dissabte, 20 de setembre del 2014

Neal Casal interview + Folk You! (la génesi del Waiting For Waits)



setembre/september 2000:



TIME OUT - London 

"Described by The Washington Post as "One of the best new songwriters of the year", Neal Casal is back at The Borderline (20th September) following his successful gig in May, promoting his new album, 'Anytime Tomorrow'"  






english / català

September 2000: at The Borderline (Soho- London) a part-time box-office attendant was required...
La tardor de l´any 2000, a una petita sala del Soho londinenc anomenada The Borderline hi havia penjat un fol amb el reclam: "PART TIME JOB - Box Office Attendant".





After buying a ticket for Neal Casal´s show (taking place the 20th September) I got a job that would last for about five years.
Després de pagar la meva entrada pel concert de Neal Casal que havia de tenir lloc el 20 de setembre (avui fa 14 anys), me varen donar aquella feina de caps de setmana que duraria uns cinc anys...

That precise moment was the starting point of the Majorcan music event Waiting For Waits (so thank you Neal and thank you The Borderline!).
En aquell moment es va sembrar, sense saber-ho, la llavor del Waiting For Waits (així que gràcies Neal Casal i gràcies The Borderline!).


WAITING FOR WAITS vs FOLK YOU!

In fact, because of a sticker that Neal Casal had on his acoustic guitar (actually a patch, as Neal mentions in the interview below), Waiting For Waits could have been named Folk You! instead...
A la seva guitarra, Neal hi tenia aferrat el que jo recordava com un adhesiu (si bé de fet era un "patch" (pegat?), com ell ens confirma a l´entrevista que podeu llegir a continuació) amb l´inscripció: "Folk You!".
Vaig pensar que seria un bon nom per una promotora musical, si bé finalment me decantaria pel beckettià Waiting For Waits.
La resta, com sabeu, ja és història...




NEAL CASAL INTERVIEW (english)

nota: si voleu una traducció al catalá o castellà de la següent entrevista, enviau un correu a orphans.of.waits@gmail.com



foto: Megan Kathleen McIsaac (www)



- Are you aware that you were somehow responsible for the beginning of Waiting for Waits? (you know the story…)

It's amazing to think that I was an integral part of this festival that we all loved so much. It´s quite an honor for me to know that.

- We almost gave the festival a different name: Folk You!, because of the sticker you had in your acoustic guitar that night you played in London fourteen years ago today!. Where did you get that sticker?

It's actually not a sticker but a patch, which I never sewed onto anything. I would just attach it to my guitar strap with a safety pin!!  I bought  that patch in a small vintage shop on Avenue A in the east village, New York City, in 1993. That patch has stayed with me for over 20 years, it's one of my prized possessions!. 

- What are your memories of your shows in Mallorca (first in 2003 with lovely Lisa Germano, and the following year sharing the bill with the great Chris Eckman)?

It was incredible and such an honor for me to discover Mallorca, it felt like entering a different world. The shows were always in really nice locations, the audiences were enthusiastic and attentive, and to share the stage with talents such as Lisa and Chris was just amazing.



- When did you discover Tom Waits? Which album? We have fond memories of the song cover you played using Lisa Germano´s electric guitar: "On the nickel"...
I'm not exactly sure what the first record was, maybe Nighthawks At The Diner. It just seemed to me that his music was always everywhere y'know?
But it was Heart Attack And Vine that really changed my life. That was the record that turned me into a Waits fanatic.

- Do you still keep that Neil Young HARVEST t-shirt that I gave you? It certainly looked better on you than on me!
 Of course I still have it, it's in the same drawer as my Folk You patch!


- Today we celebrate yet another anniversary related to Neal Casal: Leaving Traces (1994-2004 compilation; Fargo records) was released 10 years ago (20th September 2004).
After a solid 20 years solo career and your collaborations with some "big" names: what´s your own album you´re most proud of? Own song?. And collaboration?

I think Roots And Wings is my strongest collection of songs, 



but I guess Sweeten The Distance is my favorite overall record. "White Fence Round House" is one of my favorite of my own songs. 
As for collaborations, the new Chris Robinson Brotherhood record Phosphorescent Harvest is definitely my favorite.




- Last question: RUDY SESSIONS, who recently booked Graham Parker to play in Palma, would be interested in having you back to Mallorca. What about that, Neal?
Wow, that is so exciting, thank you for thinking of me again!. The idea if coming back to Mallorca is just amazing to me, can´t even believe it!






Next: video of Neal Casal playing his own favourite song two years ago at The Borderline backstage!
Com no podia ser d´altra manera, a continució un video de Neal Casal cantant fa dos anys la seva propia cançó preferida...al backstage de la sala The Borderline




Blood shot eyes in the morning
Wait to the day with a memory in my mind
A plane touches down and I can see those street lights
A plane touches down and I know it's time to fly
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave behind

It's so cold here in the evening
Wait till the dark that I've done my fire right
I feel such a fool and just keep waiting
I feel such a fool cause I know I still hope to find
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave
But I want you to take your time
Think it over
Stay a while, till
...taking me easy way out, easy way out

Star close the night, set the candle
Everybody frightened, it's the whole damn place alive
Come from all the father's preachers
Everybody looking for something, I hope they can find
One thing they can't leave behind
One thing they can't leave

Eyes fall open with the first...
Make my way down to the ocean burning...
Each day I'm constantly in a falling
Each day the current pulls me closer down to you
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave behind
One thing I can't leave
But I want you to take your time
Think it over
Stay a while, till
Just remember to take your time
and think it over
Stay a while, ill it shows
You're not taking the easy way out, easy way out
Not taking the easy way out
I can show you the easy way down

Blood shot eyes in the morning
Wait to the day with a memory in my mind

1 comentari:

  1. Dins la meva incultura musical aquesta semana, gràcies a cercar "Artistes Similars" de l'Spotify, he descobert a Neal Casal. Ara vas tu i en publiques una entrevista. La vida és molt curiosa.

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