What has Chloe Marks and The Mayhem been up to lately? OR A song that costs less then a therapist !!
November 25, 2025 • 20 mins
Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians
A drum kit at five, a guitar at eight, and a lifetime of rhythm later—Chloe Marks found her voice where blues grit meets country storytelling. We sit down with Chloe to chart the road from Innisfail to full-time musician, tracing the early marching-band chops and jazz rehearsals that quietly shaped her modern, Americana-leaning sound. Along the way, she breaks down how a university blues-rock project flipped into a professional career, then pivoted into country after a transformative run through Tamworth’s stages and community.
What stands out is the discipline behind the art. Chloe writes three to four songs a week and has stacked more than 400 originals, a practice-first approach that sharpened her instincts and unlocked songs that waited years to find the right moment. We talk through the unexpected arc of her recent releases—from Carolina’s broader canvas to the raw honesty of Skip September—where she keeps the details intact and trusts listeners to meet her in the truth. That courage culminates in Cheaper Than Therapy, a confessional, late-night groove that feels like a happy ending because it embraces the mess and keeps going.
The Mayhem’s chemistry powers the lift: Ellen Hartwig on bass, Matthew Beagley on guitar, Madison Rossetto on keys and vocals, and JP on drums—bandmates with a decade of shared history who know when to push and when to leave space.
Offstage, Chloe’s world moves fast too, from years in action sports to a home buzzing with kids discovering their own instruments. We also map out show dates across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Tamworth, and the plan to take the music wider across Australia next year. If you love country that values craft, vulnerability, and big hooks, this one’s for you.
Listen now, share it with a friend who needs a song that tells the truth, and subscribe for more artist stories that cut through. Got a favorite line from Cheaper Than Therapy? Leave a review and tell us why it hit you.
What has Chloe Marks been up to lately? Let's find out!
Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!
Visit: ThatRadioChick.com.au
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Cheryl lee here.
Welcome to the Still RockingIt podcast where we'll have
music, interviews, andinterviews with some of our
favorite favorite musicians andartists.
Today we are speaking in theZoom room with Chloe Marks from
Chloe Marks & The Mayhem as theyclose out the year with the
(00:24):
new single Therapy.
And with a new level ofconfidence and creativity,
calling out on the mind.
With the signature blend ofauthenticity and modern edge, uh
continued stars on the Tocatch up on podcast and other
(00:47):
favourite artists, simply go tothat radiochick.com.au.
You're with Cheryl Lee, thatradio chick, and I'd like to
welcome into the Zoom roomtoday, Chloe Marks.
Hi Chloe, thanks for coming in.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
So we've got a brand new singleto talk about, but I was
wondering if we could perhaps goback a little bit before we go
(01:10):
forward.
Yeah, yeah, sounds good.
Born and raised in a littletown called Innesvail in far
north Queensland, involved inmusic from a very young age.
So picking up the drums at agefive.
What on earth made you pick upthe drums at such a young age?
Chloe Marks (01:26):
My parents are both musicians and they were doing
it a lot at the time.
And my dad was actually a soundtech, and he just happened to
be setting up a stage, and hejust needed me to make a bit of
noise.
He needed to set some levelsand said, you know, go and go
and hit the drums.
And I remember just falling inlove with it instantly.
(01:47):
And after that, they couldn'tget me off the drums.
And yeah, that that just kindof kicked everything off for me.
Cheryl Lee (01:53):
I was going to ask you, is music in your DNA, are
your family musical?
Clearly they are.
Are they still involved in themusic industry?
Chloe Marks (02:03):
Not so much anymore, but they definitely the
the love for it is still there.
And ever every time I'm around,my my parents, my dad will pick
up a guitar or you know,something similar.
So it's still definitelyaround.
But yeah, I ran with it a lotharder than they did.
Cheryl Lee (02:17):
Have you got any siblings, Chloe?
And if and if so, are theymusical as well?
I do.
Chloe Marks (02:22):
I have a few siblings.
They're all actually naturallyreally good singers.
But yeah, my my brother isquite good.
He's one of those people thatjust picks up instruments and
he's he's instantly good at it.
But again, it's always beensort of more of something
they've done on the side.
I I've really only been theonly one that's just yeah, ran
with it and made a career out ofit.
Cheryl Lee (02:42):
Then again, at a very early age, you started
learning the guitar, aged eight.
Chloe Marks (02:47):
Yeah, I have always wanted to play guitar, and I
actually got my my uncle andauntie gave me a guitar, just a
starter one.
Yeah, again, I just fell inlove with it and couldn't put it
down.
I just wanted to get better andbetter, and and all of a sudden
I had about 12 or 13 guitarsand different ones now.
I've got some weird andwonderful collection guitars,
(03:09):
and yeah, it's I love it.
