From CBC Radio http://www.cbc.ca/studiosparks/features.html
Thanks to Milly for this:
From: hermesdiamondgal Sent: 07/11/2005 22:41
Hi everyone, okay, here's the transcript for you all:
Hi everyone, okay, here's the transcript for you all:
kd Lang talking to Eric Friesen on Studio Sparks 7.11.05.
EF:It's StudioSparks for a Monday on CBCRadio 2 and certainly this city, in which I sit, the city of Ottawa, your nations capital was really buzzing on
Saturday night. There was a glittering, star-studded evening going on at the National Arts Centre. They played host to the gala performance in honour of this
years winners of the Governor Generals Performing Arts Award. And the Governor General herself was there , Michaelle Jean was on hand to help celebrate the
achievements of some remarkable Canadians. And among the award recipients was singer kd Lang. She won the national arts centre award for exceptional
achievement over the past performance year. I had a chance to meet with kd at her hotel on Friday afternoon, and we're going to hear some of my
conversation in just a moment, but first lets hear some of that wonderful, rich alto voice of hers with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from last year.
Here's kd Lang with Neil Young's song Helpless.
(Fabulous live version of Helpless.
EF:kd Lang and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and Helpless from kd's concert tour of last year. It's a song from her newest CD HYMNS OF THE 49TH
PARALELL in which she sings her own version of songs by some of Canada's leading song writers. Well Friday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting her
and sitting down to talk to kd Lang, at her sometimes noisy hotel room in downtown Ottawa. And I began by asking her why she decided to team up with
orchestras around the world, when she toured with her new CD.
kd: It's something I've wanted to do for a long time. And em, so I actually constructed the record based on the tour I wanted to do. Em, I love
singing in the theatres where symphonies play. I love the small soft-seat theatres , em, and I love the idea of going in and sharing my art with the local
musicians and making it a, sort of em, a shared effort you know like, mixing the culture of the local culture and my culture . And it really was a beautiful
way to travel and be involved in each individual city.
EF: And how did it go for the most part?
kd: Excellent, fantastic. Really, really eh very artistically rewarding tour.
EF: And you, I mean you sang with a lot of different orchestras , different orchestra each city right?
kd:Yeah.
EF:Did you learn something from that, I mean what came out of that?
kd: Eh, I did. I, I don't know if I could even sort of formulate into words but em, I definitely, what I think as a vocalist for the most substantial thing that came out of it was I really, it really allowed me because of the vast , sort of the vast harmonic support that I was working with , really allowed me to sing in a way which was more subtle and more narrative. Which is something that I've always been moving towards, and trying to finesse and understand, And em, it really was very exciting for me to be able to sing that way on stage. Because usually live you project in a much grander sense.
EF:Right.
kd:And this really allowed me be more subtle, and more eh, like I said, narrative.
EF:Well speaking of about moving towards, I mean you, you started as a country singer. Your music has changed a lot since the days of the Reclines . How would you describe your musical journey?
kd:(Short Pause). It's hard for me to describe because it's just my life. I mean really I would describe it as just my life. Em, it's really just me singing my record collection . I mean, I just really, I love a very eclectic mix of music . And em, to me it's just about sort of regurgitating what I absorbed as a kid. Which was a really, like I said sort of very vast.
EF: And do you keep unravelling it ?
kd: I keep unravelling it(laughing). I have no idea whats coming next, it just kind of shows itself to me , and then I follow through.
EF:No big strategic plan?
kd: No, no. Definitely not a big strategic plan. Although I mean, I guess in my, my biggest aspiration is to just to be singing in, through the rest of my life. And to maintain a certain integrity, but no, no like eh, no monetary or genre, or no plans like that.
EF:Well there's no question in my mind that you transcend genre. I mean you sing in all these different traditions, and I'm wondering if it's, that's something that defines Canadian musicians? I mean an ability to make great music across the genres and not to be slotted ?
kd:I do actually.
EF: And why do you think that is?
kd: Em, I think because our culture is young. It's still a kind of a pioneering spirit. We're, we're smushed in between European and American culture. You know, the distinction between urban and rural is kind of grey. Em, I think for a lot of reasons. And I think that we also know that categorisation isn't necessary. I think for some reason Canadians always, it struck me that Canadians always felt that categorisation isn't that necessary. And I'm not a 100% certain why that is but maybe, you know my previous answers have something to do with it.
