“I would of liked it a bit more mellow, y’know?” INTERVIEW: Lissie

On Friday night I was able to interview a rather jolly-sounding Lissie, read on to find out about her album, it’s production, her thoughts on being signed to a major label and her boob-flashing youth. The album, “Catching a Tiger” is released on 21st June, via Fat Possum (US)/Columbia with our Review to come shortly.

RHT: Hi Lissie! it is pronounced like Lizzie with two zs right? Because a friend of mine thought it was a shortened version of Alicia
Lissie: Hi! and ha, yeah it’s just a shortened version of Elisabeth but with an s instead of the z.

Oh ok, well to begin, I saw the Metallica cover on your YouTube, which is great! Why choose that song?
Thank you! When I was around 13/14, I was really into the Black Album, it was the only thing that mattered really, and it’s one of my favourite songs, I’ve covered it before, but my guitar player is really good and he was able to play the lead guitar parts and the solo so we were actually able to do it. Thanks for mentioning it though! People always pick up the one I did of that Lady Gaga song and never mention the Metallica cover!

You’ve done quite a few covers actually, out of all of them, which one of them would you like to be your own song?
Oh well I did a cover of a Bob Dylan song, Ramona, it would have to be that.

Well we’ve mentioned Metallica and just now Bob Dylan, what other bands and musicians have inspired you?
Well I like all kinds of music, musical theatre like annie, and obviously country, new country, classic rock, anything really, I even had a big rap phase when I was in school. Anything that has a good beat or rhythm and a subject I could relate to really, anything good like that I normally like.

I saw that duet you did with Ellie Goulding at the Great Escape. How was that?
Oh it was so fun, she’s really cool. I didn’t really know of her before I did this interview for Asos clothing, thats a-s-o-s, and they mentioned Ellie and that she said she was a fan of my music and then luckily we met in the bathroom at Jools Holland and we just became real good friends, met and hung out, for the duet it was kind of put together by our tour managers, she knew “Everywhere I Go” so we decided to sing that. We’ve been emailing and hopefully will be hanging out at Dot to Dot Festival

Would you consider that the two of you are similar and quite comparable?
Well for the voices yeah, but the really produced stuff, its different, I mean, her production is a lot different to mine. It’s not like we’re stepping on each other’s toes with our music, we each have distinct genres. And I really like her music, she’s a no bullshit kind of girl.

What genre would you consider your music, if you would confine it to anyone genre at all?
I always get stuck with questions like this! Well, I don’t know, I guess really it’s just heartfelt americana.

Nice term, are there any different genres of music you’d like to try in the future?
Yeah definitely, we do this Kid Cudi song live so I get to rap a little, and then we’re thinking of trying a Bob Marley song as we all like reggae and some early dub stuff so yeah, I’m really open to trying different things, but putting my own spin on it, so it’s still like an extension of my own music. It gives me the opportunity to change the sound of my own songs too, I’ve actually been a vocalist on some dance music, y’know, the really duhm-duhm-duhm stuff you hear in clubs, and as long as there is a good producer, a good melody, they can make some really good stuff, the ability to warp and turn my voice is really interesting. I’m not really into the dance scene, but there was this one time a dance song came on in a hotel I was in and it put me in a really happy mood.

I’m going to ask a really english question next, Blur or Oasis?
Oh man! I’m not really into either but I really like Gorillaz and Damon Albarn so I’ll have to say Blur.

Good choice there, well, your song “Everywhere I Go” instantly made me think of the Crowded House song “Weather With You”, do you know of that song?
What song? (Sings something completely irrelevant) Is it that? No? Crowded House, I only know that “Hey now, Hey now,” song, but I get what you mean, “Everywhere I Go” is something people say alot, so I mean, it’s quite a common lyric.

Being signed to a major label, do you think there is a stigma as you are aiming to appeal to a more indie audience?
Yeah there is a kind of stigma, but I believe my music to be honest enough of my own experiences, I’m not some pre-packaged pop-star and to be honest, I don’t think that I’m organized enough to have got where I am now, you have to strike a balance and the thing with the majors is they know how to get things done, I kind of needed the machine, and if I had stuck out with a smaller label it might have been a longer process. It helped me pull my shit together, having a team of people following you about can be a pain in the ass but it’s helpful. I think that too many of the female singers are overly theatrical and my label was all about embracing who I am which is what I wanted. Ok, as much as I love the album, and I probably shouldn’t be saying this, some of the songs were more polished than I would of originally liked, but I totally love the album now it’s done, for example the song “Cuckoo”, I would of liked it a bit more mellow, y’know? But, it’s good fun and to extent you have to be able to compromise on some things, for every one song like “Cuckoo” there are more like “Everywhere I Go” and if it helps people access my music when they might need it, that’s all that matters. I think the indie-dedicated people are way too serious about their music, you have to realise it’s not just for yourself and making it in your bedroom.

And I guess being on a major label has helped you get a lot of connections?
Oh yeah, definitely, things can get moving, I think on a smaller label I wouldn’t have known to have a radio team pushing for the music to get played on Radio 1, or to get me onto Jools Holland. Knowing who to call and all of that, it’s taken care of for me. It lets me put all my energy into the music, and I think if I had to support this with a full-time job, or hustling on the streets, I wouldn’t be able to have achieved what I have.

Are you excited for the festival dates you’ve got this summer and are there any bands/musicians you really want to see?
I’m really excited, I really don’t want to miss out on anything when I go, and the artists I really want to see, well, I want to see Eminem again, I saw him years ago, when I was in school, I went crowdsurfing and I tried to meet him. I don’t know why I’m telling you this but I flashed my boobs to his security guards, we asked to see him and they were like “You can if you show us your boobs,” haha and this was when I was 16! I also love what Brian Burton is doing, or Dangermouse, I should say and his Broken Bells stuff sounds really good, so I can’t wait to see that live. Oh yeah and Snoop Dogg, definitely want to see him, there’s tons I want to see.

Thanks for your time Lissie!
Thank you too!

Listen to “When I’m Alone” below:
[audio http://www.fileden.com/files/2010/5/28/2872853//02 When Im Alone.mp3]
NOTE: THIS IS STREAMING ONLY

Nathan