How about your very first band?
How did that all come about?
My first band was a blues rockband called Scotch & Cider.
Basically, at the time I wasstudying music at QUT.
I was doing my Bachelor ofMusic, and I was just lucky
enough to meet, you know, otherincredible musicians and and
some really awesome people.
(03:30):
And I started a band with themand you know, my my five best
friends at the time.
And yeah, we were just off andrunning.
We recorded our first EP.
We did lots.
But yeah, after about twoyears, I decided to just go and
do my own thing and starteddoing solo shows.
Cheryl Lee (03:45):
Would you say you were a uni band?
Chloe Marks (03:47):
Yeah, I we definitely started off that way,
but we very quickly moved intothe professional world quite
quickly and easily, which was, Imean, it was a lot of hard
work, but they're all sotalented and very professional
people.
Cheryl Lee (04:00):
Well, you clearly have loved music all your life,
because not only were youpicking up instruments and
forming bands, but you've done alot of things like even in
marching bands, jazz bands,concert bands, and orchestra for
a while.
Clearly, music is such apassion for you.
Chloe Marks (04:19):
Yeah, definitely.
I did.
I started out, like I said,whatever I could get my hands
on, that was was just what I wasdoing.
I did start out in jazz bands,and that's honestly how I kind
of moved into blues.
Yeah, I was lucky enough.
I learned percussion and Ilearned orchestral music.
I actually uh studied marchingbands as well and everything
from marching cymbals to youknow orchestral timpanies and
(04:42):
all sorts of stuff.
But yeah, it was it it was justsomething I have done my entire
life and I've always loved.
There was never a day I wasn'tplaying music.
Clever cookie.
Cheryl Lee (04:50):
That leads me to the next question of country music.
How did you find that countrymusic was your thang?
Chloe Marks (04:58):
When I was in Scotch & Cider, my bass player
Ellen Hartwig said to me she wasplaying for a country artist,
Bridget O'Shaughnessy, and theythey needed a drummer, and she
said, you know, I think you'd beperfect for it.
I was actually a little bithesitant because I at the time I
had grown up around country andand you know heard it my whole
life and was just not a hugefan.
I ended up playing with Bridgetand we went to Tamworth and I
(05:20):
just fell in love with it soquickly.
I just just the people and thestorytelling and and everything
to do with country music.
I was just like, this isexactly like blues, but more
twangy, and you know, it's justgot endless potential.
And instantly it was just likethis this shift, and it was
like, this is actually what Iwant to do.
Still to this day, I love howwide of a genre country is, you
(05:42):
know, it's not something that'syou know can be can be put into
a tiny box.
It's just got endless potentialand and I love working in that.
Cheryl Lee (05:51):
There's so many genres within the genre, isn't
there?
Yeah, exactly.
Definitely.
Recently, country music hasreally had a massive resurgence
as well.
How do you explain that, Chloe?
Chloe Marks (06:04):
Yeah, I was actually talking to, I know a
lot of country musicians inBrisbane, and we're lucky enough
that, you know, in this areathere are some really, really
incredible talented people.
And I was talking to someonethe other day, and and we were
saying, you know, we all kind ofcame into this at the exact
perfect time.
Before that, it was really,really hard to to break into
(06:24):
anything being in country music.
It was kind of a side genrethat no one really paid
attention to, and then all of asudden it just blew up.
Yeah.
And I think honestly, it had alot to do with the American
industry.
A lot of American artists, youknow, started to to push their
genres and it's kind of comeover into Australia.
But we're really lucky thatpeople are now recognizing
(06:46):
Australian country in adifferent light.
I think they're paying a lotmore attention, which is really
good for artists like me.
And obviously, like I said,there's so many talented
artists, you know, even just inBrisbane or or Queensland.
Yeah, it's it has been a reallyit's been a good couple of
years for us.
Cheryl Lee (07:01):
Let's hope the trajectory keeps going.
And I think one of the keywords that you mentioned, which
I think is part of it, thesuccess, is the storytelling.
You know, country music alwayshas a story.
And I feel like that your fewsingles that leading up to this
single, it's telling a littlebit of a story about your
journey, isn't it?
(07:21):
From your first single to thisone.
Yeah, definitely.
Chloe Marks (07:24):
It was it was a little bit unintentional, but
when we sort of stepped back andhad a look at the year, it
definitely did.
It tell it told a story of ofall the things that I kind of
went through in the last coupleof years and it and it led to
where I am now and the and theplace I'm in now within myself.
Even as far as when we releasedour first single, Carolina, at
the start of this year, that wassomething that was just a kind
(07:48):
of a story that I sort of told.
Like it wasn't, it waspersonal, but it was also about
so many different things andpeople.
