Industry Mums – Anna Laverty

Broadcaster and mother Jane Gazzo continues her series asking women to describe their triumphs and challenges as working mothers in the Australian music industry.

Award-winning music producer and sound engineer Anna Laverty has carved out an exceptional career, which has solidified her reputation as one of Australia’s finest creative talents.

Born in the North of England, Anna migrated to Western Australia with her family while she was still a child.

Her first live music experience at age 14 set her on a path that has included working with high profile artists such as Lady Gaga, Courtney Barnett, Stella Donnelly, Screamfeeder and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

In 2019, Anna was featured on the ABC television series The Recording Studio as featured engineer. The program brought everyday Australians into the studio to write and record a song and won an ARIA award for Best Original Production.

Recipient of the Prelude Composers Residency, Anna is currently living at Gallop House in Western Australia with her husband and two children aged 6 and 3.

What is your earliest musical memory?

Going to see Cats when we went to London before immigrating to Australia. It was the most exciting, glamorous thing I could have ever imagined coming from Grimsby (North East Lincolnshire).

First record you bought?

I saved up and bought the My Girl 1 & 2 soundtrack double cassette from Trax, Warwick.

First concert you went to?

My first local gig was a bunch of punk bands at the Rosemount in Perth aged 14. A friend’s big brother was playing and I got to sit with her parents and watch – it flicked a switch inside me.

How were you raised?

My folks are very progressive, especially for their generation. I was raised in a hardworking, left-leaning northern family with a strong matriarch and ‘pull-yourself-up-by-your-boot-straps’ kinda attitude. I have two older brothers who never let me get away with anything.

What were your mother’s morals and values?

Mum’s dad died when she was a child so she was raised without a lot and I know they struggled, but there was always pride and love, so they got by. She believes hard work pays off and hates to see people being ripped off.

My first job when I was 14 was in a local deli/corner shop. It didn’t really work out and after the trial period they didn’t take me on. Mum clocked that they were taking the Mickey so she marched me back down there and demanded they pay me for my time.

It taught me a lesson about sticking up for my rights. Turns out they were doing it with all the local kids to get free weekend staff.

Was there a time when you and your mother didn’t see eye to eye?

Not really, I’m very independent and have been from a young age. I think that can be quite frustrating to her sometimes but I’ve always got on well with my parents. Now that I have my own kids I think I appreciate my mum a lot more.

What teachings/values/morals from your mother have you taken and/or implemented into your own family?

Kids need to be loved above everything else; stuff doesn’t really matter. I also can’t really remember my parents ever airing their grievances with each other in front of us kids and I try to model the same behaviour.

When did you know you wanted to work/be part of the music industry?

I think I have always known. I never wanted to do anything else. When I was about 14 I found out that the thing I was most intrigued by was called being a ‘sound engineer’ from a drama teacher at school, so I followed that calling.

It eventually led to my interest in music production.

What was your first industry job?

I’ve had a few. Studio jobs are very hard to come by but from age 15 I was doing work experience and managing local bands, doing the door, sound, anything that would get me near the action.

When I moved to London in 2004 I worked in a record store and did bookings for a few venues. Then I started my own club night in Soho booking bands.

That eventually led to me starting my own label and recording the bands myself. I got my first actual paid studio job as an assistant engineer when I was about 22.

Were there any female mentors you felt you could call upon when you started out or did you have to navigate your own path?

I had absolutely no female mentors or role models in the industry when I was coming up, but I wasn’t short of mentors.

I worked with some incredibly supportive men who gave me a leg up and were (and still are) a wealth of knowledge and advice. Luckily these days I have my trusty manager Cath Haridy and am surrounded by many incredible female music industry veterans who are an inspiration to me daily.

In the audio/sound world I’m trying to ensure there are now female role models and mentors for the new generation coming through!

Did you always know you wanted children?

I think I just always assumed I would have children. Now that I have done it I’m so glad I didn’t wait any longer. I am loving being this age and not having tiny babies (we’re ALMOST out of nappies!). It’s gonna be a great decade coming up!

