Published on Metromix Twin Cities, Oct. 2011
Rachael Yamagata is a force to be reckoned with. Heartbreak is her forte, as evidenced by her studio debut "Happenstance" (2004) and its follow-up "Elephants…Teeth Sinking Into Heart" (2008), a 2 CD-set of both unflinchingly raw break-up songs and guitar-driven anthems about moving on.
For her latest release, "Chesapeake," Yamagata appears to have purged the pain of the past, embracing a wiser, more confident attitude paired with a lush, string-infused sound. Yamagata’s trademark longing and unapologetic honesty are still on display but longtime listeners are in for a few surprises as Yamagata showcases a more complete picture of her personality, sans desperation. Though Yamagata may always remain, at least musically, addicted to unrequited love, the songstress has certainly matured on matters of the heart.
Thanks to a PledgeMusic Campaign and "the stash of cash that Dad put away for my wedding," Yamagata gathered her dream team of musicians to bring "Chesapeake" to fruition. Released on her own label, Frankenfish, it seems Yamagata’s independence has allowed her an unprecedented amount of artistic exploration.
I talked with this spitfire musician in anticipation of her return to Minneapolis on Nov. 11.
"Elephants" was like the breakup album of the century. How did you come down off of that and move into "Chesapeake," which sounds a lot more confident, more grounded, more hopeful?
Rachael Yamagata: I think it’s about me getting used to the heartaches of life. "Elephants" was about diving into the pain, submerging myself in it and exploring it to the point of explosion. "Chesapeake" was about the layers of life and taking that positive route again. Even though "Elephants" was dark, it was still about optimism for love and hopefulness but "Chesapeake" is more of me digesting the heartache. It’s like a rebirth. I’ve never been able to be plugged into it like that before. I mean, a song like "Saturday Morning" is all about "I love you, let’s make up and have a good time." Obviously, there’s trouble in the relationship that’s mentioned in the song but it’s not the concentration of the song. I’m not sure what’s behind the change. I was going through another terrible breakup at the time I wrote it but I think I’m translating it differently this time.
Is confessional songwriting incompatible with happily ever after?
RY: I sure hope not! I don’t know that they’re exclusive. What I write about is the universal conflicts of relationships and that can show up in any context, either between two people or in the world, like politics between countries. The thing I feed off of are definitely the down times, but I also think you are the most true and the most raw when you’re in love with someone. When you have that trust, you really show who you are. That potential for insight exists everywhere, but for me, it’s most clearly seen in love. I hope that I can be super in love and still get to the crux of challenges. I hope I don’t have to go through a breakup every time I want to write a song! [Laughs]
One of the standout tracks on the new album is “The Way It Seems.” It’s fun and flirty and all about the contradictory nature of, presumably, your personality. Talk about how that song came to be.
RY: I wrote it as a joking exercise for myself as a writer. I’m so used to these heart-wrenching ballads that I took that song on almost as an experiment, like "Let me talk about how ridiculous I can be." I’m the kind of person where the greatest thing and the worst thing can happen on the same day, so that song was me investigating that contradiction.
Sometimes people see me onstage and think I’m a madwoman or I’m crazy or I’ve had one too many. But I also have three cats, I watch DVDs at home, I go to bed at 8 p.m. Other people don’t get to see that side of me.
I was actually still undecided about whether or not that song would go on the album up until the last minute, but I played it live a few times and the response was so great, I couldn’t ignore it.
Where do you think "Chesapeake" falls on the radio-ready spectrum? Are you hoping to get more airplay? Is that even important to you?
RY: "Elephants" was such a different type of album. It was so dark, I didn’t have my hopes up about getting those songs on the radio. What’s different about "Chesapeake" is I didn’t have to try to make these songs that way. I hear "Saturday Morning" and "Miles on a Car" and they seemingly fit for radio, at least in my ears. Then again, I’m never right about these things. [Laughs] I hear other artists’ music and I think, "That’s going to be a smash!" and it’s not.
Speaking of other artists, you’ve done duets with some incredible people like Ryan Adams, Jason Mraz and Bright Eyes. Is there anyone you’re dying to collaborate with now?