As the year went and as I got abit more comfortable with with
writing and and you know,becoming vulnerable, my
songwriting became, yeah, morepersonal and and yeah, more
focused on myself.
And people really have haveloved that.
Cheryl Lee (08:10):
And Skip September, the next one.
That's really personal, isn'tit?
Chloe Marks (08:15):
Yeah, definitely.
It was actually about my thebreakdown of my marriage.
And it was something that whenI wrote, I was in a really,
really bad place.
I obviously was going throughit.
I kind of sat down and I wrotethe song.
I was just sitting on mykitchen floor one night.
I wrote the song and I took itto my band and I said, you know,
is it too, is it too personal?
(08:35):
And they were like, no, thisis, you know, everyone in some
way can relate to what it wasabout and and, you know, going
through those hard times andjust wanting to get to the other
side and get to the light atthe end of the tunnel.
We actually discussed theoption about changing some of
the lyrics to make it a bit morerelevant to everyone, but we
just decided to keep it, youknow, as as personal as
possible.
And again, everyone just reallyliked it and loved the idea.
Cheryl Lee (08:59):
I hear that you've actually written over 400 songs.
How do you pick which ones toplay and put on an album?
Chloe Marks (09:07):
Yeah, it's definitely quite a hard process.
I was given some advice about,I would say probably about 15
years ago, about songwriting.
And what I was told wassongwriting is like any skill.
It's not, it doesn't happenovernight.
It's something that you have topractice and work at, and and
you will become better andyou'll have good days and bad
days.
So I try and write as often asI can, and sometimes that's you
(09:31):
know, three or four songs aweek.
And a lot of the time they arenot great.
I can kind of tell when it's athrowaway song and or if it's
something that's just formyself.
You know, it's a bit likewriting in a diary.
It's something that helps mekind of process it.
So a lot of the time, yeah,that there'll be a standout song
where I'll kind of finish asong or I'll have an idea for a
(09:52):
song and go, oh, okay, that'sthat actually could be
something.
And that's usually the pointwhere I'll take it to the band
and be like, you know, what doyou guys think?
But yeah, it's constant.
I'm like I said, it's probablyabout three or four songs a week
that I write top to bottom.
And sometimes it can just be,I'll just write a chorus and
then I'll stop and then I'llmove on to something else, or
you know, I have so many.
It's yeah, it's ridiculous.
Cheryl Lee (10:13):
That's fabulous.
That's called honing your art,isn't it?
But what you might find goingdown the track, it might be five
years, it could be eight, itcould be ten, it could be
twenty.
When the time's right, you'vegot a treasure trove of material
there.
And one day, someday, it'sgonna be the right time for some
of those.
Chloe Marks (10:34):
Yeah, definitely.
We're actually finding thatnow.
You know, there's a song thatwe're going to release next
year, and we've already recordedit and talked about it, that I
actually wrote of like 11 yearsago.
I wrote it and and sat on itfor all that time.
And then one of my bandmateswho'd heard it all that time
ago, she said, you know, we weshould really, we should do that
song, we should pull it.
(10:55):
And I was like, Oh, it's notreally us.
And she forced me to show it toeveryone, and they went, This
is this is it, like, you know.
And so, yeah, there'sdefinitely times where songs are
more relevant or come back.
And yeah, um, I love it.
There's there's stuff, there'sstuff stuff that I recorded on
my original EP over 10 years agothat my band wants to re-record
and and change it a bit.
(11:16):
So, you know, it's like I said,it's just endless potential.
It's it's such a a great way toget everything out.
Cheryl Lee (11:21):
So let me just ask you quickly before we start
talking about the new single.
You've got two kids.
Are they musical, Chloe?
They followed your artisticlink.
Chloe Marks (11:33):
Yeah, they they definitely have.
My my daughter is is very, verytalented on the drums.
I was a drum teacher for manyyears, and so it's it's one of
those things.
Again, it's a skill that youhave to practice and get better
at, but there are some kids thatare naturally more more
talented at it, and she's she'sphenomenal.
Um it just clicks with her.
(11:55):
My son is not actually thatgreat at the drums, but he's
really picking up guitar quitewell.
So just different differentstrengths and and interests.
But yeah, they're they're bothreally, really talented
actually.
Cheryl Lee (12:06):
We should watch out for their band in coming.
Chloe Marks (12:10):
My daughter has just she's eight years old and
she's just started writingsongs, and I find all these
little pieces of paper aroundthe house with all of her songs
written.
So she's yeah, she's kickingoff real hard there.
Cheryl Lee (12:20):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
So the new one, and I thinkthis is sort of like the last
step in the journey.
I love this song.
It seems a little bit notmusically, but the feeling, the
vibe of it, a little bit JoeCocker-esque with like, let's go
get stone.
