Sometimes Julie, one of San Diego’s most engaging and original Rock bands, emerged from a chance collaboration between singer-songwriters Monica Sorenson and Rick Walker in 2012.
Walker, former guitarist for Chicago’s Greeley, is a multi-instrumentalist who reveals his Rock and Roll genius as he defines Sometimes Julie’s unique sound. Sorenson paints the pictures, finds the words, tells the stories, and delivers the melodies with her powerful vocals. Walker is the theory, the rhythm, the science, the skill, and Sorenson is the front woman who is all heart and art.
Interview conducted March 11, 2021
By Dan Locke
The duo’s first collaboration gave birth to their award-winning 2014 debut album, HEAD FIRST, the title track of which generated substantial buzz, getting spins on both terrestrial and internet radio, and won an Akademia Music Award for best Americana music video. As implied, this album is all about being impulsive, taking risks, and doing what you love.
Sometimes Julie’s second release, the EP entitled BRIGHT SIDE OF THE LINE (2016), marked the duo’s evolution to a more rocking sound as they were joined by the eminently talented Berklee-grad Bruce Paul Allen (bassist/co-writer), and San Diego music scene legend, Anthony Sarain (keyboards, sax, flute). The songs on Bright Side speak to the power of intense love and profound loss.
What is your upbringing?
I grew up in the western United States, in Colorado and Arizona to be exact, in the suburbs and in mountain communities. I am the oldest of five children. It was pretty chaotic, but we had interesting adventures together. I have a family full of musicians, so there was always a lot of music in my house. My parents and grandparents, classical musicians themselves, played music from every popular genre you can think of – rock, blues, country, soul, jazz, classical, singer-songwriter – you name it. As a result, a lot of those influences can be heard in Sometimes Julie’s music.
How did you discover music?
When I was growing up, my brother was the aspiring rockstar of my family, while I was more focused on academic pursuits. So, I actually didn’t become a singer and songwriter until well into my adulthood, when I met my songwriting partner, and Sometimes Julie bandmate, Rick Walker. I come from a family of classical musicians but we listened to everything and I’ve always loved music. I always have a song, or even many songs playing in my head. I hum and sing to myself all of the time.
How did you start to write music?
I’ve been writing poetry for most of my life and actually pursued a Master’s degree in poetry. When I met Rick and we started talking about music, he told me that he was a songwriter but had never been particularly happy with his lyrics. When I told him that I wrote poetry, he suggested that we collaborate on a song and see what we come up with. That first collaboration resulted in a song called “What a Rush”, which was the beginning of our first CD, Head First.
Describe your music.
Sometimes Julie’s music is authentic, passionate, and comes from the heart. We are very much a rock band, but we aren’t afraid to dip our toes into a variety of musical genres such as blues, country, jazz, classical, singer-songwriter, and even flamenco. That being said, our music has a definite sound. No matter which song you listen to on Where Are You? you know it is Sometimes Julie.
What was your first performance like?
Our first performance was at a cool little club in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood called 98 Bottles. It was the first time we’d performed our original music in front of a large crowd, so I was pretty nervous. But we had a lot of friends and family there, so we felt super supported, we performed well, and overall, it was an amazing experience. From that point, I was “hooked” and couldn’t wait to book our next gig.
What makes a good songwriter?
I think good songwriters are willing to reveal something about themselves to the listener. Of course, you have to be able to write good melodies and musical arrangements, but unless you are willing to open your heart and soul and reveal something the listener can connect with, you may be spinning your wheels. I am very much an open book with my lyrics. Anybody who wants to know more about me can pretty much learn my entire life story by listening to Sometimes Julie’s music.
Monica- Did you ever have the chance to sing with your son?
I didn’t really have a chance to sing with Andrew. If you ever heard Andrew sing you would hear and see how he would be so into it. His eyes would be closed, his head would be back and he would be singing so genuinely and so loudly that you really wouldn’t be able to sing with Andrew. He was more of a solo act when he played the piano and sang. He was in a band for a short time with his friend and they called it Axis of Bitchin’. They had super quirky songs about llamas and other funny things. We did play Rock Band together with our family. I love that we both shared such a passion for music.
What is the process of writing your music?
The process for each song is a little bit different. Generally speaking, I’ll have a little melody and some words pop into my head, so I’ll pick up my guitar or sit down at the piano and work it out. Typically, I make a quick recording on my phone and then take it to Rick. He’ll then transform my simple, intimate, singer-songwriter arrangement into a full-blown rock song. The next step is to introduce the song to the band, and that’s when each of the guy’s weaves in his individual style. That’s when it becomes a Sometimes Julie song.
