Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 19/05) - Like the lyrics sung by one of her favourite bands, AC/DC, singer/songwriter Leanne Goose knows it's a long way to the top if she wants to rock 'n' roll, but with a $6,500 NWT Arts Council grant, she's a lot closer to her dream.

"My goal is to get steady work in music," said the oldest daughter of Louie Goose, already a household name in the music business around the Delta.

Leanne's love of performing began at the age of 12 when she sang Blue Moon of Kentucky from the back of a flatbed truck during Inuvik's Midnight Madness festivities.

Since then, the 30-year-old, who is a member of the band Snowblind, has continued singing and occasionally lends her powerful voice to her father's band.

"I still have so much to learn from my dad. He's an excellent showman" she said.

Not surprisingly, Goose's other influences include the likes of Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin, both female rockers with amazing pipes.

"There's so much feeling in their delivery and their ability to control the power in their voices," said Goose, adding that their technique is something she'd like to emulate.

"It's one thing to deliver a song well, it's another thing to be able to take the audience to another place."

At the moment, Goose is collaborating with Inuvik guitarist Laurie MacNabb on material for Snowblind's upcoming demo.

The other members of the band are Whitehorse musicians Rob Hunter on guitar, Alex MacKay on bass and Inuvik's Ryan Chalupa on drums.

Snowblind played recently at the Farrago Music Festival in the Yukon - opening for Canadian '70s glam rockers Sweeney Todd of Roxy Roller song fame.

Inuvik will get its first taste of the band at the upcoming End Of The Road Music Festival, Aug. 26-28.

"We're going to hit them with some of our original material then," said Goose. "And we're looking forward to seeing the reaction."

When asked to describe Snowblind's sound, Goose had this to say.

"It's a flavour of the Delta, some ballads, mixed with kick-ass dance songs," she said, taking a look around the Mad Trapper Pub where she has performed on numerous occasions. "It's Trapper music, you know, a little country and a little rock 'n' roll."