Chloe Marks (12:40):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
It was definitely one that wewere I sort of sat on it for a
long time, being like, you know,do we release this?
Do we, is this one that we justplay on stage for fun?
Yeah.
It was one of those songs I wasactually listening to.
There's a song by ChrisStapleton called Worry Be Gone,
which is about the same sort ofconcept.
(13:00):
When I saw him play it live,the entire stage went from like
all the lights and everythingwent from this like marone kind
of red color and the whole thingwent green.
And I knew straight away, I waslike, it's gotta be Worry Be
Gone.
I said to my bandmate, it'd bereally cool if we just if we did
something so different to whatwe've ever done, you know,
(13:20):
something that instead of beingred and marone, it's green, it's
different.
I had this weird idea to justbasically have this song be like
a confessional song, you know,something that was just
vulnerable and honest and wasabout, yeah, about my journey
and and who I am and and where Iam now, and just being like,
you know what, these are theseare my flaws, this is how it is.
Cheryl Lee (13:43):
And it feels to me like a happy ending, like we've
gone all through all this stuff,and now it's acceptance and
it's all right, it's all good.
Chloe Marks (13:53):
Yeah, definitely.
And that's and that's kind ofwhat we were trying to achieve
is is, you know, like it's atthe end of it all, it's you
know, we're we're in the we'rein the good times now.
Cheryl Lee (14:03):
Yeah, well, I think you nailed it.
Chloe Marks (14:05):
Yeah, thank you.
Cheryl Lee (14:06):
Show dates, got one complaint.
So get onto the googolometer.
Where do they find the showdates?
Chloe Marks (14:14):
So you can find everything on
ChloeMarksmusic.com or on oursocial media, which is just
Chloe Marks Music on everything.
Cheryl Lee (14:22):
If you're in Brisbane and the Gold Coast,
you're lucky.
You've got a few shows tochoose from.
Get onto the Googleometer andhave a look.
And if you're heading over toTamworth, you're lucky as well.
You've got four shows to choosefrom so far.
So when are you coming to ourtown, Chloe?
Chloe Marks (14:40):
We're actually that's one thing I want to do
next year is is we we want to dosome more touring and we want
to get out of Brisbane and GoldCoast.
And and as much as we love, youknow, the the this year that
we've had and all of our venues,yeah, we're we're ready to you
know start moving around thecountry and and getting out
there.
So I'm hoping next year we'regonna we're gonna try and do a
(15:02):
leg in every direction.
That's that's the plan.
So we'll see how we go.
Awesome.
Cheryl Lee (15:06):
We look forward to seeing you down the front when
uh you can get to Adelaide.
That'll be amazing.
So I do have one question whichI found really interesting
reading your bio.
You manage one of Australia'slargest skateboard stores.
Chloe Marks (15:20):
Left build?
Yeah, yeah.
So I well, I I was managing it.
I'm actually a full-timemusician now, but I have spent
most of my life as well in theextreme sports or action sports
industry.
Yeah, I managed a skate park inSydney for about four years.
And then during COVID, I movedback to Queensland.
(15:41):
And yeah, I was managing, Ibelieve it's Australia's second
biggest skateboard store.
I managed that for about fouryears as well.
Yeah, I I love it.
It was definitely one of thosethings that I grew up with as
well.
If if I wasn't playing music, Iwas at a skate park somewhere
getting injured.
I I love it.
I still, even in my house now,it's just filled with the
(16:02):
skateboards and scooters andBMXs, as yeah, there's they're
everywhere.
Yeah, I I I do.
I I love it.
Cheryl Lee (16:09):
We wish you all the success with the new single.
I love it.
We also wish you the best withyour tour, and we can't wait for
you to bring it to the rest ofAustralia.
Yeah, thank you very much.
Chloe Marks and the Mayhem.
The other members of the band,Chloe?
Chloe Marks (16:26):
We have Ellen Hartwig on the bass, Matthew
Beagley on guitar, MadisonRossetto on keys and vocals, and
Jacob Peterson, or we know himas JP on the drums.
Fantastic, incredible people.
Cheryl Lee (16:38):
So some of the Scotch insider players.
Chloe Marks (16:42):
Yeah, yeah.
Matt and Ellen were in the inthe original band with me, which
is really great.
We've yeah, we've been workingtogether for actually over a
decade now.
Cheryl Lee (16:51):
I love the name.
Mayhem.
I just uh everyone needs tocreate a bit of mayhem, don't
they?
Chloe Marks (16:56):
Yeah, definitely.
Yeah.
Our name was is actually alittle bit funny because a
couple years ago, when actuallymany years ago, it was about
five or six years ago when I hadthe idea for you know a country
Americana band.
