Laura
Barrett by Matt
Dixon, June '07 Photo
by Aimee Power
Robot
Ponies from Earth Sciences
1.Please
introduce yourself. Laura
A. Barrett, BA - aka LABBA. Incidentally, the labba is also a
kind of edible guinea pig. Coincidence? I hope so...
2.
What is your musical background?
A mixture of my mum's favourite melodies from the seventies--XTC,
Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Kate Bush, Harry Nilsson--with solid
chunks of musico-theoretical training on the piano, topped with
sprinkles of art- and math-rock (Thingy, Rheostatics, Solex).
3.
When did indie/folk/whatever come into play?
Fairly recently - when I was a university student, I didn't go
to shows often and wasn't sure whether I'd ever perform my own
music in front of people. It took a Weird Al tribute at a comfortable
tiny bar (R.I.P. the Bagel) to give me the confidence to try out
something halfway between bedroom mumblings and fully-fledged
solo shows. That was in August 2005, and the following months
saw the Weird Al tribute become a monthly themed night, for which
I wrote original songs (those became my Earth Sciences EP). Since
then I've joined other people's bands, to balance out the oddness
that is solo performance.
4.
How would you describe your solo music to someone that has yet
to hear it?
Water and metal and wood and cynicism but also hope!
5.
How did you happen upon the Kalimba? What inspired you
to focus on it for your solo work?
I wish I had a more exciting story, but I truly did just happen
upon it; I was looking for MIDI controllers on eBay, because I
was writing electronic music at the time, and somehow thumb pianos
appeared in my search results. After winning a kalimba and playing
with it every day, melodies suggested themselves to me, and I
tried to keep up lyrically! As for focusing on the kalimba...
it's actually helped me to focus, period. My electronic and piano
music tend toward clutter, whereas I write much more concisely
for the kalimba, even when I go into trance mode. Our voices fit
nicely with each other, and the two of us are both pretty portable,
so if you were playing match-maker with me and any instrument,
it would probably wind up being the kalimba. I will eventually
incorporate more instruments into my set, but for now I use bass
pedals on some songs and Ajay plays glockenspiel, and we try to
provide a magical, sparkling, regenerative aural feast for our
audiences! (mental goblets are provided free of charge)
6.
What is it that drives you to play music?
I've been writing music in some form or another since I was six,
and I generally can't pass an instrument without trying to play
it. It's such a natural medium of expression for me, it's hard
to examine the process in great detail, but I'm sure it's got
something to do with magic spells and childbirth.
7.
What are some things you try to communicate through the music?
I have a lot of vague fears about the future being worse than
the present, so I try to explore those concepts in song. I also
have a weakness for mind-body dualism, so a lot of my songs are
(indirectly) about the dissonances between two realities or modes
of perception.
8.
When do you think the best moment to listen to a Laura
Barrett record is?
Vernal equinoxes, syzygies, that time when you're spinning, right
before you get dizzy.
9.
What is your favorite dance party song?
Anything by Woodhands!
10.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I have a second EP coming out now-ish, on Ta Da! Records - it's
called "Ursula" and it includes a video for Robot Ponies.
And I'm currently on a little east coast jaunt (I'm writing this
answer from a hostel in Montreal), but when I get back to T.O,
my summer gets even busier, since I'm involved in both the Toronto
and New York Fringe Festivals.
In Toronto, I'm performing in and co-writing "Heartjob,"
with two fellow Adorables and three lovely comedians; in New York,
I'm the musical director of Maggie Macdonald's rock opera, "The
Rat King." Exciting times!
11.
How can peoples contact with you?
For now I have pages on MySpace (myspace.com/laurabarrett)
and the CBC Radio 3 site (radio3.cbc.ca/bands/LAURA-BARRETT),
but laurabarrett.net will be ready by the end of the year. You
can also get in touch with me by e-mailing me at laurabarrettmusic
(at) gmail dot com.
I
also play in Henri Faberge´ & the Adorables and we're
coming out east again in September, so if you like party pop music,
stay tuned for that! I don't know when the Hidden Cameras are
touring Canada again, but hopefully I'll be around and available
to play with them then.