RY: I’d love to just sit in a room with the guys from Journey. Patti Smith is one of my new faves now that I’ve read her book. Elton John is someone I’ve been so influenced by for so long. And…Kanye West! Someone just showed me his 34 minute film “Runaway” and I thought it was so brilliant. I said, "I get it. I understand the ego."
Let’s talk about string instruments on "Chesapeake." It seems like they’re a very important component to your music.
RY: Choosing all of the musicians for this album was very strategic. The ones who came to record on it are so unique. The strings are super super important to me. They feed the lyric in the songs. Oli Kraus played so many instruments on this. He would sit and play the violin between his legs, because he’s originally a cellist, and the result are these gorgeous backdrops for the album. Strings add a cinematic quality to the music. It’s ridiculously beautiful. I love how the arrangements turned out. When I heard "Full On," I started crying because it was so magical. I’m so grateful for the PledgeMusic Campaign for making this possible.
You’ve been to Minneapolis at least a couple times. Any particular memories or favorite places you’d like to share?
RY: The times I’ve come to Minneapolis to do songwriting, Dan Wilson would take me around. I’m terrible with names, so I couldn’t tell you which restaurants, but he was my guide. I love the Fine Line, of course, and I'm looking forward to coming back. Will there be snow in November?
Oh, yes.
RY: [Laughs] Yeah, the weather! And the tunnels! I don’t know how you do it. I would starve and die if I was trying to find a Starbucks in that tunnel system. I’ve lived in Chicago and upstate New York, so I know snow, but you are better people than I am for living there.
You’re an active presence on Twitter. Have you found that a good way to stay connected to your fans? Any regrets about tweets?
RY: I once found this site with the most regrettable tweets and they were mostly historical musicians who said, “God, I wish I hadn’t tweeted that” but I have a terrible memory so I forget what I tweet. Twitter is a quick way to reach everybody. It’s easy, it’s fast, it’s on a phone, so it’s good for me. Otherwise I’d have these thoughts and write them on a list and get to them three months later. I’m enjoying it. I’m fighting the pressure to be funny and interesting all of the time. The truth is, I’m super boring. If I tweeted every thought that went through my head, 80% of them would be about my cats and the rest would be business.
Cigarettes and tequila; are these really the secret ingredients for a sexy voice?
RY: I had this husky tone before I became a smoker. And I hate that I’m a smoker now. Tequila, however, is lovely. Who was it…Karen Carpenter? No…some singer with a distinct voice who said she got it from yelling at her brother while she was growing up. I have my vices, but I’m also an extremist, so I’ll go for nine months when I’m not touring and I won’t drink. But I also suffer from terrible stage fright, so that’s part of the tequila. It’s a complete crutch. I recommend none of these things for anyone else! [Laughs]
On the topic of vices, there’s a surprising lack of profanity on "Chesapeake."
RY: I know, right? One of my friend’s parents who wasn’t familiar with my music was looking me up online and she said, "You have a beautiful voice, but I’m not into rap music." I guess she just saw some of my lyrics and made an assumption about what kind of music I write. I do curse in conversation but I use profanity in songs like sex scenes in a movie: only when crucial to character development. It’s either for emotional expression or if I come up with a really creative phrase like "Don’t fuck me in front of me." I mean, that’s brilliant! [Laughs] Some emotions don’t deserve a graceful word. I wasn’t consciously not cursing on this record. I’ll save that for the shows!
Q&A: DAWES
Published on Metromix Twin Cities in Dec. 2011
Dawes is a California-based quartet formed by Taylor Goldsmith (vocals, guitar) with brother Griffin Goldsmith (drums), Wylie Weber (bass) and Tay Strathairn (piano). Often pegged with a Laurel Canyon sound reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Dawes plays a gritty mix of Americana, folk rock and soul. The backbone of Dawes’ inspiring tunes are themes of love lost and the search for home.
The band recorded their 2009 debut, “North Hills,” live to analog, resulting in a sparse but achingly authentic album. “Nothing is Wrong,” Dawes’ 2011 sophomore effort, maintains the tight, minimalist and haunting vibe of the first release while delving deeper into Taylor Goldsmith’s relatable yet profound lyricism.
