Nona Hendryx

Nona Hendryx (photo used with permission)

253 West 125th Street in New York City has long been a revered address in the African-American community. There, in the heart of Harlem, stands a landmark: The Apollo Theater. From Duke Ellington to James Brown to The Jackson 5, the venerable giants of entertainment have cut loose on the Apollo's stage (which can also be a daunting, jeer-filled nightmare for many a starry-eyed novice on amateur night). It was on that stage, in the early 1960s, that Patti Labelle and the Blue Belles earned the nickname, "The Sweethearts of the Apollo." The young Nona Hendryx was one of the cherished Blue Belles (along with Sarah Dash and Cindy Birdsong) behind Ms Labelle.

In the 70s, the group (sans Cindy Birdsong) became simply Labelle, and, through their music and theatricality, defined a new breed of R&B girl group: one with an attitude. Unfazed by prevailing female stereotypes in the music industry, Labelle was both funk and rock; brash yet poignant, and, above all, the personification of three dynamic women. With the group, Ms Hendryx matured; developing a unique style as, not only vocalist, but skilled songwriter.

Ms Hendryx has certainly kept busy since Labelle. In addition to a string of diverse solo albums (including 1977's heavy rock, "Nona"), her resume equally varies in scope: performing and/or collaborating with the likes of The Talking Heads, Prince, Peter Gabriel and Keith Richards (The Grammy Nominated "Rock This House"), to name a select few; contributing to film soundtracks (of late: 1998's The Siege which starred Denzel Washington); scoring for dance, including a commission by the Alvin Ailey Dance Company; writing a children's story, "The Brownies;" and, in 1999, composing a classical score for Washington DC's Arena Stage production of the Kathleen Anderson play "Oak and Ivy."

Her most recent project, for which she received support from MTC's Commissioning Music/USA 2000, is a multi-media piece: a re-examination/deconstruction/theatrical rendering of her critically acclaimed 1989 album, "SkinDiver." The new work addresses the dual journeys in her life: to find "self," as woman and person of color; and, to find peace through a chronic search for artistic expression. Brooklyn's 651 ARTS commissioned the new incarnation of SkinDiver which is slated for a Spring 2002 premiere in NYC.

Ms Hendryx spoke with MTC about the SkinDiver project; Labelle; and her influences, among other topics.

