Your Iconic Image : Living the Rock 'n' Roll Dream

Your Iconic Image

Britt Lightning

Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp

Vixen

Britt Lightning is the Musical Director for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, as well as the lead guitarist for the legendary all-female Platinum selling 80's rock band Vixen.

Britt has played guitar for top 40 artists like Rachel Platten and Jason Derulo, performing live at festivals and on national TV shows such as Good Morning America, the Today Show, Live with Kelly and Michael, VH1, the Teen Choice Awards, Nickelodeon, and performed on the 2016 finale of America's Got Talent, which took place at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. Britt performed for 22-time Grammy Award winning artist Alejandro Sanz in his stadium-level world tour. Britt is featured in Sanz’s "La Musica No Se Toca – En Vivo" CD/DVD. Britt joined Sanz at the 2013 Latin Grammy Awards in Las Vegas performing the single “No Me Compares”, and performed with the band at prestigious festivals, venues and international TV specials.

During COVID Britt hosted and helped produced over 150 online masterclasses for Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp with top rockstars like Roger Daltrey (The Who), Alice Cooper, Joe Elliott (Def Leppard), Robby Krieger (The Doors) and more. Now that live events are back, she is helping to plan the camps as well as working as a counselor and the musical director. This May Britt will be running the first ever Women's Only Rock Camp featuring Melissa Etheridge, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's), Orianthi and more.

Britt has a vast knowledge of the music industry; on the creative side being a professional musician and songwriter, and on the business side, having earned a degree in Music Business from Northeastern University graduating Summa Cum Laude, and continuing her education at Berklee School of Music. In addition to Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp, Britt has worked in the music industry at Live Nation and Universal Music Group. Labeled the “Closer” by Lady Gaga, Britt has followed her dreams by striving to grow and evolve as a musician and person.

brittlightning.com

rockcamp.com

vixenofficial.com

www.marlanasemenza.com

Audio : Ariza Music Productions

Transcription : Vision In Word

Marlana

Britt Lightning is a musical director for rock and roll fantasy camp as well as the lead guitarist for the legendary all female rock band vixen. To say her accomplishments are outstanding would be an understatement. And the list of musicians She's performed with beyond impressive. In addition to playing stadium tours, festivals, and international TV specials, she has also hosted and helped produce over 150 online master classes for rock and roll fantasy camp, as well as planning live camps and working as a counselor and the musical director. Labeled to closer by Lady Gaga, Brett has followed her dreams by striving to grow and evolve as a musician and person. Welcome, Brett. I'm really excited to have you here.

Britt

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Marlana

first of all, I have to ask how why the closer.

Britt

Basically, when I did the audition for Lady Gaga, we got the callback, we auditioned in front of other people, then finally, we auditioned in front of her on this soundstage for a few days, and she didn't really want us to play any of her songs initially, she just said, do something to impress me. So, I just kind of got up there. I shredded and I played behind my head, and I was on the floor, and just, trying to be flashy and doing what I thought at the time might be impressive. And she loved it. And she just said, you're like the the closer when the baseball team needs to close the game, they throw in that one guy and then he'll just close the game up, he'll hit the homerun at the end and just sweep it. So that's what she meant by that. And I was like, Okay, I'll take it. Thank you.

Marlana

Yeah, absolutely. and here you are, you're living the dream of what many people have in your industry, you're making money, making a living and touring as a musician. So, what do you think was instrumental to helping you get to that point? Was there an incident or it was just persistence? Was it a person that you met along the way? Talk to me a little bit about that.

Britt

I think it was mostly finding my own confidence within myself and realizing that you have to get out there. And you may have insecurities. I feel like every artist has insecurities, maybe every person, but especially in the arts, it's personal, you as a photographer, artists are subjective, so people can love you, and people can hate you. And you have to be okay with that and be okay with people that they're going to criticize you for something, people aren't gonna love what you do. But you still have to put yourself out there, you can be the best living room guitar player in the world. But that's not going to really help. you get out there and really make money, although in today's world with YouTube, I mean, maybe you can, but as far as like being a touring musician, and getting out there, that's what I really had to get over, I had a fear of like a stage fright. Basically, when I started to, I was afraid of jamming, with people getting up at a jam and just, I hated improvising and things being unplanned. I'm a little tight bass. So, it was kind of like if I didn't practice something perfectly, I felt completely unprepared and unqualified to try something. But you got to get over that. So, I think that really helped me more than anything. And just also going through the plan B for a little bit, working in an office environment, getting into business. And realizing, oh, I want to kill myself, I'd rather be a poor struggling musician, then, work in the same office every day on the same four walls and feel this boxton routine lifestyle. That just wasn't for me. So also trying something and feeling uncomfortable and knowing what makes you tick really helped?

