The_Shaniarator
12-28-2002, 5:50pm
So dear fellow Shanialovers. Here`s the next Interview I found in a german magazine called Gitarre und Bass. I hope I didn`t change the basic meaning of Shanias answers. If it sounds weird - it was probably me...:) . Enjoy it...;)
Shania Twain Interview – Gitarre und Bass - Issue 12/2002
Headline: Shania Twain – the metamorphosis
Provokative Videos, snappy Pop-Rock and over 14 million sold copies of her third album „Come on over“ made her a superstar of the late 90`s. But after five years of absence from the cd business the smart canadian singer is hardly recognizable. The birth of her son Eja and the move to Vevey in Switzerland changed the ambitious powerwoman to a relaxed hobby musician. Gitarre und Bass met her in Montreux.
When she walks through the lobby of the fashionable Grand Hotel at the Lake Geneva, really everybody turns to her. Lecherous looks of men and jealous glances of women give this smart lady in cowboy boots and blue jeans who with her deep black, long hair and her hippie-like indian jewelry doesn`t really fit into this bourgeois ambience of marble, gold and silk, an eye.
And yet this contradictory stark opposition between artist and environment is perfectly typicall for the exile canandians` carrer. A real beauty with a strong voice experienced guitar playing and a real passion for country music who got known a) with catchy pop&rock tunes, b) had to struggle hard for her success and c) was being criticised a lot regularely. Just because she let her husband and producer Mutt Lange (Bryan Adams, Def Leppard, AC/DC, Foreigner) tailor a global chart sound for her, got away from her roots and above all emigrated from her native country. But Shania can live with those reproaches – very good to be precisely. Although she played in canadian and american clubs for years to present tradishional Nashville home grown songs she never submitted to it`s puritan and stubborn rules.
Shania always presented herself rather sexy than tight-lipped, relaxed instead of formal and open minded musically. She made modern and „dust free“ country music – cleverly more and more interspersed with pop. A starting point witch she picks up on her latest album „UP“.
G&B: Shania many of your songs are about human relationships – good stuff ?
S.T.: I think relationships run alike with all people – and thats why everybody can relate to that. In this respect it`s a good subject to write about. It`s timeless.
G&B: Exactly like the idea behind your new song „Not just a pretty face“. It´s about not judging a book by it`s cover – and a woman not because of her looks.
S.T.: Exactly! It`s admittedly not about me but it`s an inspiring song for all women. Finally they are not taken siriously because of their gender or their beauty. Thats why I wrote this song. I think it`s still the same nowadays and this form of chauvinism is present in all professions.
G&B: So it`s not just about the entertainment industry ?
S.T. : No it isn`t. Imagine being a female surgeon, a pretty female surgeon who maybe stresses her looks with a lippstick or a hair-style. This woman wouldn`t be taken as seriously as her male collegue. I think thats rather inacceptable. How can you judge the abilities of someone by his looks. In this respect it almost seems like beauty could be a hindrance. And if we see somebody whos physically handicapped we tend to not take him seriously without relating to his actual abilities. Nevertheless we claim a judgement. This can be transfered to pretty women or women in general. If you`r looking good and your proud of it and you stress your beauty you run the risk of not being taken seriously.
G&B: This sounds like you`ve made your own experiences.
S.T.: Definitely ! I haven`t been taken seriously as a musician for a long time. Just as if a pretty girl with a nice voice wouldn`t be able to sing good or even her own songs. I suffered from that for quite a long time. Mutt (Lange) was the first to truly understand what I`m cabeable of.
G&B: So lets talk about Shania Twain the musician who hides behind a hypermodern production on this album. Do you think the songs worked if you presented them alone just with a guitar.
S.T: Yes of course, `cause all my songs have been written on the guitar and not with a computer. We don`t make any computerdemos. We always develope the material on acoustic guitars before we get into the production. I think that makes a big difference. Because if you are writing a song with a computer the basis is always synthetic. Compared with that the root of our music is the guitar. I could perform every song all alone just with an acoustic guitar.
G&B: It took you five years to make this album. How`s that ? Did you need an substantial break ?
