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Jolie Holland is an incredibly gifted singer and multi-instrumentalist who generally focuses on guitar, fiddle and of course her voice, occasionally playing the piano live as well. She is currently on the home stretch of a 12 month World Tour with drummer Dave Mihaly and guitarist Brian Miller. Holland just got back from her third European tour in six months and she's been touring North America when not overseas. Holland garnished international attention at the 2004 SXSW Music Conference and recently opened for Willie Nelson at Raley Field in Sacramento on September 23, 2004.
Where are you from?
Texas.
What artist(s) inspired you to start playing music?
Blind Willie McTell, The Pogues, Dylan Thomas, Marc Chagall, Mozart, Tom Waits.
What drew you from New Orleans and Austin to Vancouver? It's not usually considered a top music city like those previous two.
I never set foot in a bar or paid to see live music in Austin or New Orleans. The back yards, porches and alleys held more attraction. And they got great back yards in Vancouver. I remember one with a tree-climbing sweetheart of a pit bull. It was Submission Hold's back yard, a.k.a. "the best hard-core band in Canada"--they put on great shows in the basement when the backyard is too cold.
Why was your album, Catalpa, not initially intended for the public? And were
you surprised by the reaction it got?
Most of the tracks were recorded so the band could learn the songs methodically. Our band was called "Little Boris and the Shoes," a collective band, like the Tanyas are, only the Shoes would do Tuvan, Native American, Mexican, Chinese, and American music; like hip-hop, jazz and country. We still play the occasional school benefit in our neighborhood, even though my solo project takes up most of my time.
I was not surprised Catalpa was well received--it was the second time my work in "demo" form had gotten international airplay and record sales--the work I did with the Tanyas was also first take demo stuff. Most of Escondida is first takes as well, though the studio was a hell of a lot more expensive. I like to remind people who are interested in Catalpa that I neither compiled it nor chose the songs--Chris Arnold is its anti-producer, as it is sort of an unproduced record. Chris Arnold is not only a great anti-producer; he's a hell of a film-maker, quilt-maker, and one of the best neighbors you could ever want.
What are the crowds like at your shows abroad?
Same as anywhere, maybe a little bigger, and occasionally a little more reverent, which is a bit of a let-down sometimes, since a noisy bar crowd can be such good energy.
What's next for Jolie Holland?
I get on a train to Norway (I'm typing from a Swedish train station).
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