Graham Reid | | 3 min read
Funeral Pyre
The American singer-songwriter Julien Baker – who has cancelled her Auckland Pride Festival show at Auckland's Tuning Fork on February 15 due to personal matters – has made quite a mark in the past few years, and she's still only 23.
She has two studio and one live album behind her and her recent EP boygenius – with Lucy Dacus and Phoebe Bridgers – ended up in Yasmin's best of the year list for 2018 here at Elsewhere.
She done important television in the US (Stephen Colbert, CBS's morning show) as well as having opened for the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Death Cab for Cutie, Connor Oberst/Bright Eyes and other such bigger-than-cult favourites.
She came to wide attention for her powerful and sometimes emotionally wrought take on folk which channels her earlier rock and post-punk interests.
Some questions for Julien Baker . . .
The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .
You Can Close Your Eyes - James Taylor
Your first role models in music were . . .
Patrick Stump, Billie Joe Armstrong
Lennon or Jagger, Ramones or Nirvana, Madonna or Gaga, Jacko or Jay-Z?
Lennon, Nirvana, Gaga, Jay-z
If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .
English Teacher in Public School
The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .
Paul - Big Thief
Lilac Wine - Nina Simone
Drew Barrymore - SZA
Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home...
My father's guitar, a quilt made entirely of t-shirts from old metalcore bands.
The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .
Just Kids - Patti Smith
If you could get on stage with anyone it would be?
Turnstile or Run The Jewels
The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .
The Prestige
Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind
The Royal Tenenbaums
The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include…).
Almost - The Ophelias
One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . .
"If it makes you Happy" by Sheryl Crow
The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever . . .
anything by Kazuo Shiraga
You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .
I already have it, it's of a quote from 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez that says "Dios Existe"
David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where . . .
Three Months in Berlin, Three Months in London, Three Months in New York, Three Months in the woods in Washington state, and with the rest of the time I would move back to my hometown, Memphis Tennessee, and spend my time there.
And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”
It isn't, not by a long shot. It's not everybody's thing. It could be worth a listen though.
Details of other events in the Auckland Pride Festival are here
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