I told Ellen, and I said, youknow, you have to do it with me.
Ellen said, if you're gonna doit, it needs to be called Chloe
Marks and the Mayhem.
And I went, oh yeah, that'sperfect.
Ellen to this day does notremember that conversation.
(17:19):
Ellen doesn't remember namingthe band, but but Ellen Well
done, Ellen.
Yeah, let's hear the new onenow.
Yeah, perfect.
We are Chloe Marks and theMayhem, and this is our brand
new single, Cheaper ThanTherapy.
Thank you so much, Chloe.
Thank you so much.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Yeah, you too.
Thank you.
You are listening to StillRockin' It, the podcast with
(17:42):
Cheryl Lee.
Cheryl Lee (20:10):
Thank you so much for joining me on the Still
Rockin' podcast.
Hope to catch you again nexttime.
Get out when you can, supportAussie Music, and I'll see you
down the front.
Cheryl lee here.
Welcome to the Still RockingIt podcast where we'll have
music, interviews, andinterviews with some of our
favorite favorite musicians andartists.
Today we are speaking in theZoom room with Chloe Marks from
Chloe Marks & The Mayhem as theyclose out the year with the
(00:24):
new single Therapy.
And with a new level ofconfidence and creativity,
calling out on the mind.
With the signature blend ofauthenticity and modern edge, uh
continued stars on the Tocatch up on podcast and other
(00:47):
favourite artists, simply go tothat radiochick.com.au.
You're with Cheryl Lee, thatradio chick, and I'd like to
welcome into the Zoom roomtoday, Chloe Marks.
Hi Chloe, thanks for coming in.
Yeah, thank you for having me.
So we've got a brand new singleto talk about, but I was
wondering if we could perhaps goback a little bit before we go
(01:10):
forward.
Yeah, yeah, sounds good.
Born and raised in a littletown called Innesvail in far
north Queensland, involved inmusic from a very young age.
So picking up the drums at agefive.
What on earth made you pick upthe drums at such a young age?
Chloe Marks (01:26):
My parents are both musicians and they were doing
it a lot at the time.
And my dad was actually a soundtech, and he just happened to
be setting up a stage, and hejust needed me to make a bit of
noise.
He needed to set some levelsand said, you know, go and go
and hit the drums.
And I remember just falling inlove with it instantly.
(01:47):
And after that, they couldn'tget me off the drums.
And yeah, that that just kindof kicked everything off for me.
Cheryl Lee (01:53):
I was going to ask you, is music in your DNA, are
your family musical?
Clearly they are.
Are they still involved in themusic industry?
Chloe Marks (02:03):
Not so much anymore, but they definitely the
the love for it is still there.
And ever every time I'm around,my my parents, my dad will pick
up a guitar or you know,something similar.
So it's still definitelyaround.
But yeah, I ran with it a lotharder than they did.
Cheryl Lee (02:17):
Have you got any siblings, Chloe?
And if and if so, are theymusical as well?
I do.
Chloe Marks (02:22):
I have a few siblings.
They're all actually naturallyreally good singers.
But yeah, my my brother isquite good.
He's one of those people thatjust picks up instruments and
he's he's instantly good at it.
But again, it's always beensort of more of something
they've done on the side.
I I've really only been theonly one that's just yeah, ran
with it and made a career out ofit.
Cheryl Lee (02:42):
Then again, at a very early age, you started
learning the guitar, aged eight.
Chloe Marks (02:47):
Yeah, I have always wanted to play guitar, and I
actually got my my uncle andauntie gave me a guitar, just a
starter one.
Yeah, again, I just fell inlove with it and couldn't put it
down.
I just wanted to get better andbetter, and and all of a sudden
I had about 12 or 13 guitarsand different ones now.
I've got some weird andwonderful collection guitars,
(03:09):
and yeah, it's I love it.
How about your very first band?
How did that all come about?
My first band was a blues rockband called Scotch & Cider.
Basically, at the time I wasstudying music at QUT.
I was doing my Bachelor ofMusic, and I was just lucky
enough to meet, you know, otherincredible musicians and and
some really awesome people.
(03:30):
And I started a band with themand you know, my my five best
friends at the time.
And yeah, we were just off andrunning.
We recorded our first EP.
We did lots.
But yeah, after about twoyears, I decided to just go and
do my own thing and starteddoing solo shows.
Cheryl Lee (03:45):
Would you say you were a uni band?
Chloe Marks (03:47):
Yeah, I we definitely started off that way,
but we very quickly moved intothe professional world quite
quickly and easily, which was, Imean, it was a lot of hard
work, but they're all sotalented and very professional
people.
