Very few artists have a list of credits like vocalist/multi-instrumentalist/
composer/lyricist Lisbeth Scott. Don't believe me? Well, here's a
partial list
of the film and TV projects she's sang on: The Passion of the Christ,
Shrek 2, Felicity, The Scorpion King, Atlantis, Unconditional Love, Spy Game,
Survivor, Party of Five, Dinosaur, Sixth Sense, Forces of Nature,
Broken
Arrow, Toys, ER, Chicago Hope, Profiler and Touched By An Angel. And
the list goes on and on. Truly amazing.
What's even more amazing is that Lisbeth does all of this AND she
records
her own albums. With three previous releases, Sirens,
Climb and Dove and a fourth, Passionate Voice, to be released on August
3, Lisbeth has clearly been working extremely hard!
On a personal note, it's refreshing to find that an artist of Lisbeth's
stature
has remained so humble and open. If anyone would have bragging rights
down in the pub, it would be Lisbeth!
If you'd like to learn more about Lisbeth and her music, please visit
her
website.
Jamie:
You've had tremendous success as vocalist for film, TV and
commercials. And your work with Paul Schwartz (an artist-to-artist
series
alumnus!) is, in my opinion, particularly beautiful. But that's
what you do
when you're not recording and performing your own music. What do
you get
out of working on your solo material that you don't get from these
other
projects?
Lisbeth: Hmmm. I have complete
and total creative and artistic freedom
when I'm working on my solo material. Sometimes that's a scary thing
because the sky's the limit!! I love singing so much and thus my
work with
Paul and in the film world is wonderful and fulfilling. But there's
something
about creating an entire project on my own that allows me to sit
down and
say ok, what do I really want to say here both sonically and lyrically.
There
are no limitations. I'm not fitting my voice into someone else's
concepts and
ideas.
I'm carving out my own. And usually when I'm working on someone
else's
project, it's a relatively quick process. I learn the music and
record it, and
then it's on to the next. Whereas when I create my own, I usually
have the
time to delve into the depth of the piece I'm creating (although
with my
current project it's a bit more like running a race!). I like the
feeling of having
sat for hours on a tree stump in the woods just hearing in my head
what I'm
working on at the moment. Each piece feels a bit like a mini birth
(sorry for
the melodramatic imagery!!).....
I LOVE IT!! I love the feeling of being able to present something
to my
listeners that says "this is me". I have very specific goals when
I sing and
write and they include moving people and healing, so it's wonderful
when I
can create a piece from start to finish with those things in mind.
Jamie: I
think I know (although obviously not truly) what you mean about
the
mini birth! At times I'll stop working on a piece because I'm just
so drained --
physically and emotionally -- that I feel I have nothing left to
give... One of my
composition teachers said that you never finish a piece you just
stop working
on it. I think I'm finally starting to understand what he
was talking about --
twenty years (and a few grey hairs) later mind you!
I sense from your comment about "moving people and healing" that
the
listener plays a large role in your music. That connecting with
an audience
on an emotional and spiritual level is important to you. This can
be incredibly
challenging as it demands an openness (or vulnerability) from the
artist and
acceptance from the listener. But there always seems to be something
that
gets in the way in the studio -- a bad cable, a software problem,
a drummer
(o.k. that was my one and only drummer "comment"). How do you keep
the
technical side of record making from overshadowing your desire to
move and
heal the listener?
Lisbeth: I
have blind faith. I just plow forward despite technical issues.
I won't
even pursue recording a song unless I've had moments of pure bliss
during
its creation. Unless there have been several moments of completely
forgetting
where or who I am, it goes in the trash. Those special moments assure
me
that I'm not the only one who will be moved by what I'm doing...
I hope!!
Those moments are my proof that I'm truly connected to my creative
source.
So the occasional technical problem doesn't destroy things. Sure
it's
frustrating but I'm a Taurus! If I love the song and believe in
it but don't get the
vibe the first time around, I do it again and again until I do.
