INTERVIEW: Catherine Feeny
- Posted on August 28, 2007 9:29 AM
- 0 comments
There's an American star on the horizon... a star with a mesmerizing voice, a quiet gentle nature and a successful music career at her fingertips. When we meet Catherine Feeny, the songstress is delightfully understated. This is a lady who needs nothing more than her voice and a passion for music and natural beauty. In a world full of face paint and extensions, this is a welcome sight. No wonder the crowds at the Glastonbury Acoustic Stage and at the Beautiful Days Festival loved her. Katie Spain chats to her about her ar her recent sell show at Bush Hall and her own headlining tour in September. They also discuss cocktails, Neil Young and the reason why she now calls Norwich home.
Is music in your blood?
I’d say it is in my blood. My heritage is Irish and Irish people are very musical. My dad is a big lover of music- he actually had the guitar that I first started playing- but it was my Uncle who kind of really inspired me. He would always bring his guitar to family parties and would play some songs he wrote and some songs that other people wrote. It was always really lovely when the family got together and everyone would sing songs.
Do you still have your first guitar?
I left it at my parents' house as I got my own guitar which was a bit smaller. The other guitar was kind of hefty – it was a beautiful guitar and I will have it some day!
You moved to LA to write about movies – wasn’t it for movie trade magazine?
Well, I moved to Los Angeles but I didn’t move for the job – I got the job when I was there. I kind of just drove to LA and thought ‘here I am.’ I got a job writing for a website about special effects in films.
Your press release mentioned that when you were there, you frequently went to the Piano Lounge; it sounds like a pretty cool place…
Well, it was actually the Hotel Café – I don’t know where the Piano Lounge is! The Hotel Café is in Hollywood – I have never been anywhere like it! The owners are these two young guys that love music and love people. They facilitate this environment where all these musicians hang out. Its friendly competition you know – not dog eat dog. Everyone plays with each other. When I was there I sang with a bunch of other artists, it’s just a really unique kind of place.
Is it one of those places that are hard to get into now then?
Well, when I first started playing there, I was a bit inexperienced, but I managed to get in there before it became really popular. It has been a bit difficult to get a show there for a while but once you play there, they like to have you back.
So, do you still get the butterflies when you have to get up and play?
Yes, definitely.
You've moved to Norwich now. That’s quite a big move. Do you enjoy it? I have never been – should I go?
The country side is really lovely. It’s really flat and there is loads of open sky – it’s beautiful. Norwich itself is really quaint - I know that is a terrible word- but it has all these cobbled streets in the centre and a market. Whenever I go in to a shop I always see someone I know which is so different from living in Los Angeles.
So are you living the quiet life no then? When I hear the word Norwich
I imagine people with there gardens and chickens, is it inspiring to have this quiet space?
I actually find grime and dirt a bit more inspiring.
You recently went to Great Yarmouth to write songs in a hotel room?
Yeah, Great Yarmouth is kind of like Atlantic City in New Jersey. It just has that kind of prettiness and an old pier with rides. It is a bit seedy and decrepit, its not the type of place you would want to take your family to, although here it is becoming kind of hip again. I really enjoy it because it reminds me of being a kid again.
Do you think you will end up going back to America again?
I don’t know really, I just like to keep an open mind. My family is in the States and it would certainly be nice to be close to them. It is always really hard to have going to see them and then having to leave again.
Your new single 'Mr Blue' featured on the film Running with Scissor with Gwyneth Paltrow and the O.C, did you get to meet any of the stars?
No, but I wish I could say that I did!
'Hurricane Glass' is your album. I've had a cocktail called a Hurricane…
Yes, it comes in this glass that’s kind of bulbous at the bottom. I don’t know where the name came from – the glass or from New Orleans where it originated from. I think the glass is kind of like the glass you put around the candle to stop it blowing out. I was at a Tiki bar on London and I ordered a drink and it came in this glass. I wrote down the phrase because I like it. A couple of days later, when I was back in Los Angeles, I was writing a song and flipping through the book when I saw the it and it fit perfectly with the song.
Do you have a favourite song?
Well, I like to have a pina colada…
You can’t have too many of them though can you!
No…!
You performed at Glastonbury – how was that?
Fantastic! It was water logged, although the rain didn’t really start to get to me 'til the Sunday.
So, did you do the camping thing? That’s experiencing English culture isn’t it?
Yeah, it was really fun. I know. I couldn’t believe all these people trudging around in the mud but still having a really good time.
Did you get to see many other acts? Did anyone stand out?
I did, but if I went again, I would go round all the small stages. It’s hard work moving between the big stages. The sound isn’t that good and there is just so many people.
What is the best gig or most memorable that you have ever been to as a punter?
I think the one that springs to mind was a Neil Young gig that was in the states. On the way, I found out that Sound Garden were going to be playing and they are one of my favourite bands. Sound Garden were fantastic and then Neil Young came on the stage and just blew them off the stage without even trying. It was amazing. He has such a kind of – understated confidence.
How do you preserve your voice?
The biggest thing you need is sleep to be able to sing. Right before I sing, it is better if I don’t have dairy because it makes me feel funny. A hot lemon tea before I go on stage is good too. Oh, and I can’t have caffeine before I go on stage because it really tightens up your vocal cords.
You just had a recent sell out tour which was headlining at Bush Hall. Do you enjoy the touring side of things and all the interviews that have to be done on the side?
My first headlining tour is coming up at the end of this month so I have only toured as a support act which can be a real rollercoaster because some nights are great and some nights suck if people aren’t listening or if they are being really rowdy. But, there are some nights which are really fun and you fell like you are doing what you should be doing – what you were put on earth to do. I am really looking forward to the headline tour and generally, I really enjoy the interviews and meeting the radio DJ’S.
What can we expect from the upcoming tour?
We stay faithful to the album but we bring extra life to it. I have a full band –drums, bass, guitar and piano…great harmonies…
We'll just have to wait and see... in the meantime, what is the best thing about being Catherine Feeny?
These boots!
See Catherine (and maybe even her funky red boots) during her headline tour. It all kicks off on August 30th - check out her websites for dates and venues.
www.catherinefeeny.com
www.myspace.com/catherinefeeny
NEW SINGLE – ‘Mr BLUE’ released on Tallgrass/Charisma on August 27th. It reached no.1 in the US iTunes charts, with over 25,000 downloads. Big? Nope... huge!
Watch the 'Mr Blue' rooftop single launch:
Tags
Post a comment
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.seatwaveblogs.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1190
