I got to interact with Nellie McKay, briefly, on several occasions. She had let me take a [...]]]>

I got to interact with Nellie McKay, briefly, on several occasions. She had let me take a photo of her for POTD so I decided that the next logical step was to ask her to do an interview for my blog. And for some reason she agreed, so when she was back in time for this show we got together and chatted.

I did record the interview so that I could transcribe it in a Q&A format. However, due to extreme doofusness I only recorded the first three minutes. Let this be a lesson to always read the full release notes on apps, especially if there’s a “lite” in the name!

Basically I have a recording of Nellie offering me something to drink and apologizing for being boring for only having water, and me saying that that’s what we say when we have people over but that we have a reverse osmosis thing. Yes, I have a recording of me bragging about how cool our water is. AWESOME.

What follows is basically my recollection from that evening. Sadly there aren’t many direct quotes, but I did sit around for a while and make sure I’m remembering things accurately. So this isn’t really an interview, but rather more of a, well. A blog post about my experience. I still hope to post a real interview some day, but for now, here goes.

The first time K and I saw Nellie McKay in concert was at The Dakota, a restaurant/jazz club. Nellie, who is a vegan, poked some fun at them for not having any vegan food options.

They have since added very prominent “We now accommodate vegetarians!” I asked Nellie if that was her doing.

She said she didn’t even know they did that, and when she plays there (which she’s done on several occasions since) she has a big basket of fries. Which is cool since I always get that, too! In fact, it was a bit weird for me to watch her in concert without a big basket of fries.

I told her we’re still giving her credit for this. She seemed OK with that.

I asked about her show, I Want To Live!, which was playing at a theatre in New York. I asked whether she’ll take it on the road for those of us who think New York is scary.

They have definite plans to take it to Michigan in November (I remember East Lansing and Detroit). She said she’d love to bring it to Minneapolis, too, which I hope they will!

There are also plans for a live CD of the show. I suggested a DVD too, for those of us who think leaving the house is scary.

I asked Nellie if she’s considered releasing a live album of her regular concerts. I’ve always felt that Nellie has a much wider vocal range when she plays live than what what shows up on albums – she seems more playful on stage. She says she’s aware of that, and she does want to release a live album some day.

One of Nellie’s live show staples is the song Mother of Pearl². On the album, this song ends with a jab at Dennis Kucinich, but that’s since been updated to Sarah Palin. Mrs. Palin has now been replaced by Michelle Bachmann, which got huge applause³. Nellie said that she’s sad she didn’t poke some fun at Columbus Day, which just happened to be the night the show was on. Nellie is apparently not a fan of Columbus Day, or rather the implications of Columbus’ journey on the native peoples of the Americas.

Nellie mentioned that she hasn’t played solo in a while and was really enjoying it. I was too. It’s great to hear her take some of her more songs and do simplified piano-only versions of them. She did a piano-only version of Beneath the Underdog⁴ tonight, and I asked her if that was an indication of her song-writing process, if she start out simple and then flesh them out into more complex forms.

She said that sometimes she does that. She said that Beneath the Underdog just kind of happened, which was cool. I told her I was jealous, since I actually managed to write one song once and it was a painful experience. She did congratulate me on having actually done it though.

Since Nellie’s albums are usually quite different from each other, I asked if she knows which artistic direction she’s going to take and whether she’s ever surprised by where she ends up. She said that she usually doesn’t really know. Sometimes she thinks she does – Home Sweet Mobile Home was supposed to be all Caribbean-sounding, but half-way through that ended up going a different way⁵.

I asked if she feels like she’s free to just roll with whatever direction she ends up going in, or if she feels that she’s a bit trapped in that whole Nellie McKay thing so she has to write more Nellie McKay songs.

I was a bit surprised that she replied that yes, she does feel that she has to give the people what they want to hear, what they expect of her. She’s learning a lot about what people want to hear in the current tour. And I really, really should’ve delved a bit deeper into that⁶.

I asked Nellie about her relationship, or lack of, with technology. I somehow managed to guess that she’s not really into it. All the vintage clothing might have been a bit of a clue. She doesn’t have a computer, or a TV, or even an MP3 player! I asked how she listens to music, and she said she listens to records, CDs, tapes and even 8-tracks. She has an old car lying around for that. She said she’d love to get an 8-track player for the house⁷.

