Austin to Houston by Marina Rocks
Does size matter? Dynamite comes in small packages and Marina is a sexy blond that weighs in at a mere 100 lb. + tax. The size that matters here is the size of Marina’s heart. It is as big as Texas! And Texas happens to be her born-and-raised-in home state. Her super-sized heartbeats in the chest of a beautiful, young woman possessed! She is on a mission- a mission to open your mind and simultaneously rock your world.
Born in Austin during a summertime heatwave, she arrived in this world smoking and she has never cooled off. Her mom bought Marina her first guitar and she played it till her little-kid fingers bled – and then she played it some more! When Marina turned 12 or 13, her mom bought Marina a Marshall stack instead of a party dress. Marina’s semi-autobiographical composition, “Shero”, reflects her deep feelings of love and gratitude for a parent able to appreciate a daughter’s indefatigable pursuit of the “beat of a different drummer”. A young woman in a man’s world (especially the chauvinistic world of rock & roll), could be forgiven for getting discouraged and giving up. Giving up is not something that someone, as determined as Marina, does very often. It is simply not in her make-up to quit, and her persistence and resilience have paid off in a fiercely loyal regional following.
Band years
In 2005, hard-rocking Marina fronted a high-energy, power trio based in Houston called “The Guppies ” The name may sound “far out”, but be not deceived – this was a band with its feet planted firmly on planet Earth. This band rocked with a passion not often encountered in a cover band and they worked into the setlist several original Marina tunes that became oft-requested crowd favorites. The band was edgy. Fender Strat guitarist and vocalist Marina was a performer that really fed off a good crowd and she was always full of surprises. The Guppies played major venues with the well-known names of rock music royalty, such as Aerosmith, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Deep Purple, Joe Satriani, and America, to name just a few. They continued to conquer new objectives on an almost routine basis. The band broke into the heavy rotation playlist at radio station KFAN in the Texas hill country with the Marina composition “John Wayne” and the song went to # 1 on the Texas Top Forty internet chart. She and the band parted ways in 2016.
Mom
Through all the ups and downs of band life, first and foremost for twenty-something years, Marina was devoted to the care of her mom. Marina lost her mom to breast cancer in 2018. Marina took it very hard. Her mom loved music more than anyone Marina knew then or now. Her mom’s absence left a gigantic hole in Marina’s reason for writing and performing. Then one day, out of the blue, Marina’s artist rep at Godin guitars called. Would she come to LA for the NAMM show and play a set in Godin’s showroom? She agreed, and that was a good thing. She was on her way to finding the inspiration that would restore her faith in music and serve her on the next musical journey. She was able to “get back up there” with a renewed energy and sense of purpose.
The pandemic
2020: the world is gripped by Covid 19. Like many artists, Marina was thrown out of work. Not one to sit on her laurels, with the help of YouTube tutorials, Marina put together a home studio she named ‘Two-Fisted Pixie’ studio.
Austin To Houston
After devouring tutorials for audio and video Marina taught herself to record and edit music videos; this effort would result in the release of her fourth album: Austin to Houston as well as the feel-good music video Joy Ride! The title and many of the songs are informed by and reflect on her journey from her native Austin, Texas to her adopted hometown 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. Bass tracks were cut by fellow Texans Aden Buebeck and Alex Rodriguez. Percussion by Pat Manske who also mixed and mastered Austin To Houston at his Zone studio in Dripping Springs, Texas. Nick Landis did additional mastering in Austin, Texas.
Grammy award-winning and Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee Lloyd Maines plays pedal steel and is featured on track number four entitled ‘Shine’. You may know of Lloyd who produced The Dixie Chicks first Grammy-winning album of the year entitled ‘Home’. Lloyd’s stellar performance on Marina’s Austin To Houston album is Marina’s third album Lloyd has played on.
The new album Austin To Houston result is a spontaneous and challenging body of work that holds up under repeated listening and stands up to critical comparisons with even the great, recognized practitioners of the songwriting craft. The compositions are shining examples of epic story-telling delivered by the writer/performer with unwavering conviction and a fire-in-the-belly ferocity. The up-tempo selections often deal with social issues. The ballads are the real hidden treasures. Even after you hear them several times and familiarity sets in, the hook-laden ballads still have the power and reach and catch you off your emotional guard.
Live
As a soloist Marina has opened for, Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines, Joe Ely, Hayes Carll, Shake Russell, and Jesse Dayton to name a few. Thanks in part to her friend Wrecks Bell original owner of The Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe in Galveston, Texas. Wrecks played bass for Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, and Lightnin Hopkins before opening what would become this historic songwriting venue. Marina met Wrecks at her first Old Quarter open mic. She had signed up late when Wrecks walked up and said “Do I know you? “ Marina replied, “do I owe you money?” Wrecks then replied, “Get up there.” Wrecks and his wife Janet, also a songwriter have become great friends and mentors to Marina. ‘Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Live At The Old Quarter’ is well known.
Marina enjoys the intimacy of performing acoustic solo. She appreciates any venue where the song-writing is the star and she has adapted well to the demands of being the dazzling delivery system for her musical creations. Here, the imbedded message contained in the lyrics never gets drowned out or stepped on by the roar of a high-intensity rock band. Yes, size does matter and sometimes smaller is bigger. Big things are in Marina’s future. Don’t miss the artistry and excitement of Marina Rocks.
Press
Believe In Love (2008)
Houston Music News… “The album ‘Believe in Love’ has more artist integrity than the last five American Idol winners combined”
Comeback Kid (2013)
Bman Blues Report… “The Comeback Kid is slated for a cross-over smash between Blues, Country Blues, Country, or Americana. Whatever you call it I call it good music”
Onward (2017)
No press. The official release was interrupted by a truck that hit Marina while sitting in her van at a parking lot exit.
The Single ‘Joy Ride’ (2021) from Austin To Houston
Lee Zimmerman in The Daily Ripple… “The effusive energy occasionally brings to mind the sunny sounds of Paul Simon’s “Graceland” with hints of Taj Mahal and Keb Mo tossed in for good measure, yet at the same time, there’s no mistaking the confidence and clarity that resonates with every measure.”
“Granted, many people will consider this pure pop and perhaps may be prone to dismiss it as only a momentary pleasure, but there’s an obvious intent here that’s underscored by a pervasive upbeat appeal that’s well worth relishing. If the radio were still the bastion of giddy good-time music that it once was, “Joy Ride” would soar to the top of the charts.”
Songwriting Awards
- 1st Place Winner Eddie’s Attic Songwriting Competition – previously won by John Mayer
- Kerrville New Folk Finalist
- 1st Place Winner B.W.Stevenson Songwriting Competition
- Endorsed by Godin Guitars of Canada
Social Media
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