One determined Chick

Suzanne Lynch

When Suzanne Lynch woke up in intensive care last year one of the first things she thought about was recording a new album.

The singer, who first came to prominence in sister duo the Chicks during the 60s and is now the vocal coach on NZ Idol, ended up in hospital after an allergic reaction to something she ate.

She also reacted to the medical treatment and her heart stopped for three minutes.

"It took them two paddle shots to bring me back," she says. "After that I thought, 'Oh well, I'd better get out there and make every day count'. That's why I called the album Colour of Summer because I do feel like I'm in the summer of my life and I'm going to jolly well enjoy it," she hoots.

She also says she has entered a new phase of her life after splitting up with musician husband Bruce. ("We're still good friends, Bruce and I," she says.)

"So I felt like I had to do something for myself. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis," she smiles.

Lynch smiles a lot. She always has, it seems, if photos of her and her sister Judy in the Chicks are anything to go by.

The Chicks were "discovered" by Ron Dalton, the manager of singer Dinah Lee and guitarist Peter Posa.

"What happened was Peter Posa was playing on our neighbours' deck and we went to ask him for his autograph. He said, 'Not unless you sing a song'. Unbeknown to him we used to sing at home all the time in two-part harmonies so we sang Tobacco Road.

"Basically, Ron signed us up and we were discovered. Before I knew it I was standing there with skinny legs in suits, and sweaters and stuff."

Lynch was in her mid-teens and her school work suffered. "My report used to read, 'Suzanne is a great pupil when she's awake in class'. I had to leave [school] early because I just couldn't get there."

She went on to tour the world with acts like Cat Stevens, Neil Sedaka, Lulu and Olivia Newton-John. In the 70s she signed a record deal with Ringo Records in Britain and admits she had a few shots at the big time.

"But I found being a soloist quite a lonely life, really. I prefer to be part of a team. I was in a three-girl vocal group in England and I saw the pressures the big artists were under and basically, I didn't want to be them.

"I wanted to be the one on the side of the stage who had fun, got to sing, and tour the world, which I managed to do. And, of course, I wanted to have a family."

The song Colour of Summer was written by her son Andy - she still calls him Andrew - formerly of pop-rock band, Zed.

"He was brave enough to hand it over. Obviously, I'm his mum and not of his era. But he offered it because I'd been wanting to record a song of his.

"I guess it probably means more to Andrew than me. But I think everybody's had that feeling when you've just had a summer love with somebody, they've flown away to another country and you're left standing on the beach and the colour of summer has gone.

"While that's what the song is about, for me, as a title of the album, it made me feel it was positive, bright and happy.

"Plus, I just wanted to honour Andrew," she says.

Colour of Summer features two Neil Finn songs (one of them, Ray Of Hope, was previously un-released), a Tim Finn song (Love Is the Roughest Toughest Game), and three songs written by Lynch, marking her first foray into songwriting.

It was recorded with Lynch's close friends Eddie Rayner (Split Enz) and Adrian Stuckey, with whom she works on NZ Idol.

"It's had a life, this album, and grown over time, whereas before I got all the songs given to me and recorded them. They [Rayner and Stuckey] let me be me for the first time in my whole career. It was pretty scary actually," she cackles, "because I had to find out who I was."

Also included on the album is a remake of the song Sunshine Through A Prism which she first recorded in 1970.

"The reason I did that song was because there's a few Suzannes out there. People come up to me and say, 'Ah, you're Suzanne Prentice aren't you?' So I wanted to re-do something just to remind them which Suzanne I am."

It's not all cheery summer listening, either. On Love Is the Roughest Toughest Game some riffs verge on heavy metal.

"We decided we had to have the argument in the middle. But you know, when I sing I like to sing rock songs and I get on stage with the Ladykillers and I'm ploughing out Sweet Child O' Mine. It's deafening."

That ability to let rip is something Lynch passes on to her Idol proteges.

"I try and tell the kids that you sing with your whole being and your whole body. We are a wind instrument.

"They're blessed with a good natural sound, but we have to add some solid technique and then let's start making the body do the talking."

She admires the contestants because unlike the music shows of her era, where they used to mime songs, now they have to sing, dance and perform with a live band.

"Then they get judged by not only three rather critical judges but by the public as well. It really changes their lives for the better. I know people say how can they stand the public scrutiny? But you know what? It makes them really strong."

And don't bother asking her about the mud-slinging surrounding this series of Idol. There's no dirt to be dug here. She says she's oblivious to it and you kind of believe her.

Performance

Who: Singer, Suzanne Lynch

Live: Special guest with Tim Beveridge in Fly To The Moon, Auckland Town Hall, Wednesday, October 11; and the Lady-killers (her group with Jackie Clarke, Tina Cross, and Taisha) on Saturday, October 14, at the St James.

New album: Colour of Summer, out now.