Interview with 'Hannah Fury', - 19 May 2010
You first started to teach your self piano, as young as 16. was there already a strong musical influence within your family. Did you find strong encouragement ?
No one in my family knew that I was learning to play; I learned secretly. I vaguely knew that my grandfather was self-taught on the piano, but I don't recall thinking about that when I started playing. Retroactively, though, I'm sure it had an influence in the sense that I must have understood that it was possible.
Your first piece of music I believe was entitled 'The Vampire Waltz', what can you remember about this time. How old were you at this point. Has it ever been released, or changed into a current piece that we here today ?
I was consumed by a boy. My first love. I was 14 when I met him, 16 when I wrote the song, and 19 by the time we had destroyed each other. I wasn't intentionally writing about our relationship at the time. It wasn't until much later that my second love suggested that it was an autobiographical song. It seems so obvious to me now, but when I wrote it I thought it was just a story. There is a very early version of "The Vampire Waltz" that I recorded on a regular tape recorder. And then another version that I recorded on a four-track. That's the one that's on the four-track demo, and it has some background vocals that are similar to the ones that I did later when I recorded it for The Thing That Feels.
When did you actually first form as 'Hannah Fury', the artist that we hear today, and what were things like for you at the beginning ?
Personality-wise, I have always been exactly what you hear in my songs. But musically, I guess it would be when I first started writing songs. I think in terms of production you evolve according to what equipment you have access to and your resources. Early on, and for the longest time, I had thought that I couldn't record on my own. I thought that I had to have help. But then I heard songs by Daniel Johnston that he had recorded completely by himself on a boombox. The songs were so beautiful and the lack of "professional" production was so completely irrelevant. He inspired me to do my own recording.
In the early 90s you produced, I believe a four-song demo. Which eventually turned into the '98 'Soul Poison' EP. How did you find the process, and do the songs strongly differ from the original demo material ?
It's really hard for me to remember anything about that time. There was only one song on the demo that was also recorded for the EP. When I recorded Soul Poison I wasn't very confident about the mechanics of recording. I am not very technically inclined, but I think I figured out how to do what I needed to do.
At the beginning of the Millennium, your released your full length debut 'The Thing That Feels', From EP, to album. Did the process change and did you learn from these early recordings. Were you happy with them, and the initial first feedback ?
I think I was happy with them at the time, and I think the songwriting holds up now. I think the singing and playing could be better, but all of those recordings are honest and I can respect what I did. As for the feedback, I was totally surprised when reviewers started calling it "goth," but in retrospect I can see why that makes sense and I think it fits in a lot of ways.
Who would you say are your major influences ?
I listen to hundreds of artists -- different ones at different times in my life. In the last few years I've listened mostly to rap music. OutKast, Eminem, Public Enemy. Or stuff that I can take to the gym. I get very obsessive about certain songs and will listen to one song over and over for an entire week. Right now I'm listening to Miley Cyrus' "See You Again." I can't really listen to anything else. A while back it was "Gangsta's Paradise," and before that it was "You're So Gangsta" by Chromeo, and before that it was "Jump They Say" by David Bowie, and before that it was "Sewn" by The Feeling and "Too Little, Too Late" by JoJo and "What Goes Around Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake. I was totally obsessed with "Going On" by Gnarls Barkley -- that is such a great, great song. And "In Your Dreams" by OutKast from the Idlewild soundtrack -- I think I listened to that constantly for over two months. In general, what I listen to is also part of what inspires me and it is always, always changing.
Do your lyrics follow any specific set pattern or niche ?
I don't think so.
To a new comer, how would you first describe your brand of music ?
Dark, sad, hopeful, pretty and vicious.
I have to ask as I'm addicted, the song 'Girls That Glitter Love The Dark', what can you tell me about it. For me it stands out so strong, and has an amazing emotional strength to it ?
Thank you! I really love how that song turned out. I was feeling sad about my destructive nature when I wrote that. I guess it's an attempt to try to make something good come out of it. I remember that I had all the main vocals recorded on that song, but I felt that something wasn't right about them, so at the very last minute I re-recorded all of them. My voice was good that day, so I think the emotion really came through.
You recently created 'Mellow Traumatic Records', is this souly for your releases, or are there other artists to come ?
It's for my own music.
The new LP, 'Through The Gash', See's you sporting a huge line of stitches down your spine. This is quite a powerful statement. Is there a major concept to this album, am I right in assuming its saying be strong whatever the world throws at you ?
Yes, it's just about getting through and making it to the other side.
I see from various media statements, that you have never played live. Is this something you may consider in the future ?
I would consider it.
Lastly what can we expect from you in 2010 ?
I'm not sure yet, but hopefully something.
......Any last Words ?
Cuttlefish consistently impress me with their intelligence.
