INTERVIEW: Sarabeth Tucek
- Posted on May 23, 2008 3:36 PM
- 0 comments
Interview by Katie Spain
In order to reach Sarabeth Tucek at Brighton's Great Escape festival, we had to push our way through a brass band and hundreds of bouncing revellers. Inside the Unitarian Church however, the vibe was somewhat more subdued. Funny that.
The American songstress was due to perform in the holy venue later that night and as we retired to the makeshift interview room, we dodged bands and instruments before settling down on an old pew for a chat. Sarabeth had a bemused way about her; quiet, thoughtful and a tad detached. On stage however, all reports told of a sparkling performer with an entrancing stage presence. There is an undeniable mystery about this musician, but as far as interview fodder goes, there was a lot to cover. She has supported Bob Dylan, recorded duets with the likes of Smog and Brian Jonestown Massacre and has a new album and a series of London dates up her sleeve. Please join us on the enchanting mystery that is Sarabeth Tucek.
This is your first Great Escape. How does Brighton make you feel?
Old. Um, no, it’s great. It looks like it is going to be a good night.
For the people who don’t know and aren’t aware, where do you call home at the moment?
We live in Los Angeles. We have been there for ten years or so. We are actually thinking about moving to London. We come here every six weeks. But I love London.
As far as the music scene goes, London is such a vibrant place to be.
Yeah, I think it is. It is a little bit better right now than LA. It is a bit more joyous.
Is there a particular part of London that you like the best?
I like Shoreditch. We stay on City Road.
What's your first musical memory?
Um, probably Peter and the Wolf. My father was pretty big on the classical stuff. He would take us to the Young People’s Orchestra.
You have supported Bob Dylan – one of the biggest musical influences in your life. What were your nerves like?
Oh, I drank. No, I didn’t. Thankfully, it was about 110 degrees. I was so hot. I had no energy at all so my nerves were drained out of me. It was very surreal. Watching him doing his soundtrack…seeing him as a human being. When I think back, it is all very hazy and dreamlike.
You started late, but when you were a youngster, was music always a goal?
I didn’t start playing guitar until my late 20s so I picked it up pretty late. I always loved it but I don’t think that it occurred to me that I could be a part of it.
Do you still have your first guitar?
No, that guitar got smashed.
How?
I gave it to a friend of mine that got into an argument.
At least you didn’t do it yourself? I had visions of a hissy fit.
No, no! Yeah, I did it on stage in a rage…
You have loads more gigs coming up. How do you get around? Is there a Sarabeth tour van?
I wish. It is just a Sprinter van; a van that you rent which has a space in the back for all your gear.
If you could improve your van – with money as no objection - what would you do?
Oh, a bath would be nice, maybe with some whirlpool jets, and a fireplace would be nice too.
You seem very down to earth. Do you feel the pressure in music to look and behave in a certain way?
For people that are actually famous….but for myself, I don’t feel any pressure. As a woman, you always feel a certain amount of pressure to look pretty on stage… but outside of that I don’t. The main objective is to sound good.
Your self-titled debut album was out in the UK on Dec 10th. Was it a long time in the making?
Well, some of those songs are the first songs that I wrote. It took me about five years to go from writing songs to making a record. Within that time, I didn’t really feel confident to do much.
Which song is your favourite song to play live?
That would be the shortest one, probably Something for You. It’s not as fast…
You have appeared on a Cure tribute album haven’t you?
Yeah, that will be out at the end of the year. It’s all Cure covers for charity. I am doing Three Imaginary Boys.
What is the most memorable gig that you have been to as an audience member?
That’s a tough one…I don’t know. It was probably a Dylan show. There was one show about fifteen years ago that really stands out to me. I remember crying throughout the entire show. There is something about him.
Related links:
Sarabeth Tucek's MySpace.
Sarabeth Tucek concert tickets.
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