Cheryl Lee (04:00):
Well, you clearly have loved music all your life,
because not only were youpicking up instruments and
forming bands, but you've done alot of things like even in
marching bands, jazz bands,concert bands, and orchestra for
a while.
Clearly, music is such apassion for you.
Chloe Marks (04:19):
Yeah, definitely.
I did.
I started out, like I said,whatever I could get my hands
on, that was was just what I wasdoing.
I did start out in jazz bands,and that's honestly how I kind
of moved into blues.
Yeah, I was lucky enough.
I learned percussion and Ilearned orchestral music.
I actually uh studied marchingbands as well and everything
from marching cymbals to youknow orchestral timpanies and
(04:42):
all sorts of stuff.
But yeah, it was it it was justsomething I have done my entire
life and I've always loved.
There was never a day I wasn'tplaying music.
Clever cookie.
Cheryl Lee (04:50):
That leads me to the next question of country music.
How did you find that countrymusic was your thang?
Chloe Marks (04:58):
When I was in Scotch & Cider, my bass player
Ellen Hartwig said to me she wasplaying for a country artist,
Bridget O'Shaughnessy, and theythey needed a drummer, and she
said, you know, I think you'd beperfect for it.
I was actually a little bithesitant because I at the time I
had grown up around country andand you know heard it my whole
life and was just not a hugefan.
I ended up playing with Bridgetand we went to Tamworth and I
(05:20):
just fell in love with it soquickly.
I just just the people and thestorytelling and and everything
to do with country music.
I was just like, this isexactly like blues, but more
twangy, and you know, it's justgot endless potential.
And instantly it was just likethis this shift, and it was
like, this is actually what Iwant to do.
Still to this day, I love howwide of a genre country is, you
(05:42):
know, it's not something that'syou know can be can be put into
a tiny box.
It's just got endless potentialand and I love working in that.
Cheryl Lee (05:51):
There's so many genres within the genre, isn't
there?
Yeah, exactly.
Definitely.
Recently, country music hasreally had a massive resurgence
as well.
How do you explain that, Chloe?
Chloe Marks (06:04):
Yeah, I was actually talking to, I know a
lot of country musicians inBrisbane, and we're lucky enough
that, you know, in this areathere are some really, really
incredible talented people.
And I was talking to someonethe other day, and and we were
saying, you know, we all kind ofcame into this at the exact
perfect time.
Before that, it was really,really hard to to break into
(06:24):
anything being in country music.
It was kind of a side genrethat no one really paid
attention to, and then all of asudden it just blew up.
Yeah.
And I think honestly, it had alot to do with the American
industry.
A lot of American artists, youknow, started to to push their
genres and it's kind of comeover into Australia.
But we're really lucky thatpeople are now recognizing
(06:46):
Australian country in adifferent light.
I think they're paying a lotmore attention, which is really
good for artists like me.
And obviously, like I said,there's so many talented
artists, you know, even just inBrisbane or or Queensland.
Yeah, it's it has been a reallyit's been a good couple of
years for us.
Cheryl Lee (07:01):
Let's hope the trajectory keeps going.
And I think one of the keywords that you mentioned, which
I think is part of it, thesuccess, is the storytelling.
You know, country music alwayshas a story.
And I feel like that your fewsingles that leading up to this
single, it's telling a littlebit of a story about your
journey, isn't it?
(07:21):
From your first single to thisone.
Yeah, definitely.
Chloe Marks (07:24):
It was it was a little bit unintentional, but
when we sort of stepped back andhad a look at the year, it
definitely did.
It tell it told a story of ofall the things that I kind of
went through in the last coupleof years and it and it led to
where I am now and the and theplace I'm in now within myself.
Even as far as when we releasedour first single, Carolina, at
the start of this year, that wassomething that was just a kind
(07:48):
of a story that I sort of told.
Like it wasn't, it waspersonal, but it was also about
so many different things andpeople.
As the year went and as I got abit more comfortable with with
writing and and you know,becoming vulnerable, my
songwriting became, yeah, morepersonal and and yeah, more
focused on myself.
And people really have haveloved that.
Cheryl Lee (08:10):
And Skip September, the next one.
That's really personal, isn'tit?
Chloe Marks (08:15):
Yeah, definitely.
It was actually about my thebreakdown of my marriage.
And it was something that whenI wrote, I was in a really,
really bad place.
I obviously was going throughit.
I kind of sat down and I wrotethe song.
I was just sitting on mykitchen floor one night.
I wrote the song and I took itto my band and I said, you know,
is it too, is it too personal?
(08:35):
And they were like, no, thisis, you know, everyone in some
way can relate to what it wasabout and and, you know, going
through those hard times andjust wanting to get to the other
side and get to the light atthe end of the tunnel.
