Face The Feist

2nd Aug 2007

The problem with phone interviews is that they can turn into a frivolous conversation and often the burning questions remain a light at the conclusion. Therefore, it’s important to engage the poetic and ranging Canadian, Leslie Feist in a dialogue about her future in the atmosphere implanting voyage of discovery that is her side project, Broken Social Scene. There has been speculation circulating that she has quit the outfit in order to concentrate on her rising solo career;

“No, I’m still very much a part of Broken Social Scene. It’s just that right now, the other members, including Kevin Drew are bringing out solo albums, so there is not going to be a Broken Social Scene album for a while.”

Well, Leslie certainly has a head start on her colleagues in this department. Having recently released ‘The Reminder’, her 3rd album and arguably her most expansive and ranging, as she skips from maudlin bluesy to sombre folk and over to upbeat pop with crafted ease. It is probably this mixture that had the sold-out signs posted early in many places on her recent tour of compact venues the country over. One of which was Manchester Academy 3, whereby despondent looking folk lulled outside snarling at touts or “scalpers” as Leslie calls them, who were either demanding £40 for a ticket or trying to palm them off with tickets to Gym Class Heroes instead!;

“I had no idea about this. I mean I have played the Academy Three several times before. It is something I need to think about; venue choice. I mean, I played the Shepherds Bush Empire in London and that Sold-Out and I am playing there again, but they have still only put me down for one night. Regarding scalpers, there are a lot of sharks out there who want a piece of you. It gets harder to avoid them.”

That last statement, most probably included the unscrupulous people who spend the evening at a gig recording it?

“Yeah, I find this very off-putting. (At the Manchester Show) There was a guy on the front row who was recording, but he when I drew attention to it he seemed quite embarrassed about it and stopped doing it, so that’s ok I guess.”

Speaking of the live sets, the dynamic of Feist’s shows seem to be built around that fact that the material from her sauntering ‘Let It Die’ album tends to sound different, fatter and more expansive when performed live. This is especially the case with the homesick pop strut of ‘Mushaboom’. Is a live version of this CD out of the question?

“Yeah, it’s something to think about; how different ‘Let It Die’ sounds in live, but I have no immediate plans to release a live CD yet. It is great that the material sounds fresh though.”

Her live sets have changed considerably over the years. Several years back when Keane fever was infecting the music public, Feist provided a one woman support slot;

“When I opened for Keane it was a horrible experience. I was standing alone so far away from anybody. People were just coming into the venue and you could hear them talking.”

It is moments like this when you just want to see the reaction in the artist to this question and the expressions on her face whilst answering. Nowadays, the live shows are decorated with crafted, ranging and bold accompaniments from a talented and close knit backing band. It is impossible not to get the impression that the shows with Keane were in some way related to this shift in approach.

What about ‘The Reminder’ ? How much of a progression does the material on it represent for her?

“Yeah, it is a progression, but it’s part of an ongoing process. I think that there are more records in me.”

It must be frustrating that for so many people the first impression they get of her is through the perfume ad, sound-tracking ‘Mushaboom’?

“Not really, I don’t come from a single driven world. I don’t think there’s just one song that sums me up and I hope that people are realising that as well.”

In closing, there is a lesson for all aspiring interviewers out there. The lesson is plain and simple; do not ask the interviewee a question that you either cannot answer yourself or at best would struggle embarrassingly to do so. The following dialogue is a great illustration of this point;

“So, what do you want people to take out of a live Feist show? How do you want to leave them feeling at the end?”
“I don’t really think about it. How do think they felt in Manchester last night?” “Erm…well..yeah..erm…I think they were astounded by the range. Erm, I think that was the main reaction.”
“thank you. I hope so.”

With that said and an obstacle ungracefully clambered over, time is called on the chit-chat. If anything, Feist added to her air of mystique that is at its peak during her roving live appearances. The mixture of Broken Social Scene and her solo music allows her to fully extend her talents and, even more importantly gives her room for expansion, something that she is truly relishing.