lifeblood: listlogs: 2009v11n011-news

ig-news-digest         tuesday, march 17 2009         volume 11 : number 011

today's subjects:
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  [ig-news] channel newsasia article/emily interview  [sherlyn koo <sherlyn@]

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date: tue, 17 mar 2009 10:17:42 +1100
from: sherlyn koo <sherlyn@pixelopolis.com>
subject: [ig-news] channel newsasia article/emily interview

hi folks,

here's an article from the channel newsasia website - you can read it
online at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainmentfeatures/view/415575/1/.html.

cheers,
sherlyn

- ---begin forwarded article---
indigo girls' r&b dreams
by christopher toh, today | posted: 16 march 2009 1240 hrs

singapore : listening to the indigo girls' latest album, "poseidon and the
bitter bug", you're immediately struck by how similar it feels to their
debut album "strange fire" (1987).

it's almost like coming full circle, said emily saliers - who, together
with amy ray, makes up the indigo girls - because this album is the first
they're releasing independently, on their own label ig recordings, ever
since "strange fire".

the two-disc album has band tracks on one disc and acoustic performances on
the other, which was done in part to satisfy fans who wanted to hear both
sides of the girls.

and you'll also get to hear their new album in full acoustic mode when the
girls perform at the esplanade on monday as part of the mosaic music
festival.

but, says saliers over the phone from san francisco, where they were about
to start their promotional tour, if you're a fan of their older stuff,
they'll be playing that, too. "i think we should honour that. we have a
whole arsenal of instruments like mandolin, banjo, harmonica and classical
guitar, so we try to mix that up. it's a very organic show."

together forever

despite working together for 30 years ("and we've known each other since i
was nine!"), the girls haven't gotten tired of each other. "if you're in a
good partnership like amy and i are and have good management, it's all
going to work. having done it for so long -- and still loving it - is a
good thing. you trust the process, each other and the music. it's going to
be good," said the 45-year-old.

but that doesn't mean they're not still learning new things about each
other. "i was doing an interview earlier this week and the journalist was
asking me about a song that amy wrote called "second time around", about
whether she wrote that about us and our experiences, and i was saying, 'no,
i'm quite sure that she doesn't write about us'.

"and he said: 'that's funny, because amy said she did'. and i asked her and
she said 'yes'. and i was like, after all these years, i had no clue!"

a key part of being the group is being independent of each other: ray has
released three indie solo records, while saliers has her own restaurant and
wrote a book with her dad ("a song to sing, a life to live"). "we do these
separate projects that keep us satisfied as individuals, so when we come
back together as the indigo girls, it's very nice."

r&b dreams

saliers says her guilty pleasures include american football, red wine and
rap music. "i love rap music. old-school rap like public enemy. i love this
new artiste called k'naan. i'm very influenced by rap and r&b. on the
latest record, er, there's no rap, but there's a song called "digging for
your dreams" - it's very r&b-influenced."

but no, they're not going to put out a rap album just yet. "we're not that
foolish to think that just because you admire something, you're able to do
it."

what they have done, however, remains close to their hearts, particularly
their work with activist groups, including their own, honor the earth.
"very early on we started organising benefits for different causes and i
don't think we'd be anything else other than be activists. we've found a
way to marry our music to that. it's much more gratifying to put your music
to good use. it's part of our identity, even if it's not perceived that
way, it's something that we all want to do for a long time."

right now though, it's all about the new album. and no, they're not worried
about how big it'll be. "i think there's a lot more pressure like that on a
band like u2 than us! i just laugh. i don't know how many records we're
going to sell or how many tickets we can sell. i just know that after all
these years, to be still excited about new songs, i really can't ask for
more at this point. i'm quite satisfied with where we are. and we get to
come to singapore, what can you ask for really?"

the indigo girls perform monday night at the esplanade concert hall,
7.30pm. tickets from s$58 available at sistic outlets. - today/ar

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