Nellie definitely doesn’t want to buy anything on the internet, where everything gets tracked and recorded. She misses the anonymity of mega-music stores, and thinks they closed down well before their time. She likes small independent music stores, of course, but feels that you can’t really shop for your guilty pleasures there because the people at the counter always have to make comments.

Yes, did I ask her what her guilty pleasures are. She did mention one. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is⁸. I actually thought I misheard her but I just googled it and it’d just be WAY too much of a coincidence. But anyway.

Don’t expect a Nellie McKay facebook page or twitter feed anytime soon. Nellie feels that all that stuff just sucks you in and doesn’t really enrich your quality of life (especially TV).

I asked Nellie if she doesn’t feel that, as a performing artist, having a facebook or twitter feed is more or less expected. We agreed that there’s a lot⁹ of mundane information out there, but I asked if she wouldn’t like to use it to, say, inform fans that she’ll be doing local shows.

She pointed out that there’s already someone doing those things for her. Indeed, her official website has both tour dates and a news feed. Nellie, however, doesn’t care at all about her web presence.

I wish we could have debated the merits or lack thereof of technology for hours. I could debate it with myself fairly well. Part of me wants Nellie to have the exposure that jumping on the twitter/facebook bandwagon can get. On the other hand, I kind of like the idea of Nellie McKay being totally separated from that world. Lets face it – she’s a unique musician (and a unique person and artist) and this is just one of the things that contributes to that aspect of her¹⁰.

We moved on to talk about animals. Nellie is an avid animal rights advocate. I asked if she was always an animal lover, and if she had many pets growing up.

Nellie said that animals were always a part of her life. They had an ally growing up, and there were always strays around to feed. She said she thinks it’s important for kids to grow up with animals (and I could not agree more – I may not know a lot about kids, but I think my life is enriched by having grown up with animals).

I’ll admit to being a big nerd and showing Nellie all my pet pictures. That was before the interview (as if that makes it better). She said my dog is adorable¹¹.

I asked Nellie if finding vegan food on the road is a challenge.

“Denny’s used to have a really good vegan veggieburger,” she said, “but they changed it.”

I don’t know why that surprised me so much, but I suspect me being a snob had something to do with it. I mentioned that I know a vegan store owner (he’s a vegan, and his store sells vegan products) who consistently eats at Taco Bell. Nellie made the good point that cheap and accessible vegetarian food is essential if there’s any hope to get more people to even try it.

Vegan/vegetarian food is a lot more ubiquitous than I really thought, and I am a vegetarian. Nellie mentioned that Burger King has veggieburgers, too. I guess I am a picky eater¹². Ethnic foods are usually good, since large portions of the world subsist on beans and rice. Nellie said she’s found it fairly easy to find good vegan food just about anywhere, except Norway where it was a challenge.

Which lead right in to my last question. “It’s been a quiet day, no concerts, no stuff to do, nothing busy. What’s for dinner?”

I really, really wish I had this part recorded, because she went into much more detail than I can remember. I do remember that Nellie currently enjoys making herself a nice veggieburger on a muffin, with chips (possibly home-made, something was home-made) and ketchup, and some almond/soymilk with coconut flavoured rum. “Sounds like an evening to me,” she said.

“Go to her!” Nellie said. “And take these flowers.”

1. Nellie McKay Official Website
2. Nellie performing Mother of Pearl at TED. Oh my god I didn’t ask her about TED.
3. I’ve been trying to think up a way to suggest Bachmann for that role for over a year. Turns out I didn’t have to!
4. Somewhat odd Beneath the Underdog video.
5. Which is just fine with me – I’ve mentioned before how much I like the non-Caribbean portions of that album.
6. Around now I badmouthed Led Zeppelin for their complete lack of musical growth. I’m very glad that Nellie’s music does continue to evolve.
7. I had a look and found a bunch of 8-track decks on eBay that could easily be wired into a current stereo. In case anyone is interested.
8. Don’t worry, it’s not Bieber. I made sure.
9. A lot.
10. It does sadden me a bit that this all means that the chances of Nellie actually reading this are minuscule… but on the other hand I have to admit that it makes it a bit less scary to write.
11. YES I DID JUST DO THAT.
12. Dammit, K was right!

I’m going to twist that a bit. I’ve been meaning to start writing posts about music that was defining for me – the bands where I went [...]]]> There’s a meme going around on a certain social network that shall go unmentioned right now where people are tagged to name fifteen albums in fifteen minutes.