I mixed Dove three
times because of that and finally Peter Cobbin at Abbey Road got
it!! Now I
have a very expensive addiction.
Jamie: And
I bet it would be hard to go back to mixing somewhere else after
you've had that level of quality! (And just as an aside to anyone
reading this
conversation, Peter Cobbin also did outstanding engineering and
mixing on
some of Paul Schwartz's albums.)
You have a new record coming out this summer called Passionate
Voice. I've
heard the advance single, "Grace", and the track is just great --
can't wait to
hear the rest of the disc! Does the album follow the general "feel"
of the
single? Any elements (production/instrumentation, lyrical content,
philosophy,
etc.) that helped to "tie" the record together?
Lisbeth: This
is an interesting record for me because there are two distinct
elements in it. One is sort of a lyrical joy and the other is contemplation.
The
whole CD is centered around spirit... whatever that is for all of
us... and how
we live in these two places at the same time. It's a place to be
active and a
place to be still... the latter being something we don't get enough
of!! It's
difficult to put into words and I'm sure you're probably thinking
I'm some kind
of freak!!! But I've written so many times in my life from pain
or burning desire
that leaves me in a heap on the floor and I'm at a place where my
inspiration
is coming from a calmer, more spiritual place. So this is an incredibly
honest
CD for me. It's sharing what I think works for me, but hopefully
in a universal
way.
My husband Nathan Barr is sharing a lot of the production credit
on the CD
and he is incredible... Instrumentation... cello, guitar, percussion,
loops,
stacks and stacks of voices, duduk, piano, harmonium, and on and
on...
west meets east meets LA meets Brahms meets inside my head !!! Hope
your head isn't reeling!!!!
Jamie: No,
my head isn't reeling... if the rest of the album is at all like
the
single, I'd bet the record makes perfect sense. And I definitely
don't think
you're a freak... having some kind of philosophical focus in recording
is a
necessity in my books, as it helps keep you centred. What's just
as
important, as you point out, is honesty. I think that artists should
just simply
write what they love -- without any agenda. Or as someone said:
"sharing
what I think works for me, but hopefully in a universal way." I
sure wish I'd
written that, as it pretty much sums up how I try to approach my
own music.
I've been asking everybody what their thoughts are on the state
of the music
industry circa 2004. Lots of different opinions, but for the most
part there's a
consensus that the industry is in a state of flux. What's less clear
is where
everything is headed. I think you have a unique perspective in that
you work
in many different areas in the music (both record and live) and
film industries.
What changes do you see happening in both the record and live music
industry? Any thoughts on how indies can best compete in this changing
landscape?
Lisbeth: That's
such a tough question. I feel like each day I am creating the
answer to it or discovering the answer to it. The typical methods
don't seem
to work any more... touring here and there, in stores etc. Honestly,
I see the
most sales and exposure when I'm on big media... i.e. film and television...
whether it be in person or having a song licensed in a TV show or
film. Many
TV shows are anxious to license unsigned artists because they don't
have to
deal with the record labels. It just takes a lot of calls and follow
up on the
part of the artist, but it's worth it in the end.
Hmmmm... yes the industry is in a state of flux... I wonder how
long the
"Stepford Wives" approach to musical stars is going to last. I think
the public
may get a little numb before too long... But it always comes back
to getting
your music... OUT THERE!!!! There's alternative radio, there's using
an indie
promoter, there's using an indie publicist... there's asking a friend
to call
music supervisors for you...
Live music is taking an interesting turn because there are more
and more
"unclubs" popping up... like yoga studios and spiritual film and
music
festivals... In a sense popular music is leaking into community
hands and
out of large labels, and those labels are obviously feeling that...
living in LA
I'm constantly overhearing conversations in cafés about how
20 or 30 people
just got laid off yesterday from this label and this label bought
that label... or
from friends who are signed whose future is up in the air because
their label
was just sold and their A&R person fired... on and on....