We actually discussed theoption about changing some of
the lyrics to make it a bit morerelevant to everyone, but we
just decided to keep it, youknow, as as personal as
possible.
And again, everyone just reallyliked it and loved the idea.
Cheryl Lee (08:59):
I hear that you've actually written over 400 songs.
How do you pick which ones toplay and put on an album?
Chloe Marks (09:07):
Yeah, it's definitely quite a hard process.
I was given some advice about,I would say probably about 15
years ago, about songwriting.
And what I was told wassongwriting is like any skill.
It's not, it doesn't happenovernight.
It's something that you have topractice and work at, and and
you will become better andyou'll have good days and bad
days.
So I try and write as often asI can, and sometimes that's you
(09:31):
know, three or four songs aweek.
And a lot of the time they arenot great.
I can kind of tell when it's athrowaway song and or if it's
something that's just formyself.
You know, it's a bit likewriting in a diary.
It's something that helps mekind of process it.
So a lot of the time, yeah,that there'll be a standout song
where I'll kind of finish asong or I'll have an idea for a
(09:52):
song and go, oh, okay, that'sthat actually could be
something.
And that's usually the pointwhere I'll take it to the band
and be like, you know, what doyou guys think?
But yeah, it's constant.
I'm like I said, it's probablyabout three or four songs a week
that I write top to bottom.
And sometimes it can just be,I'll just write a chorus and
then I'll stop and then I'llmove on to something else, or
you know, I have so many.
It's yeah, it's ridiculous.
Cheryl Lee (10:13):
That's fabulous.
That's called honing your art,isn't it?
But what you might find goingdown the track, it might be five
years, it could be eight, itcould be ten, it could be
twenty.
When the time's right, you'vegot a treasure trove of material
there.
And one day, someday, it'sgonna be the right time for some
of those.
Chloe Marks (10:34):
Yeah, definitely.
We're actually finding thatnow.
You know, there's a song thatwe're going to release next
year, and we've already recordedit and talked about it, that I
actually wrote of like 11 yearsago.
I wrote it and and sat on itfor all that time.
And then one of my bandmateswho'd heard it all that time
ago, she said, you know, we weshould really, we should do that
song, we should pull it.
(10:55):
And I was like, Oh, it's notreally us.
And she forced me to show it toeveryone, and they went, This
is this is it, like, you know.
And so, yeah, there'sdefinitely times where songs are
more relevant or come back.
And yeah, um, I love it.
There's there's stuff, there'sstuff stuff that I recorded on
my original EP over 10 years agothat my band wants to re-record
and and change it a bit.
(11:16):
So, you know, it's like I said,it's just endless potential.
It's it's such a a great way toget everything out.
Cheryl Lee (11:21):
So let me just ask you quickly before we start
talking about the new single.
You've got two kids.
Are they musical, Chloe?
They followed your artisticlink.
Chloe Marks (11:33):
Yeah, they they definitely have.
My my daughter is is very, verytalented on the drums.
I was a drum teacher for manyyears, and so it's it's one of
those things.
Again, it's a skill that youhave to practice and get better
at, but there are some kids thatare naturally more more
talented at it, and she's she'sphenomenal.
Um it just clicks with her.
(11:55):
My son is not actually thatgreat at the drums, but he's
really picking up guitar quitewell.
So just different differentstrengths and and interests.
But yeah, they're they're bothreally, really talented
actually.
Cheryl Lee (12:06):
We should watch out for their band in coming.
Chloe Marks (12:10):
My daughter has just she's eight years old and
she's just started writingsongs, and I find all these
little pieces of paper aroundthe house with all of her songs
written.
So she's yeah, she's kickingoff real hard there.
Cheryl Lee (12:20):
Oh my gosh, that's amazing.
So the new one, and I thinkthis is sort of like the last
step in the journey.
I love this song.
It seems a little bit notmusically, but the feeling, the
vibe of it, a little bit JoeCocker-esque with like, let's go
get stone.
Chloe Marks (12:40):
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
It was definitely one that wewere I sort of sat on it for a
long time, being like, you know,do we release this?
Do we, is this one that we justplay on stage for fun?
Yeah.
It was one of those songs I wasactually listening to.
There's a song by ChrisStapleton called Worry Be Gone,
which is about the same sort ofconcept.
(13:00):
When I saw him play it live,the entire stage went from like
all the lights and everythingwent from this like marone kind
of red color and the whole thingwent green.
And I knew straight away, I waslike, it's gotta be Worry Be
Gone.
I said to my bandmate, it'd bereally cool if we just if we did
something so different to whatwe've ever done, you know,
(13:20):
something that instead of beingred and marone, it's green, it's
different.
I had this weird idea to justbasically have this song be like
a confessional song, you know,something that was just
vulnerable and honest and wasabout, yeah, about my journey
and and who I am and and where Iam now, and just being like,
you know what, these are theseare my flaws, this is how it is.