EF:But it takes courage because there must be tremendous pressures on you to .....
kd:Well I think that really depends on your motivation . I mean if I wanted to be a very successful commercial artist , and I wanted to pay attention to the demographics and to marketing and targeting then I would definitely construct my career differently. But that's not what motivates me and that's not what's em, you know, that's not what's important to me. What's important to me is that I'm true to the whims of the muse, and just follow my instincts because I think it would be detrimental to myself and my audience if I were to be kind of fraudulent in terms of what was inspiring me.
EF:Back in 1985 when you got the Juno Award for Most Promising Artist of the Year...
kd:(Laughing)
EF:In your acceptance speech you promised to continue to sing for only the right reasons ...
kd:U-huh.
EF:What are the right reasons?
kd:Just what I was explaining. The eh, being, you know pure inspiration and that I really believe you know, I have a belief system that everyone is given a talent. Whether it's masonry, or nursing, or singing , or driving a bus. I mean that everyone has something that , a purpose. And eh, you know mine just happens to be singing. And you know, like an apple tree produces apples, I, I sing. You know. It's just important to follow through with what it is that you do.
EF: Now all sorts of singers in recent years have been celebrating the great American Songbook and of course you made that wonderful duet album with Tony Bennet.Those songs.
kd: Yeah, uhuh.
EF:But in HYMNS OF THE 49TH PARALLEL, you chose to celebrate the great Canadian Songbook, I mean you really , really did. How would you describe Canada's musical heritage?
kd: Well for me. I think there's a lot of different aspects to Canadian music heritage, but for me, it's a, an openness and a spirituality that's very related to nature. I think that you know, the fact that I grew up in the plains of Alberta where there was you know, a lot, a lot, a lot of space, developed my relationship to music. And em, so I like, I like lyrics that relate metaphorically to nature. I like, I like melody that has very long languid refrain. So, I really think that it has to do with , even in my aesthetic values I'm quite a minimalist. So you know growing up in Alberta has had a great impact on developing my taste.
EF: Well you use the word "spiritual", I mean in fact you call these songs "Hymns". Interesting word, why?
kd:Because I think hymns are a , I think hymns are a song of praise. And I think all of these songs to me , are song of praise. I think they're a song of, of understanding your own internal relationship to the environment and to other people. To other beings, so em, to me these songs are very, very compassionate. And have a big impact on the way I relate to music and to my, I guess my culture.
EF:kd you included one of your own songs on the album, Simple, and you sang it in that concert, in the concert, tell me about this song?
kd: Em, It really is a song..... I wrote it from the perspective that the universe is really an individual matter. That it is your mind, your perspective that creates your existence. And that everyone's existence is as, is as important as the next. And em, it's really a song of equanimity and em, I wasn't, in no way did I want to sort of put myself in the category of those songwriters on Hymns. But you know, my managers and my friends suggested that I add one of my songs and that's, that's actually one of the songs that I wanted to hear orchestrated in the way that we did it on the record. So I included it.
EF: And how did it go for the most part?
kd: Excellent, fantastic. Really, really eh very artistically rewarding tour.
EF: And you, I mean you sang with a lot of different orchestras , different orchestra each city right?
kd:Yeah.
EF:Did you learn something from that, I mean what came out of that?
kd: Eh, I did. I, I don't know if I could even sort of formulate into words but em, I definitely, what I think as a vocalist for the most substantial thing that came out of it was I really, it really allowed me because of the vast , sort of the vast harmonic support that I was working with , really allowed me to sing in a way which was more subtle and more narrative. Which is something that I've always been moving towards, and trying to finesse and understand, And em, it really was very exciting for me to be able to sing that way on stage. Because usually live you project in a much grander sense.
EF:Right.
kd:And this really allowed me be more subtle, and more eh, like I said, narrative.
EF:Well speaking of about moving towards, I mean you, you started as a country singer. Your music has changed a lot since the days of the Reclines . How would you describe your musical journey?
kd:(Short Pause). It's hard for me to describe because it's just my life. I mean really I would describe it as just my life. Em, it's really just me singing my record collection . I mean, I just really, I love a very eclectic mix of music . And em, to me it's just about sort of regurgitating what I absorbed as a kid. Which was a really, like I said sort of very vast.