Dawes is best experienced live, where audiences bask in the band’s soaring vocals and charismatic energy. Dawes, a hardcore touring act, has graced stages with the likes of Blitzen Trapper, Deer Tick and Mumford & Sons and recently backed legend Robbie Robertson for his “How to Become Clairvoyant” record. The band has been sought out by Chevy advertising execs and was picked as one of VH1’s “You Oughta Know” artists. Taylor Goldsmith has also recorded as part of Middle Brother, an indie supergroup of sorts.
I talked to Taylor Goldsmith between Dawes’ latest sold-out show at First Avenue and their upcoming two-night stand at the Varsity Theater for New Year’s Eve.
Minnesota really has a thing for Dawes. Would it be accurate to say we were one of the first states that picked up on you right out of the gate?
Taylor Goldsmith: Our shows in Minneapolis are the biggest and sell out the quickest than any other place on tour. Dawes has a greater fan presence there than in our hometown. It’s been an organic experience; it’s not like we owe it to a blog or something. The reason why we're received so well there is pretty straight up: Minneapolis has a winning combo of a radio station that people love, a record store people love and really cool venues. You put those three things in place and people want to come to shows.
Talk about the transition from “North Hills” to “Nothing is Wrong.” While both albums speak to personal pain and suffering, it seems as though the first album was rawer and in the second album, there’s a sense of surrender.
TG: I try to keep mindful about what I write without being manipulative. When I think of songs that I’ve really liked, it’s because they've had a story that gives perspective on a situation. I’m not trying to teach the listener a lesson by any means—because what the hell do I know about anything—but I am trying to create an experience. I write to help myself, so if the songs sound like they have more resolution, I might just be getting better at it or…processing experiences differently?
A lot of your songs are about heartbreak, love and relationships. You’ve also said that the songs on “North Hills” and “Nothing is Wrong” were about different women. Is dating more difficult when songwriting is involved?
TG: It can be…but not all of our songs are about love and not all of the songs are about one person. And it’s not that I haven’t had positive, healthy relationships; it’s that I can never tap into something about losing someone when I’m in a relationship. When songwriters write about something they’re not experiencing, you can see through it. I always want Dawes to create music that people hear and say, “Yeah, that experience sounds authentic.” I never want it to be concocted.
If you had to choose between being successful in music or being successful in love, which would you choose?
TG: Music is what I love most but I would never sabotage love for a song. As awesome as it is to be an artist, what really matters is having someone to love and relationships with family and friends. What I appreciate most about this experience of being in a band is spending time with the guys and my brother. It’s not about, “Listen to this cool song I wrote.” It’s about relationships. So, love. Absolutely love.
How many shows has Dawes done this year?
TG: Somewhere around 200.
How do you keep the performances fresh, both for the band and the audience?
TG: That’s dictated by the audiences. When I’m playing “When My Time Comes” for the 500th time and people are responding by singing the lyrics back to me, it brings me back to what it meant when I first wrote the song. So in that sense, it never gets old.
Have you had any particularly memorable or creepy experiences with fans?
TG: Lots of our fans have become good friends; in fact, one of them is from Minneapolis. He came up to us after a show and we talked about what a certain song meant to him and then we talked about books and music and we’ve just become closer and closer ever since then. And, yeah, there have been creepy experiences, too, but I’d hate for someone to read about that and feel bad.
Over the past year, you’ve done a lot of interviews. What is the one question you’d be happy to never hear again?
TG: There are a few, actually. Some questions feel like they’re set-ups or like someone wants to stir up something scandalous. I’ve been asked what I think about a certain pop star and I can’t answer questions like that without incriminating myself or sounding like an asshole. Other questions are just unnecessary, like people who have never listened to the music asking me how we’d define our sound. It’s a difficult thing, to describe Dawes, but it feels like some people are trying to search for something that’s not there.
Let’s try some unconventional questions. If you ever make it to Sesame Street, which character would you like to collaborate with?
TG: I would be so honored to play on Sesame Street with Oscar the Grouch or Big Bird...or Bert and Ernie, either together or with just one of them. I don’t even know if they’re both still on there? I also love the Muppets. It’d be cool to play with them.
If you were to do a jingle for a cereal commercial, which kind would you want to write about?
TG: The band has become pretty health conscious, so I don’t know…if we eat anything close to cereal now, it’d be random granola. I couldn’t even come up with a brand name. Thinking back to what we liked as kids, it’d be Cap'n Crunch.
Who uses the most hair products in the band?
