Season 2 — Episode 9 — June 22, 2022
Deborah Holland of Animal Logic
Podcast
Animal Logic — Animal Logic (1989)
It’s that first CRACK! of “There’s A Spy (In The House Of Love)” that makes your ears perk up. It’s familiar. You know that drum sound — even if you’re not a drummer.
It’s Stewart Copeland.
And then that crisp jangly guitar comes in and you scratch your head thinking — is that Andy Summers?*
It’s not. It’s Michael Thompson.
By the first chorus the bass has come into focus — and that’s jazz great Stanley Clarke.
But it’s the voice of Deborah Holland that rises above it all — and that’s sayin’ something.
On this episode of Abandoned Albums Rob Janicke and I spoke with Deborah Holland about Animal Logic… and everything else she’s done in her career. And it’s a helluva career!
Dancing on the edges of the music business in Los Angeles for a few years, and being rejected by label after label can wear you down. And by the time Deborah Holland auditioned for Animal Logic, she was worn down.
She walked in and stood facing 2/3 of The Police (Stewart Copeland & Andy Summers) and jazz bass impresario Stanley Clarke. Christ, I get nervous when I see someone from the local news at Dunkin Donuts!
Thankfully, Deborah wasn’t fazed as she summoned the God of “Fukkit” and proved she had both the mettle and the chops to not just front a band like Animal Logic, but hold her own with her bandmates.
Songs can be anthemic, but a voice? That’s rare. In fact, I can think of only one rock singer whose voice I would refer to in that manner — and that’s Steve Perry. But on this self-titled debut album from Animal Logic, Deborah Holland reveals that she, much like “the voice” himself, is also that rare anthemic singer.
All of the songs on Animal Logic aren’t only sung by Holland, they’re written by her too. And the songs on this album are just great. I mean, come ON, who in their right mind would even attempt to include the phrase “nom de plume” in a pop song? Hell, in ANY song?
Deborah Holland, that’s who!
And it works!
Amazing drummer.
Amazing guitarist.
Amazing bass player.
Amazing singer.
Amazing songs.
THAT’S Animal Logic.
This may come off as a bit effusive, I’m well aware of that.
BUT, in my defense, I was just as excited 30+ years ago when I first heard this album as I am now listening to it as I write this. Sadly, my college-rock and punk rock college friends at the time did not share my enthusiasm for Animal Logic. I’m hoping if you’re reading this, you’ll be less snooty than the all-knowing 20 year-old music geeks.
Dare I ask how many of their favorite bands were able to sustain a career and are still out there as viable creative artists? Right. Everyone from Animal Logic still is.
As I was researching Deborah’s oeuvre, I quickly learned that she is an artist of immense and diverse talent. Her work is intelligent, accessible and very far from alienating.
Which is to say, it’s unlikely Deborah Holland will ever produce an album of music for the lute (as one of Stewart Copeland’s former bandmates did).
After two albums with Animal Logic, the band went on hiatus and Deborah pivoted to get a masters degree from California State University, Los Angeles. Here masters thesis was an album called The Panic is On — a conceptual/experimental album with Depression-era songs. And like any good art thesis project, it was made on the cheap, you wouldn’t know it, and it’s very good.
After receiving her masters, she entered the world of academia as the head of the Commercial Music program for CSU, Los Angeles from 1998 to 2010.
In 2007 Holland formed a folk supergroup called The Refugees, with Wendy Waldman and Cidny Bullens. The trio has released two albums to date, Unbound and Three.
As a solo artist, Holland has released six solo albums. Her most recent was 2020’s Fine, Thank You! and features Stewart Copeland on drums… and was originally conceived to be the third Animal Logic album.
Animal Logic fans will be pleased to know that Deborah broke some big news on this episode, but no spoilers here — ya gotta listen.
The self-titled debut album by Animal Logic is tough to find on streamers, so I have included a link to it below — and you should listen to it if you like good music — in fact, why aren’t you listening to it right now?
She’s not only an amazing artist, she’s also cool AF to have a chat with.
Deborah Holland continues to write and perform, in addition to coaching songwriters from her home on the Sunshine Coast in Canada.
*-It’s worth noting that for a hot second in Animal Logic’s embryonic stages, Andy Summers WAS the guitarist.
Animal Logic on Spotify:
“The only music podcast that matters.”