For further contact and info:
http://www.mellowtraumatic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/hannahfury
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hannah-Fury/29392362931
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Fury
You first started to teach your self piano, as young as 16. was there already a strong musical influence within your family. Did you find strong encouragement ?
No one in my family knew that I was learning to play; I learned secretly. I vaguely knew that my grandfather was self-taught on the piano, but I don't recall thinking about that when I started playing. Retroactively, though, I'm sure it had an influence in the sense that I must have understood that it was possible.
Your first piece of music I believe was entitled 'The Vampire Waltz', what can you remember about this time. How old were you at this point. Has it ever been released, or changed into a current piece that we here today ?
I was consumed by a boy. My first love. I was 14 when I met him, 16 when I wrote the song, and 19 by the time we had destroyed each other. I wasn't intentionally writing about our relationship at the time. It wasn't until much later that my second love suggested that it was an autobiographical song. It seems so obvious to me now, but when I wrote it I thought it was just a story. There is a very early version of "The Vampire Waltz" that I recorded on a regular tape recorder. And then another version that I recorded on a four-track. That's the one that's on the four-track demo, and it has some background vocals that are similar to the ones that I did later when I recorded it for The Thing That Feels.
When did you actually first form as 'Hannah Fury', the artist that we hear today, and what were things like for you at the beginning ?
Personality-wise, I have always been exactly what you hear in my songs. But musically, I guess it would be when I first started writing songs. I think in terms of production you evolve according to what equipment you have access to and your resources. Early on, and for the longest time, I had thought that I couldn't record on my own. I thought that I had to have help. But then I heard songs by Daniel Johnston that he had recorded completely by himself on a boombox. The songs were so beautiful and the lack of "professional" production was so completely irrelevant. He inspired me to do my own recording.
In the early 90s you produced, I believe a four-song demo. Which eventually turned into the '98 'Soul Poison' EP. How did you find the process, and do the songs strongly differ from the original demo material ?
It's really hard for me to remember anything about that time. There was only one song on the demo that was also recorded for the EP. When I recorded Soul Poison I wasn't very confident about the mechanics of recording. I am not very technically inclined, but I think I figured out how to do what I needed to do.
At the beginning of the Millennium, your released your full length debut 'The Thing That Feels', From EP, to album. Did the process change and did you learn from these early recordings. Were you happy with them, and the initial first feedback ?
I think I was happy with them at the time, and I think the songwriting holds up now. I think the singing and playing could be better, but all of those recordings are honest and I can respect what I did. As for the feedback, I was totally surprised when reviewers started calling it "goth," but in retrospect I can see why that makes sense and I think it fits in a lot of ways.
Who would you say are your major influences ?
I listen to hundreds of artists -- different ones at different times in my life. In the last few years I've listened mostly to rap music. OutKast, Eminem, Public Enemy. Or stuff that I can take to the gym. I get very obsessive about certain songs and will listen to one song over and over for an entire week. Right now I'm listening to Miley Cyrus' "See You Again." I can't really listen to anything else. A while back it was "Gangsta's Paradise," and before that it was "You're So Gangsta" by Chromeo, and before that it was "Jump They Say" by David Bowie, and before that it was "Sewn" by The Feeling and "Too Little, Too Late" by JoJo and "What Goes Around Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake. I was totally obsessed with "Going On" by Gnarls Barkley -- that is such a great, great song. And "In Your Dreams" by OutKast from the Idlewild soundtrack -- I think I listened to that constantly for over two months. In general, what I listen to is also part of what inspires me and it is always, always changing.
Do your lyrics follow any specific set pattern or niche ?
I don't think so.
To a new comer, how would you first describe your brand of music ?
Dark, sad, hopeful, pretty and vicious.
I have to ask as I'm addicted, the song 'Girls That Glitter Love The Dark', what can you tell me about it. For me it stands out so strong, and has an amazing emotional strength to it ?
Thank you! I really love how that song turned out. I was feeling sad about my destructive nature when I wrote that. I guess it's an attempt to try to make something good come out of it. I remember that I had all the main vocals recorded on that song, but I felt that something wasn't right about them, so at the very last minute I re-recorded all of them. My voice was good that day, so I think the emotion really came through.
You recently created 'Mellow Traumatic Records', is this souly for your releases, or are there other artists to come ?
It's for my own music.
The new LP, 'Through The Gash', See's you sporting a huge line of stitches down your spine. This is quite a powerful statement. Is there a major concept to this album, am I right in assuming its saying be strong whatever the world throws at you ?
Yes, it's just about getting through and making it to the other side.
I see from various media statements, that you have never played live. Is this something you may consider in the future ?
I would consider it.
Lastly what can we expect from you in 2010 ?
I'm not sure yet, but hopefully something.
......Any last Words ?
Cuttlefish consistently impress me with their intelligence.
For further contact and info:
http://www.mellowtraumatic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/hannahfury
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hannah-Fury/29392362931
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Fury
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.