How did your band form?
It was sort of a happy little chance that this all came about. When we were writing and recording Head First, we had no plans to form a band. We were just having fun being creative, writing and recording songs that we at the time thought would only be heard by family and friends. But after we finished the album, we were so in love with the songs that we wanted to perform them live and get them out there. We decided that performing the songs on Head First as an acoustic duo wouldn’t do the songs justice, so we got ourselves some awesomely talented bandmates to rock out with. It has been a fun ride so far!
How did you get your band’s name?
I can be very protective of my privacy, to the extent that when I go to Starbucks, I give the cashier a fake name. I typically use the name Julie. The first time I met Rick was at a karaoke bar, where I was using my “Starbucks name” as my karaoke performer name. When Rick and I hit it off and decided to collaborate on writing a song, he still thought my name was Julie, and I didn’t know how to tell him that wasn’t my real name. It wasn’t until several months, and several songs, later, that I accidentally let it slip that my name was really Monica. He thought it was hilarious and started calling me “sometimes Julie”, which we immediately realized would be a great name for our band.
Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Rick belongs to ASCAP. I belong to BMI, as does our bass player and sometimes co-writer, Bruce Paul Allen. As a side note, early in my career I briefly “temped” for one of these organizations. It was interesting stuff.
What was the title of your first original song?
The first song Rick and I wrote together is called “What a Rush”. Which I wrote for my husband as a birthday present. The song is about how although we’ve been married several years, the excitement and passion we felt early in our relationship still endures.
Did you record it?
Yes! We first recorded it as a demo in Rick’s home studio. I was so nervous at first. Anyway, I even remember that I was wearing my favorite green dress. I still think about that recording session when I hear or sing that song. Anyway, then we recorded it for our first album, Head First, at Bigrock Studios.
Tell me about the debut album “Head First” which at the time you won a Akademia Music Award?
When we started the project, Rick and I were doing it just for us, and maybe friends and family. But once it was finished, we were very proud of it! The final collection and production exceeded our expectations. Our creativity and the songs we recorded inspired us to form a full band to play our songs live. After that, Sometimes Julie pretty much took on a life of its own. I am always happy to be singing one of our “original” 14 songs!
Tell me about your latest CD “Where Are You”?
As proud as I am of Head First because it was our first album and launched our career, I am absolutely ecstatic about Where Are You?. First, the amount of talent on this CD in terms of all the musicians and engineers involved…it just blows my mind. I feel so lucky to work with such great musicians and recording professionals. I am really thrilled with how the writing turned out and that collaboration on the writing is reflected in the music. The production is also great. Alan Sanderson of Pacific Beat Recording did a wonderful job engineering and coaxing out our best performances as we recorded, and Andy Machin at Big Rock did a great job mixing and mastering to create the final product. Each member of our band and all guest musicians and professionals contributed so much. It is beautiful. I still listen to Where Are You? every day. I’m so in love with it. I probably should be heaping such effusive praise on my own project, but I can’t help myself!
How was it to work with Grammy Winning producer Alan Sanderson who had worked with bands like the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac?
Alan has a very impressive resume and has the Grammy and several gold and platinum records hanging on his wall. And he’s worked with so many accomplished and acclaimed artists in several different capacities. All this would be intimidating if not for the fact that Alan is a super down-to-earth guy who makes everyone feel at ease the moment they step into his studio. Alan’s motto is “it’s all about the vibe”, and the vibe he creates is fun and relaxed, which promotes creativity and great performances. Where Are You? was Sometimes Julie’s second time working with Alan (he also engineered our third CD, Breaking), and we plan to work with him again and again.
How was it to work remotely and in isolation to finish the CD?
We were fortunate that we had just finished laying the foundation for the album at Pacific Beat in the months right before the first stay-at-home order. Over the ensuing several months, we completed the most of remaining overdubs, like percussion, guitar solos, saxophone, etc., in isolation and in compliance with social distancing requirements, while some were recorded at band members’ home studios.
Once all of the tracking was complete, Andy Machin of Bigrock Studios did the mixing and mastering remotely, with input from Rick and me on video conference calls. The process was unique, and obviously not the way would have chosen to do it under ordinary circumstances, but we couldn’t be happier with the end result.
What is your favorite track on your album?