S.T.: No, and I`ve worked on this project only for two years really. Writing songs takes time. And you could easily make two albums of the entire material. Besides I really do write evrything myself. Then there`s the production which also lasts for two years because we were doing little recordings here and there. We`ve been to many countries to find musicians for this album. We´ve been to europe for the string section for example and on some songs you can even hear a orchestra with 40 musicians. We´ve been to Irland, Austria, France, Italyand even to the Carribean. Because of my pregnancy I couldn`t always be there myself but many instruments have been recorded in Bombay. I guess we`ve really been everywhere. When you listen to the result, you will notice that it has become a very interesting a very international and a very extreme record.
G&B: What do you mean by „extreme“ ?
S.T.: Well some songs are very country-like and others on the other hand sound very ethnical. You could say it is very global and international. And thats simply because I`ve learned so much during the last tour. I realised a lot of things because I met my fans for the first time. I`ve always been asked „Who are your fans?“ My answer was: „really everyone.“ That is in my opinion the reason why we could sell so many albums. Everybody`s asking me: „what is the secret of your success?“ but I think there is none – it just happend. We`ve made an album which appealed to different people of all ages. To achieve that we re-recorded some songs in different versions. For this new album we decided to show the whole variety in one package. I wanted to stress my versatility and make something for every taste without having to make an additional remix later on. I said to my label: „let me just make the album, that I`m thinkin`of and all my fans will be happy.“
G&B: That sounds like you are a responsible entertainer ?
S.T.: And thats exactly what it`s all about. I make music for my fans and I`m enjoying it. When you make music you are doing it for other people and not for yourself.
G&B: But after 30 million sold albums you could also try to do stuff that first of all appeal to yourself...
S.T.: You don`t have to publish that. You can record it of course but you better keep it to yourself. You put it in your drawer and maybe some time you share it with a friend. When you publish an album and you want the public to pay for it you should record something that people like. It should entertain the public. Thats my conviction. I want people to buy my record and say: „Thats really good. I`m glad that I spent my money for it.“ I take these things very seriously. Because why should I otherwise make records. Why should I expect that sombody buys them. Why should I sell something to people that they don`t like ? I write my music for poeple who spent their hard earned money for it. When I was a kid I could hardly afford records and I was always dissapointed when I bought one that I didn`t like. You couldn`t exchange them so what should I do with them? And thats why I always just wanted songs on my album which are single compatible. I take the time to make sure that every song could be a good single. Many people say: „why don`t you keep some music for the next record?“ But I just answer: „Whats it good for ?“ Certainly not every song will be a single but I think it`s rather sensible to publish something which appeals to people 100%. Otherwise they say later on: „I just like two or three songs“. That would be sad.
G&B: You are originally from the country scene – is this still the basis of your music ?
S.T.: Yes certainly, and I won`t ever turn away from that. I`m a versatile artist but country music means the same to me as pop and rock. I can work very easily with those different styles of music and I got bored if I had to limit myself to just one of them. I`ve grown up with a lot of different things, always played in rock bands, country bands, R&R bands. I`ve done everything and tried every style. If you are starting at a very young age you collect all those influences. You let yourself get influenced by it because you grow up with it. The music you are listening to when you grow up has an influence on your whole own style. And mine is a bit of everything...
G&B: And thats why many country-purists criticise you. ?
S.T.: Yes but my fans are not purists. The last two albums have been very versatile, in any case not just pure country. And thats why now I have a pop audience without wanting it. But that`s fine because I don`t try to be someone else. I wouldn`t be satisfied to limit myself to one genre and my fans defenitely wouldn`t like it either. I always use Elvis as a model because to a certain extend we have something in common. There are fans who bought his country albums, his rock albums, his gospel albums, his blues albums. He did these things because he could do it. His fans accepted that while supporter of a certain style couldn`t appreciate him. There has been such a risk with my last record because it was a breakthrough and it grew over my head. All of a sudden I had a pop audience and some people pulled their eyebrows, but it was simply doing fine. My fans got into lots of different styles. And on this album is enough music to make everybody happy. At least thats my intention.
G&B: Why did you call the album „Up“ ? Peter Gabriel just used the same title just like REM two years ago.
S.T.: I didn`t now that. „Up“ just seemed to be the right name. When I made the album I wanted it to come across optimistic. I had so much positive energy and in the middle of the most intense phase of songwriting happend the 11.September. My son was justa month old and I thought: „What will happen?“ „Is there a future at all?“ I had the most terrible of thoughts. Mutt and I made the decision to look forward optimistically. I`ve always tried to write positive songs to give the fans and the listeners something to get along with...