EF: And do you keep unravelling it ?
kd: I keep unravelling it(laughing). I have no idea whats coming next, it just kind of shows itself to me , and then I follow through.
EF:No big strategic plan?
kd: No, no. Definitely not a big strategic plan. Although I mean, I guess in my, my biggest aspiration is to just to be singing in, through the rest of my life. And to maintain a certain integrity, but no, no like eh, no monetary or genre, or no plans like that.
EF:Well there's no question in my mind that you transcend genre. I mean you sing in all these different traditions, and I'm wondering if it's, that's something that defines Canadian musicians? I mean an ability to make great music across the genres and not to be slotted ?
kd:I do actually.
EF: And why do you think that is?
kd: Em, I think because our culture is young. It's still a kind of a pioneering spirit. We're, we're smushed in between European and American culture. You know, the distinction between urban and rural is kind of grey. Em, I think for a lot of reasons. And I think that we also know that categorisation isn't necessary. I think for some reason Canadians always, it struck me that Canadians always felt that categorisation isn't that necessary. And I'm not a 100% certain why that is but maybe, you know my previous answers have something to do with it.
EF:But it takes courage because there must be tremendous pressures on you to .....
kd:Well I think that really depends on your motivation . I mean if I wanted to be a very successful commercial artist , and I wanted to pay attention to the demographics and to marketing and targeting then I would definitely construct my career differently. But that's not what motivates me and that's not what's em, you know, that's not what's important to me. What's important to me is that I'm true to the whims of the muse, and just follow my instincts because I think it would be detrimental to myself and my audience if I were to be kind of fraudulent in terms of what was inspiring me.
EF:Back in 1985 when you got the Juno Award for Most Promising Artist of the Year...
kd:(Laughing)
EF:In your acceptance speech you promised to continue to sing for only the right reasons ...
kd:U-huh.
EF:What are the right reasons?
kd:Just what I was explaining. The eh, being, you know pure inspiration and that I really believe you know, I have a belief system that everyone is given a talent. Whether it's masonry, or nursing, or singing , or driving a bus. I mean that everyone has something that , a purpose. And eh, you know mine just happens to be singing. And you know, like an apple tree produces apples, I, I sing. You know. It's just important to follow through with what it is that you do.
EF: Now all sorts of singers in recent years have been celebrating the great American Songbook and of course you made that wonderful duet album with Tony Bennet.Those songs.
kd: Yeah, uhuh.
EF:But in HYMNS OF THE 49TH PARALLEL, you chose to celebrate the great Canadian Songbook, I mean you really , really did. How would you describe Canada's musical heritage?
kd: Well for me. I think there's a lot of different aspects to Canadian music heritage, but for me, it's a, an openness and a spirituality that's very related to nature. I think that you know, the fact that I grew up in the plains of Alberta where there was you know, a lot, a lot, a lot of space, developed my relationship to music. And em, so I like, I like lyrics that relate metaphorically to nature. I like, I like melody that has very long languid refrain. So, I really think that it has to do with , even in my aesthetic values I'm quite a minimalist. So you know growing up in Alberta has had a great impact on developing my taste.
EF: Well you use the word "spiritual", I mean in fact you call these songs "Hymns". Interesting word, why?
kd:Because I think hymns are a , I think hymns are a song of praise. And I think all of these songs to me , are song of praise. I think they're a song of, of understanding your own internal relationship to the environment and to other people. To other beings, so em, to me these songs are very, very compassionate. And have a big impact on the way I relate to music and to my, I guess my culture.
EF:kd you included one of your own songs on the album, Simple, and you sang it in that concert, in the concert, tell me about this song?
kd: Em, It really is a song..... I wrote it from the perspective that the universe is really an individual matter. That it is your mind, your perspective that creates your existence. And that everyone's existence is as, is as important as the next. And em, it's really a song of equanimity and em, I wasn't, in no way did I want to sort of put myself in the category of those songwriters on Hymns. But you know, my managers and my friends suggested that I add one of my songs and that's, that's actually one of the songs that I wanted to hear orchestrated in the way that we did it on the record. So I included it.
Beautiful version of SIMPLE, with loud applause.
EF:That was kd's song SIMPLE, sung with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra at a concert last year.
