Be prepared to be struck by Lightning! And we’re not talking about the lower-case ‘l’ lightning that would cause you brain damage and third degree burns. We are talking about the capital ‘L’ Lightning. The one with so much energy and charisma that would make you enjoy every note and every riff produced as she moves her fingers across the chords of her guitar. We are talking about the guitarist of Vixen, Britt Lightning!
FemMetal had the chance and pleasure to chat with Britt about her life with the band, her plans and other things. We hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did.
Interview
Mirk: Hello Britt. It’s an honor to talk with a wonderful artist like you. How are you doing?
Britt: Hi there, I am doing great, thank you for having me!
Mirk: You have climbed a tall mountain, playing with many well-known names along the way and now you’re the guitarist of Vixen. Do you consider yourself at the peak of your career, or do you still have dreams you want to make true?
Britt: No I definitely don’t think I am at the peak of my career. Being a musician and playing in bands is a continuous journey, ever-evolving, learning, growing and experiencing. I have a long list of accomplishments I would like to achieve including songwriting goals and song placements, performing in certain venues and countries, and becoming more advanced with playing guitar in various styles. I don’t think I will ever feel as though I have accomplished enough, even if I were on top of the world!
Mirk: You are the youngest member in Vixen. You’ve worked with artists from your generation before and now you are working with artists like Lorraine Lewis, from a bit older generation. What differences did you find between these two generations you worked with?
Britt: I don’t find a big difference at all honestly. Having grown up playing with people that were a little older than me my whole life, I really don’t seem to recognize age. I guess sometimes a pop culture reference comes up that I am not familiar with come up and someone will say- “Oh you’re too young to know that!”, but I think that may be the only difference for me. If anything, they just have cooler stories and more experience and I am envious! 😉 Music is a vibe and an energy and a form of communication, and we all communicate really well, both on and off stage. I feel like the Vixen girls are like my sisters and I am grateful to perform with them and have them in my life as friends.
Mirk: You are a very talented guitar player and if I may say, when I watched videos of you playing it felt like the guitar is part of you, not a seperate instrument. How did this love story between you and the guitar begin and grow?
Britt: It all started when I became obsessed with Eddie Van Halen and rock n roll was all I could possibly think about. I don’t really know how I became so obsessed, but it took over my life. I would dread having to go anywhere like a family vacation if I couldn’t bring my guitar with me. Sometimes I would even sleep with my guitar next to me because I felt like it helped me connect to it. I haven’t done that in a while but now after talking about it I realize I should do that again haha!
Mirk: What bands and artists did you grow up listening to?
Britt: Van Halen, Metallica, Skid Row, Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Megadeth, Pantera were some of my favorites growing up. And I always loved the idea of being in a girl band and so I always thought Vixen was awesome!
Mirk: If you can travel in time, would you go back in time to live in an older era of music, or would you go to the future to see how music will become, or would you stay in this era?
Britt: I would have loved to have experienced music breaking in the 60s and 70s and seen the evolution of guitar playing and bands back then. But I also love the 80s and would have loved to be in a band on the sunset strip during that time.
Mirk: When you’re playing live, you have that wide smile that never leaves your face, and you look the happiest person on Earth, almost as happy as me when I realized I am interviewing you 😀 What are your favourite parts about playing live for an audience?
Britt: Hehe I like hearing that! I love to have fun in general with life, and playing guitar is so much fun, and especially when you enjoy the music and people you are playing with. But playing in front of a live, enthusiastic audience is the best. It is such a beautiful exchange of energy and I am always grateful every time I get to step onto a stage and perform for someone and try to never take it for granted. Sometimes before a show I think about parts of the journey that got me to where I am at that moment and the people that have helped me along the way and it makes me smile. Also, life is really great- I have my health, supportive family and friends, and I get to play music, so there’s really no reason not to smile if you think about it. But really- its rock n roll- so if you’re not enjoying yourself, whats the point?! 😉
Mirk: What advice would you give to young girls that have a dream to become famous guitar players like you?
Britt: Never give up or compromise your dream. There will be people who don’t believe in you, people that tell you that you’re not good enough or that what you want to do is impossible, and those even might be people that you look up to. But for everyone who says you can’t, there is someone out there that knows you can and you just have to trust yourself to know you are on the right path for you. The music business is attracting and supporting more and more female artists and the sky is limit as long as you have the passion and drive. Any career in arts is extremely challenging, but its all worth it if you do what you love.
Mirk: Have you ever been treated in a sexist way? How did you deal with it and what would you say to women in some places who are still fighting for some of their basic rights?
Britt: I have. When I do, I just realize that some people don’t have the same understanding or education as others and that’s ok. I try not to take things personally. I won’t let someone that makes a comment to me or about me that doesn’t even know me ruin my day. And they may compare you to others but I try not to do that with myself. Everyone has something unique about themselves and their art that makes them different than someone else and that is what makes life interesting and beautiful.
Mirk: What are some hobbies and interests that you have other than music?
Britt: I love almost all outdoor activities, I love hiking, skiing, boating, riding horses, fishing, going to the beach, etc. I love to paint. I have been getting more into astrophotography. I love classic cars and going to car shows and museums. I love target shooting. And I love traveling and seeing new places and exploring!
Mirk: Thank you Britt for the interview. It was a pleasure to talk with you!
Britt: Thank you so much for your time and interest and all that you do to promote female artists!
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