TG: I don’t think that any of us uses products. It's just shampoo. Griffin is blessed with a lot of hair—and I’m not just saying that as a biased brother. Tay washes his hair everyday, Wiley has that long black hair…and I have a normal haircut.
How did you get involved with Middle Brother and are there any future releases in the works?
TG: Dawes was on tour with Deer Tick and John (McCauley, the frontman for Deer Tick) said, “Let’s make a record.” I wasn’t sure if it was going to happen, but then it did, so I suggested bringing in Matt (Vazquez) from Delta Spirit, who I was already friends with. John was cool with that, so we made a record. There’s nothing planned for the future. Deer Tick just put out a great record and Delta Spirit is going to have another album out soon, too.
Do you have anything special planned for the New Year’s Eve show at the Varsity? Disco balls? Champagne?
TG: We’ll work up as much material as we can beforehand, probably some covers, but beyond that, we don’t have any big plans.
Q&A: MARKETA IRGLOVA
Published on Metromix Twin Cities in Nov. 2011
While her name might not immediately ring a bell, when you read through Markéta Irglová’s musical credits, you’ll know right away who she is. Irglova was thrust into the spotlight at the tender age of 20 when “Falling Slowly,” the song she co-wrote with Glen Hansard for their sleeper film “Once,” won an Academy Award. Irglova was the first winner in the Academy’s history to be brought back by the show’s host (Jon Stewart) to finish her acceptance speech, in which she proclaimed, “Fair play for those who dare to dream.”
What followed for Irglova and Hansard seemed very much like a dream come true. The couple became iconic in the music world as their onscreen romance blossomed in real life. Irglova and Hansard continued recording together and soon released the album “Strict Joy” under the moniker The Swell Season. As their fame rose, the romance fizzled, but the two continued to tour the world together making music. The emotional journey of the conflicted lovers was caught on camera and recently released as a documentary which is quickly collecting accolades.
With the Swell Season on hiatus, Irglova embarked on her first solo endeavor, “Anar.” The album is an intense and deeply sentimental record that features themes of indecision, loss, and, ultimately, the redeeming qualities of love. On “Anar” (the Persian word for "pomegranate"), it is clear that Irglova, a woman already wiser than her 23 years, has matured and come into her own as an artist.
I talked to Irglova about the whirlwind of her career, accepting her celebrity status and what her relationship with Hansard is like now.
Describe the context in which these songs were written and why you decided to do a solo recording.
Markéta Irglová: The Swell Season was going to take a break so I found myself at the point where I had to choose between not making music or go to college or whatever else I wanted to do at the time. I didn’t want to stop making music and I already had studio time scheduled to record an EP, so I created the circumstances and the conditions to continue making music.
In the Swell Season with Glen, I wrote two or three songs a year and the rest was mostly him. I was happy and comfortable with that and never felt the need to go deeper, but when I put myself in that headspace of doing my own recording, I found myself sitting at the piano everyday and the songs just started coming out. I was surprised, but so inspired. I kept going. When my studio time came, I had enough songs for a full record, which was not what I initially planned, but I thought, “Why not make a whole record?”
ANTI-Records, who worked with the Swell Season, found out I had recorded an album and they asked to hear it. Then they offered themselves up for "Anar." It was one of those times when something wonderful came out of the unexpected. It was a small idea that suddenly opened up a whole new chapter of embracing myself as a solo artist.
That sounds similar to what happened with your success with “Once.” It must be both an exhilarating and overwhelming when you experience a rush of events that weren’t necessarily what you planned on.
MI: I’m totally okay taking it on. I trust the flow of life. I try to listen to what my next step should be and I think these things happen because I’m not trying to figure out the next ten steps. I ask myself, “What am I guided to do?” When I meditated on that question in this case, the answers were 1) make music and 2) move to New York, which was more conducive to recording than being in the countryside of Ireland. Once I made that step, the next step presented itself.
As long as I focus on what I feel and don’t worry about where I’m going, it works out. Having no expectations but being open to everything is what makes wonderful things happen. If I don’t worry, there’s no obstruction and life flows easily. It sounds impractical, but “Expect nothing; be open to everything” is really all it is.
What is it about New York that inspired you on this album?
