MORRISBURG – In a career that has ranged from the “Swinging 60’s” to the present day, as a member of notable bands, and as an outstanding solo artist, Carole Pope has definitely achieved mainstream fame. In the process, she has proudly remained true to her values and beliefs. On Friday, June 14, courtesy of Harmony Concerts, she and her band will be appearing at Stone Crop Acres Winery at 7:30 pm.
The child of English parents who emigrated to Canada in the early 1950s Pope was drawn to music at a young age, and never looked back. She met musical partner Kevan Staples in Scarborough in 1968. For a time they performed as a duo, going through some name changes from O to Bullwhip Brothers. However, it was in 1975, that they broke on to the international music scene in a spectacular way. That was the year the band Rough Trade was born. Pope was a standout in the group. Often performing in black leather and ‘bondage attire’, her powerful vocals caught the attention of critics, audiences and fellow musicians alike. Rough Trade knocked down barriers. With their provocative and open lyrics, their no-holds-barred stage shows, the group, led by Staples and Pope, challenged all the norms of rock music. They were not afraid to shock. Their influence on artists from Madonna to David Bowies to k.d. lang was profound. Carole Pope and Rough Trade paved the way for break-out artists and for gay performers as well.
In 1981, Pope won the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist, and in both 1982 and 1983, Junos for Best Female Vocalist.
After Rough Trade broke up, Carole Pope released a debut solo single in 1988, ‘I’m Not Blind’. In 1995 she released her debut EP ‘Radiate’. She has worked on movie sound tracks, performed in cabarets and published her autobiography ‘Anti Diva,’ which is an honest open revelation of her private life and her beliefs. In 2011, she released ‘Landfall’, featuring a duet with Rufus Wainwright. She has been the guest artist on the albums of many other performers and actively championed gay rights. She has served as a judge on an episode of Canada’s Drag Race.
Although she has had some health issues, Carole Pope continues to write, to compose and to sing. She continues to speak her mind through music, and to entertain with her dynamic stage shows. “I’m still writing about sex and politics,” she told The Leader. “There’s a wealth of material out there because things are so insane.” She relishes live shows, such as her upcoming concert at the Winery. “I do love interacting with the audience and actually getting into a zone with whomever I am playing with.” During her show she and the band “will perform a mix of retro and my newer material, and introduce my new track, Play Fisty For Me.”
Singer, composer, instrumentalist, activist, Carole Pope has no intention of “slowing down.” “We are currently shooting a documentary based on Anti Diva with cameos by Peaches, k.d. lang, Rufus Wainwrigh, Strombo and more. And then there’s ‘Rough Trade the Musical’ which has been workshopped in New York and is ready to go.” Carole Pope’s upcoming Harmony concert on June 14 promises to be a very memorable one.
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