I’m going to twist that a bit. I’ve been meaning to start writing posts about music that was defining for me – the bands where I went out and bought every single album, and I’m going to use this as something of an introduction/thought exercise for that. I’m going to go in chronological order, list the Top 15 bands/singers/acts I ever got into, and the FIRST album of theirs I listened to, and maybe throw in some information about why/how/where/etc. At some point I’ll write an actual entry about each of them and expand on that.

So here we go, and again, chronological order.

#1: The Beatles – Let It Be

Ironically, their last-released album was the first album I heard. Mostly because we had it at home – it was one of my mom’s favourite albums. I was probably twelve when I started listening to it. Then started the long, arduous task of buying all their other albums, which is no mean feat when you’re 12 and there’s no such thing as an iTunes Gift Card.

#2: Pink Floyd – The Final Cut

Once again, their last released album! Even funnier, it’s now my least favourite Pink Floyd album (and The Wall is my second-least -favourite) – so much so that I currently own every Pink Floyd album except this one.

I was probably fourteen when I heard it. A friend of mine insisted that he had to lend it to me and wouldn’t take it back till I listened to it. Back then it seemed really, you know, deep. Nowadays it’s just Roger Waters being whiny.

Interestingly, I didn’t actually get into the good Pink Floyd stuff till much later.

#3: Dire Straits – Making Movies

Ah, Dire Straits – proof that there was some good rock music in the 80s. I remember listening to tapes of this album on a walkman while taking the bus to work.

Dire Straits, at some point The Biggest Band In The World, only released five albums. But I’m counting Mark Knopfler’s solo albums in this.

#4: Jethro Tull – Thick as a Brick

This was another album someone lent me and insisted I listen to it. One night I decided it’s time to clean my room, so I plugged in some headphones and put the CD on.

After the first fifteen seconds I was absolutely hooked and knew I need to get everything these people ever made. And I’m going to describe them now.

This album (which is basically one long track) starts with a mellow-ish acoustic guitar riff, followed by the line “Really don’t mind if you sit this one out.”

That was it. The delivery on that is just perfect. It didn’t hurt that this part is immediately followed by a flute (yeah, I didn’t know Jethro Tull were so heavily flute-based), and that Thick as a Brick is basically a phenomenal album.

Incidentally, Thick as a Brick is the first CD I bought on the internet. This was before there were websites. You had to telnet to the store. But that’s another story.

#5: Led Zeppelin – IV

This is almost too obvious that it’s embarrassing. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of Zeppelin anymore for two reasons: first, I don’t think they really had any musical growth. A track from any of their albums would feel right at home on any other album. Second, well, I believe Homer Simpson put it best when he said “There’s Jimmy Page, the biggest thief of American black music who ever walked the Earth.” But everyone goes through a OMG STAIRWAY!!!! phase, and I bought a lot of their albums during that time, so…

#6: Neil Young: Rust Never Sleeps

See, I don’t listen exclusively to British bands!

Late one night I turned on the TV and there were these… weird robed figures with shiny eyes walking on the stage. They looked like giant Jawas. Then this guy came on and played some mellow stuff. Then they rearranged the stage and he rocked the living crap out of the place.

Years later I was listening to this CD on a bus (yeah, on the way to work, but in a discman this time) and when Neil Young said “Rock and Roll will never die” it just hit me that, you know… it kinda had.

#7: Frank Zappa – Sheik Yerbouti

Frank Zappa was just completely, totally different from anything else I’d ever listened to before. It kind of defies description, really.

I remember buying this CD and then listening to it on the bus on the way home (I swear, this is the last bus story) and just trying really, really hard not to laugh the entire way.

A lot of people find Frank Zappa offensive, but those people are jerks (see what I did there?) Zappa hardly ever pulls punches and considers pretty much anyone a valid target. Which is just fine by me. Zappa died way too young. He should still be here annoying the hell out of everyone.

Intermission

There’s a bit of a gap in years between the last entry and the next one. I had moved to a different country and could only take 50 CDs with me. This was well before it was practical to rip and encode your entire music collection – it took over a day to rip one album and there weren’t as many automated tools to name the tracks for you.So there were a few years not having any money, and of reacquiring old music before I could really get into new stuff.

#8 Tom Waits – Nighthawks at the Diner

I was actually on a road trip and decided to pick up some new CDs because I was getting bored with the ten I’d brought with me. This was one of them (there were actually three Tom Waits discs, but this is the one I listened to first). I listened to it while driving late into the night. It’s kind of a perfect night-driving album.