Marlana

Yeah, and I think like you touched on any type of artists, whether you're a musician or a poet, or a photographer, or a painter, every time that you create something, it's a piece of you. And so, I think it's the criticism, or the expected criticism that kind of tricks us up sometimes. Instead of just putting out what we need to put out.

Britt

Right, exactly. It's just done you because I love the line that you're the best version of you the thing that makes you unique. It's not you can do this play this guitar like that nobody else can or you can sing like this. It's you are you that's your superpower, right? So, we got to stick with it and doesn't matter if it's good, it's bad and you can't compare yourself to others. That is like death, right? Because there's always going to be somebody that you think is better than you. Of course, absolutely. I'm never gonna be Jimi Hendrix. I need to try to be him. I just got to just do what you do.

Marlana

Exactly. So, I'm interested about the stage fright portion of it and what so the very first time that you ever went on stage to play live, what did that feel like?

Britt

I was very, very, very nervous. So, I was very, I don't know, if I moved the entire time. I think it just stood there and stared on my fingers. But it was liberating because I got up and did it. Because the very first time I had the opportunity to get on stage, I felt so sick to my stomach, I ended up not doing it. And that made me feel horrible. And I realized, okay, this is pathetic. I can never do I can ever feel like this. Again, this is like, super low. I hate this. And, actually, so the very first time I did end up getting on stage, it was kind of unplanned, but I was underage. And a worker, a co worker of my, my mom's was playing in a cover band in a bar. And so, I got in underage just to see him, he invited me to come see his guitar playing and stuff. And he pulled me up on stage for a song and I did not want to get up, but he kind of forced me to. And so that was a good icebreaker, especially because it was unplanned. So, it was more like, spontaneous, and I didn't, I couldn't really overthink it.

Marlana

Yeah. So, when you get up there now, what does it feel like?

Britt

Now it feels great. I still get a little nervous. I still get, pre show jitters. But I know how to get in the right mindset. Also, meditation helped me out a lot. When I did like my first stadium show, I was freaking out. It was a first show with a new artist. I was playing for Ella 100 Signs. And it was our first gig. And it was a stadium and Mexico City. And it was live streaming on Univision. And so that's a lot of people, especially when it's streaming live. And I just remember the music director had these. We had any airs, and the curtain was up and right before right, as the counteroffer was going before the curtain came down, he said, “Well, just don't fuck up”. And then the curtain went down. And it was like, Okay, we're in this. There's no turning back now. But breathing and meditation and getting in the right mindset helps a lot, just getting focused and taking that quiet time before you step out on stage. And just kind of manifesting the way you want the gig to go. Because there's so much to do with mindset.

Marlana

Yeah. So how did you end up with fixing?

Britt

I wound up with vixen because why I moved to LA. And yeah, I was I grew up in Boston, I got sick of the cold, I ended a tour, and I was like, it's time to go there. It was always on my bucket list to say I lived in Los Angeles. And I just started getting involved with the jam scene here, which is just so cool. Because we didn't have that in Boston, any night of the week, you can go out in LA and jam and see musicians and maybe get on stage and meet people in network. So, I started doing that. And I started playing in a all-female Guns and Roses tribute band, and I was doing a show. I think it was either a show with the tribute band, and one of the jam nights kinds of both. And one night and vixens manager was there. And it wasn't really public knowledge at the time, that vixen was looking for a new guitar player, but he saw me and told the other women in the band about me. And then I was invited to audition a few weeks later. And the rest is history.

Marlana

love it. So, what are some of the things that go on behind the scenes in the music business that people don't know that maybe somebody who wants to be involved in music should Know?

Britt

Oh, there's probably a lot. Let's see, and what aspect? Are you referring to anything in particular?

Marlana

No just anything that jumps out at you because not being in the music business? I would have no idea what to ask you about it.

Britt

Yeah, I think networking is huge. And almost equally as important as your ability to play if we're talking about players in the business is your personality because you want to get you want to like your band. And if you're gonna live together on a bus or tour together for months at a time you want to get along and the more, I've been in it, the more I've turned down gigs because I don't think I'm going to, I don't love the people involved or something like life is too short. You want to enjoy yourself. So, at this point, it's kind of like yeah, You gotta love who you work with. Because you want to enjoy yourself and make it fun. And one thing I know is every time I see photos from Ibbetson show, we're always laughing, and I never remember what we're laughing at. But some pictures it looks like I'm just completely cracking up and it's like, nothing is that funny, but I was having a really good time and that's genuine and I think translates to the audience do and they can tell and people, people have a good time. If they're seeing somebody having a good time, if somebody looks serious and nervous, they're gonna, if you're watching them, you're gonna kind of feel like, ooh, yikes, I hope they're okay. Or just, that enjoy it as much. So that's a big thing. Let's see something else. I think just networking. Yeah, being a good person. Because word of mouth is the main reason that I've gotten most of my gigs.