MI: It was a fresh start for me. When I moved to New York, I felt very strong emotionally and mentally. Aside from touring, I’d spent a couple of years alone and because of that, I was able to go out in the world again. I was ready for a busy city and to interact with others. So, I guess I was inspired by life, really. I felt so happy and free and open and that reflected itself in my music. It was a very rich time, creatively.
Is that the reason behind the image of a pomegranate on your album cover?
MI: The pomegranate is a sign of fertility, which is what creativity is. It’s also a very feminine symbol and I think this album shows a very feminine side of me. With Glen, I had a beautiful balance between the masculine and the feminine. He brought the passion and the rawness and my aim was the harmony and the softness. Without Glen, I was trying to create something harmonious and very soothing and soft. I think I really embraced my femininity on this album.
People who have followed your career since “Once” and the Swell Season might hear these songs and assume they’re all about Glen. Would that be an accurate assumption?
MI: No, not really. I’ve been married for half-a-year and in a relationship for longer than that, so my current partner influences my music, too. He’s the closest person to me in my life and he makes his way into the songs. Aside from that, these songs couldn’t all be about one particular person because that’s not how I write. I observe relationships in my life and in other people's lives, I allow myself to go through emotional processes and then it all goes through a filter and becomes a song. The album is an outward reflection of what’s inside my head and my heart. I am the person I am because of the experiences I’ve had but I’m also creating a new self each moment.
I understand why people might think the songs are all about Glen. Of course Glen is in them…but in an abstract way. We’re still close and I love Glen very much. He’s dear to my heart and he continues to inspire me. But everything I write is a new opportunity to see things in a new perspective.
In the Swell Season documentary, there are a couple of scenes in which you seem rather uncomfortable with the attention you receive from fans. Has that changed over time?
MI: It’s changed a lot. The idea of celebrity has always been very strange to me because it’s taking the focus away from the music and attaching it to a person. When we put someone on a pedestal or idolize them, we’re giving our own power away. The reason it felt uncomfortable then is because I hadn’t processed it enough at the time, so it came out as resistance and feeling confused. I didn’t know back then how to say I didn’t agree with it.
The way I’ve found to remedy that is to try to interact in a sincere, honest way with people. If we relate like human beings to human beings, it’s a more open and sharing connection. I’m not unreachable. Don’t feel nervous or idealize me. I’m not perfect. When we strip off the celebrity, connecting to people on that level is really beautiful.
The Broadway version of “Once” is opening next month. How does it feel to hand over your project to new actors?
MI: Funny you should mention that because I went yesterday to watch a rehearsal. Glen was there, too, though he’d seen it before. It was wonderful. I was pleasantly surprised. I really like it. I’m proud and I’m honored to see all these people taking a creation of mine and Glen’s and everyone who worked on the film and making it their own. Initially, I had the sense that this shouldn’t be a re-creation of something we already made; it should be a new creation and I didn’t feel right trying to control that. They kept the production simple, like the film is simple. It wouldn’t have made sense for it to be a shiny Broadway show.
The core is still in there and I’m very, very happy with it.
Q&A: BUDDY "THE CAKE BOSS" VALASTRO
Published on Metromix Twin Cities, Nov. 2011
Buddy Valastro is best known as the star of TLC’s wildly popular “Cake Boss” program. Mixing traditional recipes with modern design, Valastro is a man who lives on the cutting edge of culinary arts. In addition to whipping up incredible edibles on cable TV, Valastro has penned a new book about how he made Carlo’s Bakery a household name. Valastro is currently on tour, giving away the tricks of the trade in his live show “Baking with the Boss.” We asked Buddy about the Cake Boss empire, the must-haves for home bakers and how he “treats” himself.
Your new book “Cake Boss” is a combination of the story of how you became one of television’s most admired bakers paired with some your recipes. How did you decide which recipes to share with the public and which ones to keep top-secret?
Buddy Valastro: I tried to include a combination of recipes that were popular in my show and ones that are easy for the home baker to make. Some of the items (like lobster tails) are difficult to make at home but I still wanted everyone to be able to try it.
How has your baking changed since starting the show on TLC? Have you had to compromise your creativity or has it encouraged you to step outside your comfort zone?