All of the tracks are my babies, so I can’t really name a favorite. My favorite vocal performance is on “As Good a Day as Any”. I like “Counting My Lucky Stars” a lot, because it is joyful and makes me want to dance. From a production standpoint, “Walk Among the Dead” is really powerful, and from a musical performance perspective, “Arachne’s Pride/Minerva” really can’t be beat. “She Can’t Kiss You” rocks really hard, and I love that. So, as you can see, I could go on and on.
How is it to get airplay in the UK?
It is so cool to get Airplay in the UK and other countries far from home, including France, Denmark, Poland, Argentina, and others. It feels kind of like we’ve arrived! I love to imagine someone so far from home, with life experiences seem very different from my own, listening to and connecting with our music. And maybe someday we’ll be able to tour some of these countries!
How do you stay healthy while performing?
I take really good care of myself; I do yoga, I go hiking and I eat really healthy and I do my little breathing exercises. I just make sure to take really good care of myself vocally too with breathing and stretching warm ups. I sing every day. I protect my voice by trying not to shout during Zoom calls!
What are your feelings about streaming music?
Well, I think streaming music is sort of where it’s at right now, as people aren’t really purchasing CD’s or even downloading files anymore (although there is still a niche market for vinyl). The plus side of streaming is that you can listen to any song, anywhere, anytime, provided you have a smartphone or other streaming device. People have more access to more musical artists than ever before. The downside, of course, is that streaming is not as lucrative for music creators as physical CDs or downloads, and many would argue that the sound quality isn’t as good. It’s a mixed bag, but it is where we are now and probably where we will be in the future, so we just have to accept music streaming for its positives, despite the negatives.
The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, [ or (in North American usage) pound sign. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag.
Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?
Sharp is never going away! Musicians and composers will always refer to the pound sign as “sharp” when referring to musical notes, chords, or keys. That being said, the first song on Where Are You?, “She Can’t Kiss You” is written in the key of F hashtag.
Digital vs. vinyl?
So, both definitely have their place. Digital music has the advantages of durability, access, and portability. I have to say, though, I miss going to record stores to hunt through case after case of vinyl, and I miss the sound of the needle dropping onto the record. For my money, nothing beats the warmth and fidelity of vinyl. And it also has the advantage of having artwork and liner notes! I miss the days of buying a new vinyl album, locking myself in my bedroom, and listening to it from start to finish as I read the liner notes and the lyrics to the songs. It is a little sad that experience doesn’t really exist much anymore. I hope to release Sometimes Julie music on vinyl someday and probably will.
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
I almost always have the song “Whipping Post” by the Allman brothers in my mind. That song has such an intense feeling that expresses a lot of frustration. Also, musically, it is pretty much a perfect song. I think that song is in my head because if you’re feeling extremely down you can just sing, “good Lord I feel like I’m dying…” Oh, and I love Greg Allman.
Both (Pfizer and BioNTech) and Moderna have concluded Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With both vaccines, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?
Well sometimes I overestimate how reasonable people will be and underestimate the power of fear. So, I actually looked this up and it turns out it’s somewhere in the 57% range right now for people who have gotten a shot and will get a second shot or are going to get the shot and will get a second shot about 20% are going to resist because they are afraid to get the shot and that was a very surprising number. But by and large, I think most people will be reasonable and responsible, overcome their fears, and get vaccinated.
How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)
Not soon enough! I have to say, though, that every time I hear or read the term “herd immunity”, I picture cows or bison in my head. Herd immunity has basically eradicated some pretty terrible diseases like polio and smallpox, so I think it is something we should be striving for with COVID-19. I have high hopes that the industrialized world will reach that 70% mark later this year, but I think it will take a lot longer to reach that point in developing nations. And until the entire world gets at or near 70%, I think we are all still at risk. I hope that people become less fearful. I hope they open their minds and do the right thing to make sure that it’s a safe world for ourselves and for future generations.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
I think live music is going to return with a vengeance! We have all spent a year more or less in isolation, which has been really hard on us. Human beings are social animals and as such crave communal experiences like live music, theater, and sporting events. As we approach herd immunity and infection rates begin to drop, I think live music will be more popular than it has been in years.
