2004 Interview

Musical Discoveries: A Distant Bell is the name of your new album which explores the acoustic-traditional-folk genres. What inspired you to do a more traditional-folk album this time around?

Caroline Lavelle: Well, I found that with Brilliant Midnight, it took me ages to complete because I was doing so much sound manipulation. I would sit at the computer for hours and hours. A Distant Bell is possibly a reaction to that earlier and lengthier recording process.

With the new album, I just wanted to record a human being playing at the beginning of a song and ending at the end--with great musicians playing really beautiful parts. I really solidified the idea last year when I was in America touring with the Chieftains. I loved the fact that we could go from city to city and just pick up our instruments and play. Performing some of the songs off Brilliant Midnight would be much more difficult.

I really wanted to make a record that also reflected my musical roots. My mother is Irish--from County Mayo--and used to sing me old songs when I was a child. The first piece of music I wrote was actually a jig--it was rubbish. Actually, I remember saying to my grandmother when I was eight "Oh, Beethoven writes like me!" and my grandmother said "I think it is the other way around. You write like Beethoven ... in your dreams."

Is there a particular meaning or inspiration for the title A Distant Bell?

The feeling that I wanted to convey is an echo across time. In England, you can stand and sometimes hear distant bells ringing from far away. And the bells may be ringing for a joyous occasion or a sorrowful occasion. Some of the traditional songs on this album have been around for years. In one sense, their melodies cross time to the present.

Image © Ringing Tree Records 2004

The title also conjures up positive images for me--sunshine and warmth. I tried to make this record a bit more happier than some of my earlier work. It is quite funny, because my personality is a "daytime" personality. I tend to be very outgoing and I enjoy conversation and having a good time. But I suppose that the more silent secret part of me that I tend not to reveal as much seems to go into the music. At any rate, I really like to explore a broader emotional canvas with my music.

On the new album, you've worked with quite a few exceptionally talented musicians like Harvey Brough, Paddy Moloney, Hugh Marsh and Triona Marshall among others. Is it a more time consuming process to record their various instruments layer upon layer or more difficult to do something like you did with William Orbit on your first album Spirit

It is actually quicker to work with the live players. You usually have them for a set amount of time, and so at the end of the day, you had better have gotten things right!

Do you have a personal favorite song on the new album?

It really depends on the day. I think with this album, I've weeded out more songs than on the others. I wanted this album to be a bit shorter than Brilliant Midnight. I thought it was important that liseners be able to relax and listen to the entire album in one sitting if they wanted to. Funny enough, several of the tracks that will not be on the final version of A Distant Bell are some of my favorites. I really went back-and-forth trying to decide which tracks to include and which tracks to omit. However, fear not: the ones that I removed will reappear at some point.

"Gently Johnny" is a fairly risque folk song from the medieval period. What is the story behind its inclusion on the new album?

I think it is such a gorgeous, lovely song. In truth, I really just like the song. When I first sang it, I thought "I could never play this for my dad." So, I rang up my mother and told her that I was including a slightly "rude" song on the album. She said "Oh, don't be silly. Where do you think I've been for the last 70 years!" She's probably seen alot more than me. When "Gently Johnny" was collected, the original lyrics were actually changed to give it a more tame connotation--somewhat of a sanitized version.

You've adapted two poems by Brian Patten to music for your new album--"Innocence Sleeping" and "Simple Lyric." The lyrics for "Sleep Now" from your first album were also drawn from a poem by Brian Patten. What is it about his poems that translate so well musically for you?

I love the fact that his work is so very immediate and direct. If you read his poetry you will find layers and layers to his words. I love the way that he paints pictures with his words. And he can do it from a woman's point of view. Brian seems to know so much about women. His writings are so intense and beautifully erotic at the same time. He creates living, breathing characters with his words.

Before meeting Brian, I had purchased so many of his love poems and given them away. And so many of my girlfriends bought so many copies and gave them away. It was sort of like a pyramid scheme! So, one day, I plucked up the courage to telephone him. When I called, I spoke with an agent of his. I told her that I really wanted to send Brian some songs. She was kind enough to forward some of my work to him.

Amazingly, I received a small handwritten note from him saying that he enjoyed my work. He was so kind and told me that he was not "precious" about his work, and that I could use as little or as much as I saw fit. I nearly fainted! I went a wrote "Sleep Now" immediately and sent it to him. A short time later I met up with Brian in London and we had a wonderful visit. He has been so generous.

Image © Ringing Tree Records 2004

You are performing live at the Ocean on September 17th. Having toured with the likes of the Chieftains and Loreena McKennitt, how do you feel about being front and center as a player and vocalist?

Actually, it is much more relaxing. I feel such an enormous responsibility to the artists that I tour with that I want to make sure everything is perfect. When I'm playing my own music, I don't feel that pressure. I can tell you, however, that singing is alot easier than playing the cello. The cello takes loads of time to work with. I've been playing since age six. When your that young, though, you really don't remember actually learning specific techniques or notes. I think you just suck it up like a sponge.

Do you have any plans to tour in Europe or Amrerica or Asia with the new album?

I'd really love to go to America or Asia. Right now, the only things that I've got planned are a few dates in Italy in October. Because it is my own label, I bear much of the financial responsiblity for such endeavours. So, I have to plan wisely. But I do love playing my stuff live. When Spirit was released, I was lucky enough to go to the United States to promote the album. I performed in L.A. I had the worst sore throat that night! I felt like I had swallowed razor-blades. But the show went on. Hopefully everyone thought I had a particularly husky voice.

What does the rest of the year hold for you?

Well, I will be collaborating with Hector Zazou a bit. And then in July I will be touring with the Chieftains in Italy. Then, I come back and will begin working on the next record. I've got so many tracks written that really just need to be recorded. I try and leave some free time for writing. I also need to work on the live performance aspect of my art.

Your music contains flavors of classical, folk, pop and electronica. Do you think we'll hear a more electronic album in the future in the vein of Spirit?

Yes, I think so. Hector Zazou and I have been talking about a future collaboration that may be sung in French. It will likely be more electronic sounding. But I will save that for later when we solidify some of the details. Nicola Hitchcock and I did some vocal work on Hector's last two albums. Nicola is a great friend of mine. She does not live too far away. In fact, Brian Patten lives in the area, and so does Tori Amos. Just a while ago, I was on the beach and I ran into Thom Yorke of Radiohead. It was grand! This is really quite a lovely area to live in.

Review

Image © Ringing Tree Records 2004