MTC: How did SkinDiver evolve into what it is now?
NH: It started with a friend. He asked me about doing some music for his label, Private Music - a label that primarily recorded instrumental music. It was a challenge for me. I really write from a lyrical-melody-based format. I thought about the ability to paint emotions musically - to get emotions across without words. That's where it began. I started thinking in those terms. Thinking more about the underscoring of a movie. Lyrics developed. They just sort of came. The feedback from that album, SkinDiver, was so strong even from the journalists. People were always asking me to perform it; and I did do some performing of it. I was asked to come up with some additional ways of presenting it - that's when I became in touch with 651 ARTS. They asked me about developing a piece for them. SkinDiver seemed to be the obvious choice. It became much more of a multi-media concept when I was talking to 651; bringing in an artist to do visual concepts… dancers… things like that. When I'm writing there is always the visual element that comes with it. It's just part of the spirit. I come from the type of background, not theater in the traditional sense, but as a performer. Labelle was very theatrical. That's always been a part of my style of writing. There was always a vision of what it would look like on stage.
MTC: Obviously SkinDiver is your story. Do you ever have any doubts about putting your life out there?
NH: No. That's what I've always been exploring and experimenting with: exposing my fears, flaws, hopes, dreams and accomplishments. It doesn't bother me putting it out there if it's going to resonate with people and society in a way that elevates it. It's a healing process. The arts, to me, are about ways of healing. The arts are a vehicle for healing society; capturing elements of nature or natural ways of being through some element of creativity, whether it's a painting, photograph, a play or a song. What value is your life if you can not be instrumental in connecting with people or bring something valuable to them?
MTC: What's the message in SkinDiver?
NH: It really is about identity; trying to fit in with spoken and unspoken rules and regulations and how in a sense it destroys the soul. We live in a time where being an individual is difficult; having facial characteristics that define who you are, or what your ideas of success are. Everyone is branded and basically labeled this, that or the other. If you don't fit into any of those molds, you lose your identity. For some people, it destroys them. They feel as though they have to become something other than what they are; either trying to fit in, succeed, or even be.
MTC: You say that avant-garde projects are influenced by popular culture, either for better or worse. With SkinDiver, you've seen both sides. What have you learned?
NH: What I've learned is that I need to follow my heart. Be true to the music and my creativity, rather than to fashion and form, because those change all the time. There really isn't a center to them. They're sort of born of their own fads, fashion and fame. Whereas, the thing that you initially loved about doing something is really the thing to hang onto. That stays if you nurture it. With the initial development of SkinDiver, and also working with artists who were somewhere between the two worlds of popular music and the avant-garde, Peter Gabriel and Talking Heads, I don't feel I've traveled that far. My desire is to bring those avant-garde elements to the larger playing field. The larger playing field a lot of times is…shallow. I'm always striving to bring elements that I feel can lend a little bit more weight, and which stay with people that much longer.
MTC: Have you ever compromised your artistic integrity?
NH: Of course. There were a couple of times…some songs within the Labelle period that we opted to record were sort of "follow ups." It's really very difficult to follow up anything. I could count them on one hand, though. I learned my lesson. When you do something as long as I have you are bound to run into those times. That's the only way you learn really.
MTC: What was it like when you first went on stage at the Apollo?
NH: Scary. It was a good thing I was young enough and naïve to the point where I didn't know how scary it could possibly be. That was a huge event. The audience there really heard some of the best singers and performers in African-American history. It was very daunting. But, because they loved us it was absolutely amazing.
MTC: What made Labelle such an influential group?
NH: There hadn't been a female group like Labelle…ever. There were more women in the business as a result of us. Individual women taking on, not only their love relationships and their femininity, but also speaking out politically and socially, and doing it in a very soulful way, as opposed to the female groups that had come before who were attired in gowns, gloves, and tiaras: The Supremes or the Shirelles or any of the earlier female groups. Soul music, but cut from the same mold. They would go on the Ed Sullivan Show, do the Copacabana, go to Vegas…but none were really about the heart of the inner city. Labelle was. I don't think that Vegas was particularly interested in the type of women that we were: the extension of someone like Nina Simone or Etta James. Raunchier and closer to the street. Although we had our flashy outfits, the heart of our music was closer to what was going on in the inner city.
MTC: How did your songwriting develop?
NH: With the birth of Labelle. I wrote poetry before that. I was not writing music really. I had written a couple of small things. With Labelle, we were encouraged by our manager to have our own voice. Because I was developing in that direction, I began to flourish and I had the group as an outlet. I began to develop as a writer. Over the next four or five records, I forget how many we did, my writing skills just blossomed. I also began to study music. I hadn't studied music before that.
MTC: Given the eclectic nature of your career, what have been your biggest influences and what are they today?
NH: My biggest vocal influence was Mahalia Jackson. Also, Clara Ward and the Ward Singers. My brother introduced jazz into the house with people like Yusef Lateef and Ahmad Jamal. I really liked early rock and roll: Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, of course, and Little Richard. That was the music that really influenced me. Later, I totally immersed myself in Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Hendrix, and the Who. The Who were a big influence on me. I just devoured music during that whole period. Of course, I was influenced by the Talking Heads and Peter Gabriel. Now, I am influenced by someone like Tupac Shakur. If you listen to his double album you hear everything you need to hear from rap or hip-hop. I can go from Tupac Shakur to Limp Bizkit to classical music. I'm a huge fan of Vangelis, Chopin, Debussy, and Dvorak. They're from the past but they are the present. I love music. One of my favorites is Shirley Horn, a jazz pianist and singer. I went out and bought everything she ever recorded when I discovered her. I carry certain music around with me wherever I go.
MTC: What was the last thing you listened to?
NH: Erykah Badu's new album.
MTC: What do you think of it?
NH: It's a much looser album than her first. I didn't fall in love it with it right away. I don't know if it's ever going to get me. It usually takes me a couple of listenings. When creating your first endeavor things are much more incisive. Like when you boil a stock down. But, the next time you sort of…spread out.
MTC: Was there anyone you met, or an event that had a profound affect on you in your career?
NH: Curtis Mayfield. We (Patti Labelle and the Blue Belles) were travelling on the road together - he was still with the Impressions. I played him a tape of one of the first songs I thought I could possibly write, but I hadn't finished it. He encouraged me, and helped me finish the song. It said to me: I could do this.
MTC: Is there anything you wish you could have changed?
NH: Not really. I wish that Labelle had a chance to develop more as a group. The possibilities were still there. Sometimes fame gets in the way of growth. It happens to every group. I guess - we were together so long - it needed to happen. That's the only thing. I would have liked to have had more time to develop that entity musically.
MTC: The Labelle song LADY MARMALADE exists in the subconscious of America: films, TV commercials, etc. Do you get sick of it?
NH: (laughs) It's actually a great song. I was in a restaurant recently and they were playing one of the Labelle songs that I wrote. I hadn't heard Labelle for a long time. It sounded great.
MTC: Do you keep in touch with the other members of that group?
NH: Yes. We don't see each other very much, though. We all have very different lives.