My gut feeling is that we as musicians have to be able to make music
because we love it and find a way to do that ourselves... Learn
the ropes of
graphics and manufacturing... so many small companies are out there
now
to accommodate indies... make a real soul commitment to your creations.
Don't ever lose loving what you do and that'll keep the opportunities
flying
your way... big and small..... AND never underestimate the importance
of
small gigs and opportunities too!!!
The bottom line is.... have a great product, be a great and comfortable
and
willing performer and REMAIN OPTIMISTIC. No one, not even a big
label,
can take those things away from you.
Jamie: You're
right -- optimism is so important. I think, as soon as an artist
(or someone on the business end for that matter) "goes negative",
they
create an internal obstacle that can be incredibly hard to overcome.
And
there certainly are enough obstacles out there for musicians already!
I also
think it's important to be a strong, well-rounded musician. It just
makes a
musician less vulnerable to being used in a "Stepford Wife/Husband"
manner.
You have a pretty impressive background as a musician. You were,
as your
web site says, "a classical pianist headed for a concertizing career.
(You)
studied as a high school student at The New England Conservatory,
and
then on to Connecticut College and The University of London." And
this was
before you started singing and playing the guitar and percussion.
You've
taken a different path from being a classical pianist, but how has
that training
affected you both artistically and on a business level today?
Lisbeth: Wow.
My classical training has been invaluable in my day to day
work. First of all, I can read music, which multiplies the amount
of sessions I
can do here in town by about 500. Everything is on a deadline and
basically
the fastest musician wins the race, as ridiculous as that sounds.
My training
and knowledge of music theory etc. has gotten me job after job and
helped
me in creating and producing my own music. I know the basics of
orchestrating and I know many ranges of instruments etc. Being able
to
play something easily on the piano also opens so many doors. Not
to
mention being able to tour solo and save lots of money because I
can play
several instruments. There is nothing negative about it... except
maybe one
thing...
And that is that because I know music so well, there are times that
I just
want my writing to be simple. In other words I don't want to know
what I'm
doing harmonically. All I want is to go for the emotion. In those
cases I just
pick up the guitar (which I don't really know what I'm doing on,
I just do it)
and I fool around until I find lines and progressions that sound
right. There is
a wonderful freedom and organic quality that comes from just playing
what
you feel. I guess in the end, my classical training has made it
possible for
me to make a living as a singer/songwriter because I can do so many
things
to bring in money and make my life as a musician work financially.
Jamie: Most
musicians have always had to do many things to both satisfy
their artistic curiosity and to keep their heads above water. I
think that the
level of self-sufficiency you have will become increasingly important
in the
future for musicians in general. Nobody wants to go broke recording
or
touring. Part of the solution, at least for me, has been to use
technology both
in the studio and live.
But a funny thing happened along the way -- I grew to love what
I'm doing
now. Loops, samples, synths and the computer, in and of itself,
are as much
a part of my music as my guitar. Now the reason I'm talking about
this, is
that I'm listening to "Grace" again right now, and I'm wondering
how important
production is to you as an artist.
Lisbeth: Production
is very important to me. I hear each song at its inception
in a certain way. Sometimes it's simple and clear, other times complicated
and many layered. But the whole point for me is to support the voice.
What
serves the vocal and the ideas in the lyrics the best? The answers
to those
questions are many and varied for me. Anyone who has heard my music
knows that I rarely go for the typical band set up. I love using
unusual
instruments and mixing them with the norm. I love mixing beautiful
acoustic
sounds with a more technical sound. We both know production can
make or
break a tune. That's why I tend to approach it so carefully. It's
sort of like
building a house. All the doors and windows have to be in the right
places
and there has to be enough support or everything will just fall
apart!
Jamie: Very
good point... and from my own perspective as a guitarist, I have
to carefully choose the textures that work with my instrument. I
find some
sounds just "fit" more naturally with my guitar playing. The challenge
for me
is not to become texturally conservative and keep relying on the
same set of
tricks...