G&B: Are you going to make a tour after the albums out ?
S.T.: Up to now I haven`t got a band. And I will just have a few tv appearances. There will be no tour until next year (2003).
G&B: Is it true that you enjoyed your last tour very much ?
S.T.: (beams) Yes !
G&B: And you spent every night in your tour bus ?
S.T.: I don`t like beeing in Hotels, which has nothing to do with security reasons or privacy. I just don`t need any luxury and service. I`m a simple kind of person and I`m happy with a tiny space. I have a few clobber in my bus, my own kitchen, my own food and that`s it. I don`t need a big suite with servants and room service. Thats not my style. A different bed every night, different people, different environment. Maybe when you are on holiday such luxury is nice. But I like traveling in a caravan or a bus. I love camping and I prefer a simple lifestyle.
G&B: You and Mutt Lange live very secluded.
S.T.: Thats why we are here in Switzerland, because we can go out and show ourselfes in public. We don`t hide and we do everything ourselfes. I go shopping, go out in the park with the baby and I`m out all the time. We don`t have a driver or such nonsense, I`m drivin` myself. We don`t public our private life, there are no family photos to publish, no cameras in our house. Once you start with it you can`t stop it. When I have a photo shooting it has something to do with my work as a singer but nothing with my privat life.
G&B: And once you passed that point there`s almost a snowball effect ?
S.T.: Then theres no turning back. And I don`t need that my life is public enough. I want to lead a normal life and I don`t use my name to get concert tickets or a good place at a restaurant. I just go out for lunch and if I don`t get the best place in the restaurant - –that`s fine with me.
G&B: So you are enjoying your role as a mother and houswife very much ?
S.T.: It`s fantastic, I think it`s great and it has my first priority. First of all I want to be good mother and wife. I`m doing music just for fun now and thats also the reason why there are so many songs on this album. I can give more than people expect from me. And I don`t do it because of the money – not anymore. Many people ask : „why don`t you give away your records for free ?“ „Why do you even want money for it ?“ The reason is that I`m not the only one who makes money with it. There are so many people involved in the production of a record . They all make a living from it. Because I make records hundreds of people have a job. At the same time I can say of myself: „I give away more money than I spent for myself“. I can live very good with that.
G&B: And this takes away a part of the pressure that you feel when you have to do an follow up album after the huge success of „Come on over“, right ?
S.T.: Yes. I don`t have any financial expectations related to this album. Of course it`s my personal aim to surpass my last success. When you go skiing you want to improve your best time. That`s normal. But there isn`t any pressure because you don`t have to prove anything to anybody. At least I don`t really think about it. I just want to do a good job. Stop.
G&B: Do you have a real homestudio ?
S.T.: Yes we use it for many things, but we are out most of the time. Mainly because of the inspiration but also because many musicians life somewhere else. I have a child now, the telephone is ringing all the time and I have to think about what I should make for dinner. I`m slowly becoming a real housewife and I`m enjoying it.
G&B: Isn`t it a problem if your husband is your most important partner at work.
S.T.: No we love to work together. Besides we are seperated very often. For example when I have tv appearances or when I`m on tour. He can`t always come with me because he`s working on other records as well. When we have the opportunity to do something together we enjoy it even more. We`re going out for dinner, write together, visit other cities, go to museums or go hiking. We live our lives, inspire each other and get to know the world together.
G&B: Is there a special guitar you are using for your songwriting?
S.T. : Oh I have many guitars. Most of the time I use a very light one, a small Ovation for example. I also have a Gibson and a small Martin, which I love very much. Those are the three guitars I`m using most of the time. The Martin is very pretty, a real acoustic. The others are all Ovation type guitars, they are quite heavy but also small and they have a flat body. Mutt almost always plays Ovation guitars.
G&B: And on stage ?
S.T.: OK here comes the detailed, long answer: The guitar I love the most is a 1965 Martin D35 Dreadnought, which is fitted with a Stereo-Pickup System. I have a second Dreadnought in reserve, just in case anything happens. I am using this guitar for most of the songs. Then I have a small costum made Martin called OM35. I use that for fingerpickings This one is also equiped with a stereo-pickup system. Then theres a song where I play a high pitched Promise Guitar. This one just has a simple pickup. Then I have several E-Guitars I take with me on tour. One Paul Reed Smith, one PRS with a Soapbar Pickup and a Gibson Es-125 but thats a reissue. And I`m using Thomastik Strings.
