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date: fri, 6 jul 2007 18:27:16 +1000
from: sherlyn koo <sherlyn@pixelopolis.com>
subject: jam! music article
hi folks,
here's an article / emily interview from jam! music. you can read it online=
at:
http://jam.canoe.ca/music/artists/i/indigo_girls/2007/07/05/4314435.html
cheers,
sherlyn
---begin forwarded article---
july 5, 2007
indigo girls stick to what they know
by david schmeichel - sun media
the last indigo girls album was a milestone, to be sure, marking the=
folk-rock
duo's 20th year of making records together.
but the disc -- called despite our differences -- also represents a slight=
sea
change for the pair, who after two decades together have no interest in=
being
boxed in by convention.
"i don't think this record was a drastic departure," says emily saliers,=
over
the phone from jacksonville, fla. "but it was time to make a change. to be=
out
of our element was a good thing -- it keeps it interesting. neither one of=
us
wants to settle into a formula."
saliers and songwriting partner amy ray first hooked up in georgia in the
mid-'80s, during the folk-rock boom that made temporary stars of tracy=
chapman,
suzanne vega, and 10,000 maniacs. though they came from different=
backgrounds --
saliers was a graduate of the joni mitchell school of singer-songwriting,=
while
ray was more influenced by punkier acts like the pretenders -- their debut
full-length won them a legion of fans, not to mention a grammy for the=
anthemic
single closer to fine.
twenty years and countless acclaimed albums later, both women prefer to=
write
what they know.
"i couldn't really write a song like amy does ... it wouldn't feel natural=
to
me, and i don't think amy could write the way i do," says saliers. "but i=
think
we've always felt that our differences were our strength. We write=
separately,
but we arrange together, and whoever writes the song gets veto power."
While their songwriting process may be unchanged, the indigos were still=
keen to
test themselves.
since despite our differences was their first disc for hollywood records=
(they'd
been with epic until last year), they decided to leave the familiar confines=
of
georgia for sunny l.a., where they were paired for the first time with=
producer
mitchell froom, renowned for his work with vega, los lobos and crowded=
house.
instead of laying down tracks while isolated in different parts of the=
studio,
much of the album was recorded live, with saliers and ray playing together=
with
their band. saliers says froom's direction lends a new cohesion to the=
album,
which also benefits from songwriting choices that aren't so overtly=
political.
"he knows exactly what he's going for, and he never overproduces," saliers=
says
of froom. "Whenever we'd ask him to play a keyboard part for us, he'd pick=
the
perfect three notes. he doesn't muck up the songs, he just lets the essence=
of
the songs come through."
despite our differences also features a not-so-surprise cameo from=
pop-punker
pink, who returns a favour the indigos did her by guesting on her barbed=
dear
mr. president track a few years back.
saliers says both she and ray were already fans of pink when the singer (and=
budding activist) first contacted them about the collaboration. and they=
were
tickled -- well, pink -- to be able to re-connect.
"she's a very passionate person," says saliers of pink, noting the three=
would
talk current events behind froom's trailer between sessions. "i wouldn't be=
surprised if she becomes hugely political."
and speaking of politics, do the indigos ever run afoul -- as neil young did=
the
last time he was in town -- of casual fans who don't realize their activism=
influences pretty much everything they do? "there are some of our songs that=
are
protest songs, but just as many that aren't," says saliers. "plus, i think=
our
fans are quite aware of our politics, so there's no griping, no."
--
please do not send long non-indigo girls-related forwards to the list.
indigo girls faq and indigo girls mailing list faq:
http://www.pixelopolis.com/ig
------------------------------
date: fri, 6 jul 2007 18:55:29 -0400
from: deb Woodell <woodelldc@aol.com>
subject: honor the live earth
for those who, for various reasons, cannot partake of any of the live earth festivities, i encourage you to dust off those "honor the earth" cds and enjoy the spirit of these remarkable songs! it will keep you in the right frame of mind for what we all should be doing -- honoring the earth!
namaste,
deb
==
When butterflies leave their silk palaces
and the scent of the garden blows
towards heaven's way,
like the toils of man,
those who worked for tomorrow
Will not miss the dreams of yesterday.
-- yusuf islam
________________________________________________________________________
aol now offers free email to everyone. find out more about what's free from aol at aol.com.
--
please do not send long non-indigo girls-related forwards to the list.
indigo girls faq and indigo girls mailing list faq:
http://www.pixelopolis.com/ig
------------------------------
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