6/3/2005

MP3 Download: Sacrifice


Samuel Aaron: Welcome to ALLALOM Music! Thank you for taking the time out to talk with us.

Rachael Sage: You're very welcome, my pleasure!

SA: So, how has the response been to your new album?

RS: Well, all in all I think the response has been really positive...but then again I tend to only focus on the positive, so maybe I'm missing something!  We've been on tour pretty solidly since the record came out last August (2004) and it's been amazing to bring this music - and revisit some older material in a new way - to life in front of some incredibly diverse audiences;  I've played on the West Coast, in the Midwest, South and East Coast at colleges, café's, theaters, clubs and festivals for so many different types of listeners, and enjoyed almost every minute (there was that one gig in Ohio where they didn't really have a sound system...).  I've played on an all-female cruise ship, at folk festivals and of course, the occasional gig on my home turf in NYC and the songs people seem to respond to the most fervently from the latest CD have been "Sacrifice", "Jane's Dimitri" and "It's So Hard".

SA: What was the inspiration behind Ballads & Burlesque?

RS: There is never one single inspiration behind any album - or at least that hasn't been the case for me yet.  Each song springs from a different set of circumstances or ideas and often my songs are written over a fairly long stretch of time, so my sources of inspiration vary and that's how I end up with a batch of new tunes...instead of just one long one!  But overall, most of the songs on "Ballads" are written from the perspective of someone wrestling with some type of desire, usually romantic but also relating to freedom and self-determination, and at the moment when some decision is being made to create significant change in one's life, toward the purpose of living/loving fearlessly.

SA: What is it like being a touring singer/songwriter?

RS: Well, I ask myself that every day, as a form of meditation - I make lists in my head constantly of the pros and cons of my lifestyle, as every day presents it own little slew of challenges and requires me to take stock of the virtues of a creative journey as well.  I think the best word that I can come up with for what it's like to pursue music as a lifestyle is "gripping".  It kind of holds you prisoner, won't let you go, you wrestle with it, you seduce it, you feel like you master some aspect of it and then it kicks you back on your arse, where you lie there stunned for a few long moments asking yourself "what is it I love about writing songs about my passions and getting up and playing them for people?" and suddenly you remember that it's for the same reason that many people enjoy dressing up on weekends and going "out"...to socialize, to learn about other people's experience, to have a place to express yourself , to celebrate the human spirit and to generate hope.  I just get to do that onstage and during the weekdays too!

But really, for someone like myself who was painfully introverted growing up and very bullied for many years, it's also redemptive and cathartic - the idea that I can uplift a few people every night through songs that have helped me overcome my own insecurities as a person and feel stronger and more "myself" as I continue to meet so many wonderful, generous people every place I go.

SA: Is there any town or state that stands out as a favorite for you?

RS: Yes - San Francisco always feels so comfortable for me, I love the energy of that city and the sense of history that I feel there, so much great music has come out of the Bay Area and moreover, the inclusiveness and positivity of the people of San Francisco is something I just feel embraced by every time I'm there.  New York gives me a similar feeling, but it's definitely a harder, more aggressive city where people are a little more protective I think; something about the West Coast just makes me feel more idealistic and energizes me every time I'm touring there.

SA: You own and run your own record label (MPress) to release your music, why?

RS: One simple reason:  because I want to share my music with as many people as possible while not having to compromise whatsoever on my vision as a creative artist.  There really isn't any other reason, at this point; I've been offered several traditional label deals (major and indie) and I didn't feel that that would've been possible to do in those scenarios without becoming so creatively frustrated that I would've ceased to enjoy the process of making music and promoting it.  As it happens, I've always been fascinated by business and marketing and graphics and publicity...but that's not why I started my own label; that was just lucky, that I enjoy those aspects too!  Really, it's because I'm stubborn and impatient and passionate about wanting to express myself a certain way, most of the time...but it's not that I don't enjoy working with a team or having a great deal of input and advice from other people who are great at what they do - I just don't like being told what to sing, where, when or how - so that pretty much set me on the independent path, where I knew I could be my own toughest A&R person, learn from my own mistakes, and hopefully grow as a person along the way.   Those continue to be reasons why I've remained
independent, running MPress.  But I've always said that if I genuinely felt I could achieve those goals - i.e. complete creative freedom on many levels including musical, visual and promotional - I would be open to working with a like-minded company or ally, whether it be a label, agent or manager, in conjunction with MPress.

SA: How does that affect your music?

RS: It puts a lot of pressure on me to not let myself down - because in my experience at least, it's a great deal more disappointing to let yourself down or miss your own mark than to not fulfill someone else's ideal of what you should be doing.  I'm probably a bit too hard on myself, particularly in the studio where I never seem to be "pleased" with anything I sing - but by the same token, the freedom that I have on tour in a live context to keep growing as a musician, playing the songs I want to play with the players who excite me and help me stretch my own abilities is an enormous gift and I cherish it completely!

SA: Have you ever wanted to be signed to a larger label?