G&B: Are you occasionally using Electric guitars in the studio ?
S.T.: Yes, I`ve played e-guitar on this album as well. But let me make one more remark to the live setup: the signal of the acoustic guitars go through DI boxes and equalizers before they reach the main mixing console to avoid any feedback. You just put out certain frequencies. Some years ago I changed to guitars with a small body so I don`t have to fight with feedback. When you are playing acoustic guitar together with drums, e-bass and e-guitar you have to turn up your volume to a certain extend. So you get those deep resonances which go through the PA. It helped a lot to put out those deep resonances at the equalizer. But I thought it would be quite good to have a guitar with a smaller body to get rid of the equalizer. So I searched and I finally found this beautiful well sounding guitar which was built by a guitar maker called Judy Threet (www.threetguitars.com). It`s a guitar with a small 7/8 body. I got it equiped with a microphone and a pickup. It has a stereo socket and the signal goes through a seperately adjustable double Channel Preamp with gain and eq. You can put it all in your case, get the guitar and your done. You only need a stereocable and a splitter for the connection to the main mixing board. When I`m on tour I always have this guitar with me. You can`t handle a big guitar that easily when your out. Most of the time I travell with a BabyTailor which is a small travelling guitar. Besides that I have a Godin, I don`t know if you have already heard of it: it`s a solid body but no e-guitar. It has a normal pickup and appart from that a special output which you can connect to a GK-Guitar-synthesizer so you can also use it as a midi controller. I already have it for a few years now but I never use it live but only in the studio because you can get nice string or piano sounds with it. You can try many things with it. Then I have a Martin-Backpacker. It`s very small with a triangular body. It almost sounds like a banjo but it`s just for travelling. I have it at home most of the time and occasionally I`m playing it. I have also used this guitar for the recordings and the demos.
Basically I just used guitars with small bodies for this album. No normal sizes. I think that contributed to the intimate sound because you only get a very narrow bandwidth of frequencies. They don`t interfere with the voice or the bass which makes mixing more easier. You can get the balance more easily. And I think that the smaler instruments suit my songs better.(laughs) Do you want to know more?
Shania Twain Interview – Gitarre und Bass - Issue 12/2002
Headline: Shania Twain – the metamorphosis
Provokative Videos, snappy Pop-Rock and over 14 million sold copies of her third album „Come on over“ made her a superstar of the late 90`s. But after five years of absence from the cd business the smart canadian singer is hardly recognizable. The birth of her son Eja and the move to Vevey in Switzerland changed the ambitious powerwoman to a relaxed hobby musician. Gitarre und Bass met her in Montreux.
When she walks through the lobby of the fashionable Grand Hotel at the Lake Geneva, really everybody turns to her. Lecherous looks of men and jealous glances of women give this smart lady in cowboy boots and blue jeans who with her deep black, long hair and her hippie-like indian jewelry doesn`t really fit into this bourgeois ambience of marble, gold and silk, an eye.
And yet this contradictory stark opposition between artist and environment is perfectly typicall for the exile canandians` carrer. A real beauty with a strong voice experienced guitar playing and a real passion for country music who got known a) with catchy pop&rock tunes, b) had to struggle hard for her success and c) was being criticised a lot regularely. Just because she let her husband and producer Mutt Lange (Bryan Adams, Def Leppard, AC/DC, Foreigner) tailor a global chart sound for her, got away from her roots and above all emigrated from her native country. But Shania can live with those reproaches – very good to be precisely. Although she played in canadian and american clubs for years to present tradishional Nashville home grown songs she never submitted to it`s puritan and stubborn rules.
Shania always presented herself rather sexy than tight-lipped, relaxed instead of formal and open minded musically. She made modern and „dust free“ country music – cleverly more and more interspersed with pop. A starting point witch she picks up on her latest album „UP“.
G&B: Shania many of your songs are about human relationships – good stuff ?
S.T.: I think relationships run alike with all people – and thats why everybody can relate to that. In this respect it`s a good subject to write about. It`s timeless.
G&B: Exactly like the idea behind your new song „Not just a pretty face“. It´s about not judging a book by it`s cover – and a woman not because of her looks.
