"Now and Then With Justin Kantor" is a new SoulTracks feature where we have an in depth conversation with a classic soul star about his or her career, including what's happening now. Noted soul music writer Justin Kantor is our guide bringing SoulTrackers up to date on their favorite stars. Do you have ideas for future "Now and Then" features? You can connect with Justin on Twitter. And let us know what you think!
"Now and Then With Justin Kantor" is a new SoulTracks feature where we have an in depth conversation with a classic soul star about his or her career, including what's happening now. Noted soul music writer Justin Kantor is our guide bringing SoulTrackers up to date on their favorite stars. Do you have ideas for future "Now and Then" features? You can connect with Justin on Twitter. And let us know what you think!
As the lead voice of Klymaxx's signature ballads "I Miss You" and "I'd Still Say Yes," Joyce "Fenderella" Irby rose to fame during the 1980s with both her distinctive vocal style and her standout skills as a bassist. She co-wrote the supergroup's breakout hit, "The Men All Pause," subsequently landing songs on the albums of many of her contemporaries and discovering one of the most important songwriters and producers of the 1990s and beyond: Dallas Austin. Justin Kantor catches up with the enterprising multi-talent to discuss the ways in which she's currently using her gifts—and to find out some of the behind-the-scenes makings of her storied three decades in the music business.
A few years ago, you started a non-profit organization called Jams for Animals. What inspired this endeavor?
I developed an affinity for animals over the last 20 years—especially cats! A lot of people really don't like cats and do some pretty frightening things to them. I'm a Leo. I could see some of myself in them from time to time. A friend of mine trains lions for TV and film. He was able to get me backstage at a circus. I would hear people talking about mistreatment of animals. I'm not trying to make anyone the devil; but I wanted to go and see some things for myself.
And I'm crazy about elephants. I just think they're so majestic. I was backstage with these three elephants: Minnie, Suzy, and Bunny. They're older than me, in their sixties. I was standing right beside them and was able to go under this tent with them. They were getting pressure washed with bleach. One of them was on her knees. I could tell she was arthritic. She just looked at me. Just looking into her eyes made me feel, "I've got to express something in a way that makes people care about them." They weren't being beaten. But I'm like, "Can't she retire? She's over 65!" They were on concrete. I'm in my fifties and my joints are hurting. Can't these animals have better treatment? My gift is music, so I decided to do music that incorporates [compassion for] animals—but in a way that doesn't turn people off.
So, you've written and produced a few songs for an upcoming CD to benefit Jams for Animals. Tell me about that.
There are two songs that I'm focused on right now. I did a crazy one called "House Cat," a dance/house record featuring my cat on vocals. I'm not going to do a whole album of singing cats. But I wanted to do something that might get the attention of younger people who think that's funny and different. I also have a song called "Miracle" that I just finished the video for. It's about a parent looking at a younger person. It shows a mother falcon and her baby hatching and a dog and its little puppy. It's about the miracle of life and how you want to protect whoever you feel responsible for. I'm singing, then I'm showing little children growing up. At the same time, I'm following the life of a mother goose and her baby. As the video goes on, you see the things parents do to protect their young, whether they're human or not. I'm trying to show that you don't have to be human to care about your offspring. Animals have affinity and give their lives to protect their young.
I'm also looking to involve other people with the CD. I plan to go to Los Angeles and make a presentation to a couple of labels to see if there are artists they have who might be interested in participating. I look at it ultimately as being like a "We Are the World" for animals. It can be a constant funding source for underfunded animal charities.
From what I've read, you are also looking to fund a shelter in the suburban Atlanta area for animals coming from homes with domestic violence?
Yes, there's a domestic violence shelter here that's the only one that takes women with pets. I'm thinking, if you're in a situation where you're being violated and your children are being violated, usually the pets are, too. But you have to flee and leave the one family member you care about to continue to be violated because you can't find a place. The sheriff in Clayton County agreed to help me with trying to set up a program where if you dial 911 for domestic violence, you can go to a shelter, they'll pick up the violator—and we'll pick up the pet, too. That's the ultimate goal. It's a dream right now. But the city officials are all cool that this is a plan we can put into motion. The sheriff even asked about having the shelter on his property. It'll probably take a couple of years, because I have to raise the money to build it. But I think after getting more visibility, ultimately it will be possible.
So, is the money for projects like these raised primarily through sales of "Jams for Animals" downloads?
Jams for Animals is an all-volunteer organization consisting of me and four other directors. Nobody gets paid. If we sell songs, the person who writes the song will get paid—but everything gets donated. "House Cat" by Lucky & The Shelter Cats is on I-Tunes. If you download that, everything except 10 cents will go to funding this shelter. Eventually, if people even just go on our Facebook page, "like" it, and scroll down to look at some of the videos and make a comment—when I get enough of that, I'll be able to go to a pet company like Purina to hopefully develop a partnership.
In addition to donations, are there any other ways in which interested folks can help out?
At this point, I'm really looking for people who know about marketing, especially viral marketing on the Internet. If anybody who's a songwriter or artist would like to participate, that would be fabulous. I want to include all types of music. Every year, my goal is to do another volume. But I have to get enough people to realize something about it before it can make a difference.
Speaking of all types of music, you're no stranger to that concept! Tell me about the beginnings of your love affair with music.
Music is something that was in my spirit when I was born. I drove my father crazy about getting a guitar. Finally, when I was 12, my mother made him get one for me. When I turned 14, I played trumpet and sax in the stage band at school. Then, I finally realized that playing bass was easier for me because I could pick out the single notes. It was hard for me to hear guitar chords and hold my fingers. When the Jackson 5 came out, I learned their whole first album on bass. I could hear the notes.
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