Trixy Red

By day, she's a corrections officer at the Franklin County Prison. By night, with guitar in hand, she's a songwriter with a love of rock 'n' roll music. She goes by the name Trixy Red and she's got a twelve song CD available called "Flying Roses."

Trixy gave me a call the other day and this is the result of that conversation.

Paul Autry: I guess I should start off by asking how you got involved in the music business.

Trixy Red: Well, Joan Jett is my influence. I always wanted to be like Joan Jett. I bought some of her albums, I bought a guitar and I started playing along with them. That's how I got into music.

Paul Autry: Are you self taught or did you take lessons?

Trixy Red: I took some lessons for a little while and I got into this band with this guy who had been playing guitar for years. He showed me some stuff and he really helped me out a lot. Pretty much, I play by ear. I know my chords and stuff like that...and I can read music. But, basically, I can pick it up by ear. I mostly write all original stuff.

Paul Autry: So, were you born in Pennsylvania?

Trixy Red: I was born in Florida. My dad's in the military. So, we went from Florida to Alabama. I lived most of my live in Pennsylvania. I moved to Arizona for nine years, on my own, and then I moved back here in 1997.

Paul Autry: In our previous conversation, you had mentioned that you released some music while you were in Arizona. Was that the start of your musical career?

Trixy Red: Yeah. I moved out there. I wrote a song and I was like, "How did I do that?" Out there, I was in the studio pretty much nine years, song after song after song after song. I released three cassettes. The first one was called "Better Off Red," the second one was "Get Back Up" and the third one was called "Leather Is A Girl's Best Friend." When I moved back here, I did the "Flying Roses" CD.

Paul Autry: Which is your debut CD as well as your debut Pennsylvania release.

Trixy Red: Exactly.

Paul Autry: For the people who aren't familiar with you, how would you describe the music on your album?

Trixy Red: Alternative.

Paul Autry: Just one word, huh?

Trixy Red: Yep!

Paul Autry: Okay, well, if you were writing a CD review and you wanted people to check it out, what would you say?

Trixy Red: Different, original, from the heart.

Paul Autry: Well, you've been in a studio before. So, how was that experience with this release?

Trixy Red: It's an addiction, more so than getting a tattoo. It's like, it gets me high, it's my number one drug being in the studio. I love it.

Paul Autry: Can you tell us about some of the musicians on the CD?

Trixy Red: Well, they're back up players even though they're all in different bands. But, they're friends of mine and they do it because it's from their heart...and they're really good, strong musicians. They're fantastic people and that's, to me, musicians helping other musicians out for free, is incredible. I mean, I even offered to pay 'em and they were like, "No." That's the sign of a musician who plays because they like playing.

Paul Autry: Are these guys in any bands that we might have heard of?

Trixy Red: Well, my bass player played in Sun Stain. They were pretty popular in this area until they broke up. My producer, Matt Arnold, he plays with a band called Crumbling Highway. He's been in that band for years. They're pretty well known.

Paul Autry: What's the local scene like in your area?

Trixy Red: Dead! I mean, there's a couple of places that have local bands. But, not a whole lot. You pretty much have to go to Hagerstown to get the action.

Paul Autry: Okay, well, I know you did a video for the song "Abolish" and I know you feel rather strongly about the song itself, which is on your CD. Do you wanna explain what this song is all about and why it means so much to you?

Trixy Red: Well, I'm a corrections officer and a lot of inmates who come in there (the prison) are strung out on heroin. They told me their story and it's just sickning. So, I wrote this song because..."abolish" means pretty much to fade away or die, to do away with...and if you continue to do heroin, that's pretty much where you're gonna end up...dead. I've had a lot of inmates die from it. I know a few people who have died within the past few years from it. They told me their story about the drug and I wrote the song...and if anybody hears it and it makes them not to heroin, it's worth it to me.

Paul Autry: Can you explain a little about the concept behind the video?

Trixy Red: It was shot in a cemetary because that's where you're gonna end up if you do heroin. So many people have died from it, so, I figure this would get my point across. I'm not really promoting the video. It's basically for promotion. I've been sending it to record labels, stuff like that, just to get some exposure. It's not really a fan release.

Paul Autry: It's actually a pretty cool video. At first, I didn't really get the concept, which is, you were filmed in black and white because you were already dead and you're singing to the girl who's still alive and doing it.

Trixy Red: Yeah. Oh...I sent an e-mail to Oprah because you can't just send her something, you have to send an e-mail first and if they're interested in your story, then send you a mailing address where you can get in touch. I'm currently waiting for a response. If I could get the video on her show, that would be cool. But, me and eight million other people want the same thing, you know what I'm saying. But, I also sent it to the D.A.R.E. program and I'm waiting for a response from them as well.

Paul Autry: What do you hope to accomplish with "Flying Roses?"

Trixy Red: Well, I hope it will attract some interest, maybe a record label will like it. But, success comes from within. I do it because I love to do it, so, either way I win because I love music that much.

Paul Autry: What influences what you decide to write about? Can you tell us a little about some of the songs?

Trixy Red: Every day life. You already know what "Abolish" is about. "The Unknown Star" is about...there's so many good musicians out there who never get noticed. They're unknown stars and that's what that song is about. "Cobwebs" is about being celibate and you have self respect and you're gonna wait for what you want and what's best for you. It's not about going out there and being loose, picking out anything and saying, "I'm gonna go to bed with this person." It's about self respect. You haven't been laid for a long time, but, you don't care because you wanna wait for true love. "Flying Roses," well, when I was living in Arizona, I was watching this soap opera and this lady picked up 36 roses and she threw 'em at her boyfriend who had cheated on her and that's why I wrote this song, it's like everything is opposite. I love you, I hate you. We're together, but, we're far apart. I need you, but, I feel unwanted. When I saw this clip, I went back to my apartment and I wrote this song in like, an hour. It was cool.

Paul Autry: How often do you play live?

Trixy Red: I play once a month at a place called The Orchards on a jam night. But, I plan on playing out a lot more here soon. When I play live, I usually do all originals and, every now and then, I'll do a cover. I'll throw in one Joan Jett song, "Light Of Day." I love that song. She was really good in the movie as well. However, she was basically playing herself.

Paul Autry: So, would like to give up being a corrections officer someday and be a full time musician?

Trixy Red: Yes, I would. I mean, I like my job. But, I would love to be a full time musician.

Paul Autry: What made you decide to become a corrections officer, I mean, that's about as far away from music as you could possibly get.

Trixy Red: I've done about everything. I do this because it's different. Before, I was working with mentally challenged people, which was also different.

Paul Autry: Okay, well, I think I have enough to work with here. So...your final comments?

Trixy Red: Eat the rainbow. Follow your dream. Never give up on the light you have seen. Your soul is hungy for what's ahead. So, go on, baby, and make your bed.

Paul Autry: You're writing a song, aren't you?

Trixy Red: I've already written that song (laughs).

While Trixy Red doesn't have a website at this time, you can drop her a line to find out more about her debut CD, "Flying Roses," and anything else you might wanna know.


E-mail:  red@pa.net