On September 28, 2004, I caught up with April Lee Roberts of Aprillee on AOL Instant Messenger. April is a new face to the world of rock n' roll. She is a female hottie following in the tradition of Sandi Saraya (Saraya) and Darby Mills (Headpins). It was the first live conversation in which we turned into an interview. It was a great experience, talking to her about her experience so far in the rock n' roll business, working with Dee Dinco, who has also worked with Dokken. She also had some great stories to tell, about opening for Dokken, finding out her lifelong dream at an early age, her future plans to continue recording and working with Dee Dinco, and her new 3-Song EP, the inspiration behind the songs, and much, much more.

Rock-n-Radio: Well, first i must say it's a real pleasure to have you for Rock-n-Radio!

April Lee Roberts: thanks

RNR: So your EP's out now, it's an awesome example of hard rock, how long were you working on this thing?

ALR: A couple months

RNR: You told me before you were working on some more tunes, will that eventually turn into another demo or album or whatever?

ALR: The intent, of course is to release an album, but (Dee) my producer and I feel it is best to showcase three or four of the songs at a time as to not saturate my presentation. We wanted to see what would happen with The Bitterhole Release

RNR: That's a good way to go about it, build up anticipation and excitement for the fans...

ALR: Yes, that is one intent, and from what I understand, labels prefer not to hear forty of your songs in one sitting, ha ha.

RNR: I've never heard of an album of forty songs so...

ALR: ha ha

RNR: Unless of course it's a boxed set or something.

ALR: You said box... ha ha, I did not want to send full length Cd's out there right away. I did that before with lesser produced material and for the effort, seems fruitless

RNR: Yeah, a lot of bands do that and it seems rushed, very little, if any at all, thought put into it...

ALR: You are correct, and Dee steered me away from that thinking as did Don Dokken

RNR: Very smart, so as I’m doing this, I'm listening to your EP, was there any significant inspiration behind any of the songs?

ALR: Oh boy now I am in trouble ha ha. Yes, when I began working with Dee, I was in a bad relationship. I was originally working on other songs than these...and the man I was with basically told me that Dee and I were nuts, that I had to choose my relationship or my career, and he said Dee and I were stupid. He called us Dumb Lang and Shania Stupid HA HA HA HAHA HA. So then talking to Dee about this fool, we were inspired to take things in a different direction Who Am I? is about this character. Bitterhole and LA, cell phone bill, rent, 40 briefcase, suit job, ramen noodle juice coming out my veins, stupid people...band members pissin down my back, ha ha gave me inspiration to put that energy to good use have a positive attitude and go against the tides... Oh yes lots of inspiration

RNR: Sounds like it was awful. Sometimes the worst experiences can spawn inspiration for a killer song.

ALR: Ahh not awful, challenging, and thus inspiring, but that guy was a turd, LOL

RNR: Sounds like he was one. so how long have you been working with Dee?

ALR: ha ha Dee since last year, and I plan on continuing as long as possible.

RNR: how exactly did you come to be working with Dee anyway?

ALR: In late 1999 my old girl band, Typhoid Mary opened up for Dokken in Cleveland, Oh. Dee was working for Dokken. (John Norum) very very funny story how that happened, I met Dee, first I was standing with my band in front of Dokken's bus taking photos in front of the tour bus trying to look cool, as we were told Dokken was still at the hotel. Some dummy threw an M-80 in the parking lot and scared the hell out of everyone. Two heads poked out of the bus, one was Chris; Jeff Pilson's bass tech, and Dee...they saw us and invited us to come in and chat, asked us if wee were the chick band on the bill, Dee and I have been friends since that day on, the two of them pushed me through the dressing room doors onto Jeff Pilson literally, that is how I met him LOL Came crashing through his newspaper

RNR: You weren't kidding, you really do have awesome stories...

ALR: oh yes, that night was a trip....all of Dokken and their crew watched our show, and Don encouraged me to move forward. Great night, changed my life!

RNR: Must have been incredible

ALR: Yes

RNR: So how many other bands have you been involved in besides Aprillee?

ALR: A few, Q, Typhoid Mary, some in Cleveland, Virginia Beach, Atlanta, and LA. Lots, just needed the missing link, and that was Dee, he taught me that having great songs comes first, and then the rest follows. I have some possibilities for line-up when I take this back on the stage. Right now, writing

RNR: having great songs does come first; a lot of people go into the business not knowing that

ALR: There is no getting in the business without it... (had to change fonts was going cross-eyed). I was told for years I had a great voice, and when I was a teenager could not understand why A&R reps were not running me over, ha ha!

RNR: you have to be in the right place at the right time...

