| | | |  | Since her debut on the pub scene in 2001 as part of folk rock outfit Stiltzkin, 18 year old folksinger/song writer Lana De Angelis has been a regular around town. After the split of Stiltzkin in mid 2003, Lana hit the stage running, playing a succession...
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| Interview | Access All Areas.net.au: So tell us your story thus far, how you got to where you are now?
Lana De Angelis: I was always a dramatic little kid, wanted to be involved in the creative arts in some shape or form, and up till the age of 13, i tried just about everything creative (except dancing, which i am the first to admitt i have zero talent for!) in an attempt to find the one thing i really wanted to committ to.
Lana De Angelis: I had always adored singing the most, and had always been a bit of a poet, and at 13 i decided to go for it wholeheartedly, to combine the two loves into one, so i started writing songs. I took up guitar to make performing my own songs a bit easier, so i wouldnt have to rely on anyone else was my logic,funnily enough.
Lana De Angelis: I started giggin at 14 and havent stopped since.
Lana De Angelis: I had a few very lucky breaks, with signing to an indie record label, Risky Records, among others, all which have lead me to this moment right now, talking to you guys!
Access All Areas.net.au: Do you feel you have more control over your career as an independent singer/songwriter?
Lana De Angelis: I cant offer a definative opinion because independant is what I've always been, but i do know that i have 100 percent control right now, and you cant get much better than that, haha!
Lana De Angelis: I know from the stories I've heard, that running your own show is the best way to do things, because you have to compromise yourself for the big boys and their political /financial agendas.
Lana De Angelis: I couldnt make my music if i felt pressure to only tell a certain kind of story, and hush the others because they are'nt as commercially viable or something.
Lana De Angelis: Being independent, you basically take the work load on your shoulders and you carry it the whole way, which can be hard, sometimes it might be nice to have 20 people take over and leave me to the fun stuff, but there is a sense of deep satisfaction when you acheive something and the only person who can take credit for it is you.
Access All Areas.net.au: Can you tell us a bit about your music?
Lana De Angelis: I like to call it, quite simply, folk music.
Lana De Angelis: The term "folk" conjours up all kinds of scary images for people, they think of a bare foot hippy singing about trees and sky and children, and while folk definately encompasses that kind of song (which i personally can appreciate!) it doesnt begin and end with it.
Lana De Angelis: Funk and Wagners Desk Dictionary descirbes folk music as "music created and perpetuate by the common people".
Lana De Angelis: So, you can see how broad and limitless the genre truly is! Thats basically how i veiw myself, as a folk singer: a common person singing about common things, but, as one learns upon closer inspection, common is not so common, and there is an indescribable beauty in sharing our everyday, both inner and outer, with each other.Helps us feel less alone.
Lana De Angelis: My music is very lyric driven, in tradititional folk style, accompanied by lots of finger picky acoustic guitar.I tend to strum quite a bit too, a very idyosyncratic sort of strumming style, developed by me pilfering the styles of my mentors and idols and melding them together to create my own unique brand of lana strum, haha!
Access All Areas.net.au: And how about your latest release?
Lana De Angelis: As a matter of fact, my latest release also happens to be my first, save the couple of dodgy home demos i have lying around.
Lana De Angelis: Its called "The Killing Jar" , its an EP, and it will be available for order in all good cd stores from June 4, through MGM distro ad Risky Records.
Lana De Angelis: It features five tracks, and was recorded at Sony Studios in Sydney.
Lana De Angelis: Its quite representative of my muisc, i think- delicately sparse and lyrically focused!
Lana De Angelis: Three of the five tracks include drums and double bass, and the other two are acoustic. It was basically recorded live in the studio, and offeres a very grassroots look at my music.
Lana De Angelis: Recording was a new process for me, one which i struggled with a little bit- ya know, emotions run higher live than in a studio, so you have to try to compensate for that, but its very very nice to have a REAL product to give people now.I get so excited selling the EP after shows, I'm like "Oh Look!Its has a proper cover and its been mastered!EEP!"
Access All Areas.net.au: How would you choose to describe your music to someone who was unfamiliar
with it?
Lana De Angelis: Good question!
Lana De Angelis: I get so stumped trying to explain it to people sometimes, because i say "folk", hoping they'll be down with the term, and most people arnt, so there comes the challange of trying to explain while not coming across all trees and sky, as in question 3, haha!
Lana De Angelis: I say, its finger picky acoustic guitar with lots of intense lyrics, sometimes a bit depressing but ultimately uplifting.It attempts to deal with a range of emotions and issues, sometimes verging on political,and always really personal.
