| The Exclusive Interview with Suzanne J. Barbieri! |
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| Q: Suzanne, thank you so much for joining us here for this interview! I wanted to start off by asking you about the new album that you have been working on recently. What is the current status of the new album? A: It's currently at the pre-production stage, and we're hoping to begin recording sometime over the next few months. Q: You had stated that the material on the new record will be somewhat different than what we heard on your debut release Indigo Falls. Can you tell us a little about the music you are working on? A: One of the reasons for this album taking so long is that I want to be really sure about the direction before I commit to anything. I'm torn between making the album relatively accessible and maybe giving it a shot at filtering through to the mainstream, or going totally off the wall and experimental. I also write in different ways, depending upon my mood; sometimes I write the whole song and then arrange it, sometimes I'll make an interesting musical backdrop and fit lyrics and vocals to it (That's the way Indigo Falls was written, with Richard providing a more or less completed backing track and me fitting a song into the existing arrangement). Because of the varied way I work, the tracks are all quite different at the moment, so I need a common theme. Q: Indigo Falls basically consisted of yourself and your husband, legendary keyboard/synth great Richard Barbieri. Is Richard as involved with the collaboration of the new material? A: Richard will be producing and playing, but I'll be doing all the writing, demoing and early stages of the pre-production. That's why this album will be coming out under my own name. Indigo Falls is a writing collaboration in which the pieces are started off by Richard. Hopefully we'll get to do another Indigo Falls album one day, but it's dependent upon our work schedules coinciding. Q: Indigo Falls got outstanding reviews, all of which agreed that your vocalizations and lyrics were very heavenly and thought provoking, and I totally agree by my own listening! You have contributed your talents in the past to many other artists, so how was it to finally create an album in which you really put your own stamp on the music? A: Thank you very much for such praise! I'd be blushing if I were a more modest person (joking). I've actually been writing and recording my own songs for many years, beginning with a cassette player and acoustic guitar in my teens, to my present day Cubase set up. Actually, my first songs were written on a toy piano somewhere around the age of five. Working alone from scratch is a very different experience from working with others, where the challenge is to see how my ideas can fit in with their pre-existing pieces. Often the constraints will force you to be more creative. Sometimes when I write myself, I just stare for hours at a blank screen trying to imagine a melody that will fit over some drum loop I've put down, other times a song will leap almost fully formed into my head and I have to rush into my studio and get it down. But getting back to your actual question: It's very strange indeed. On the one hand I have free reign and a vast blank canvas before me, hindered only by budget concerns; on the other, if it doesn't turn out the way I planned, I've only got myself to blame. Q: Indigo Falls was released on the Medium Productions label, which was created by Richard and his former Japan mates; my drumming hero Steve Jansen and bass guru Mick Karn. They all contributed to Indigo Falls. Are they also going to be involved musically or production wise on the new album? A: I don't really know which other musicians will be involved at this stage. That will depend upon the musical direction. Q: There has been little activity out of the Medium label recently which leads me to ask if Medium is still in operation, and if so, is your new record going to be released under Medium's label? A: Medium is still in operation, and is always an option for my releases, although I'm also toying with the idea of going for a bigger label, which would mean a larger budget, which, in turn would mean more scope creatively. Q: I have to ask you about your other great career, which is in authoring. You wrote a biographical study on writer Clive Barker, which was widely published around Europe. Are you working on any more writings at this time? A: I am indeed, and this is the reason there has been so little music from me lately. Last year saw the release of a book which I edited/ghost-wrote, I don't know what's happening with it at the moment, so I'm not going to name it here. I have also written a screenplay and have several more in the pipeline. Last summer, I did a drama school course where I met some like-minded people with whom I want to form a theatre group, so I'm writing a play for that. Q: Suzanne, I want to thank you so much for joining us here, and I want to wrap up by asking you what other projects you are hoping to take part in for 2003? A: Thank you for having me. It's been great fun. This year, aside from the solo album, I intend to write at least one more screenplay, and some pieces for TV and theatre. This is an area I feel very comfortable with. My ultimate goal would be to make my own film. I'd write it, direct it, cast it, write the music for it, maybe even star in it. Not that I'm a megalomaniac or anything! |
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