“Metal Queen” Lee Aaron is back with a new CD of blues tinged hard rock album “Diamond Baby,” which she is excited to introduce to fans at Whoop Up Days, Saturday, Aug. 25.
“I’ve never been to Whoop up Days, but it sounds like a lot of fun,” said Aaron who last played Lethbridge in 2015 at Average Joes,” she said, adding she is playing a few bigger fairs this year including several around her home of Vancouver.
“They‘re just so cool. It’s like you’re playing for your friends, she said.
She is touring in support of her new CD “Diamond Baby,” which takes her back to her blues roots but also is a nod to her metal side.
“It is important to record new music and the fans enjoy it,” she said.
She is best known for a couple early ’80s hits like “Metal Queen” and “What Cha Do With My body,” but embarked on a successful blues and jazz careers in the ’90s before returning to her rock and roll roots in the early 2000s.
“And I enjoy it. Fans seem to like the new record and the critics are enjoying it,” she continued, adding it is a nice mix of original music and her own take on an assortment of covers.
“‘I’m a Woman’ is a Koko Taylor song,” she said adding she admires Koko Taylor for being a strong woman.
Aaron considers her self to be similar, in that she was marketed as a sex symbol and fought against it when she released her big hit “Metal Queen” in 1984.
So she was drawn to songs with a female empowerment theme
She has always like the classics “ Mistreated ” and “You’re No Good.”
“ I was playing them before I recorded them and they went over well,” she said.
“ I wrote Hard Road” on spring break in 2017,” she sad, adding she was looking back on her career.
“ In The Bedroom ” is a sexy song and empowering song about married life.
She is enjoying the tour schedule this year, which takes her to Belgium in the new year, but also enjoys being home. raising her children, aged 12 and 13.
“I like being home for them,” she said, adding she still enjoys touring.
“ I got to play the Wacken metal festival last year for 100,000 people and that was amazing,” she said.
She will be all over Canada this summer, playing Kitchener’s blues festival on Aug. 11, Rock Ambleside park in West Vancouver on Aug. 17 and then flying to Saskatoon for the Rock The river festival on Aug. 18 before coming to Lethbridge with Helix, Aug. 25.
In Lethbrdge she will be joined by her husband John Cody on drums, bassist Dave Reimer and lead guitarist Sean Kelly.
“We‘ll be playing the classics and fan favourites everyone wants to see and some new songs,” she said adding she has been playing with this band for many years.
“I’ve been playing with Dave for 15 years Sean for four and a half And John for at least 17,” she said.
“ I met Sean four-and-a-half years ago when he was writing his book ‘Metal on Ice.’ He’s been wonderful,” she said.
“We love Alberta. We’ve been playing there a lot this year, mostly in Calgary and Edmonton. So I’m looking forward to coming back. the people there are generally really cool,” she continued.
Lee Aaron and Helix play Whoop Up Days on Saturday, Aug. 25. the concert is included in gate admission.
