IRT Magazine

Is it harder to write when you are happy or when you are feeling down(this may seem like an odd question but many singers say when they are happy they are busy living so they don’t write and I know you try hard to keep things positive)

It’s not an odd question- Down! For sure…can’t you tell? Like on In

Deep- Maybe this applies to my upcoming album-but there are all kinds of songs on there.

Some of my songs are happy but when I write about something happy it’s usually not about what I’m feeling in that moment of my life or someone else’s, it’s more of an observation or something from the past. But even my “down” songs have an “up” in them. Some gold at the end of the rainbow.

Would you ever consider writing a political song?

Yes I’ve considered it….I’m not the most political person; I am trying to learn more. But I’m very involved in animal politics/issues right now.

Anti-abuse/neglect songs, you know. I actually wrote one of those when I was up in Woodstock once for the Film Fest there where I was playing. I wrote it after I went to an amazing animal sanctuary where they save abused farm animals. One beautiful, sweet horse named Cinnamon was shot in the head because the owner just didn’t want her anymore and she lived! They saved her. So now she has this hole where the bullet was and they flush it out every day but she is taken care of, loved and seems fine. I also adopted a pretty cow named Penelope at another one upstate. Not sure if it’s “political” per se but it is when some humans get involved and think they have power over these beings to treat them anyway they want to. It’s horrible and it’s a huge issue to me.  These animals can’t speak for themselves and need help. Jelly was not in good shape when I met him; it was heartbreaking that someone could do that but he is a strong survivor and is doing well now. You know he is also the sweetest guy. I learn from him. Helping him helped me and changed my life. We also just had a banner up on an anti abuse site with our photo that we were asked to make.

What is the one song you wish you had written?

Such a good question… and a hard one. Right now I’m saying In the Sun by Joseph Arthur. Or Up Here by Terra Naomi. There are many more I wish I had written.

Is there any genre of music you WOULDN’T incorporate into your music?

Jazz. Death Metal (sorry).

When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?

I sang as a kid here and there and loved it. When I started going to concerts and seeing live shows a whole new world opened up for me. When I saw the Dead for the first time I was fascinated (and scared) by the whole scene but fell in love with it and community existing around music- Got into that scene in school but also was out dancing on South Beach at night with flamenco, club, reggae and grunge which I was really into at the time too-Music was everywhere, it accompanied our lives. That’s the time when I wanted a guitar and asked my dad for one.  I also had a crush on this guy who played. It was just for fun but I started writing on it immediately. Took a few lessons from a guy named Julian Lesson-seriously- and started jamming a bit with people.

The first time I ever got onstage and sang rock music though was when my friend Dave and I went to see one of my favorite bands at the time Day By The River in Miami. I had a huge crush on the lead singer (different guy) and my friend pushed for me to go onstage and sing with them. I sang back up on a song called Naked where the lead singer did this thing where he drops his pants at the end but he is concealed with his guitar(from the front). What a night- I was hooked.  I was also asked to sing with this Dead cover band a couple of times after that-the bass player or something was a professor at my school and they had a big biker crowd. When I went back to NY I was introduced to Tony Polemeni, my first producer/collaborator and fell in love with recording too. Then it just spiraled and I worked with a hip hop producer for a while and Muzz-which made me a much better guitarist-inspired me to start playing it solo. And here I am.

What was the first song you remember really inspiring you?

You know, I was thinking about this one for a while and I can’t remember! Maybe All Along the Watchtower or Love Street-Zeppelin and Pearl Jam were big for me in high school? I love so many songs from different people, genres- so many inspire me. Artists like PJ Harvey, Liz Phair, Cat Power, Juliana Hatfield, Elliot Smith-they inspired me to feel like I can go off and try to make my own recordings.  It’s constantly changing for me.

I get into a song and I listen to it over and over again until the next one I that can’t stop spinning. You have been subjected to that!

I was always inspired by music -since I was a little kid. My parents used to listen to it/have it playing around the house.

My dad still does sometimes-Dylan, The Beatles, CSNY, Van Morrison. (mom was into a bit harder stuff-Bob Seeger, The Stones, Guns & Roses-yeah). Dad has an amazing record collection that we pulled out and listened to one night, it was rad. The next question is related to this kind of music…

What decades of music do you like the best? Why?

The late 60’s-early 70’s.I was brought up on music from this time which I think started my interest in it. To me there was no time like then, I am taken by it. In fact I have a phat collection of books from that time.

The collection is mostly bios like Marianne’s but just finished reading Laurel Canyon, which I lapped up, about the music scene up there back then when Joni and CSNY were living there and Clapton and Zeppelin first came to Cali. They all lived next door and hung out and played music in the mountain in LA -it seemed magical until it turned bad. I also just saw the Rolling Stones Rock & Roll circus on TV which blew my mind. Plus Marianne (and others) perform in it and is gorgeous. There was just so much heart in that music and it was so radical at the time. It was more than just music, it was a culture.  They looked different, acted different, sang different. They shook it up. It seemed free. For a while.

If you could work with anybody in the history of music who would it be?

I think I am learning that I am NOT a one answer kinda gal from this interview -of course I have more than one “anybody”…I am sure there are many that I just can’t think of now but off the top of my head Bill Graham, Ahmet Ertergun and innovators like that. People that did something shocking and new. All of the artists I adore and probably their PRODUCERS too. That’s vague..I know but trying not to make this a book.

Oh and Timbaland. Ha! Remember I told you that the other night?!

Is there any subject you wouldn’t write about? IN other words when does songwriting become too personal for you?

Um, I’m pretty honest in my writing but I do shade things here and there -there are times I will not say exactly what I mean and play around with words or it will just come out that way. And there are times I say just what I want and have those lyrics that I make people blush.  It’s not always what it seems but sometimes it is. There is one song I don’t play right now and it’s not on an album.

Talk about your recording process…

Well, what I did on Back to My Roots, is put down the guitar(s), then vox, then ear candy. Then final mixing. Those songs were already written, I want to try creating one as I go. Now that I dipped into working with loops on In Deep I’m more apt to do that.

If I had a full band I think I would have drums and bass put down first or all at the same time. Sometimes it’s different; Swallow It Down Remix was backwards! Viola put the bass/drums on through cyberspace after the acoustic/electric parts and vocals because they were already done!

It’ll be different with bringing other peeps in and I welcome that.

We’ll see then. Check ya later.

interview by Brad Filicky

Last Modified : February 16th, 2007
Filed under : interviews
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