wars. Now I'm not a huge fan, but EVERY kid has to see Star Wars! (The old ones, not the new crap) You won points with the Anchorman and such but I'm with the guys in your band, no Godfather?! What the hell?! [deep breaths] Thats okay...I'm not going to judge you (much). I'm going to make a bit of a shopping list to make sure we get you all caught up. There's hope...
AF: What did you major in while you attended OSU?
MD: I studied Social Work, and actually worked in the field for a few years! Thank goodness for music...
AF: What has been your favorite venue to play so far?
MD: I love the old school theatre/concert hall type places...The Newport in Columbus, The Blue Note in Missouri, The Exeter Theatre in New Hampshire...they have so much history...and the stages are so dirty, which I love...you can just FEEL the rock and roll.
AF: I LOVE the Newport. I've seen some amazing shows there. King's X, Butch Walker, the list goes on.
AF: Any memorable moments that stick out for you thus far in your career?
MD: The first time I saw myself on TRL, I was sitting in a hotel room in my sweatpants. That was pretty surreal...I wanted to call the front desk and make them watch it. And then there are a few shows that are sweet golden memories for me..when we first started getting airplay on "Girl Next Door", we performed a benefit show at my old high school out by the football field. It was crazy-all my old teachers were there, they had my name on all the signs in town welcoming me home, and the kids were maybe the most excited I have ever seen...what a night.
AF: What website do you visit most?
MD: Probably, embarrassingly, Myspace. I don't get to spend much time with the people I love, and I am frequently in a different time zone than they are, so I content myself by stalking them on the internet when I can't get in touch.
AF: Tell us one random fact about you.
MD: When I was four I was attacked by a hen, and was saved only when her rooster came up and pecked her off my arm. True story.
AF: I had a goat eat my map. I wasn't much older than you. It really pissed me off. I love animals, but they can be mean. Not to mention the time a crow stole my Lakers hat when I was riding my bike. Thats still hard to talk about.
AF: Walk us through a typical day of your on tour.
MD: Sadly, it seems like we are always waking up at some ungodly hour like 6 am, so we can get in a van and drive to the next show. We spend about a half hour catching each other up on funny stories about what we did the night before, then sleep for the ride. When we get there, we drop our stuff at the hotel and go to sound check, which is almost always running behind. So we sit there being mad about it for a few hours (or sleep, if we are smart enough to bring the pillow-blanket-eye mask combo...) until it is our turn, then we play a few songs, hit the hotel and shower, and get back to the venue. We hang out backstage while I warm up and the guys smoke and drink. Then we play a sweet rock show, hang around to sign autographs, usually go out to whatever bar people at the show recommend, sleep for a couple of hours, and do it all again!
AF: 6 am?! I don't think my clock even HAS a 6 am.
AF: Now contrast that with a typical day off tour.
MD: I wake up, check my email (okay, and myspace...), go work out, run around town doing lame stuff like paying bills and getting groceries, and then either get dinner with a friend or catch up on my missed TV shows, like The Office.
AF: The Office. Nice. Have you seen the BBC version? We're adding that to your DVD shopping list.
AF: What was your favorite Saturday morning cartoon?
MD: Smurfs all the way! There was a brief period of time during which I was convinced that I WAS Smurfette.
AF: Um...interesting! hee hee
AF: Any new years resolutions?
MD: Not really...I made a pact with myself on my 29th birthday in September that I would be getting my life straight in many ways before 30...so that is my running resolution for the year.
AF: Kind of building off that...what are your plans for you and your band in 2008?
MD: I am starting to write for some other artists. Also, we have some cool stuff happening with our music on TV shows in early '08, and are building a new single right now. I am praying that the TV thing works the way I have seen it work for other artists, and generates some good publicity...cause this time next year I wanna be sitting on my yacht! :-)
AF: You better be catching up on your Godfather while sitting on your yacht! :-p
AF: Finally...what is your ultimate goal and dream for your career?
MD: I would love to be a household name and an artist that is respected by other artists...I love music so much, everything about it...it saves me. Writing it, singing it, talking about it...and I hope I can always have all of those things in my life.
AF: I wish you the very best of luck and success. Hopefully our paths will cross again as we both succeed with our music as we wish. Marti, thanks for taking the time to visit the site! Hopefully you had a lot of fun. Any last words you want to leave for the readers?
MD: You are welcome..last words of wisdom? Party on Wayne!
AF: Party on Garth!
Be sure to visit Marti and the band on the Saving Jane website: www.savingjaneonline.com and check out their latest album, "One Woman Revolution." I listened to the entire record start to finish and I think it's a great piece of work! You all will enjoy it.
Photos used with permission of Saving Jane and the management thereof.