Dresden Doll Amanda Palmer came to play Bristol’s Thekla and Foggy Notion had a word with her about her new solo album, the band, music scene in general and people who are just completely full of shit in particular. So. Amanda Palmer has that she has learnt that not everyone once. Her set was very impressive released a solo album, Who Killed who is working in music will and set the atmosphere for Amanda. Amanda Palmer, after the two she necessarily be her friend. ‘It’s a Amanda’s he show was did together with Brian Viglione as very strange business. I used to try grand indeed. It was opened with an The Dresden Dolls. I have never very hard to get everyone’s instrumental version of I Have To been a massive fan of The Dresden approval on my work. Over the Drive when Amanda (dressed up as Dolls so it was more a lucky years, I kinda got indifferent to that. a zombie bride) was carried in by coincidence I gave Amanda’s solo Now I’m just trying to spent time her five dancers. The actualy set work a listen. The first time I with the people who are working in kicked of, just like the album does listened to I was the music business the with Astronout, then unlike the positively surprised. I same way I do. But I am album, Ampersand, followed by my liked the catchy Guitar “Even if I live aware that there are people favourite- Blake Says. And yes, It Hero and the sing-along with you I’m who are completely full of answered my questions somewhat. Leeds United, but didn’t One of the dancers/actors was stood not the girl shit and who are not doing really quite connect to the this even remotely for the among the audience and acted out you think I other tracks on the record. same reasons I am.’ anything Blake does in the song. It am” For the sake of the two I You get the idea, we just was truly wonderful and I will now liked I still listened to the chatted away for 15 publicly admit that, yes, I cried. A album as a whole nevertheless. minutes. About her hobbies (tea bit. Following Blake there was Bad I cannot recall an album drinking, yoga, reading, friends), Habit, Mrs O. and Ben Folds’ growing on me this much! I found her broken leg (she looked the favourite Strength Through Music that whatever mood I was in- Who wrong way, crossing a road in which was my surprise of the Killed Amanda Palmer seemed to Ireland), the tour (it’s going well) evening: it deals with the shooting reflect all my sadness, anger, and nice compliments she got at Columbine and other American bemusement, joy! Sometimes the recently (She inspired someone to High Schools and during the intro songs seemed genuinely sad and finally release their own album)… the names of all victims were read melancholic, sometimes just cynical That was very nice, but not out together with the cause of their with hidden positiveness underling remotely what I had hoped for. It death. It was creepy but in a them. The best example for the seemed she knew what I wanted to breathtakingly good way! latter is probably a track called hear but didn’t really want to talk This fairly depressive track Oasis which is full of misery but is about it. was followed by Guitar Hero and in nevertheless able to force a smile My last question was the one the air was a ‘Fuck it, let’s dance on every listener’s face. I had been looking forward to the anyway!”After that there was a I listened to the album a lot most- ‘Who is Blake?’ little FAQ session with the audience in the weeks ahead of my interview Blake Says is followed by Google Me with Amanda Palmer in Bristol and (together with I Have To “Sad and cynical a n d t h e m a s s i v e l y come the day of the interview I was Drive) probably my popular Coin-operated full of questions I wanted answered favourite track on the songs that come Boy before heading on to from the heart by Amanda. I wanted to understand album and by now it the hauntingly genius the album the right way. I wanted to feels like I know Blake. will make people H a v e T o D r i v e , have a definitive answer on what it Blake has become my happy because definitively the highlight is she is trying to get across. I friend and I wanted to of the night.The set was they are real.” wanted to know what made her so know more about him closed with Half Jack cynical and wanted to know the but all she told me was Ella, but Amanda came truth about how the songs came where he is working these days back on stage for an encore with a together. (some tshirt shop). I must have had brilliant cover of Living On A But when I was sat opposite ‘DISAPPOINTMENT’ written all Prayer (Bon Jovi) and a special her- every question I aired sounded over my face, because then she version of Leeds United. so so silly and unprofessional… smiled and said ‘You’re welcome to This night left me energised and by the time we finished I still ask me again after the show… but I and calm in the same tame, but in had no answers to all my questions. think… yes, you will really enjoy utter amazement. I learnt I Don’t get me wrong here- it was a Blake Says live tonight.’ What a shouldn’t try to understand Amanda great interview. Amanda told me weird answer to give to that Palmer and her music. It is that she doesn’t consider her solo question! whatever I feel the minute I listen work as wildly different from The The entire interview had not to it. Yet, listening to it, the album Dresden Dolls stuff. ‘After all’, she been what I was hoping for, but I will develop its own character said, ‘it’s still just me making tried to forget about it and enjoy the which you’ll either love (like me) music- without drums this time. show. As a support she had Zoe or hate, but you will not be able to And I guess I realised I don’t have Keating, a cellist who is also remain detached from this music! to shout to get my point across.’ All featured on some of Amanda’s Amanda Palmer makes music that in all she is just a little more grown tracks. Zoe has some kind of synthis honest and doesn’t gloss over the up and a lot more confident these cello equipped with a looping problems of your world but talks days. software which make her sound about everyday life as it is. We also talked about the effectively like five normal cellos at music business and Amanda said
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