Cheryl Lee (13:43):
And it feels to me like a happy ending, like we've
gone all through all this stuff,and now it's acceptance and
it's all right, it's all good.
Chloe Marks (13:53):
Yeah, definitely.
And that's and that's kind ofwhat we were trying to achieve
is is, you know, like it's atthe end of it all, it's you
know, we're we're in the we'rein the good times now.
Cheryl Lee (14:03):
Yeah, well, I think you nailed it.
Chloe Marks (14:05):
Yeah, thank you.
Cheryl Lee (14:06):
Show dates, got one complaint.
So get onto the googolometer.
Where do they find the showdates?
Chloe Marks (14:14):
So you can find everything on
ChloeMarksmusic.com or on oursocial media, which is just
Chloe Marks Music on everything.
Cheryl Lee (14:22):
If you're in Brisbane and the Gold Coast,
you're lucky.
You've got a few shows tochoose from.
Get onto the Googleometer andhave a look.
And if you're heading over toTamworth, you're lucky as well.
You've got four shows to choosefrom so far.
So when are you coming to ourtown, Chloe?
Chloe Marks (14:40):
We're actually that's one thing I want to do
next year is is we we want to dosome more touring and we want
to get out of Brisbane and GoldCoast.
And and as much as we love, youknow, the the this year that
we've had and all of our venues,yeah, we're we're ready to you
know start moving around thecountry and and getting out
there.
So I'm hoping next year we'regonna we're gonna try and do a
(15:02):
leg in every direction.
That's that's the plan.
So we'll see how we go.
Awesome.
Cheryl Lee (15:06):
We look forward to seeing you down the front when
uh you can get to Adelaide.
That'll be amazing.
So I do have one question whichI found really interesting
reading your bio.
You manage one of Australia'slargest skateboard stores.
Chloe Marks (15:20):
Left build?
Yeah, yeah.
So I well, I I was managing it.
I'm actually a full-timemusician now, but I have spent
most of my life as well in theextreme sports or action sports
industry.
Yeah, I managed a skate park inSydney for about four years.
And then during COVID, I movedback to Queensland.
(15:41):
And yeah, I was managing, Ibelieve it's Australia's second
biggest skateboard store.
I managed that for about fouryears as well.
Yeah, I I love it.
It was definitely one of thosethings that I grew up with as
well.
If if I wasn't playing music, Iwas at a skate park somewhere
getting injured.
I I love it.
I still, even in my house now,it's just filled with the
(16:02):
skateboards and scooters andBMXs, as yeah, there's they're
everywhere.
Yeah, I I I do.
I I love it.
Cheryl Lee (16:09):
We wish you all the success with the new single.
I love it.
We also wish you the best withyour tour, and we can't wait for
you to bring it to the rest ofAustralia.
Yeah, thank you very much.
Chloe Marks and the Mayhem.
The other members of the band,Chloe?
Chloe Marks (16:26):
We have Ellen Hartwig on the bass, Matthew
Beagley on guitar, MadisonRossetto on keys and vocals, and
Jacob Peterson, or we know himas JP on the drums.
Fantastic, incredible people.
Cheryl Lee (16:38):
So some of the Scotch insider players.
Chloe Marks (16:42):
Yeah, yeah.
Matt and Ellen were in the inthe original band with me, which
is really great.
We've yeah, we've been workingtogether for actually over a
decade now.
Cheryl Lee (16:51):
I love the name.
Mayhem.
I just uh everyone needs tocreate a bit of mayhem, don't
they?
Chloe Marks (16:56):
Yeah, definitely.
Yeah.
Our name was is actually alittle bit funny because a
couple years ago, when actuallymany years ago, it was about
five or six years ago when I hadthe idea for you know a country
Americana band.
I told Ellen, and I said, youknow, you have to do it with me.
Ellen said, if you're gonna doit, it needs to be called Chloe
Marks and the Mayhem.
And I went, oh yeah, that'sperfect.
Ellen to this day does notremember that conversation.
(17:19):
Ellen doesn't remember namingthe band, but but Ellen Well
done, Ellen.
Yeah, let's hear the new onenow.
Yeah, perfect.
We are Chloe Marks and theMayhem, and this is our brand
new single, Cheaper ThanTherapy.
Thank you so much, Chloe.
Thank you so much.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Yeah, you too.
Thank you.
You are listening to StillRockin' It, the podcast with
(17:42):
Cheryl Lee.
Cheryl Lee (20:10):
Thank you so much for joining me on the Still
Rockin' podcast.
Hope to catch you again nexttime.
Get out when you can, supportAussie Music, and I'll see you
down the front.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.