Hi Lisa, how are you today and is the sun shining?
Hi Pete, beautiful day here
Your ninth full-length album, ‘No Elephants’, is out in the
Well it's a different attitude...Magic Neighbor was about day time life ...just trying to see the day. This album is more specific about how we treat ourselves and how that goes into the world these days concerning the food we eat and the abuse of the earth and it's animals, insects, all beings. How we're f*cking it up by not being aware of it all. Plugged in to our stupid devices to communicate quicker and faster and not actually communicating at all.
Have you felt a natural progression across your all your albums or do you consider them stand alone and individual pieces of music?
I think all my records stand on their own about certain things I was struggling with and this one is no different...only the ideas about what I’m trying to communicate are different here.
Has your approach to song writing changed over the years and does your hometown or early years in the music industry influence your writing today?
My song writing is always the same...find things you need to communicate to yourself, strip them down to why I may think other people may feel the same way. It’s always about stripping words and emotions down to what I really feel and think is worth sharing.
Are there any particular stories that you would like to share behind the new songs on the record?
Oh just the unconsciousness of our life these days and how that affects the earth and it's beings in general. So many things I didn't even know about until a few years ago. Like foie gras...how it's actually made. The abuse on factory farms. Shark fining for soup? Clubbing baby seals for fur no one needs. So much abuse of animals to do ridiculous things for us to eat and how we are brainwashed to not think about it...but then, how I see how we treat ourselves first...then it goes out there. We are really f*cked up these days in our ignoring everything around us....
Would you say the new record differs from your previous releases in the recording approach, new instruments, samples, effects used?
Everything changes, in the past I had a band and the music was bigger. When you have a record deal with money like on 4AD I could see what other people add. I didn't sell records so, as time goes by, it feels right to do what’s going on now. Try to express yourself with what you have?
I keep stripping down because that's all I have. and my producer Jamie Candiloro knows this and helps me to do what I can, he made this record sound so good! With just me and him and then we added Sebastian Steinberg on acoustic bass on a couple of tracks which made it whole.
Who designed the artwork on the album cover and what was the inspiration for the title?
Lizzy Waronker did the artwork and she's a friend I met when working with her husband Joey Waronker on my record “lullaby for liquid pig".. At that time she was writing poems and everything she does is so passionate then, years later Joey turned me on to her artwork and I saw the thread to my music. So I asked her to do the artwork for this...and she nailed it...just had a baby too!!
The title "no elephants" I had a while thinking I would write a record about no lying...and it turned into this as time and songs became real...so no elephants has many layered meanings
From all your travels, where would you like most to play a concert that you haven’t managed to yet?
No good answer here. I’m always honoured to play my music anywhere in the world people might want to hear it.
You have toured with other artists, is there anyone you particularly learned anything from, that stuck with you and any advice for fledging singer-songwriters, just taking their first steps into the music world.
I have been so lucky to play with amazing artists...my favourite and who I learned most with is Neil Finn.. My life touring with him and our 7 worlds collide records are the best thing I’ve done ever..Oh for new artists? I would just say "what are you doing this for?"
Are their any record stores left in your town?
The only record store I know of here in
You have a European tour announced in April. Will there be any
No
Is it music 24/7 or is there downtime and how do you like to spend it?
Music isn't 24/7 anymore...used to be.. What I care about more is what I’ve written on
“no elephants" being conscious in this world concerning the abuse of farm animals, animals for cosmetic testing, shark fining, and the clubbing of baby seals...so many abuses of animals.
picture by james dean