Did you worry about how you would make motherhood and the music industry work?

Yes I did, but I tried not to think about it too much because I didn’t want to scare myself out of it. I just went for it and somehow managed to make it work.

It helps that I have an equal partner in parenting. My husband and I juggle our schedules to help each other out when we need to. 50/50 parenting is a great thing.

Was there a time when it fell apart? Or felt like it was?

Yes, after my second child was born. I suffered from serious post-natal depletion and felt like it was all unraveling, but my doctor helped me through it and I reached out to some of the women in my life for advice (family, friends and manager), and after a little while it lifted. And then COVID hit!

What skills have you learnt to deal with every day or occupational challenges which come your way?

I have to time everything strategically and sit down and work out schedules with my husband every week so we can both get the things done that we want to. Unfortunately, there are not enough hours in the week! It also takes some getting used to travelling for work – the mum guilt is real but deep down I know the work is important.

Since having your children – what has been your proudest moment?

I was 8½ months pregnant when I started recording the Milk Records compilation album, which means I was 9 months pregnant when I finished it! Luckily my son was a few days overdue, and we managed to get it recorded before he arrived.

With a little encouragement from Jen Cloher and a reliable assistant engineer, I was proud I held my nerve to get the job done well! I’m also just proud my daughter is growing into an interesting, funny and thoughtful person, and that my son has survived his multitude of near misses!

‘We’re not like other mothers’ – how would you explain this quote to a non-musical/non artistic member of society?

Having to consistently justify your choices to people who do not understand our industry or lifestyle is too tiring so I just stopped doing it. My family get it now and I just surround myself with people who are in a similar boat or who aren’t judgmental. It’s made things much easier.

How do you balance your time with kids/partner and family time?

It’s hard and sometimes when I’m in a really busy period I feel terrible and neglectful, but my husband reminds me that I just work in bursts – so non-stop all day and night for a couple of weeks and then have a couple of weeks of downtime. I spend a lot of quality time with my family and have complete focus time when I’m at work. It seems to be working!

What do you do to take time out for yourself?

I listen to music, read and write, run and play piano. And I schedule all of these things otherwise they would never happen!

Obviously COVID and lockdowns have affected the way we as mother’s in the music industry work – we’ve had to rethink everything. What has and/or hasn’t worked for you?

Well, not being able to go to recording studio for four months straight wasn’t great! But it did mean I could spend a lot of time with my then one year old son.

And at the start of COVID I put a lot of energy into writing a grant application which came off; I received the Australia Council Music Fellowship for 2021/22.

What effects has this time had on you or the children?

My son’s at that age where he has spent most of his life in lockdown so he was affected in some ways developmentally (as many children were!) and my daughter was in kindy and prep for lockdown so unfortunately she missed out on a lot of that early socialising stuff, but they’ve pretty much caught up now. I’ve been working through it all mentally since lockdown ended and I’m feeling pretty good now.

What have been the positives to come out of it?

I made some big life changes during lockdown – vegetarianism, no alcohol and more exercise and they have all stuck and that’s a fantastic silver lining and really helped me get through it.

What was the hardest part of lockdown?

Seeing my friends suffer.

Best piece of advice given to you?

Be the first one to arrive and the last one to leave.

Describe your perfect Mother’s Day:

I really just want to take my mum out for a nice treat and spend it with my kids.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jane Gazzo
Jane Gazzo is a broadcaster, TV presenter, music journalist and published author who began her career in radio, aged 16. Since then, she has presented nationally on Triple M and Triple J as well as BBC Radio 6 in the UK and has hosted television shows such as Recovery on ABC TV. She spent eight years as a presenter on Foxtel's Channel V, where she reported from music festivals, red carpet events and hosted live TV shows, interviewing some of the biggest and best names in the music world.

In 2018 Jane became Chair of the Australian Music Vault Advisory Group and in 2020 she hosted ABC-TV's flagship music show THE SOUND and co-founded the popular Facebook site Sound As Ever (Australia Indie 90-99).