Blues Stay Away From Me: An Interview With Eliza Blue by Zayne Reeves I first became aware of Eliza Blue in the fall of last year when a friend put their song “Northshore” on a mix tape for me. Sandwiched between killers like Solomon Burke's “Can't Nobody Love You” and Wanda Jackson's “Riot In Cell Block #9,” this achingly sad love gone wrong ballad stole the whole show. Lines such as “Water's deep on the Northshore and it's never, never still” recalled nothing less than Townes Van Zandt's “To Live's To Fly” in all its bleak, poetic glory. Stunned and curious to know more, I located her website and discovered that Eliza Blue consisted of Elizabeth Bonacci and Paul Miksic who, between them, played just about every instrument that you could possibly need on a folk album.One Year, their first EP, is cut from the same cloth as Cowboy Junkies' The Trinity Session, Gillian Welch's Revival and Freakwater's Old Paint. A fine piece of moody Americana, it is an exceptionally promising introduction to these two very talented artists. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Bonacci (whose voice has more than earned its comparisons to Emmylou Harris and Margo Timmins) via email about her career, her influences, and the inability to escape assholes who shout “Freebird!” no matter what kind of music you play. Being There: How did you and Paul Miksic first meet? Eliza Blue: I was just starting out, playing open mics and such, and he was in a rock band called, Mr. Sexy Pants (that is the truth!). Despite incredibly different styles, we ended up sharing a stage. After the gig he told me he could help me record a demo, which I thought was a terrible pick-up line. And maybe it was, but it was also the truth. That was my first recording. BT: Unsigned artists are often encouraged to create a body of work on indie labels or their own imprint before negotiating with the majors. This is so that they can have at least some leverage when discussing contracts. Is this something you think about with your career? EB: Actually, I just watched I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, the documentary about Jeff Tweedy, and it reminded me why being on a label is not the dream come true many musicians (including me, when I was starting out) think it will be. Obviously label support has its benefits, but it certainly requires a lot of sacrifices as well. At this point I really prefer being independent. It means I have to do things cheaply and on a smaller scale, but I really like the idea of folk music in the most traditional sense of the word, so, yeah, I don't mind keeping it small. Making a living as a musician is difficult no matter how you slice it. I've played with bands that have gotten signed, and they don't make any more money – in fact, they often make less, because so much of their profit is already tied up in paying back the label for recording and promotional costs. BT: You've begun incorporating YouTube videos onto your website and MySpace page. Has this increased interest in your music so far? EB: I don't know. It’s certainly interesting though. Technology is absolutely blowing my mind right now. One of the videos on my MySpace was recorded with a cellphone. I actually didn't even know it existed until someone else found it on YouTube. Isn't that crazy? BT: Gillian Welch, who you cite as a major influence, has commented in the past that she has to be very conscientious about organizing set lists because too many ballads in a row might put the audience to sleep. Is this something you grapple with as well because a lot of your songs come from that Gillian Welch and Cowboy Junkies-style of slow and dreamy? EB: Yes, probably more than anything else. I love sad songs (my favorite song as a child was “Eleanor Rigby,” for goodness sake). In my day to day life I am a pretty upbeat person, but as a good friend once said, my optimism is the other side of a confirmed sadness. When it comes to writing songs, that's just what comes out. It's also true, however, especially with some of the old folk songs, that up-tempo music can be a powerful vehicle for mournful lyrics. The tension can be very compelling. I've been trying to experiment with that more lately. BT: You play fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar. Has learning a variety of instruments changed how you write songs beyond just making sure that there's a tasty banjo part in there?  EB: Well, actually this applies to the question above. I play an openback 5-string banjo. It's an instrument that provides a really driving, percussive beat, but melodically almost dirge like. The mandolin can be similarly haunting. I find trying songs out on different instruments really opens them up and makes it easier to hear new things. That said, I still mostly write on guitar and add the other instruments later.BT: Some songwriters have issues when it comes to co-writing. Is this the case for you or do you enjoy the process? EB: I don't do much co-writing. In fact, I think it would be very hard; kind of like co-parenting. It's so easy to get invested in the way you're hearing the songs. The songs Paul and I have co-written usually grow out of him experimenting with a cool riff, or chord progression, and me adding lyrics and shaping it into something more song-like. BT: What's the strangest thing that's happened during one of your shows? EB: I can't decide if I've had too many or too few strange things happen – either way I don't have a clue how to respond to that question. I'll tell you what, I do get a lot of, um, intoxicated individuals requesting “Freebird” – but I think that's the case for almost everyone who plays at venues that serve alcohol. What's up with that? BT: You've toured frequently with Roma di Luna among other bands. Is there anyone that you've performed with that you think will strike it big? EB: I really don't know. “Striking it big” is a very messy and relative notion. However, I think Roma di Luna are brilliant. They write great tunes, and they are both very talented performers, so who knows? BT: Is it difficult to negotiate fees with club owners? Any advice for others who've gotten past the open mic stage and are dealing with this for the first time? EB: Yikes, I am terrible about this. I should be getting advice, not giving it! Alright, here's some advice that I should take myself: whenever possible get things in writing. And if you're touring, it's easier for budgeting purposes (though not always possible) to negotiate for set fees, rather than a cut of the cover. Really though, it's more about trial and error – find people you can trust, and work with them. BT: One Year, your first EP, was released in 2005. Are you planning on releasing another album soon? EB: Yes, as a matter of fact. Paul and I were in Northern Wisconsin last weekend working with Chris Mara, a producer/sound engineer from Nashville. We basically holed up and recorded for two days straight. Some of the rough tracks from those sessions are on MySpace. We basically have the backbone of the album in place now, it's just a matter of fleshing it out a bit more. BT: One of your songs in particular, “Bury Me Deep,” has developed something of a cult following. Any chance of that winding up on the new record? EB: I don't think so. Some songs cut too deep, even for the songwriter. I don't play that one much and I don't think I'd really be able to record it again and do it justice. BT: I'm having a High Fidelity moment here but what are your five favorite records of all time? EB: Songs From A Room, Leonard Cohen; Hell Among The Yearlings, Gillian Welch; Revolver, The Beatles; Pearl, Janis Joplin; War, U2 (I have to include this because it is the first album I bought with my own money and I still think it’s really good.) Be sure to check out www.elizablue.net and Eliza's MySpace Profile for more information. |  |
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