Marlana

I think people underestimate networking in a multitude of industries.

Brittt

Yeah. And it's so important.

Marlana

It is really. What about the music business? In general, anything that surprised you about it?

Britt

I mean, I think this might be common knowledge, but you have to have a thick skin. I mean, you have to meet a lot of opposition, you have to audition and get turned down. You have to, just keep pounding the pavement, you have to, people say take every opportunity. And that's true, like, for the most part, if you're trying to break in and take every opportunity, even if it's not the right amount of money, or even if it's not the kind of music you'd like, but you meet people, you expand that that circle that you have, and word gets out. So, I think that's important.

Marlana

Yeah. What has been one of your best memories so far?

Britt

Oh, I'm lucky I have a lot of great memories. Definitely, with Vixen, playing overseas playing this big rock festivals like Sweden, rock and Graspop. Definitely, with Alejandro playing those big stadiums, I think one of my best memories is actually playing Costa Rica without 100 signs. My parents had never been to Costa Rica. So, they were like, We're gonna come out and see you in Costa Rica. And they've always been very supportive of my musical career. But not always got knit or like the music, rock stuff, I don't know, supportive, but kind of like, When is she gonna grow out of this phase, I think. And then I remember getting off stage and meeting my parents backstage, after the Costa Rica show, and my dad just had tears in his eyes. And he said, even though, this was in Spanish, and I didn't even understand the lyrics. Like, that was so beautiful. And just the energy here and all the people in the vibe. He's like, You really did it. I did this. I said, I had chills the whole concert like this is you really did it. So that made me feel good. So, I'll always remember that moment as like, oh, they finally recognize that, like I can make a living doing this, or this can be a real thing. It's not just a phase.

Marlana

Out of all the people that you've worked with, have you ever been starstruck? With any of them?

Britt

Yes! I mean, definitely, I think I'm always a little star struck in a way that like, I'm just like, Is this real life? Like, am I really, growing up having posters of you on my walls or something like that. But now, I'm playing a gig with you. And we're having coffee backstage like this is? Yeah. So, I think in that sense, I always, like, feel that I have to pinch myself moments, a little less than starstruck. I think I just tried to remember that everybody's a regular person. I mean, so I keep that in mind. And that helps. But we just did a rock camp down in Florida with Joe Perry. That was pretty awesome. I mean, when you see somebody so iconic like that, I mean, that makes you go like, wow. so yeah, that was a moment.

Marlana

And, here's the interesting thing about that, to me, is that, you get to feel that in all of the things that you've described up to now about going on stage for the first time or whatnot, you get to relive through other people to every single camp, because they get it. Tell everybody a little bit about what rock and roll fantasy camp is for the people that don't know.

Britt

Yeah, so it's basically a four-day experience. People from all over the world get together. We had somebody from Finland, somebody from Australia at the last camp. People come from all over all different ages, men and women, all different skill levels. Some people have been in bands before some people have never played outside of their bedrooms. And they get together they join a band of people they've never met with and in these four days, they're mentored by a rockstar counselor like me, and we help them be in a band and grow and play live shows they do to live performances at public venues where they can invite their friends and family to come and when we do the camps in LA the final performances at the Whisky a Go legendary venue and then they get to jam with their musical heroes and their theme. So, this upcoming camp that we have, for example is a women's camp we have Melissa Etheridge, we have Nancy Wilson apart Kathy Valentine of the Coco's Oriente. So those headline artists, they get to jam with them I'm, in addition to playing the to live shows. And so, if you see a tremendous amount of growth and appreciation, and people just really passionate and invigorated to play music, because most of these people aren't musicians, for their job, they don't get to do it professionally. And that's something that I don't think I take for granted, but you can. And so, it's always like a great reminder to see somebody just so excited to just jam and to just rock out. And it's like, oh, yeah, that reminds me of when I kind of first started and that enthusiasm, and it's always uplifting, and just the transformation that some people go through. I remember I went to these last camps, there was a guy who was a little shy, then I see him on stage, he has a cape on, he's got all dressed up, and he's just giving it his all-stage moves. And it was awesome to see.

Marlana

So, tell me more about stuff like that would have been some of your favorite experiences at camp with either the campers or the other musicians.

Britt

one of my favorite experiences was, I did a camp, and my band was a little bit more of a beginner band that I took on....