suzanne's live chat session
[september 9, 1996]
hosted by:
|
Suzanne:
Hi guys. Welcome to this chat -- it's my first one, and when I get excited I misspell.
From Fat man :
Hi Suzanne, my name is Guillaume Lesage and I,m writing from Montreal. I
wanted to ask you if you ever thought of making a lulluby album for childrens.
After your pregnancy, it would be very accurrate.
Suzanne responds:
Yes, I thought of it but I myself don't like albums for children except for Pete Seeger, Burl Ives,
and I also play Francoise Hardy for Ruby. Anyway, I am too busy right now to do an children's album.
From Wendy! :
Hi Suzanne...I am wondering about the chosen release date of "Nine Objects of Desire". Doesn't it seem strange that they are releasing it the same week as two major releases and do you think it will hurt "Nine Objects"?
Suzanne responds:
What are the other two releases?
From Wendy! :
REM and Counting Crows
Suzanne responds:
The guys behind me are shouting "who are they?"
I was concerned about releasing it in the fall with so many other releases but the only alternative
alternative was waiting for January which I didn't want to do.
From Keriann Lambert :
Hi, my name is Keriann and this is very exciting for me to be "talking" with you.
I was wondering where you went when you left home at age 15 and why you left.
Suzanne responds:
I lleft home when I was 19, not 15.
From jimmyboy :
When you've played Toronto in the past, you've played Massey Hall, a classic concert hall,
and the Music Hall, a theatre converted into a concert venue. This time you're playing in an
old church. Why have you decided to downscale your venues this time out to such small and
intimate places?
Suzanne responds:
Because that's where my audience is. apparently.
From Wendy! :
January does seem like a bad time but perhaps just a few weeks from now?
Suzanne responds:
This whole fall will be packed with "major releases" -- that's just the way it is until Christmas.
From binary :
Hi Suzanne, I was wondering about the apple... Is these some special meaning about that?
Suzanne responds:
I had wanted plums, but they were out of season.
From holgate :
Since Mitchell produces such a great set of people, do you ever feel tempted to sit in,
or try to arrange a collaboration? I'm thinking of people like Neil Finn and Richard Thompson
(I love the solo to As Girls Go) as examples of songwriters with similarities to yourself.
Suzanne responds:
Sometimes I "sit in" with people I admire, like Elvis Costello, mostly because I want to see how
he gets his inspiration, but staring at someone while they sing doesn't teach you anything except how
they sing. Once I did a duet with Neil Finn -- we sang "Weather With You", but most of the time
I am too busy. MF thinks that I should do some remixes with Cibo Matto.
From torsten :
I have heard (on the mailinglist undertow) that you don't have your America Online account anymore.
Is this true? If yes, Did you give it up because all the annoying fan mail? :)
Suzanne responds:
I still have my account. I have been more busy than usual in the last few weeks. We just finished the
video for "No Cheap Thrill", so I haven't posted as I usually do. I was hoping doing this would make up
for not posting!
From imacynic :
The "alternative" scene has recently moved closer to folk, with the increased popularity of artists
like Tracy Chapman and Jewel. What do you think of this trend, and what influence do you think
it will have on the music scene?
Suzanne responds:
I think folk music has always been "alternative" -- it's something that never goes away -- any girl
in a room with no money and a guitar can play and write songs if she has the talent and the will.
From Luca :
Please Show my Question
Suzanne responds:
From Franco :
If it's not the sin, what's the argument of "Nine objects.."? If there is ONE...
Suzanne responds:
The "argument" of Nine Objects is that the end of all desire is death, in a nutshell.
From John Coop. :
Did you watch much of anyone else at the Newport Festival this year?
Suzanne responds:
I watched all of Ani DiFranco and some of John Hiatt, and heard Joan Armatrading backstage.
From Nael :
I guess we are many to wonder who are 'the guys behind me' you are talking about to Wendy...
Suzanne responds:
The hosts of this chat -- they are called Interport and I am doing this from their offices.
From Fat man :
You said that you wanted a plum for your album cover but they were out of season.
If the apple means nothing to you
what does the plum represent in your imjagination?
Suzanne responds:
The plum is the obect of desire to end all objects -- the one thing you really want but don't have --
the job, the husband, the apartment, the fame, the guy, the girl, the answer that's right out of reach.
From Franco :
What a sad argument it is, Suzanne... You talk about death after an experience of life...Ruby
Suzanne responds:
I would think that feeling the presence of death in the room while giving birth is a common one ...
From larryt :
Suzanne...
How do you think you have changed as a performer in the last couple of years?
What are your goals as a performer?
and why do you do it?