BV: My recipes have pretty much stayed the same, but our decorating is at an all-time creative high. We've been replicating a lot of buildings for companies, which is always a creative challenge. I've also noticed that a lot of our cake orders are non-traditional; just this weekend we took orders for an Alice in Wonderland-inspired wedding cake and a bar mitzvah comic book cake. We're always trying new things, new ways to use edible materials creatively.
Some of your cakes look like they’re as much about baking skills as they are about engineering. How did you learn the construction part of creating cakes?
BV: Trial and error! Like most of my skills at the bakery, I learned how to do the frame work by learning from how other people used the tools. My brother-in-law, Mauro, worked in construction before the bakery and knows a lot about the engineering aspects of the cakes.
Despite the occasional drama on the show, you seem like a very positive person. How do you stay humble, happy and grounded in the midst of all this success and your professional obligations?
BV: It's all about family. We work together all day and then go home and make a big dinner. We might fight, but at the end of the day we're family and that's the most important thing to me.
For many of your fans, baking is a hobby and pastries are occasional treats. You bake day in, day out and could eat cake 24/7 if you wanted. If you had an entire day to yourself, what would your idea of indulgence be? How would you spoil yourself?
BV: I would love to sit at home all day and play with my kids. It's my favorite thing to do in my time off. All of my family is so close. We're always over each other's houses.
What do you miss most about your life, pre-fame?
BV: I'm still just a baker from New Jersey. The only change is that I get to share my passion with the world. I love meeting with fans of the show and hearing how we inspired them to make a special cake or dessert.
Who is at the top of your “I want to bake a cake for you” list?
BV: I've met so many great people, but my favorite cakes are always for the kids. My four kids mean the world to me and I love making other kids smile. That's why I love doing the live show; having the opportunity to create a fun, educational family night.
Is culinary school worth the dough for aspiring bakers?
BV: I think that there is a lot to learn in this industry, whether you go to school or become an apprentice. I learned everything from my dad and I always encourage hands-on learning because it is the best way to learn technique.
Who do you turn to for pastry-related advice?
BV: Sal [a long-time employee of Carlo’s Bakery who passed away] was a great mentor and taught me a lot about the art of baking. One of the first jobs I had in the bakery was working with the pastries and learning to “pull” lobster tails. I mostly focus on cakes now, but I have a talented team of guys that have been working here for a long time. My brother-in-law Joey is in charge of the “oven room.”
Name the five best tools for home bakers.
BV: A good mixer, rolling pin, utensils (measuring cups, spatulas, etc), high-quality ingredients and a good attitude! No matter what the recipe, any baker can do wonders in the kitchen with some good ingredients and an upbeat attitude!
Minnesotans can get a taste of Buddy's jaw-dropping baking skills when he comes to the Orpheum Theatre on Nov. 15.
Q&A: LITTLE SCREAM
Published on Metromix Twin Cities in Nov. 2011
Little Scream’s music is as quirky and contradictory as her moniker. A violinist and pianist since childhood, she began writing songs at age 15. It was years later, in Montreal, that she took the stage, shed the name Laurel Sprengelmeyer and became Little Scream. Her genre-blending, spacey sound and multi-layered, elegant instrumentation caught the attention of the indie music scene and she soon opened for acts like Atlas Sound, Stars and Handsome Furs.
Little Scream’s new album, “The Golden Record,” was titled after the 1977 Voyager space shuttle and features her own oil painting as the cover. Co-produced with Richard Reed Parry and incorporating the talents of members of Arcade Fire, Belle Orchestre and the National, “The Golden Record” is a delightfully complex collection of songs, leaving Little Scream poised to be the buzz band heard around the world.
I talked to Little Scream while she enjoyed a Rice Krispies treat in a British Columbia airport.
The last time you were in Minnesota, you opened for Sharon Van Etten. You brought a local saw player whom you’d just met onstage. Tell the story of how that happened.
That must take a certain amount of trust to bring someone you don’t know to perform with you. Do you invite musicians to back you like that often?
LS: From time to time, but no, not a whole, whole lot. In Montreal, there are certain musicians I can do that with, like "Let’s have a cellist for this show." It’s a fun, fun thing to do, but I’ve pulled in the reins on that somewhat because I want to have a solid show. It’s a balance. I still want that awesome spontaneous element in the show, too, because it makes it more exciting for the audience.
