Hollie, you're the daughter of Paul Cook, drummer with the Sex Pistols. Growing up in a musical environment like that, was it always clear for you that you would pursue a career in music as well?
Hollie Cook: "I think so, yes. I was always quite into performing when I was still a little girl; I was always singing and dancing and putting on little shows for my parents and friends, simply doing what girls do at that age, I suppose. When I entered my teens I was a very shy individual and suddenly I didn't feel like performing or singing anymore. For a while I thought about becoming an actress, but in the end the call of music was too loud for me to ignore."
For a while you were a member of the all-female punk-rock/reggae band The Slits. Was that also something that evolved out of your father being a member of the Sex Pistols?
Hollie Cook: "I suppose so, yes; The Slits were brothers-in-arms of the Sex Pistols, so to speak. Both bands were part of the punk scene in London and they all knew each other very well. I knew Ari (Ariane Daniele Forster, 17 January 1962 - 20 October 2010, better known by her stage name Ari Up, was a German-born vocalist, best known as a member of the English punk group, The Slits, red.) from when I was still a little girl as she was a close friend of the family (Nora Forster, the mother of Ari Up is married to Sex Pistols front man John Lydon aka. Johnny Rotten, red.). I don't exactly know how she found out about my desire to become a singer, but one day she called me and asked me if I would be up for doing some backing vocals for a new Slits track she was recording. After that I also joined them on stage for some live gigs."
Ari Up passed away in 2010, how do you remember her? What kind of person was she?
Hollie Cook: "She was a force of nature! (laughs) She encompassed many different energies as a person and was very magnetic; a very interesting person to be around. If you got to know her it was impossible not to be affected by her character in some way or the other."
When you started working with Prince Fatty, who also produced your debut album, you were just one of various vocalists he was working with. When did the thought of doing a solo album first enter your minds?
Hollie Cook: "The first song we recorded together was a track called 'Milk And Honey', which we considered to be a sort of try-out. I was quite intrigued by what he was doing, so really wanted to work with him. At first I was just one of several vocalists Prince Fatty worked with. When after a while we looked back on the songs we'd already done together, it was quite apparent that these songs belonged together."
You don't seem to be too keen to be labeled a reggae artiste.
Hollie Cook: "It's not so much that I don't like to be defined as being a reggae artiste; it's more the fact of not wanting to be pigeonholed. I think that's something I share with most artists, although at some point it will inevitably happen anyway I guess."
Listening to your music immediately brings back memories of the golden days of lovers rock, but who would you cite as your influences in reggae music?
Hollie Cook: "I definitely listened to a lot of Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson and, being from London myself, I guess that influence must be quite apparent in my music. I also want to mention Horace Andy and Alton Ellis though, all the greats really."
A prominent figure with you on stage is Horseman (deejay & toaster but perhaps better known as the drummer for the Ruff Cutt Band, red.). How did he get involved?
Hollie Cook: "Horseman did most of the drumming for the tracks on my debut album, but he's also a versatile deejay or toaster and in that capacity he did a verse for 'Body Beat'. Fatty and I found the dynamic that he brought to the music -adding the rough to the smooth so to speak - so interesting that we decided to do a couple more tracks together. Add to that that Horseman has a great stage presence and it was only obvious we had to invite him along for this tour as well."
Your mother is originally from St. Lucia. Would you describe yourself as being a London lass or did you also have a bit of a Caribbean upbringing?
Hollie Cook: "No, I was born and raised in London without much notice of my Caribbean roots, as was my mother for that matter. I believe my grandmother came to London when she was in her early twenties. I've only been to St. Lucia twice myself and I really would like to go back again, because I felt it was quite helpful in getting to know myself and where I came from."