Suzie Smart

SUZIE SMART is a Birmingham based female singer/songwriter. Growing up in Brum she first got into music hearing her Dad play Bob Dylan songs on his acoustic guitar. When she heard the real deal she was hooked.
"I listened to nothing else for years!! His lyrics amazed me. Every time I heard a Dylan song I'd hear something new or notice a new meaning. He plays with English language and traditional syntax and paints a picture that plays like a video in your mind!"
At the age of 19 Suzie picked up a guitar, learnt three chords and began writing.
"I always tried to play Dylan songs but no-one ever recognised them! So I thought, sod it, I'll write my own songs, then at least they can't be compared! I'd always written poetry so it was quite an easy transition into writing songs and the music seemed to come quite naturally too. At first I wrote very simple songs, just jotting down my feelings and emotions, then I discovered different styles and started writing little ditties and even some punk tunes!!"
After playing acoustic guitar for three years Suzie decided to turn electric!
"This is where it came alive for me! I discovered distortion and that was it! I got into a band, singing and playing my music to people for the first time. Being in front of a crowd who are cheering for you is like nothing I'd ever experienced, I was addicted!"
At 25 Suzie had the urge to move to London to try out the Big Smoke's music scene.
"London was brilliant and I had so much fun there but I also found it quite a hard place to live. I couldn't meet people easily and the music scene is so massive everyone is struggling for the limelight. I felt quite isolated and found solace only in playing my acoustic guitar and writing. In the end I decided I needed to move back to Birmingham and get grounded!"
Here she decided to throw herself into her music, both acoustic and electric.
"To be honest, I really think I've got a split personality! I love playing my acoustic guitar, feeling totally chilled and relaxed, then I'll plug in my electric, wack on some distortion and feel like a total rock chick bitch! I love it!"
"Everything I write about comes from the emotions I am going through at the time. So I can honestly say every word I have ever written is, at one point or another, how I feel. Bearing in mind I'm a fantasist and a total drama queen, I probably do add more meaning to things than the average joe! But I think that's what makes a good writer!! I hope the people who hear my music can relate, whether it be acoustic or electric, I hope each of my songs carry a meaning for somebody".
Suzie Smart also has a myspace dedicated to her power-pop punk band The Benwahs. Click the link to view: THE BENWAHS