I talked to kd Lang when she was in Ottawa last week to get her award Governor Generals Performing Arts Award. The award is for exceptional achievement over the past performance year. And I asked kd looking back over this past year, and her tour singing with orchestras all over the world , what she was most proud of accomplishing ?
kd:I think probably....Oh boy, I don't know. It's hard, it's hard to dissect your life like that. I'm very, very proud of the tour. I'm very proud of being able to go into Carnegie Hall, going into Sydney Opera House, coming into Royce Hall in Toronto. Or you know, working with the London Philharmonic. That's big for a singer to have that under your belt and to accomplish that. And to feel the momentum and maturity in your relationship to your music. That's, I'm very proud of that. And I'm very proud that I, I followed through with my, my eh, gesture of appreciation for Canadian culture because it's something that could have gone horribly wrong. It could have been really saccharine and really, really pathetically trite. And I really wanted to do it. And really sort of policed myself that it came across extraordinarily sincere and not fluffy at all. So I'm proud of those two things.
EF:You brought your Mum with you to Ottawa...
kd:Uhuh.
EF:For the awards ceremony, and I think, I gather it's her first time in her nations capital?
kd:It is. She tried to get here before and the plane was cancelled and she was really disappointed, so it was, I was determined to bring her to Ottawa, and she's having a great time.
EF:Are you getting a chance to do some sight-seeing?
kd:Yeah, yeah we walked around today even though it was a little bit windy but eh, we're going to go to the National Museum tomorrow. We were in the Parliament watching them, those fools ..
EF:Debating?
kd:Argue, (laughing), and be completely rude. And eh, yeah we've been having a wonderful time. Had a glass of champagne at the Châteaux, and you know, doing nice things in Ottawa.
EF:Great. It's great to have you here and thanks for taking time with us today.
kd:My pleasure.
I talked to kd Lang when she was in Ottawa last week to get her award Governor Generals Performing Arts Award. The award is for exceptional achievement over the past performance year. And I asked kd looking back over this past year, and her tour singing with orchestras all over the world , what she was most proud of accomplishing ?
kd:I think probably....Oh boy, I don't know. It's hard, it's hard to dissect your life like that. I'm very, very proud of the tour. I'm very proud of being able to go into Carnegie Hall, going into Sydney Opera House, coming into Royce Hall in Toronto. Or you know, working with the London Philharmonic. That's big for a singer to have that under your belt and to accomplish that. And to feel the momentum and maturity in your relationship to your music. That's, I'm very proud of that. And I'm very proud that I, I followed through with my, my eh, gesture of appreciation for Canadian culture because it's something that could have gone horribly wrong. It could have been really saccharine and really, really pathetically trite. And I really wanted to do it. And really sort of policed myself that it came across extraordinarily sincere and not fluffy at all. So I'm proud of those two things.
EF:You brought your Mum with you to Ottawa...
kd:Uhuh.
EF:For the awards ceremony, and I think, I gather it's her first time in her nations capital?
kd:It is. She tried to get here before and the plane was cancelled and she was really disappointed, so it was, I was determined to bring her to Ottawa, and she's having a great time.
EF:Are you getting a chance to do some sight-seeing?
kd:Yeah, yeah we walked around today even though it was a little bit windy but eh, we're going to go to the National Museum tomorrow. We were in the Parliament watching them, those fools ..
EF:Debating?
kd:Argue, (laughing), and be completely rude. And eh, yeah we've been having a wonderful time. Had a glass of champagne at the Châteaux, and you know, doing nice things in Ottawa.
EF:Great. It's great to have you here and thanks for taking time with us today.
kd:My pleasure.
EF: kd Lang talking to me last week just before she received her Governor Generals Performing Arts Award . One more song now from that wonderful concert from
the Calgary Philharmonic, here's kd Lang's rendition of Leonard Cohen's classic, Hallelujah.
Live version of Hallelujah.
EF: After we finished taping I asked kd "so, when's your next album coming out?" and she said she's just finished working on a compilation
disc of her greatest hits which will come out some time in March. So I said "Then what are you working on? and she said I'm not working. Period. I
said "When are you going to start working again?" and she said I don't know. She listens to her inner drum that lady, and it was wonderful to
meet her here in Ottawa this past week.
The End.
