Aside from Ramsey on lead vocals and viola, 10,000 Maniacs is made up of Jerome Augustyniak on drums, Dennis Drew on the keyboard, Jeff Erickson on guitars and vocals, Steven Gustafson on bass, and John Lombardo on guitar.
On May 23, they will be performing at My Father’s Place at The Roslyn Hotel on Long Island. “I love Long Island. I love anything by the ocean,” she said. “We are so looking forward to seeing everybody. We are going to be playing a few new tunes and the ones that the audience knows and loves. We cherish their support.”
On May 24 and 25, the band 10,000 Maniacs will be headlining City Winery in the heart of New York City. “We are so excited,” she admitted. “We go to City Winery every year. We’ve been doing it for the last eight years.”
Ramsey revealed that their biggest adventure will be going to Honolulu, Hawaii in September. “We are working on a new album. We have gotten our song ideas together, and hopefully, that will come together this year. We have some really cool songs happening,” she hinted.
Digital transformation of the music industry
On the impact of technology and streaming on the music business, Ramsey said, “I am still old-fashioned. I still use CDs, tapes, and vinyl. I do find that technology is so wonderful now. I love going to YouTube, that’s my portal of exploration. Spotify and iTunes are great since it’s like having a massive library at your fingertips. That is a lot of empowerment for the individual,” she said.
Ramsey noted that she is “all for” the recent passage of the Music Modernization Act (MMA), which protects songwriters and creators for their work in this digital age of music. “That is wonderful news,” she said. “Back in the day, CDs were sold and that was a primary way to make money.”
She listed the Scottish band Belle and Sebastian as her dream collaboration partners in music. Throughout her career, she was also privileged to work with the late music star as Ronnie Lane, as well as Canadian singer-songwriter Mary Margaret O’Hara. “I feel grateful for some of those collaborations,” she said.
Ramsey’s advice for young and aspiring musicians is as follows: “Know your instrument and know your voice. Work at it. Have faith and find your comfort factor with the people that you work with. Find that special chemistry. Have respect for the different parts of the whole machine. When we tour, we have a fantastic soundman who is just as important as anybody else in the band. Be appreciative of everybody’s part.”
She defined the word success as “feeling balanced and content within one’s own heart.” “Also, having compassion for the world around,” she said.
To learn more about 10,000 Maniacs and their upcoming tour dates, check out their official website and their Facebook page.