But we have to make sure to support live music venues! Many have struggled to stay afloat financially during stay-at-home orders, and I know that local governments can be a major impediment to opening and operating live music venues in general. I’d like to see that change.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
We completed and released an album! Other than that, a lot of work work work, a lot of practicing piano, and a lot of songwriting. Self-quarantining has also given me the opportunity to spend a lot more time with my family, which I’ve really enjoyed.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
My new endeavors include playing classical pieces on the piano to improve my sight-reading skills and learning more about the science of sound and recording. People’s experiences sound so different and I want to know more about how to improve the listening experience. My totally geeky new hobby is doing crossword puzzles. It is a great exercise for the mind, and it increases vocabulary and word recall which helps as a lyricist.
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and use their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
It seems like most of what we watch is either on Hulu or Netflix, but I don’t really have a favorite streaming channel.
Many artists are doing nightly concerts over either YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. In October that is going to change at least on Facebook. Facebook is cracking down on live streamed shows that include recorded music with new terms of service, preventing artists from using the platform for “commercial or non-personal” purposes, unless they have obtained the relevant licenses.
The updated music guidelines state that users “may not use videos on our products [which include Instagram] to create a music listening experience […] This will include [Facebook] Live,” and stipulates that such content should be posted for the enjoyment of friends and family only.
How do you think this will change the landscape of Facebook?
I imagine that as Facebook makes it more difficult to stream live concerts, another platform will emerge as the preferred platform for that purpose. I guess we’ll have to wait and see who it is.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
Keep making and releasing music, get it on as many streaming platforms as possible, and post frequently on social media. That’s what we’re doing, so I hope it works!
Is pay to play still a thing? Now pay to play also means things like playlists on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.
We did a few pay to play gigs early in Sometimes Julie’s life, but we swore it off a few years ago. I do think it is still a thing, though.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
That would be super cool, but it will never totally take the place of live concerts. The energy of the audience is essential to the live music experience.
Governments around the world are hearing the call of thousands of music creators and included protections for the music community in the omnibus bill. In addition to extended and improved unemployment benefits and small business loans for freelance creators, the package includes several bills which the Recording Academy, its members, and the larger music community advocated for. From the Save Our Stages Act, provided a lifeline to performance venues and promoters, to the CASE Act, which creates an avenue for smaller creators to defend their copyrighted works, Congress has ensured that both music creators and those who act behind the scenes to bring music to life are given the support they need during this difficult time.” Will this help save the music community and venues?
I hope so! Music creators were already struggling to adapt to changes in the industry, and then COVID-19 came along that has affected so many in such profound ways. In addition to the human suffering caused by the disease, many people have been struggling financially. If governments can step in to help make things right, I think they should.
Did you know that the Grammys MusicCares can help artists? The MusiCares COVID-19 Relief has helped thousands of music industry artists and professionals during these difficult days. This is the most recipients helped, for any single event, in MusiCares’ history. The need remains great, and these unique times remain critical for music people. It has taken a community uplifting one another to get through this pandemic, and MusiCares has pulled together a list of additional organizations and resources to further support you. https://www.grammy.com/musicares/get-help/relief-resources. Since you just finished working with Alan have you looked into joining the Grammys?
I was not aware of these resources. Thank you for telling us about them. We are not currently members of the Recording Academy but have recently been giving some thought to joining, although not for that reason.
What is your happy place?
My happy place is out in nature. I love to hike, and we have some beautiful hiking trails in Southern California that I enjoy very much. It helps me ground myself and clear my head.
Spotify just deleted 750,00 songs, mostly from independent artists. Was your saved?
I didn’t know about this! Fortunately, I just checked Spotify, and all of our music is still there.
Sony Music in November and Warner Music Group in December, The ByteDance-owned video app revealed on (February 8) that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group. Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?
Our latest album was released to TikTok, and we will continue to use it as long as it is still a thing. Tiktok is currently the platform du jour, but for how much longer? Who knows what the next big music platform will be?
Danny Wimmer Presents just announced their 2021 Festival Calendar: Which includes the following live shows:
DWP Partners with Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival for July 23-25 Event In Mansfield, OH
Louder Than Life Set for September 23-26 With Newly Added Thursday Night Celebration in Louisville, KY
Welcome to Rockville Expands To 4 Days and Shifts from Spring to November 11-14 In Daytona Beach, FL
Aftershock Set for October 7-10 In Sacramento, CA, Almost Sold Out
Would you be willing to play these shows and what precautions would you like to have in place?
We miss festivals! As long as CDC guidelines are followed by everyone involved, we would be happy to play any festival.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thank you for supporting independent music and specifically for supporting Sometimes Julie. As long as there are people out there who are interested in new music, we will continue making it!
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