RS: YES.  When I was very young, maybe 14 or 15 - that was the last time though...At that point I was writing very commercial-sounding, synth-based pop music, producing my own demos and eager to have someone "powerful" swoop me under their wing and help me get my music "out there" so it could reach people and be on the radio, that was a very real goal for me as a teenager and I don't regret it because I think it helped me to really learn the craft of writing good "hooks" and catchy melodies, if nothing else.  But after I went to college my relationship to music and songwriting really shifted, and my goals as an artist did as well.

SA: What music inspired you when you were growing up?

RS: Classical music, Broadway Show music, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Top 40 radio - everything that that encompassed during the 70's and 80's - and later on, in junior high school, I started listening to some older folk-pop artists like Carole King, Cat Stevens, James Taylor and Laura Nyro, i.e. "singer-songwriters".  I went through a lot of phases, for instance I went through a phase where I got really into Bread, King Crimson and then an '80's pop techno phase with Erasure and Howard Jones and then I heard Suzanne Vega and Tracy Chapman Sinead O'Connor and all three of them influenced me to start writing more confessionally and let in terms of trying to be "hook-driven".  Basically I've always been drawn to very melodic music of many different genres, but ultimately what made me want to be a touring artist was discovering great live musicians who were lyrically-driven storytellers creating community at their shows - people like Marc Cohn, Indigo Girls, Peter Himmelman, Elvis Costello, Ben Harper and Ani DiFranco...musicians who seem to derive most of their material from a sense of yearning to connect, rather than merely to entertain or vent.  I think of that yearning as something that defines folk music, in a way, as much as the sound of an acoustic guitar strumming...

SA: What do you listen to now?

RS: Tons of indie artists - I get so many CD's coming into the office and from meeting peers on the road!  I'm currently enjoying new CD's by Justin Tranter, Noe Venable, The Weepies, Jenny Bruce, Amy Speace and Jim Bianco.  I have piles and piles of new CD's sitting on my desk though - so I have a lot of catching up to do when I get off the road!!

SA: You have admitted to a Conservative Jewish upbringing and a self-described Feminist – how do those two things work together and effect you today?

RS: As someone who was raised in a Conservative Jewish Synagogue, I really experienced no conflict whatsoever between my budding feminism as a young person and my evolving love and reverence for Jewish culture and tradition. Conservative Jewry is much more liberal and flexible in terms of having adapted to contemporary ideas than Orthodoxy (its predecessor) so at my temple it was very common for women to carry to Torah or have an "Alyah" (special honor of reading from the Torah or opening the Ark) in the Sabbath Service.  This made me feel that as a woman I was equal, that I was included and that there was nothing I couldn't grow up to do, and I'm extremely grateful for that kind of upbringing...My parents were likewise very encouraging in terms of emphasizing the there should be no barriers for what I wanted to do as a female, and that all I needed to do was apply myself, work exceptionally hard at earning my skills - whether it be through dance, academics, music or anything else - and anything was possible.  I owe my identity as a Feminist to the strong women in my childhood - mainly my mother but also as a teenager I had a wonderful singing teacher named Guen Omeron who had been a Hollywood film singer/actress in addition to being a mother and husband and lived an extraordinary life of which she shared generously with all her students.  She was, when I met her, a woman I’m her seventies who sang like an angel, spoke with great wisdom and taught with unlimited passion.  I hope that one day I can inspire someone to feel as supported in their self-discovery as much as her guidance and support inspired me to be a truthful artist!

SA: What is your opinion of the current independent music community?

RS: I think it's a very exciting but also overwhelming, and somewhat confusing time to be running an indie label, because retail is really hurting while the internet is booming but the concept of where and how fans discover (let along buy) new music has become very ephemeral.  I feel slightly dizzy by the whole iPod/iTunes revolution and lament the fact that a tradition album, with artwork and a sense of musical cohesion may soon be a form of the past but I also think it's amazing and wonderful that the playing field online has been leveled and that discerning music lovers are as apt to discover indie artists as majors in certain forums.  Mainly, I try to focus on the vibrancy and immediacy of the live touring community rather than the recorded one, because it seems more tangible and spiritual, in a way, since it involves interaction between the artist and the audience.  I think the phenomenon of House-concerts (as well as Street Teams) is incredibly inspiring, and that the line between fans and venues i.e. music presenters has become very thin as larger clubs have become less apt to take chances on lesser-known acts.  I believe in the power of grassroots and word-of-mouth and constantly try to think of creative ways to cross-pollinate with other like-minded artists so we can help prop each other up and share listeners rather than compete in a destructive way.  There are plenty of other indie artists who share that philosophy and are pursuing the same process, which makes it a very empowering community as a whole.

SA: Do you feel they have responded well to your music?