S.T.: Exactly! It`s admittedly not about me but it`s an inspiring song for all women. Finally they are not taken siriously because of their gender or their beauty. Thats why I wrote this song. I think it`s still the same nowadays and this form of chauvinism is present in all professions.
G&B: So it`s not just about the entertainment industry ?
S.T. : No it isn`t. Imagine being a female surgeon, a pretty female surgeon who maybe stresses her looks with a lippstick or a hair-style. This woman wouldn`t be taken as seriously as her male collegue. I think thats rather inacceptable. How can you judge the abilities of someone by his looks. In this respect it almost seems like beauty could be a hindrance. And if we see somebody whos physically handicapped we tend to not take him seriously without relating to his actual abilities. Nevertheless we claim a judgement. This can be transfered to pretty women or women in general. If you`r looking good and your proud of it and you stress your beauty you run the risk of not being taken seriously.
G&B: This sounds like you`ve made your own experiences.
S.T.: Definitely ! I haven`t been taken seriously as a musician for a long time. Just as if a pretty girl with a nice voice wouldn`t be able to sing good or even her own songs. I suffered from that for quite a long time. Mutt (Lange) was the first to truly understand what I`m cabeable of.
G&B: So lets talk about Shania Twain the musician who hides behind a hypermodern production on this album. Do you think the songs worked if you presented them alone just with a guitar.
S.T: Yes of course, `cause all my songs have been written on the guitar and not with a computer. We don`t make any computerdemos. We always develope the material on acoustic guitars before we get into the production. I think that makes a big difference. Because if you are writing a song with a computer the basis is always synthetic. Compared with that the root of our music is the guitar. I could perform every song all alone just with an acoustic guitar.
G&B: It took you five years to make this album. How`s that ? Did you need an substantial break ?
S.T.: No, and I`ve worked on this project only for two years really. Writing songs takes time. And you could easily make two albums of the entire material. Besides I really do write evrything myself. Then there`s the production which also lasts for two years because we were doing little recordings here and there. We`ve been to many countries to find musicians for this album. We´ve been to europe for the string section for example and on some songs you can even hear a orchestra with 40 musicians. We´ve been to Irland, Austria, France, Italyand even to the Carribean. Because of my pregnancy I couldn`t always be there myself but many instruments have been recorded in Bombay. I guess we`ve really been everywhere. When you listen to the result, you will notice that it has become a very interesting a very international and a very extreme record.
G&B: What do you mean by „extreme“ ?
S.T.: Well some songs are very country-like and others on the other hand sound very ethnical. You could say it is very global and international. And thats simply because I`ve learned so much during the last tour. I realised a lot of things because I met my fans for the first time. I`ve always been asked „Who are your fans?“ My answer was: „really everyone.“ That is in my opinion the reason why we could sell so many albums. Everybody`s asking me: „what is the secret of your success?“ but I think there is none – it just happend. We`ve made an album which appealed to different people of all ages. To achieve that we re-recorded some songs in different versions. For this new album we decided to show the whole variety in one package. I wanted to stress my versatility and make something for every taste without having to make an additional remix later on. I said to my label: „let me just make the album, that I`m thinkin`of and all my fans will be happy.“
G&B: That sounds like you are a responsible entertainer ?
S.T.: And thats exactly what it`s all about. I make music for my fans and I`m enjoying it. When you make music you are doing it for other people and not for yourself.
G&B: But after 30 million sold albums you could also try to do stuff that first of all appeal to yourself...
S.T.: You don`t have to publish that. You can record it of course but you better keep it to yourself. You put it in your drawer and maybe some time you share it with a friend. When you publish an album and you want the public to pay for it you should record something that people like. It should entertain the public. Thats my conviction. I want people to buy my record and say: „Thats really good. I`m glad that I spent my money for it.“ I take these things very seriously. Because why should I otherwise make records. Why should I expect that sombody buys them. Why should I sell something to people that they don`t like ? I write my music for poeple who spent their hard earned money for it. When I was a kid I could hardly afford records and I was always dissapointed when I bought one that I didn`t like. You couldn`t exchange them so what should I do with them? And thats why I always just wanted songs on my album which are single compatible. I take the time to make sure that every song could be a good single. Many people say: „why don`t you keep some music for the next record?“ But I just answer: „Whats it good for ?“ Certainly not every song will be a single but I think it`s rather sensible to publish something which appeals to people 100%. Otherwise they say later on: „I just like two or three songs“. That would be sad.