One thing we haven't discussed is live music. I've never seen one
of your gigs,
but the fact that you're such a strong singer leads me to think
you could
perform in almost any setting -- solo, live band, with tracks, etc.
For those of
us who haven't seen you live, could you describe your show?
Lisbeth: Hmm.
Every one is different. That's one of the things I love about
performing my own music... I can be so free. I've done shows with
a huge
band, a small band, a bass player, a guitarist and many many, in
fact
thousands, of shows alone... me on piano, guitar and djembe and
of course
singing. However I choose to present my music in any given show,
it is
always intimate. I aim to create an atmosphere that is similar to
my
whispering in your ear... I want to make every person in the audience
feel
special in some way. I love to have high energy moments and soft
moments,
heavenly and earthly moments... I usually start out on piano and
then move
to guitar and then back to piano and then to djembe... now I'm adding
harmonium though, so I'll play that somewhere in the middle. Come
to think
of it... I'd better go practise!
Jamie: Well,
practise makes perfect, doesn't it! But there never seems to
be enough time... For me, computers have taken over huge amounts
of
whatever time I have available. I'm not sure that's a good thing,
but it's where
I'm at right now. It's a double-edged sword -- computers allow me
to do so
much, but they don't always let me do what I want. Or at least not
without
four days of editing!
Artists draw inspiration from so many different areas -- from their
surroundings, from life experiences, from music itself. I know for
me, it's not
always clear cut where or how a piece of music comes to be. Where
a
composition starts and where it stops may be very far apart! Where
do you
look for inspiration? Have your sources of inspiration changed over
time?
Lisbeth: Your
questions are always so thoughtfully put together! I appreciate
that.
Let's see. Inspiration. That is a very complex topic for me. It
used to be that
the only thing that would inspire me was pain and sadness. My music
was a
way to process things in my life. But that has changed radically
in the last
few years. I remember waking up one morning and realizing that I
felt a deep
peace and happiness in my heart and being so thankful for that.
And my
next thought was... oh no! Where will I find inspiration for my
writing?!
But that was simple. Just observing people and relationships can
launch any
number of new musical endeavors. Another huge source of inspiration
for me
is spirit in my life. The interaction of spirit and the physical.
My new CD
explores this a lot and is a direct reflection of where I'm at right
now in life...
thankfully! When I write, I just think about opening up the top
of my head and
allowing ideas to pour in from up above. Never fails!
There are times however, that I just wake up with tunes and words
in my
head and have to run to get them down. I walk and hike a lot and
will also be
given songs while I'm in the middle of those things. Also when I
hear an artist
that truly moves me it often inspires me to write.
I heard Bob Dylan interviewed recently and he spoke for a rare moment
about
how he writes. He said he gets someone else's tune running through
his
head over and over and gradually starts putting new lyrics to it
and changes
the melody and then it becomes his tune! I loved hearing that. I've
always
believed that artists during certain times in history have a common
spiritual
blood running through them. Many songs can focus on different perspectives
of one common experience. It's all very exciting to me and I could
go on
forever but I won't!!
Jamie: I'd
never heard that Bob Dylan story before -- that's such a unique
way of working! I learn something new every day...
So your new record is just about set for release. How are you feeling?
Excited? Anxious? If you're anything like me, before a new release,
you'll
have a mixture of a lot feelings -- including relief!
Lisbeth: Yes,
I am feeling lots of things... excited, curious etc etc... Mostly
I'm still busy trying to take care of the details that need to be
paid attention
to in order to get it out! I guess I'm also wondering how people
will feel about
this relatively new direction I've taken... hmmmm. Time will tell!!
Jamie: It's
tough to know how people will respond to any record. I think that
if an artist is sincere, in whatever they do, an album is a success.
Critical or
commercial success, however, is a whole other kettle of fish. But
I'm sure
knowing the quality of your past work and how talented you are,
that
Passionate Voice will be a hit on every level. Best
of luck and thanks for
taking the time to do this artist-to-artist conversation!
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