Suzanne responds:
I hope I've become a better performer in the last few years. My favorite type of performing is when
I was a dancer -- you feel a wonderful energy that I have never been able to duplicate singing because
of my limitations. I would like to move more on stage and really let loose one of these days. Haven't
figured out how to do it yet.
From John Cooperider :
I think the husband often thinks he is going to die (or get killed) in the delivery room!
Suzanne responds:
That's true but not what I meant.
From Luca :
What's the meaning of the song Caramel?
Is it about Diet?
Suzanne responds:
No it's not about Diet, more about Appetite.
From torsten :
How did you do in highschool - I am especially interested in English and Math?
Suzanne responds:
I did well in Geometry and English -- not so well in Social Studies, terrible in Science and Algebra.
From pepe :
Didn't know you were a dancer! Why did you stop - especially if you miss that kind of energy?
Suzanne responds:
I didn't think I was good enough to be really great, and I didn't want to be in a chorus my whole life.
From jimmy :
ever feel like the people dancing in the audience somehow add to the whole experience?
Suzanne responds:
Yes, definitely. I am always happy when I see people dancing.
From Keriann Lambert :
Do you plan to ever have another child?
and if so what would you name him/her?
Suzanne responds:
I think if I had a boy he would be called Freddy.
From jimmy :
:)
Suzanne responds:
:)
From EricS :
Are you happy with the US tour dates as currently scheduled?
Suzanne responds:
Happy is not a word I use about touring -- on the one hand there are cities I wish we were playing --
like New Orleans, Austin, -- but on the other hand I am taking Ruby with me and I don't think it's
good to be out touring for more than five weeks with a two year old who doesn't sleep through the night yet.
From Aribeiro :
Please it's late in Portugal and i want to know when the record is out in Portugal
Suzanne responds:
Either today or tomorrow
From Dan :
Do you like going on tours? Or do you find it just "part of the job"?
Suzanne responds:
The first few times I went on tour I really loved it. Then I had some touring experiences that weren't
so great. I won't go into what they were. Now I try to go where the shows will do well --
From BlueBeast :
You sing of life experiences.....
is there an experience you would like to write a song for but have had difficulty
Expressing it through song????
If so, What experience???
Suzanne responds:
Yes -- two things I find very hard to write about -- love songs and political songs -- the two biggest
challenges for me.
From John Cooperider :
So you do not really enjoy touring? Does that aspect of life as
a musician/parent take a real toll?
Suzanne responds:
Haven't really tried it yet. But there is something to be said for a neighborhood and set bedtime
schedules. On the other hand, Ruby was born into a musician's family and that's the kind of family
we are. I don't mean I don't like it. I only mean it's stressful. Especially with no audience! That's the
worst kind of tour!
From Danny :
What commercial expectations do you have of "Nine Objects"?
Suzanne responds:
No clue.
From EricS :
What do you make of the UK release date? What made A&M decide to release it there months from now?
Suzanne responds:
They wanted to give it more lead time so that it would not conflict with another female singer-songwriter
who is also on A&M and who sold several million copies of her debut album a few years ago. I think it
is probably a good thing.
From sheesh :
What was the last book you read?
Suzanne responds:
"Mildred Pierce" by James Cain. Finished it last night.
From Jean-Francois :
I don't understand why the European part of your tour will be so short.
I think you will only spend one night in Paris in October and I fear you are already sold out.
Suzanne responds:
I will be doing a more proper tour in Europe in the Spring if all goes well.
From Dan :
Do you expect Ruby to become a musician too?
Suzanne responds:
My private hope is that she will be a marine biologist. But she is showing a real preference for drums
right now.
From Danny :
Thank you for taking time to chat with us... this is a real treat!
Are you going to do it again in the future?
Suzanne responds:
I would like to. Maybe it could be a more regular thing. I like to see the questions. Thank you for coming.
I can't believe it's been an hour already.
From Dan :
Are you doing this chat session as part of the promotion of "Nine Objects",
or since the Undertowers have prob all got the album already, are you doing this just to talk to us? :)
Suzanne responds:
I am doing this to talk to the people who like my music on the night before the album comes out, as a
kind of celebration.
:)
From Franco :
I am a biologist....It's not so great....Drums are better, believe me!
Suzanne responds:
From fat man :
Are you chatting for more than an hour?
Suzanne responds:
Looks that way. Actually I have to wrap it up now. Thank you so much !!
From EricS :
Great job, Interport!
Suzanne responds:
Thank you Eric, Thank you, Interport, Thank you all for all the questions. We';ll do it again!!
From Dan :
Is it over? :(
Suzanne responds:
Um, yes -- big day tomorrow as you might expect.
|
Please send your comments, suggestions, submissions to:
VegaNet.
Up to The Suzanne Vega Home Page
VegaNet@aol.com