ALR: Most definitely...my right place the first time was standing out side the bus with my band and my crew... the second, was after my set I went out and sat between two dumpsters to have a cigarette, I like quiet time for a minute after I finish playing. And Don crept around the dumpsters to introduce himself and tell me I needed to get acquainted with people that could guide me a little better. The man squatted down next to me between two dumpsters ha ha, it was funny, you heard Don's quiet kind of higher pitched voice, "Hello April, I am Don Dokken" LOL still cracks me up as of course I knew who he was.

RNR: It sounds funny.

ALR: Yes, but it was a very cool experience back then. Thanks to those I met through Dokken. Got some wonderful brainpower towards my goals

RNR: I'll bet you did, so how do you feel about today's music scene, not just the popular music, but the music by your favorites as well

ALR: The industry is evolving greatly, and there are some fabulous new bands, Darkness, Maroon 5, I do some heavier louder, stronger vocals outside of the pop world, which tells me rock is on a back swing. I do think that eventually the market out there that is feeling as if there is no music out there for them is going to see their demand answered. Don't get me wrong, I love pop, dance, hip hop R&B, Metal... I think that the classic bands are going to see more attention headed their way, soon. They need to realize to try and not be modern and be who they are while still exhibiting how they have grown over the years. Since I went to LA, since 1999 I have seen profound morphs happening. I think it is a perfect time for me to show my face.

RNR: I think so too.

ALR: Yes.. what else do you want to know?

RNR: What made you decide to do the cover of Zebra's "Tell Me What You Want?"

ALR: While recording, Dee would often have me listen to another artist's recordings to get a different perception on what I was creating. One night he had me listen to Zebra, TMWYW. Brought back memories of hearing the song as a little kid. I went home that night, late, and the tune kept going over and over in my head. I got home at 3 am and called Dee. I said, hey, remember how you wanted to choose a tune to remake, that no one else would try... I want that Zebra tune. Dee said he was cool with it but I had to contact Randy Jackson from Zebra to see if they would endorse our doing that. I tracked Randy down at a club he was playing, and he called me back. Said he loved the idea of a chick redoing the song. Then this past May, I got to perform it with them on stage. Very tight band, very professional gentlemen...I will say that vocally, TMWYW was a hell of a vocal exercise.

RNR: I'll bet.

ALR: Yes.

RNR: You told me you worked with a few other bands just a few minutes ago, what was your experience with those previous bands?

ALR: Most, good. Seriously. I had some great times getting into trouble and cutting baby teeth with Typhoid Mary. For a band of little girls we were pretty strong putting up with the crap. But for the most part, in LA, my members were cool, great players, but it was hard meeting in the middle with people when ideals, and focus...so many great musicians in LA, but many are all running in circles trying to do the same thing over and over. Trying to beat the club scene, when I found the secret to be a great person to interface with. Funny so many people say people in LA are jerks, that is not true. Most I know are great people and great artists. Fighting the club scene is wasted energy.

RNR: Maybe someone met a jerk and it gave him or her a bad impression of LA, and L.A. got its bad rap from there.

ALR: No... I am talking collectively. When I got there, everyone sat me down to tell me... Oh this place is rough... people are in it for themselves, lots of flakes... well. In a big city that is always true, but I watched what was not working for other people, and avoided it, entirely. It took awhile for me to realize it was very simple what I needed to do then, when I did, I went to Dee's house. ha ha The bands in LA work harder than many other cities I have lived, however, many of them try to break the club scene, and that is only one tiny part of the puzzle. People get jaded there... they biggest challenge I found was the cost of living.. LOL!

RNR: That is where all the stars live...

ALR: It was a bitch trying to survive... and yes the attraction of LA star strikes everyone.... By the time I moved there I had done shows with many nationals, and had an idea that the grass was not greener... I wanted to go and try to meet people that could contribute to my cause... ha ha, learn from people that have been through it.

RNR: That is interesting to know about L.A., I've never been there before so

ALR: Definitely a place you need to see, I am headed there in a couple weeks to record.

RNR: Awesome, well good luck. I'm about ready to wrap this up, is there anything else that you'd like to add?

ALR: There will be a new website coming shortly... www.bitterhole.com in the construction process gonna show off some great new streaming music technology from www.thetrunk.com. I enjoyed talking to you, and maybe you can give me a call while I am in the studio in LA. Thanks!!

RNR: Anytime, and thank you too. It was great talking to you and I wish you the best of luck!

ALR: Thanks.

RNR: Thanks for taking the time to make this happen, April!

ALR: Thank you Rock-N-Radio! (we sound like dorks... LOL seriously great interview). XO!!!

Thanks goes out to April Lee Roberts for taking his time to talk to us.