You were born in Iowa but Little Scream was conceived in Montreal. How did your path lead you there and why did you decide to stay?
LS: I hadn’t been there before I decided to move there. I was dating somebody at the time, a French speaker whose brother lived there, so I went with him. Then I got into a cool program at Concordia and found work right out of school, so I always had Visas. It took a couple of years to admit that I’d moved there because I felt very transient, but it’s a great, vibrant place and it is my home now, though I’ve hardly lived there this past year.
Do you have Canadian citizenship?
LS: I have permanent residency and the citizenship is being processed. I’m going to keep my U.S. citizenship, too, but I’ve been living in Montreal for ten years now and it feels like home to me.
Having lived in both the U.S. and Canada, are there certain things you think one country does better than the other?
LS: That is a tough question. It’s a good question. I would have to think about that for a while. [Pauses] What the U.S. could learn from the people of Canada is how to have political discussions without going to extremes. It’s unfortunate, but people in the U.S. don’t communicate like adults when they’re talking about politics. People in Canada can disagree with one another and still make things happen in the government. Don’t get me wrong; the U.S. is an amazing place and they have a sense of confidence that is lacking in Canada. Everyone here is always saying “I’m sorry, I ‘m sorry, I’m sorry.” It’s like the Midwest in that way. Maybe that’s why I feel at home here. That’s a really great question, though. I’m sure I’ll come up with ten great responses as soon as we get off the phone. [Laughs]
You did a really cool video with La Blogothèque. How did that come about? Did they just call you and say, “Meet us at this park?” And what is the deal with the runner at the end of the video? Was he a band member?
LS: More and more people are taping live, acoustic videos these days, but La Blogothèque is the original. We got contacted by them on the last couple of days of our tour, but because it’s outdoors and acoustic, we couldn’t accommodate the entire band. So we went to this park and our keyboard player Kaveh (Nabatian) happened to jog by. We couldn’t bring keys, so there was nothing for him to play, but since we ran into him, I told him to work out in the video. I made him do jumping jacks.
What’s great is that at the end of the video, the runner’s footsteps act as percussion. Did you plan that?
LS: It just sort of happened. If there’s anything I could have had more of in that video, it would have been more of Kaveh working out. I wanted it to be the “Workout to Little Scream” video. [Laughs.]
Do you have plans to make a more stylized video, something like a Florence & the Machine, over-the-top production with costumes?
LS: We had a lot of video plans but we’ve been traveling so much, some things we haven’t gotten around to yet. It’s funny because videos are both easy and hard. It’s easy to have ideas for concepts but it’s tricky to make them come out in the way you want them to.
You’ve said that “The Golden Record” wasn’t a concept album and that the songs are each their own universe. After completing the album and listening to it all the way through, however, did you see any themes or a narrative arc or do the songs still seem like separate entities?
LS: They are still separate universes but the order they were put in was conscious. There is a definite narrative arc with the elements of triumph, hope and despair, at least for me. It’s like a soundtrack to a film that only I know the story to.
You’re also a painter. Is that related to your music or are they separate endeavors? Has a painting ever inspired a song or vice versa?
LS: They’re separate but they come out of the same vein. I didn’t realize until recording this album how related they are, but I showed some people the paintings and listening to them describe the paintings made me see the parallels in my songs. I also paint because I’m shy and painting is the opposite of performing in that regard. I paint alone, in a studio, where no one’s watching me, but with music, I can’t hide.
Do you get stage fright?
LS: Yeah, I do. It’s tricky because while I’m playing, I’m fine. It’s in between the songs when I have to talk that I feel weird, shy and awkward. I’ve been thinking I need a stand-up comic or an actor to fill in for me between songs so I don't have to feel that way.
You also seem to have a fascination with planets and all things celestial.
LS: I do. I love astronomy and space and stars. It’s constantly mind-blowing. I’m like a teenager on weed when I think about space. I’m in awe of how big the universe is.
Q&A: MACKLEMORE
Published on Metromix Twin Cities in Dec. 2011
Macklemore, a hip hop artist from Seattle, has taken the nation by storm with his equally uplifting and unflinchingly honest lyrical style. On his albums, which include 2005's "The Language of My World" and 2009's "The Unplanned Mixtape," the man born as Ben Haggerty showcased his unique ability to craft personal songs that speak to universal experiences. Macklemore, never one to shy away from controversy, uses his music to explore race, politics, consumerism, addiction and any other loaded topic he can “rap” his mind around.
