INTERVIEW: Jacknife Lee
- Posted on August 10, 2007 3:41 PM
- 0 comments
Producer Jacknife Lee has worked with the best of them: U2, Green Day, Snow Patrol, Bloc Party and Editors. He is now working on R.E.M's new album and releases of his fourth studio album 'Jacknife Lee' and the first single 'Making Me Money' in August. Katie Spain sits Jacknife in the virtual hotseat to chat about his current projects, his mind-bending website, R.E.M, the new album and rabbits.
What is the most memorable gig you’ve ever been to (as a punter)?
Kraftwerk at the Olympia in Dublin. My favourite noise ever. I learned most things about life from Kraftwerk records.
Is there a question you wish people would ask you in interviews?
Why are we doing this interview, shouldn't we just stop and have a rest from all media for a week and have a strike? We could (the public) turn off the radio, tv and web for a week, not buy any magazines or newspapers, deny oxygen to celebrities/politicians for a week, you wanna do it with me?
What have you been up to so far today?
Preparing for a summer party - gardening with a fucking strimmer that has ripped the hell out of the palms of my hands, cooking (pasta and salmon for the girls - lunch), picking curtains for my new studio, organising the next R.E.M. recording, picking vegetables up from the local farm, swimming, wiring my studio, dropping fritz (the studio designer to the station), typing, downloading new pluggins, putting music on my lady's ipod. who knows what tonight holds for us. Happiness or death?
You have a band with Gary from Snow Patrol called ‘Listen..Tanks!’ How’s it coming along? Will we see you live any time soon?
Fine. I don't know if we will do it live, maybe. We could tour in tents on the former battlefields of the franco prussian war for the summer.
‘Savile Robots’ is another one of your projects – can you fill me in? ‘Catwalk’ is catchy as hell…
Savile Robots - Jacknife Lee, Sie Medway-Smith and Vee. We are great. Hopefully we can finish the record this autumn. Vee is the singer. He is brilliant. Keep your open ears opener.
You obviously thrive on being busy – what do you do to relax?
I sew stuffed rabbits. They will be up on my site soon. Maybe i'll sell some. I cook and I play in the garden.
What has been the highlight of your musical career so far?
Perhaps the new R.E.M album or Editors' 'An end has a start". It's all good.
You’re a family man right? Are your two daughters following the musical path? Are they your most honest critics?
We're all learning to play the piano and they can do whatever they want later. They don't care what I do away from them. My wife is the most intelligent, interesting, informed and important critic. I have no interest in the rest of you.
I read that you think there should be an increase of women writers to “Get the men to shut up for a minute”. Is there any female artist out there you’d particularly like to work with?
Regina Spektor, Martha Wainwright, Joanna Newsom, The Knife, Fox n' Wolf, Patti Smith, Tiny Masters Of Today, Allison Statton, Elizabeth Frasier, Mary Margaret O Hara, Stereolab, Leila, Ellen Allien, Emmylou Harris, Colleen, Rilo Kiley, Amerie, Au Revoir Simone, Barbara Morgenstern, Gillian Welch, Gemma Hayes, Uffie, Dawn Upshaw.
Based on your experience in the music industry, would you encourage your girls to follow in your footsteps?
They should do what ever they want. my footsteps or anyone else's lead to the same place as before. Follow none.
If you hadn’t followed the musical path, what do you think you’d be doing now
Cooking food or something to do with my history degree.
I spent a good chunk of my day drifting through your new website – it’s an EXPERIENCE… who decided on the images and how?
Me and Paul Delano. A friend from Boston. I want the internet to lead me to places unknown. I do not like to be sold things, lead somewhere to shop or targeted by advertisers. My site is a confusing, interesting waste of time. As it should be. We are about to do a big update and make it more time demanding.
Your press release is also very elusive. Do you prefer people to do their own ‘digging’ and follow the Jacknife Lee journey their own way?#
I don't care if people follow Jacknife Lee or not. I like distance between music maker and listener. The press release is what it is. I don't like press releases, I don't like press and neither should anyone else. It's silly.
What have you done with your Grammy Awards? Do they have pride of place somewhere?
No just in my studio in a corner. I like them but they don't mean anything once they've been hanging around for a few weeks. a dusty ignored thing like one of those flamenco dancing dolls folks brought back from spain on the mantel.
Your single “Making Me Money” is released on 13TH August and the “Jacknife Lee” album is out on 20th August. Was the creation process a long and hard one?
Sorry to be a pain but I don't feel like answering this one. I just quit smoking and am a bit ratty and I want to stop typing. Yes the creation was long but it only took days (spread over time as I was busy), the music is pretty easy to do. Singing is quick but writing lyrics is something I hate and will probably never do again.
What’s the best thing about being Jacknife Lee?
I'm not too tall, not too short, I can drive, I am quite healthy.
Jacknife Lee's single “MAKING ME MONEY” is released on13th August
His album "ALBUM “JACKNIFE LEE” is released on CD & VINYL - 20th August (Fiction)
For an 'experience' of youre own, check out Jacknife Lee's official site
Tags
Post a comment
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.seatwaveblogs.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1115