Interesting note: Tom Waits was the first artist who’s songs I first heard by downloading them off the internet. This prompted me to buy just about every single album he ever released.

#9 Joni Mitchell – Clouds

Joni Mitchell is on the list of People I Should’ve Been Listening To For Ages. Before getting her CDs, I’d actually heard more covers of her songs than her actual versions of them. I got this album because I remembered Judy Collins’ cover of Both Sides, Now.

I do have quite a few Joni Mitchell albums, but I have to admit that the very heavy jazzy ones don’t really do it for me.

#10: David Bowie- Space Oddity

Ok, before anyone freaks out, yes I did say this is in chronological order. However, Bowie is one of those artists where I’d get one of his albums every 3-4 years. I got the first one when I was 16 or 17, and I’ve been getting more every few years, and I’ve only recently decided that, yes, I do actually have a considerable amount of his music. Which is interesting since I have absolutely ZERO interest in anything he did after 1977.

#11: Loreena McKennitt: … I’m not really sure.

Back in 1994 there was a TV show named Due South. It was a Canadian TV show, and regularly featured music by Canadian artists.

One episode featured this one sing that was just beautiful. And I had to wait well over a decade for the DVDs to be released, so that I could buy them and pause the credits to read that that song was called Prospero’s Speech and it was by an artist named Loreena McKennitt. Luckily we had Google by then so I could find that it was part of an album called The Mask and Mirror… which wasn’t available anywhere.

I ended up getting a boxed-set that contained four other albums, and I really don’t remember which ones they were or which one I listened to first, or when at some point all her other albums became available again, but when they were, I bought them, too.

Interesting note: Loreena McKennitt is, to this date, the only artist I’ve found who sells their music online in FLAC format (this is cool, trust me).

#12: Cat Power: The Greatest

One of the very few “I Heard A Review On The Radio” artists. And frankly it makes me a bit sad to talk about Cat Power. I absolutely loved her first six albums, which evolved form very low-key, almost lonely girl-and-guitar sound, to a somewhat more coherent sound with an actual band, but never anything really crowded. And there was always a… vulnerability in there.

One day I was listening to the radio and the DJ said “Up next, new music from Cat Power!” and I was really happy. Then they started playing it and I was “Uh… is that… a cover of Sinatra’s New York, New York??? And a pretty horrible one, at that?” and it kind of all went downhill from there.

#13: Nellie McKay: Get Away From Me

Nellie McKay is the anti-Cat Power. Heard her on the same radio station (where they toned her down a lot). Her musical style and voice also evolved, but she seems to be going in a direction that only improves and works even better for her. Her latest album is basically all covers – it’s a tribute to Doris Day, and it’s just so obvious that she should be doing that.

I think Nellie McKay is the artist I’ve seen live the most times. Which isn’t saying a whole lot for me, but hey.

#14: Leonard Cohen: Songs of Leonard Cohen

Yeah, I know, I should’ve been listening to Leonard Cohen for ages. And I do have vague recollections of hearing him on the radio in the 80s. And I heard a lot of his songs performed by other artists. One day I decided it’s about time I hear his actual music so I bought a whole chunk of his stuff. I really prefer the style of his early stuff.

#15: Fairport Convention: What We Did On Our Holidays

Yeah, I know, I should’ve been liste… wait, I already said that. Ok, honestly, I have NO IDEA how Fairport Convention slipped under my radar. Just no idea. Especially considering that Jethro Tull have been there forever. But hey, they’re here now.

Epilogue

I want to be clear that these aren’t all the bands/artists I listen to, nor all the ones I really like, nor all the ones I have a lot of albums. They’re just the top 15. Or the first 15 I could think of. Or something. And yeah, I will try to write longer entries about, well, fourteen of them, at least.

Pete Townshend is the guitar player for The Who.

I’m writing this down because normally I can only keep one of their names in my head at the time and drive myself nuts trying to remember the other guy’s name.

Strangely I have no problems remembering [...]]]> Roger Daltrey is the frontman for The Who.

Pete Townshend is the guitar player for The Who.

I’m writing this down because normally I can only keep one of their names in my head at the time and drive myself nuts trying to remember the other guy’s name.

Strangely I have no problems remembering John Entwistle and Keith Moon. Although I DO occasionally confuse them with John Paul Jones and John Bonham.