Marina Rocks

Marina Rocks is a native Austinite who never had any doubt that music would be her life. Her mom understood. “First she bought me a guitar that was too big for me,” Marina recalls, “and took me to a guitar teacher…he made a suggestion and she got me a 3/4-size…and away we went.” About her mother Marina adds, “…I have to credit my mom; she loved music more than anyone I’ve ever known, then or now. Such and incredible ear that she had.” Some of the music Marina heard growing up included Mother Maybelle Carter, Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. So it’s really not so surprising to learn that instead of a party dress, around Marina’s 12th birthday, her mom got her a Marshall stack.

As she entered her teens, she played at a talent show and caught the attention of junior a high choir director. “[he]…saw me play, and he would have me accompany his choir,” remembers Marina. “Whether it was school functions or maybe traveling occasionally on the school bus…it was really neat. Some of the material was harder for me, which was a good challenge and it kind of forced me to read music some…”

Marina’s latest album, her fourth, is Austin to Houston. The title and many of the songs are informed by and reflect on her journey from her native Austin, Texas to her adopted home town of Houston. In addition to engineering the recording, Marina sang all the parts and played almost all the instruments. She did enlist the help of some trusted friends on percussion, bass guitar and pedal steel guitar.

Her latest release, as well as previous solo albums grew from an archive of songs Marina has been building since her years in bands. “I’d been writing songs along the way, and they didn’t always fit with the rock band…”

To find out more, visit www.marinarocks.com. Here full interview here.