Jamie Nova is the singer for both Hells Belles and Witchburn. Based in Seattle both bands tour extensively. Witchburn will be opening for Jackyl Aug 6th at the Grizzly Rose here in Denver. Since I have seen Jamie with Hells Belles a few times and always admired her stage presence so when she agreed to take the time to talk to me I was stoked.

When you tour do you get out and sight see much or do you fly in and fly out?

Well, it really is very situational. There can be long stints of time where all I see is airports, venues and hotels, which is usually what it is like. Between the shows and travel you get exhausted and sometimes just being at home is what one craves most. There are the times, however, where I do got to extend my visits and enjoy some pretty amazing places. I feel very blessed to have been able to travel with the Belles and see parts of the world I had never imagined I would see.

What do you do for fun, or at least when you have the time?

I love watching movies, reading a good book, snowboarding, playing video games, enjoying good food and wine, good company. Taking my dog on long walks. Camping, floating the river with my Witchburn family....

If I were to hit Sea-Tac where is the best place to listen to live music?

There are so many places, I guess it would depend on what kind of music you wanted to listen to... some of my favorite places are The Showbox Market, Tony V's Garage, Hell's Kitchen, The Comet Tavern, The Tiger Lounge, Highway 99 Blues Club...

How did you hook up with Hell's Belles?

Well when I lived in Colorado I was in an original band that had won a local battle of the bands contest. We were asked to open for the Belles when they came to play Cervante's back in 2003 I think... around then anyway.. I kept in contact with Adrian Connor (Angus Young) after that. She was bringing her original band, Adrian and the Sickness, through Colorado so we helped book a couple shows and played with them when they came through. When Om Johari decided to retire, the Belles began looking for a replacement. Adrian put my name out there and so one day Mandy Reed (Cliff Williams) called me and asked if I wanted to audition. I was so excited I nearly dropped the phone! She sent me a list of all of the songs that I was to audition with and I began studying day and night. I don't remember how much time passed but the next time that Adrian and the Sickness came through Denver I went with them selling merchandise and studying for the audition. The audition was held in Washington. About a month later Mandy called up and said that they wanted to do a performance audition with me and were going to fly me out. I was so nervous.. I think I swore more in that hour set then I have in my life... well, maybe not ;) I was totally new to the industry and had A LOT to learn. Thankfully they saw something in me and decided to give me a chance. Through a lot of hard work and even more tough love I have learned everything that I know about the business and performing from the Belles and I will always be eternally grateful to them.

You seem to have a lot going on musically right now; Hells Belles, Witchburn, and I saw that you were doing an acoustic show of original material. Do you have any time to write?

I am always writing, in my head, at home during the day. It is a way for me to express all the different sides of myself, to quiet my inner demons and just create.

Traditionally the PNW area (Seattle-Portland) has had a pretty diverse musical culture. Does it help, when you do get to write, to have so many different influences around?

Absolutely. The more different styles of music you listen to the more you open yourself up. My musical style of writing is always growing, changing, evolving. There is always something new, something more to learn and to appreciate.

This is going to be our first taste of Witchburn, What can we expect?

Witchburn is a passionate, heavy, southern fried, drop tuned, soulful style of music. I get to actually sing with my voice. Not playing a character, or 2, like I do with the Belles. In Witchburn I am allowed to fully be myself, no one else. The lyrics have a very deep meaning to everyone in the band and express who we are and how we have become so, what we believe in, and stand for. The premiere full length album, This is How We Slay Our Demons is an epic journey throughout all of those things. 13 songs, 73 mn long... some serious business. IT MUST BE PLAYED LOUD!

How did you get into music?

Music has always been a part of my life. I was raised in the church, both of my parents sang. I believe I had my first solo when I was 2. My mother played the piano and my dad played the guitar a little bit. But yes, I have been singing ever since I can remember.

Who are your influences, you have a great voice do you try to style it after anyone in particular? I hear a little bit of Geddy Lee in there.

My influences; Ann Wilson, Bon Scott, Janis Joplin, Patsy Cline, Robert Plant, DIO, Tom Petty, Etta James, Black Sabbath, I do love some of Rush's older stuff, Red Sector A is probably one of my favorites.

Your lucky you don’t seem to have problems with the altitude here in Denver (or it doesn’t sound like it anyway). Do you do anything special to acclimate or is it because you lived here?

Oh it affects me, I just have a very strict routine of warming up... the altitude does make it hard but the dry air is what does the most damage to my vocal chords. I am pretty sure that any acclimation I had living there wore off a while ago... it has been 5 yrs now

I’m seeing a few more bands coming out of the Portland area, Floater, Austin Lucas, and The Slants are all kick ass. Is there a rivalry between the Seattle area and Portland, or is it one big dysfunctional family?

No rivalry. It is all about finding other great bands to play with and network with. Creating a big support group and making a killer rock and roll show.. it isn't about competing, it is about creating great music.

One of the things I try to always ask when I do these interviews is ask about who else we should be listening to, what other unsigned acts are out there that stick out as better than the rest?

Antique Scream for sure, they just moved to Seattle from Arizona. Stone Axe (WA), Bottoms Up Blues Gang out of St. Louis, James Hunnicutt, Adrian and the Sickness (TX) The Spittin' Cobras (WA) ... that should be a good start.

It may be cliché but what’s on your IPOD is there anything that might surprise us?

Lots of classical music. Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Tchaikovsky.... a band called Nickel Creek, kind of blue grassy type stuff...

-- Dennis (Mike) Martin II Interstatelive.com -- s