"I said do you like Supertramp?" An interview with E... http://www.artthreat.net/2007/08/292
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"I said do you like
Supertramp?" An interview
with Emily Carr
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BY MÉL HOGAN, SEPTEMBER 1, 2007 COMMENTS (0)
Just a few weeks ago Emily
Carr performed at a small café in
Montréal’s NDG. The show was
pure melody as one would
expect from listening to the few
tracks available on her
MySpace page. I had the
opportunity to ask Emily a few
questions, and invited her to
play on air, on CKUT’s Dykes
on Mykes in early October,
available to all via podcast.
Mél Hogan for Art Threat:
In my CD collection, my favorite
songs are the ones that tell a
story, but just a part of it. They
leave you feeling like you're in
on something--they are
intimate--but leave you
insatiate. You do this in all your
songs, which makes me think
you are not new to song
writing. Tell me about what
makes you write... how thoughts become songs.
Emily Carr: When I started singing original music I was in high
school. I was in this punkish band and the lead guitar player wrote
all the songs. I was the singer, I was trying really hard to scream
and yell and rock out but shamefully, I’d go home and listen to
Jewel and Lisa Loeb, and oldies radio. I started writing songs
myself out of frustration. I wanted to sing songs about my own
feelings and experiences. The first songs were painfully slow and
awkward. I would go the open Mike at the Cock ‘n ‘Bull and get
booed off the stage…
When I sit down to play guitar I’ve usually got a specific feeling,
happiness, anger, frustration, sadness, and often a few words in
my mind. I wind up using my life experiences to illustrate the
emotion. When people ask me what my songs are about I usually
say they’re about nothing. That’s not really true, but the meanings
change over time. Sometimes I just want to play something fun. I’ll
write some really quickly, those are always the songs people like
the most. The songs that take a long time to write usually don’t
even make it to the recording.
[More...]
AT: I love Supertramp (both the band and your song!) The lyrics
are quite simple but there is a pleading in your voice that makes it
the kind of song you play over and over again to find the hidden
meaning. Can you reveal anything about its mysterious appeal?
EC: Supertramp is one of those fast, fun songs. I was out one
night and a friend of mine was sitting across the table from me.
She said, why don’t you write a song about me? Usually I’d just
blow that off, but the jukebox song changed and she squealed,
really truly squealed with delight. Supertramp. I said do you like
Supertramp? She said you know me, I Love Supertramp! Right
away I thought those were good lyrics….”Why don’t you write a
song about me, you know me, I love Supertramp.” Pretty simple.
1 of 3 1/29/08 11:14 AM
"I said do you like Supertramp?" An interview with E... http://www.artthreat.net/2007/08/292
It’s fun that people like it. I like it. That’s the secret science of song
writing.
AT: If the lyrics to Prom Dress were just written out I'd think it was a
funny song. But listening to it, it brings back all the awkward stuff
of high school. What was your Prom like?
EC:I went to prom twice. The first time I dressed up really “cool”. I
was all about Anti-Prom, down with pink; it was a disaster. I was so
embarrassed. When I arrived I wished so badly that I had a pretty
puffy dress like all the other girls. The next year, my mother took
me shopping and we got the puffiest dress we could find, I got my
hair done. It was the best day of my mother’s life. I did look really
pretty, but I spent the evening sitting on the edge of a garden
crying. I never thought I’d wear the dress again, but later, I found
myself at this sketchy warehouse party wearing it. That’s when I
wrote the song.
AT: I notice on your MySpace page most of your songs are
available for download, something not too many artists do. What is
your philosophy around making and sharing music? Supertram
alone has 1769 plays! What is your feeling about what the Internet
has allowed your music to do?
EC:I’ve tried to make money with my music, and it seems like
everyone’s got some great advice about how to do it. I haven’t
found a fool proof method yet, This past year I decided that since
I’m not signed, and I keep writing songs with or without money, if
someone wants to listen that’s really nice. I like to think that
someday I’ll be able to make a living writing and recording music,
but for now it’s free. I love the Internet. I love that we can share
songs and listen to songs and download songs. I love songs.
AT: Your MySpace page says you're in studio recording a new full
length album. Can you tell me about it? What is that process like?
Have you recorded other albums? Are the songs on MySpace on
the new album? What else is on it? Are you collaborating with
other artists? When will the album be out? Where can people find
more of your music?
EC:I am working on a new album. I got into studio to record the
songs that I’d written recently but I really liked the producer and
things just took on a life of their own. We started talking about
doing something more professional and about taking the best
songs and really making a complete album. I realized that it was
going to take more money than I could afford so we applied for a
grant to finish. I’ll hear soon if that came through. The record is
going to be really lovely. I’m working with some great musicians. I
don’t know what songs are going to be on it for sure, we have a lot
to choose from. I want to make an album that has a unique feel, a
little more up than my previous recordings.
AT: Apparently you used to sing all the way down in Windsor,
Ontario--what has your trajectory to Montréal been like? Are you
here to stay?
EC:I think Montreal is amazing. I am definitely here to stay for a
while. I love playing live shows and usually play at least once a
month somewhere in the city. Touring depends on the album, so
for now, I’m concentrating on finishing that. My shows are listed
on the web site and I’ll keep information about the recording
posted.
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