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Folkmaster starts by greeting
Anna then he plunges straight into the 1st question:
Q: Who's been your greatest
musical influence and why?
A: (Rather dryly) Well that's a starter question,
not, how are you? And, what has the drive from Warwick been like? (Answers herself)
It was horrible thank you very much especially on the M25, (then Anna laughs
and proceeds to answer the question put to her) I haven't got any great musical
influences actually, but I get inspired by people like Joni Mitchell, Fats Waller
and Bessie Smith, Ry Cooder, Tom Waites, Randy Newman and Kate & Anna McGarrigle.
Cheryl Crow I like, but all the above, they kind of all blend together.
Q: If you could be one
person in history, who would you be and Why?
A: (laughs) Elizabeth 1st springs to mind because
she was so in control of things when men were supposed to be leaders (I'm not
a feminist or anything) On a lighter level of fun, I would probably like to
be someone who invented something like a helicopter, or something stupid, maybe
an egg timer, or a Hoover! That's a good one to be remembered for, especially
the first one, which was massive and actually made people's homes more untidy!...(pauses
playfully) I've written a song about a Hoover, which I sent to Hoover and they
didn't take any notice of it, but I like Hoovers because they are always in
different keys, (folkmaster laughs) maybe you'll hear my Hoover song one day!
Q: Can you tell us anything
about this album or the forthcoming album?
A: The forthcoming album would be all my new
songs, which is worth about Two albums, but as usual it is hard to get the funding.
Lots of people have expressed an interest on playing on it, some famous (that
would be great to get them all together), it's just getting the money to do
it. The latest album is "Pockets on Fire" which is a year old now and still
selling very well; that was recorded with Fairport Convention and some friends
of mine called Chas McDevitt and Chris Knibbs, who are young brass players and
very good in their own right. I enjoyed doing that album.
Q: Where was your most
memorable live performance and why was it so special to you?
A: Well Cropredy does stick in my mind because
it is so atmospheric and there are so many people there. It is a nice, big and
relaxing gig to do (giggles) plus, the crowd is all drunk and they tend to clap
and cheer at who ever is on stage! Little performances are always good, in fact
the ones I remember most are from my early life, when I was a little girl and
my mum used to take all us 7 kids to old people's homes (who in those days seemed
to go senile really quickly!) and we used to sing them songs from Oliver and
they would love it because it seemed to be their only form of stimulation, I
don't think they even had a telly! I remember it was great fun to give them
such pleasure. Folkmaster: You are a really nice person aren't you Anna? A:
(Laughs) Well, thank you very much, that's very kind of you to say.
Q: If you could use any
one of your songs to promote something, which one would it be
and what would you promote with it?
A: I'm very against promoting causes in that
way, because I don't think people take any notice of you. I like the idea of
using a song to make something better, or in order for people to identify with
words in the song. If I had to choose a song for which people could identify
with feelings, I would use "sailing boat" because whenever it is played I get
a great deal of response and emotion from people.
Q: What do you do in your
spare time, if you have any that is?
A: I love shopping, especially for new instruments
to play. When I'm not performing I am still very much involved in music in my
life, I do "music workshop type things" with kids (particularly with special
needs), adults, anyone really. If I wasn't doing that, I would like to do gardening,
or work with animals or the environment. If I didn't have music in my life I
would have liked to have been a mad old lady living in a house with loads of
sick animals, which I'd nurse back to health and then set free
Q: If you could sit next
to anyone famous at a dinner party, who would it be and what
would you ask them?
A: I would love to sit next to the Queen mother
because she looked like my granny and they were similar ages. I would like to
chat normally to her (because members of the Royal Family probably only get
asked really crap questions) about every day things and ask her what it was
like living in the war. Spike Milligan or Peter Sellers, they would also be
fun to talk to.
Q: What was the 1st single
you ever bought?
A: The 1st one I ever owned would be "I'm a ganoo"
by Flanders and Swans (Anna proceeds to sing it in a jovial manner) my dad had
loads of records like that! The first one I bought for myself must have been
the theme tune to "The Virginian".
Q: What luxury item would
you take to a Desert Island?
A: Some really good chocolate and a fridge to
keep it in. I wouldn't take my guitar because I hope I would be able to make
some musical instruments whilst there!.
Q: If you could be remembered
for one thing, what would it be and why?
A: I hope I would not be remembered for being
horrible to anybody. I would like to be remembered as a normal, balanced person.
Q: What is the most embarrassing
thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
A: I haven't had anything embarrassing happen
to me on stage, but something I gotreally embarrassed about, was when I was
on the last night of the tour and Fairport had got me this wonderful Sax. I
had been told before the performance that on the last day Fairport do all these
rotten things to you and I was really suspicious to what the sax was doing on
stage. I kept thinking it was going to blow up or something. Afterwards, when
I realised, I felt really embarrassed because I hadn't thanked them properly
on stage and I hadn't picked it up and played it and they had put in so much
time and effort in getting it for me.
Q: What is the most outrageous
thing you have ever done?
A: It's a difficult question because it is what
I perceive as outrageous compared to someone else's view. But I like having
one sleeve rolled up and one not, because people come up to you when shopping
and have to tell you! I suppose mixing drinks is outrageous, but that's what
everyone does!
Lovingly written by Seldge@folking.com
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