Written interview with Australian blues rocker, slide guitarist Christina Crofts – The Best of Bottleneck
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Christina Crofts: – I started performing in my mid 20’s – I could only play rhythm guitar but was keen to get into bands and learn what I could and gain experience.
What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
A: Although I was born in Coffs Harbour in Northern New South Wales and grew up in Brisbane (Queensland) and always have a soft spot for both places – I’ve been in Sydney since my early 20’s so I consider Sydney to be my home.
I think Sydney has always had a good live music scene and some very cool venues and it has certainly given me the opportunity over the years to establish myself as a working musician.
What performers have been your inspiration?
A: I have always been a big fan of John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival – I love his swampy Voodoo vibes and the atmospheric music in songs like Run “Through The Jungle” and “Born on the Bayou” always gives me goosebumps and he is such an amazing writer.
Rory Gallahger is one of my favourite blues/rock guitarists! But over the years others such as Mark Knopfler, Billy Gibbons, Johnny Winter, Jeff Beck etc have also influenced my playing to an extent.
As for Slide guitar, David Lindley has had the biggest impact. He was an amazing musician but man could he capture energy when he let rip on that steel guitar in songs like his version of Mercury Blues!
What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
A: It’s even more competitive than ever with the digital online world and social media – the need to be constantly creating content for socials.
What do you base your success on?
A: Persistence. Just stick with it and keep on trying regardless of any setbacks or rejections. You just have to believe in yourself and keep on chipping away at it.
Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
A: I have been asked to collaborate on a few projects with other musicians. Most commonly someone will ask me to put some slide guitar on a tune they’re working on. Often people I’ve never met but am friends with online. It’s fun and always interesting to try to tap into what someone else has created and get inside their head to understand what they are looking for.
What was your latest musical release?
A: In August 2025 I released a compilation album called “Best of Bottleneck”
Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Christina Crofts – The Best of Bottleneck and what inspired its creation?
A: I have new songs on the way and looking forward to getting back into the recording studio and hope to have a new product by mid year and along with that I hope to do a video release.
The “Best Of Bottleneck” was inspired partly to reintroduce my music back into the spotlight after a few years without a release and I thought the theme of “bottleneck” was a great idea to remind people of what I do and potentially capture the interest of people who may not have heard of me.
The album reached #1 on the Australian Blues and Roots Radio Airplay Charts (ABARAC) in September and remains in the top 5.
How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
A: I am very happy with the outcome of the release and it served its purpose very well by reaching #1 in the ABARAC which was definitely a goal I had in mind.
But I’m really thrilled that this album is getting airplay overseas and has made it onto the Roots Music Report charts. It’s getting great reviews and has created a renewed interest in my music.
How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
A: I have a couple of different approaches, but mostly songs come into my head as a chord progression or riff with a particular feel and sometimes I will record a whole song and not yet know what the song will be about, but then I start conjuring up my words and storyline after that. But many of my songs have started as a line or two of words/poetry that come into my head. Sometimes a whole song will happen like that from out of nowhere with melody and all, and other times I write down a few lines thinking “I’ll use that somewhere” as happened with Voodoo Queen – the opening verse of that song was something I wrote down years ago and then it just found its way back into my mind and the song came together.
As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
A: I don’t over think it really. Authenticity is more important. I don’t like being too ‘deliberate’ about music. I like it to be real and from within my own heart, soul and/or imagination, and my music and recordings have done really well within the blues/rock realm, and I am happy that I have developed my own style and sound and that my music is getting reasonable recognition.
What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
A: It is necessary and like other musicians, I use it relentlessly, however I feel it’s reached saturation point and not as effective as it used to be.
Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
A: I’ve had many memorable live shows & festivals, but will always remember the night my speaker caught fire mid guitar solo! It was really quite theatrical – I was doing a rendition of “Born on the Bayou” and getting right into the swampy guitar solo, the audience was loving it! I was using my beat up old Vox AC30 which always sounds great, but then this voodoo kind of tone started developing and I was thinkin’ wow this is sounding amazing” and I happened to look around at my amp and could see this orange glow behind the speaker grille cloth. So I had to snap out of the voodoo vibe and quickly ran to the amp and rolled it over, speaker side down to extinguish the flames before it consumed the whole amp. It was kind of an awesome thing and everyone thought it was part of the act. Just a pity it was in the days before everyone had a mobile phone.
In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
A: The online streaming services are both good and bad – It seems to have pretty much robbed musicians of any hope of an income from music sales but at the same it is a great platform for exposure to new music.
Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
A: I definitely have a close relationship with many of my fans to the extent where they feel comfortable messaging me and catching up at shows. I always share news and events on my website, socials and my mailing lists.
My fans love it when I post various short videos of my ‘kitchen sessions’ as they’ve become known, as I don’t have a dedicated studio so I set up my gear in the kitchen and have a blast jamming along, or doing maintenance or string change on my notorious old Strat’s and amplifiers which kind have their own fanbase haha.
How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
A: I would love to have people drop by and check out my music and pages. My music is available for purchase on the website www.christinacrofts.com and people can communicate with me there via a contact form and I always respond to genuine contacts.
I’m also on Facebook, Instagram, Reverbnation & Spotify – here are some links:
www.reverbnation.com/christinacrofts
www.facebook.com/christinacofts
www.instagram.com/christina_crofts_band_
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7rvfYM1062t2GUSrWIfbXQ?si=ZqYfUb5-RXu7c2jh6KIvrQ
By Olivia Peevas