Lana De Angelis: These days, for the average aussie listener, i find they relate well to "Ya know Missy Higgins? SORTA like that"
Access All Areas.net.au: Which artists are you and/or your music influenced by?
Lana De Angelis: Oooh!I am influenced by a core group of amazing female singer songwriters. Head of the list is Jewel- wow, i aspire to her vocal strengths!She makes music spiritual.
Lana De Angelis: Guitar wise, i'm pretty influenced by Ani Di Franco, lyrically too.Shes the perfect example of the kind of folk music people need more of!
Lana De Angelis: Emotionally, i think PJ Harvey does it for me, alot of my early stuff is very pj influenced, but no one ever hears it!
Lana De Angelis: I also adore The Indigo Girls, Tori Amos, and our own Ella Hooper, for her gutsy girl power! Oh, and of course, the queen, Joni Mitchell!
Access All Areas.net.au: What has been the major highlight or highpoint for you thus far?
Lana De Angelis: Well, there hasnt been any one thing...theres been a couple that have all been equally as powerful.
Lana De Angelis: Signing with Risky Records was a great affirming event in my life. To have these great guys believe in my music and be willing to expend resources on it is just so humbling.
Lana De Angelis: Recording the EP was pretty explosive too, to go "Here i am at Sony, recording my cd" is surreal. And playing cockatoo island festival over the easter long weekend was humbling beyond expression again.
Access All Areas.net.au: When a fan goes to one of your shows, what can they expect?
Lana De Angelis: Folk, folk and more folk! Maybe a touch of jazz and rock if the band is along, lending their influences to the mix!
Lana De Angelis: Fans can expect between song chatter, and a girl laying herself bare, in a nutshell!
Lana De Angelis: Some useful advice for any folk punters is: Be prepared to listen. Its not the sort of music you can have a conversation over, despite it maybe appearing that way because it doesnt blast you, decibel wise, into submission.
Lana De Angelis: If you want to really come away with something, you're gonna have to listen to the words, because thats where the core of the song resides.
Access All Areas.net.au: What has been a major stepping stone for getting you where you are today?
Lana De Angelis: Signing with Risky Records was the most obvious one, alot has happend for me since having their support, so i couldnt go past that as a big one in the present.
Lana De Angelis: In the past, i think a major one was coming home from another shitty day at my catholic suburban highschool and being exhausted and angry by the teen trials, and turning on my stereo to hear Killing Heidi, and Ella Hoopers lyrics mirroring my angst, and feeling connected and then, feeling like it was something i could aspire to, to help myself and to help other people, by offering my experiences, by saying "youa re not alone, and neither am i".Thats what lead me to my path, essentially.
Access All Areas.net.au: What are your plans from here?
Lana De Angelis: To start writing more songs!
Lana De Angelis: I've been shrivelled like a sultana creativity wise from all the business dealings that are required of a musician without a manager, especially in the lead up to a record.
Lana De Angelis: I really want to get back to that quite place, where i can write again, so all immediate plans center around nurturing my creativity back to health. |
| Biography | Since her debut on the pub scene in 2001 as part of folk rock outfit Stiltzkin, 18 year old folksinger/song writer Lana De Angelis has been a regular around town.
After the split of Stiltzkin in mid 2003, Lana hit the stage running, playing a succession of fiery acoustic shows in and around Sydney. Armed only with her guitar and a ferocious way with words, Lana’s unique brand of post-modern folk has touched the hearts and minds of many. With an audience as diverse as her songs, Lana’s live shows never fail to inspire and uplift, with fans from all walks of life finding a place for themselves within her music.
Her songs combine traditional folk-styled guitar playing with a newer, grungier pop/rock feel, and lyrics that are honest, open minded, and intensely personal.
Recently signed to Sydney based independent record label, Risky Records, Lana has been working with the masterminds behind the scenes, Kris Gale and Stephen Rae, on her debut E.P titled “The Killing Jar”, due for release in early ’05.
Along for the ride was rock drummer Amanda “Stassy” Stanzione, and jazz muso Marc Llewellyn on double bass, each lending their unique take on folk music to the E.P’’s sound. Recorded at Sydney’s Sony Studios, it was definitely a pleasant introduction into the world of studio recording for these (mostly!) studio virgins!
Of her influences, Lana says “I am influenced, almost exclusively, by female artists who I perceive as strong, talented an above all, empowering to behold, women who have really laid themselves bare for the sake of their poetry ,their art, and of course, their sanity! My favourites are Tori Amos, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers (the indigo girls!), Ani Di Franco, PJ Harvey, and Jewel. I also adore Ella Hooper”.
Her gigging highlights include supporting aussie indie muso iOTA in ‘04, as well as New Zealand songstress Brooke Fraser. |
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