On Friday September 29, 2023, Classic Rock 7returns to Herodeon with strong guests ambassadors of the original Rock sound, a strong orchestra and the greatest rock hits.
Among this year's guests is the charismatic Lady MAGGIE REILLY, the lead voice of MIKE OLDFIELD's band, who will performe her all-time famous tracks that made us love her.
Few days before the show, we had the honor to chat with her and speak about her outstanding career as well as her upcoming performance in Athens.
Read below.
TICKETS
RockOverdose: Hello Ms Reilly and welcome to Rock Overdose.
Maggie Reilly: Thanks.
RockOverdose: When did you realize you wanted to get into music and what were your first musical experiences?
Maggie Reilly: Always seemed to be what I'd do from a child. Listening to.my father sing was a first memory. And then singing with him as i got older.
RockOverdose: What are your main influences as a singer?
Maggie Reilly: Not sure really but ive loved the voices of ella fitzgerald.frank sinatra.flora purim. Milton Nacimento amongst many many more.
RockOverdose: First single ‘Imagine me’ and collaborations with Stuart MacKillop and Cado Belle. Can you tell us a little about that period?
Maggie Reilly: First single was a fluke a songwriter friend Johnny Dick asked me to sing a few of the songs he was sending to a publisher. From that i was offered a record contract. The b side was more what i wanted to do . Cado Belle csme put of 2 glasgow bands Joe Cool and Up. I loved and still love that band just as rverything was happening for us Punk took over the british scene and we all decided to do other things some went to Usa to study music some to Ireland and 1 went to work with Abba as they were about to take over the world. It was an amazing time and live music in Britain was really brilliant .
RockOverdose: What about Mike Oldfield’s period? I think this is an important chapter of your career. Do you agree?
Maggie Reilly: Mike came out of Cado Belle in a way Stuart and most of our crew were working with him and a few of my other friends too. His lady Sally Cooper was a Cados fan i went to visit them at a scottish gig she saw me and suggested Mike get me to work with him .he asked me to join him on stage that night we ran through some of his stuff in dressing room and after the show i started the tour.
RockOverdose: How did start your collaboration with Mike Oldfield?
Maggie Reilly: Mike wrote the lyrics to those 2 songs family Man and Foreign affair were co written by mike me and some of the other guys in the band irelands eye was writen by me and Rick Fenn.
RockOverdose: Many beautiful songs those days, songs like Family Man, Moonlight Shadow, To France, Foreign Affair. In at least two songs the stories they tell have an unpleasant ending. I’m talking about ‘Moonlight Shadow’ and ‘To France’. Who had written the lyrics?
Maggie Reilly: Mike wrote the lyrics to those 2 songs. "Family Man" and "Foreign Affair" were co written by Mike me and some of the other guys in the band. "Irelands Eye"was writen by me and Rick Fenn.
Maggie Reilly: Thank you. All sorts of things inspire me. Sometimes the music I'm working with suggests the mood and idea for the lyrics im not really sure.
RockOverdose: Your albums “Echoes” and “Midnight Sun” were big hits. Can you tell us some details from those days?
Maggie Reilly: I was making a charity single in Germany.and was asked to make a solo album i hadnt really thought about a solo career before that i like being in a band . It seemed an interesting idea so i enlisted Stuart and Gavin from Cado Belle to work on some of it with me . We recorded in Munich and Gavin spent lots of time there with me especially in parks working on some lyrics . It was fun and fortunately lots of people liked what we did.
RockOverdose: What are your next plans? Should we also expect a new album soon?
Maggie Reilly: Plans for the future touring my xmas album in Denmark touring Germany.and other european places next year with my band. The musical RAVEN Stuart and I are working on is almost complete I hope to do a standards album and write a.new album oh and I'm hoping to record some Cado Belle songs from some old demos I've found with my new Irish band soon so thats just a fraction of what I have planned for the next while. Ha ha busy busy with lots of touring fitted in too .
RockOverdose: I use to listen to your songs from early 80s. After all these years please explain to me this. First “Caught in the middle of a hundred and five” form ‘Moonlight Shadow’. How can be this? To match the lyrics? Second is it true that this song was written for John Lennon?
Maggie Reilly: That is a flying term I believe to do with wind power. Mike learned to fly a plane. It wasnt written about John Lennon but as we were first working on it in the studio i felt a shiver singing it and said to Mike ooh that really made me think of John Lennon then shortly after we played a Rock Palast gig where everyone was doing Lennon tributes Brian Ferry did Jealous guy there and some people tagged moonlight shadow with the Lennon thing.
RockOverdose: David Evans (founder musician of AC/DC) and Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) will be singing with you that night. Can you tell us a little about this special venue. What can we all have to expect form you?How do you feel to sing in Classic Rock 7 in a historical venue in Athens?
Maggie Reilly: I can only say I'm sure they will be as in awe of performing there as I am. I hope I can live up to the place and give a performance everyone enjoys. I can't wait to sing there what an amazing experience it will be something you could only dream of... and I've been asked to perform there in that ancient place.
RockOverdose: Thank you so much for doing this interview! Before we close I'd like to ask you about your impressions of Greece, also of the concerts you have given in our country and if you'd like to send a message to all Greek fans of yours.
Maggie Reilly: Thank you for asking me. I am really lookimg forward to coming back to Greece I had a great time touring there a few years ago with a Greek band. To play there again in such a brilliant place wow! I hope to see you all there and you have a great night xxx
For RockOverdose,
Pavlos Giannakopoulos
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