Simply Six: Alexandra Scott

Alexandra Scott is a singer/songwriter from New Orleans.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer.  For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later.  Is there such a defining moment for you?

a: My family has a mountain house in Virginia, on a former apple orchard. Every Saturday in summertime since my great-grandparents first built up there, we take a haywagon up to the top, build a fire, cook out, and then usually there's music. When I was a kid I was lucky enough to have some bluegrass-playing uncles and cousins. The greatest of these is Peter Stanley, who's technically not my uncle but I always called him that. He played Harvard Clubs with Joan Baez and Pete Seeger; he was and is a badass player with a deep leathery baritone; in his spare time, when he was younger, he climbed Mount McKinley and canoed all over Canada. So I'd eat as many smores as I could get away with before some adult noticed and stopped me, then I'd wrap up in a blanket and listen to guitars and fiddles and banjos and mandolins and voices singing together, under bright stars...and I wanted to make music just like that. I'm lucky that I can still revisit the place where it began for me, and that I still sometimes get to play with Uncle Peter.

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to?  Who are some of your favorites?

a: If I'm writing a lot, I don't actually listen to much music - I need to keep that space for the music that's emerging. My favorite band ever is The Replacements. Right up there are The Album Leaf, Suzanne Vega, REM up to but not after 'Green,' Gillian Welch, Chris Whitley...it's tempting to go on, and on, and on with that list. I listen to a lot of classical music, and in New Orleans we have an amazing radio station, WWOZ, and I listen to that a lot. 

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

a: Playing Bonnaroo in 2005 was pretty amazing, especially as I didn't even have a manager, or a clue, and I nonetheless got myself booked there. Right after that I got badly injured & have had a series of surgeries that make walking hard, and of course Katrina happened soon after, all of which derailed my music career greatly - so I think there are greater moments to come. Honestly, though, every time I write something I love, or record something I love, I think 'this is the best I've ever felt' - and then the next song comes, and I feel that way again. I think that feeling, that lift of exaltation to feel music coming through me, is what I play for.

4.  Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to?   How much can music influence current events?

a: I don't know how music can influence current events, but I know it influences people. After Katrina it was amazing and humbling how many people wrote and told me they'd had one of my records on repeat, and that the music had helped. There are songs I can't hear without remembering how that song saved my life - made me cry, made me dance, freed me to feel something I needed to feel but couldn't let out on my own. I believe everything we do changes the world, especially the small things like smiling at a stranger or choosing not to litter, so of course I believe music changes the world. Just look at the crowd of people at a good show: they're united, for that moment, and anytime people add their power together, amazing things happen. 

5. How has technology affected the music industry?  How has technology affected your career as a musician?

a: Well, I've had to learn a lot of things that maybe I wouldn't have learned on my own, and that's probably character-building. Right now, I feel like technology's on my side. I'm not physically able to tour anymore, and I don't know if I ever will be again, but with a computer and a webcam and the willingness to mess with websites and things, an artist can build a career these days, one that doesn't necessarily require hours on the road and a carbon footprint the size of the former Soviet Union. I'm continually inspired by how Amanda Palmer uses new media to support her art. Technology has broken the big labels, and I think that will ultimately be a good thing for artists. 

6.  Now for my Barbara Walters question:  If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

a: A really awesome pair of boots!

SIMPLY SIX: Assembly of Dust

Assembly of Dust is a band from New York that lists as their influences the Beatles, the Band and Neil Young.

1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?

I was in a talent show at summer camp when I was about 9 and I dressed up in jeans a white T shirt and shades and sang a song that my counselor ( an Echo and The Bunnymen type hipster from Montreal) had written. He hammered out the sloppy acoustic blues riffs while I dutifully belted “see my lovin’s gonna generate ya penetrate ya owe and drive you crazy”. The entire place went nuts and I have been hooked ever since

2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?

I love Gillian Welch and Neil Young. I listen to a lot of Bill Evans – he is like Xanax for me – calms me. Truth is I listen to a ton but they are those are my “go toos”

3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?

That is always such a hard question to answer. I would have to say performing at Carnegie Hall with Sonya Kitchel is way up there. Playing Bonnarroo was a high. The odd thing is some of the greatest moments come in the most unlikely places – like some poorly attended show in rural Vermont when things just clicked

4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?

I know this is a potentially controversial thing to say but I believe music is like religion for many people. It’s not an either or decision (although for some it is) but it gives us hope, something to believe in, something to inspire us, somewhere to hide when the day beating you down, something to belong to. I think it is a powerful part of our culture – how exactly it influences current events is hard to say.

5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?

I think it goes without saying that technology has flipped the music industry on its head. There is a mixture of panic, confusion and desperation on one end and optimism and possibility on the other. Technology has done nothing but good things for my career – from making good recordings easier and cheaper to make to distributing music to communicating with fans: three thumbs up on technology!

6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?

Ballerina slippers

Theresa Andersson

She put out one of the best albums of the year in 2006, but most people have never heard of her. Outside New Orleans she is hardly known, if at all, by most listeners. Her name is Theresa Andersson and she is another transplanted native to the crescent city. Originally from Sweden Theresa moved to New Orleans with her boyfriend at the time Anders Osborne. Anders is another local singer/songerwriter. After living together the two broke up and Theresa went her own way, first moving to Nashville than Austin until she finally found her way back home to New Orleans.

Theresa is a singer and multi-instrumentalist, playing everything from guitar to the banjo to her preferred choice the violin. But don’t expect sweet classical sounds to come from her violin. She makes her violin wail like a heavy metal guitarist does his guitar. Her singing style is reminiscent of Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams. She can sing anything from a sweet ballad to a more rocking tune.

To date she’s released four albums, from the debut titled Vibe to the now out of print No Regrets to Shine and her latest the self titled ep. Her most recent was supposed to be a full length but a little something called Katrina interrupted the recording process. Afterwards she decided to release what she had finished as a five song ep. This small album was one of the best pieces of music that was put out in the year 2006. Every song on it was a gem, from the Lucinda Williams cover of “Jackson” to the surprise cover of the Madonna song “Boderline”. If you’re not a fan of Madonna, don’t worry, this song does not sound anything like the Material Girl. I listened to it twice before I realized where I had heard the original song.

Theresa is not a writer of her own material, but she has a great ear for picking wonderful tunes to record. I think this is important. Too many singers want to write their own material, even if they’re not capable of it. I think it shows great wisdom for a singer nowdays to chose other writer’s material and not think they have to write all their own material.

In concert Theresa shows a lot harder rocking side than she has so far on disc. She makes her violin wail like a banashee in concert. Her version of Gillian Welch’s “I Want to Sing Rock and Roll” is a classic that deserves to be recorded.

She is currently working on a new record that should be out by the end of summer. This is a release you should mark down and make a point of getting when it comes out. If it’s half as good as her last one it will be great.

"Borderline"