G&B: You are originally from the country scene – is this still the basis of your music ?
S.T.: Yes certainly, and I won`t ever turn away from that. I`m a versatile artist but country music means the same to me as pop and rock. I can work very easily with those different styles of music and I got bored if I had to limit myself to just one of them. I`ve grown up with a lot of different things, always played in rock bands, country bands, R&R bands. I`ve done everything and tried every style. If you are starting at a very young age you collect all those influences. You let yourself get influenced by it because you grow up with it. The music you are listening to when you grow up has an influence on your whole own style. And mine is a bit of everything...
G&B: And thats why many country-purists criticise you. ?
S.T.: Yes but my fans are not purists. The last two albums have been very versatile, in any case not just pure country. And thats why now I have a pop audience without wanting it. But that`s fine because I don`t try to be someone else. I wouldn`t be satisfied to limit myself to one genre and my fans defenitely wouldn`t like it either. I always use Elvis as a model because to a certain extend we have something in common. There are fans who bought his country albums, his rock albums, his gospel albums, his blues albums. He did these things because he could do it. His fans accepted that while supporter of a certain style couldn`t appreciate him. There has been such a risk with my last record because it was a breakthrough and it grew over my head. All of a sudden I had a pop audience and some people pulled their eyebrows, but it was simply doing fine. My fans got into lots of different styles. And on this album is enough music to make everybody happy. At least thats my intention.
G&B: Why did you call the album „Up“ ? Peter Gabriel just used the same title just like REM two years ago.
S.T.: I didn`t now that. „Up“ just seemed to be the right name. When I made the album I wanted it to come across optimistic. I had so much positive energy and in the middle of the most intense phase of songwriting happend the 11.September. My son was justa month old and I thought: „What will happen?“ „Is there a future at all?“ I had the most terrible of thoughts. Mutt and I made the decision to look forward optimistically. I`ve always tried to write positive songs to give the fans and the listeners something to get along with...
G&B: Are you going to make a tour after the albums out ?
S.T.: Up to now I haven`t got a band. And I will just have a few tv appearances. There will be no tour until next year (2003).
G&B: Is it true that you enjoyed your last tour very much ?
S.T.: (beams) Yes !
G&B: And you spent every night in your tour bus ?
S.T.: I don`t like beeing in Hotels, which has nothing to do with security reasons or privacy. I just don`t need any luxury and service. I`m a simple kind of person and I`m happy with a tiny space. I have a few clobber in my bus, my own kitchen, my own food and that`s it. I don`t need a big suite with servants and room service. Thats not my style. A different bed every night, different people, different environment. Maybe when you are on holiday such luxury is nice. But I like traveling in a caravan or a bus. I love camping and I prefer a simple lifestyle.
G&B: You and Mutt Lange live very secluded.
S.T.: Thats why we are here in Switzerland, because we can go out and show ourselfes in public. We don`t hide and we do everything ourselfes. I go shopping, go out in the park with the baby and I`m out all the time. We don`t have a driver or such nonsense, I`m drivin` myself. We don`t public our private life, there are no family photos to publish, no cameras in our house. Once you start with it you can`t stop it. When I have a photo shooting it has something to do with my work as a singer but nothing with my privat life.
G&B: And once you passed that point there`s almost a snowball effect ?
S.T.: Then theres no turning back. And I don`t need that my life is public enough. I want to lead a normal life and I don`t use my name to get concert tickets or a good place at a restaurant. I just go out for lunch and if I don`t get the best place in the restaurant - –that`s fine with me.
G&B: So you are enjoying your role as a mother and houswife very much ?
S.T.: It`s fantastic, I think it`s great and it has my first priority. First of all I want to be good mother and wife. I`m doing music just for fun now and thats also the reason why there are so many songs on this album. I can give more than people expect from me. And I don`t do it because of the money – not anymore. Many people ask : „why don`t you give away your records for free ?“ „Why do you even want money for it ?“ The reason is that I`m not the only one who makes money with it. There are so many people involved in the production of a record . They all make a living from it. Because I make records hundreds of people have a job. At the same time I can say of myself: „I give away more money than I spent for myself“. I can live very good with that.