Macklemore is currently touring the U.S. with Ryan Lewis, his right-hand-man and producer of two EPs, "VS." (2009) and "VS. Redux" (2010). I spoke to the rapper in anticipation of his sold-out show at First Avenue on Dec. 14.
Where did the name Macklemore come from?
M: It was given to me by three elderly women who lived by my house when I was growing up. I cut their grass on Wednesdays. They’d give me cookies and biscuits and oven pizzas and by 15 they started calling me Professor Macklemore. The name stuck and got around school and then I started rapping.
Is Macklemore a persona? And if so, how is Ben different?
M: No, I try to be as much the same person as possible. My goal is to have no separation between the art I create and who I am. I’m as honest as I can be. If there is any difference, it’s that Macklemore—and here I am talking about myself in third person—is somewhat livelier onstage than Ben might be.
When you sit down to write a song, who do you write for? Do you have a target audience in mind or is it more of a cathartic process for you?
M: I try not to think like that. I just write whatever I’m inspired to write. And even when I’m not inspired, I write through it. When I write, I don’t have any expectation of what kind of song it will become or who it might reach. As it gets more developed, that might come into play, but I try to fight that. I try not to direct myself. I think the best songs are written that way.
A lot of your shows are all ages; is making your music accessible in that way important to you?
M: Most of my shows are all ages and it’s definitely important. I also have a younger fan base—ages 25 to 35. Of course there are some younger and some older, but the majority are in that age range. I think music should be experienced by people all ages. I understand that clubs need to make money and they do it by selling alcohol, but the shows I went to in high school shaped my way of thinking and everyone should be allowed to experience that. The energy at all ages shows is just great. The kids are super enthusiastic because they haven’t been seeing live shows for 15 years. For many of them, it’s one of their first concerts. The energy is contagious.
Tell us about the process of sampling. What factors determine which songs you use in your music?
M: Sampling contemporary artists was the concept behind the “Versus” EP. Who we sampled was up to Ryan (Lewis); he chose a lot of indie rock music that I had never heard before and picked the best loops. The new album we’re working on is sample-free. Ryan’s doing a lot of instrumentation on it.
Does Ryan always do the music while you focus on lyrics? Do you ever switch roles?
M: We have a hand in each other’s production. I write raps and I’ll spit them for him and he’ll tell me what he does and doesn’t like. Then he’ll bring me his stuff and I’ll do the same. I’ll tell him “I like those drums” or “I like that melody.” It’s a constant collaboration and a joint effort.
As much as you’re comfortable, would you share how making music helped you overcome addiction?
M: Music was an easy way to gauge what drugs and alcohol could do to the creative process. I became aware at a very young age of the effects it had on my music. That was my main passion, always has been, and it was obvious by the time I was 16 that there was a direct correlation between addiction and how deep I could go creatively. Addiction made it very difficult to write from the heart. So music gave me that gauge and it gave me a higher purpose. It was the positive momentum to keep sober.
Do you think music should be included in treatment programs for addiction?
M: Of course. Counselors do use it; my counselor’s curriculum included playing music. Music is therapy. Music moves people. It connects people in ways that no other medium can. It pulls heart strings. It acts as medicine.
Is it true that you are now addicted to shoes?
M: [Sighs] Yes. Yes.
How many pairs are we talking here?
M: Oh…I don’t know…40 to 50 pairs? I should get rid of some of them. There’s peer pressure from my girlfriend. The closet is kind of overflowing.
And yet your song, “Wings,” is all about the perils of consumerism.
M: I think that song came from the overflowing closet! It was about examining my need to get more and more and more. “Wings” was about me digging deeper and figuring out what am I trying to achieve by buying all these shoes? Why do I feel like I have to go shopping and buy a new pair every few weeks? How does that process affect me? What is it about that serotonin rush?
I also hear you like hats.
M: [Laughs] I do have hats but I don’t really wear them anymore.
Why not?
M: I got a haircut I really like. I didn’t like the hair before, so I wore hats. Now that I like the hair, I’m not wearing hats. I’m wearing the haircut.
Published on Metromix Twin Cities in Dec. 2011
