HIT CHANNEL INTERVIEW: December 2011. We talked with Irish singer/songwriter Lisa Cuthbert, who is starting an album fundraiser for her second solo release, “Paramour” .Lisa has already played in Antimatter and Ion albums, she has released her debut album called “Obstacles” and recently played support to Marillion. Read below the interesting things she told us:
Firstly, how was the experience to play support to Marillion in Amsterdam on 28th November ?
It was a fantastic experience. It was a big crowd, it was one of the biggest places I have played so far. It was in Paradiso, in Amsterdam which is a fantastic place and its architecture is fantastic too. We have a pretty strong fanbase in The Netherlands at the moment. So, it was great to meet some of these people. We have already uploaded some videos from that show.
How you came up with the idea to do an album fundraiser starting in January?
It was actually my manager’s idea, Shane’s. It would be important for us to have people to contribute if they can, so in 2012 we could have a better budget to work with. So, I hope it will go well. It will be between January 7th and April 7th. The fundraiser is for the album recordings and the manufacture of the album, the marketing, as well as touring. That includes transportation, accommodation and merchandising as well.
When the album will be released? Will be released from Music In Stone (recording label of Antimatter’s Mick Moss)?
It won’t be in Music In Stone, no. It will be released probably independently in Autumn 2012.
Have you started composing the songs? Can you give us a hint how they will sound?
Yeah, it will be a much darker album and I’m really excited about that. I have everything written and the tracklist ofcourse. So, I’m ready to go in the studio right now. I’m looking for recording rooms in Poland and we will go to record there.
Will you have any guests participating in new album?
I have nothing confirmed yet so.. (laughs)
I understand.. Are you satisfied with the feedback you got so far for “Obstacles” album?
Yes it was fantastic. We have a really strong fanbase in The Netherlands, in Germany and in Poland, so I hope to tour more in the Mediterranean countries in 2012, Greece included, Spain and Portugal.
You did some gigs in Poland with Antimatter in November. Did you enjoy these shows? I’ve read they were fantastic!
Yeah, there were some great gigs. It was co-headlining gigs with Mick Moss and myself. So, we played the entire “Planetary Confinement” album, which is male-female on the tracklist. I played some of my own songs within the Antimatter set as well, because Mick Moss featured on a couple of my songs too. Also, we had a full band of local guys in Poland to play with us. So, it was fantastic it play the Antimatter songs almost as they were recorded with really entertainment and great fun.
Will you participate in Antimatter’s new album?
Yes, I will play piano, I did backing vocals and I am playing a little bit harpsichord as well. It is in the middle of recording and will be finished before he goes to any recording label with it. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Mick and Duncan Patterson (ex-Anathema, Ion, Alternative 4) are some of the very few who haven’t done a bad album in their career. It’s an exception that.
Yeah, there are really great. I’m proud that I started with them. I started playing with Antimatter two years ago, so I wasn’t around for their first two albums. I’m pretty exciting for this one. I was in “Alternative Matter” (ed: superb Antimatter compilation album with remixes, alternate versions, etc ).
You play in concerts Opeth and Sister of Mercy covers. Will you record anything of these songs for the upcoming album?
Not those covers. No. There were just done for fan at home and I decided to put them online and I got a lot of support from Sisters of Mercy and Opeth fans. In the new album, I’ll have another cover on it, but it’s a surprise. It will be a cover that fits very well with the themes of the new album.
Which are the themes?
It will be called “Paramour” and it’s about the dark passions and it also has a lot of content related to the abuse in the Catholic Church. It’s much darker than “Obstacles”, which was more a singer-songwriter album. “Paramour” is a lot darker and I’m very excited about it. It’s more like the kind of music that I’m listening to.
Which was the best gig you watched in 2011?
2011? I have to think about that question (pause). In 2010 it was actually Imogen Heap. She was fantastic. 2011.. Hm, all the years seem to blend into one..
Which music do you listen to this period? Did you like the last Radiohead album?
I didn’t really catch on to this. I didn’t listen to it that much. It was really strange. It wasn’t easy listening by any means. I prefer when they released “OK Computer”, but I’m not a huge Radiohead fan.
Do you like most things that Mick Moss likes, like Portishead etc?
Yeah. I like everything with a really bad twist. I think my favourite album in 2011 was by Bon Iver. Their first album “For Emma, Forever Ago” (2008) was kind of melancholic folk music with a lot of male vocals. The second album “Bon Iver” came out in 2011 and it was more powerful for me and it was much more sophisticated music. I think it’s fantastic, I’m listening everyday to it in the car.
Is there any possibility to play in Greece during 2012?
I hope so, yeah. We will get in touch with promoters in Greece. For 2012 we are emphasizing in festivals and alternative venues and places where people could listen to our music. We are currently working on bookings right now and we have nothing confirmed at the moment.
A big “THANK YOU” to Lisa.
Please check out http://lisacuthbert.webs.com , http://www.myspace.com/lisacuthbert and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Cuthbert/146181802097047