RS: Honestly, I'm not really that sure how something as big and diverse as the "independent music community" has responded as a whole to anything I've done - because I'm still largely unknown within the larger community and though I definitely have my niches and an ever-growing fan base (primarily as a result of touring), it's still a modest blip on the music biz radar, whether indie or major.  What interests me more is night to night, whether I'm able to connect with each audience in a way that is meaningful and lasting, and what kind of effect my music is able to have upon a group of individuals who've come together to share something unique.  In that sense, for the most part I have a blast every show I play, throw myself into every set like it might be my last, and try to infuse a certain amount of humor and joy into even the darkest material because that's what life is:  ups and downs, absurdity and sobriety...it's a process and we're all, thankfully, going through it together so that in and of itself is a comforting idea and one that keeps me relatively sane.

SA: Do you believe mp3 and file sharing has hurt or helped your career, and why?

RS: I think it has only helped me.  Countless people have emailed me directly and told me flat out they discovered my music - and then bought my CD's later - through hearing an MP3 first.  I think it's scary, sure, the idea that people might only listen to what's free rather than shell out a few bucks for a listening experience.  As a label we'd be blind not to see how file sharing and the emergence of MP3's as a standard music format have effected people's sense of music being a cheaper, more disposable medium than ever before...yet for me personally, it's just driven me to try to make records that are of higher quality and write songs that feel less disposable and more... weighted I guess, so it's been mostly a good thing and a motivator.  I think you need to sometimes give a little away to earn a sale but it's definitely a balancing act and we're examining the dynamics all the time, and will continue to do so.

SA: What is the most unusual concert experience you have ever had?

RS: Opening for Eric Burdon & The Animals in Europe...it was such an odd pairing, but one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  I got to see the world, in a sense (or at least a few countries!) through the eyes of an older, brilliant 60's rock/blues icon who I would undoubtedly have never otherwise met, and his generosity and humor will stay with me the rest of my life.  His band mates treated me with unexpected respect and affection and the audiences we performed for were very receptive.  It was just an amazing, inspiring (2) tours I got to do with them where I felt very blessed and stimulated as an artist, and anytime I think back on it I smile!

SA: If you could perform in any decade with any other musicians – who would it be and why?

RS: Well, hopefully I won't necessarily have to wait a decade, but here is a shortlist of artists with whom I'd love to perform, because they have illuminated some dark place for me in my heart or my mind and because I just think it would be exciting in that way you get goose bumps when you are watching an amazing movie... only this would be real life!  These are just a few of my favorites whose voices and songwriting have inspired me continually throughout my journey so far, and from whom I imagine I could only learn something magical, even from a close distance:

Elvis Costello, Rickie Lee Jones, Marc Cohn, Maria Mckee, Indigo Girls, Neill Finn, Daryl Hall, Billy Joel, Jill Sobule, Aimee Mann, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Jane Siberry, Peter Himmelman, Bjork, Bruce Hornsby, Carole King, Cindi Lauper, Sarah McLachlan, Sinead O'Connor, Rufus Wainwright, Suzanne Vega, Train, Fiona Apple, Collective Soul, Alanis Morrisette...

SA: Did any album standout for you last year?

RS: Noe Venable's The World Is Bound By Secret Knots.  In addition to being one of the most brilliant, inspiring titles I've every heard, I thought the arrangements were innovative, the songwriting experimental and the vocals absolutely heart wrenching.  If there were any justice in the world, I think Noe would be playing at Carnegie Hall instead of The Living Room (in NYC)... but I guess then she wouldn't be so breathtakingly "outsider".  Also I loved Elvis Costello's The Delivery Man, Dan Bern's My Country II and Mary Gauthier's Mercy Now.

SA: What is one thing you hope people will learn from your songs?

RS: To listen to their instincts more, and that defying them ought to be just a little bit more of a concern than defying your parents!  But seriously – I think mainly I'm hoping that people will learn to just be a little easier on themselves and more patient with the premise that anything worth achieving takes time and persistence;  that's certainly been the case for me and I have a feeling it will only become more of an axiom for me as the years go by!  I think that applies to relationships, work, and ultimately, achieving a sense of peace with oneself as a human being.  That doesn't mean I have any answers as far as how to do this - but I can at least share my own stories and ideas and hopefully others can relate.

SA: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

RS: I see myself continuing to tour heavily as a performer, playing larger theaters and clubs but always "listening spaces";  I hope that I can continue to write albums that bring new people into my music and keep them there because they feel like they know me, because I really do put myself into my work and would be the first to admit that I do so...I never mind when someone feels like they know me a little through my songs - they probably do!  I see myself having a really fun, funky clothing line and retail store that is also an art gallery/music performance space, ideally in NYC but we'll see...I'd also love to have gotten back into acting - film and theater - and just generally be exercising more and more of my creative muscles in new and innovative ways.  I'd like to combine dance into my musical expression again, and to compose for choreographers...there are so many challenging things I'd like to do!  Oh, and I'd really like to be in one place long enough - or with someone - to be able to have a cat.

SA: Once again, thank you so much for your time, it has been a pleasure.

RS: You're very welcome!


To learn more Rachael Sage, and hear her music visit rachaelsage.com