G&B: And this takes away a part of the pressure that you feel when you have to do an follow up album after the huge success of „Come on over“, right ?
S.T.: Yes. I don`t have any financial expectations related to this album. Of course it`s my personal aim to surpass my last success. When you go skiing you want to improve your best time. That`s normal. But there isn`t any pressure because you don`t have to prove anything to anybody. At least I don`t really think about it. I just want to do a good job. Stop.
G&B: Do you have a real homestudio ?
S.T.: Yes we use it for many things, but we are out most of the time. Mainly because of the inspiration but also because many musicians life somewhere else. I have a child now, the telephone is ringing all the time and I have to think about what I should make for dinner. I`m slowly becoming a real housewife and I`m enjoying it.
G&B: Isn`t it a problem if your husband is your most important partner at work.
S.T.: No we love to work together. Besides we are seperated very often. For example when I have tv appearances or when I`m on tour. He can`t always come with me because he`s working on other records as well. When we have the opportunity to do something together we enjoy it even more. We`re going out for dinner, write together, visit other cities, go to museums or go hiking. We live our lives, inspire each other and get to know the world together.
G&B: Is there a special guitar you are using for your songwriting?
S.T. : Oh I have many guitars. Most of the time I use a very light one, a small Ovation for example. I also have a Gibson and a small Martin, which I love very much. Those are the three guitars I`m using most of the time. The Martin is very pretty, a real acoustic. The others are all Ovation type guitars, they are quite heavy but also small and they have a flat body. Mutt almost always plays Ovation guitars.
G&B: And on stage ?
S.T.: OK here comes the detailed, long answer: The guitar I love the most is a 1965 Martin D35 Dreadnought, which is fitted with a Stereo-Pickup System. I have a second Dreadnought in reserve, just in case anything happens. I am using this guitar for most of the songs. Then I have a small costum made Martin called OM35. I use that for fingerpickings This one is also equiped with a stereo-pickup system. Then theres a song where I play a high pitched Promise Guitar. This one just has a simple pickup. Then I have several E-Guitars I take with me on tour. One Paul Reed Smith, one PRS with a Soapbar Pickup and a Gibson Es-125 but thats a reissue. And I`m using Thomastik Strings.
G&B: Are you occasionally using Electric guitars in the studio ?
S.T.: Yes, I`ve played e-guitar on this album as well. But let me make one more remark to the live setup: the signal of the acoustic guitars go through DI boxes and equalizers before they reach the main mixing console to avoid any feedback. You just put out certain frequencies. Some years ago I changed to guitars with a small body so I don`t have to fight with feedback. When you are playing acoustic guitar together with drums, e-bass and e-guitar you have to turn up your volume to a certain extend. So you get those deep resonances which go through the PA. It helped a lot to put out those deep resonances at the equalizer. But I thought it would be quite good to have a guitar with a smaller body to get rid of the equalizer. So I searched and I finally found this beautiful well sounding guitar which was built by a guitar maker called Judy Threet (www.threetguitars.com). It`s a guitar with a small 7/8 body. I got it equiped with a microphone and a pickup. It has a stereo socket and the signal goes through a seperately adjustable double Channel Preamp with gain and eq. You can put it all in your case, get the guitar and your done. You only need a stereocable and a splitter for the connection to the main mixing board. When I`m on tour I always have this guitar with me. You can`t handle a big guitar that easily when your out. Most of the time I travell with a BabyTailor which is a small travelling guitar. Besides that I have a Godin, I don`t know if you have already heard of it: it`s a solid body but no e-guitar. It has a normal pickup and appart from that a special output which you can connect to a GK-Guitar-synthesizer so you can also use it as a midi controller. I already have it for a few years now but I never use it live but only in the studio because you can get nice string or piano sounds with it. You can try many things with it. Then I have a Martin-Backpacker. It`s very small with a triangular body. It almost sounds like a banjo but it`s just for travelling. I have it at home most of the time and occasionally I`m playing it. I have also used this guitar for the recordings and the demos.
Basically I just used guitars with small bodies for this album. No normal sizes. I think that contributed to the intimate sound because you only get a very narrow bandwidth of frequencies. They don`t interfere with the voice or the bass which makes mixing more easier. You can get the balance more easily. And I think that the smaler instruments suit my songs better.(laughs) Do you want to know more?