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Just Passing Through: Killarney Star
TLAMS: Tell us a little about you as an artist, what makes you tick?
KS: Unexpected chord changes, poignant instrumentation, haunting melodies, metaphors, symbolism, stories. . .
TLAMS: Who are some of the influences a listener is likely to hear in your music?
KS: Whether I agree or not, people have compared me a lot to: Tori Amos and Kate Bush, as well as Patti Griffin, Alannis Morissette, and even the Cowboy Junkies? If listeners really know their stuff, they will also clearly hear similarities to Joni Mitchell, Beth Orton, and a little Joe Jackson. Although few of those are my actual influences.
TLAMS: And who are some of the more obscure influences that find their way into your sound?
KS: I’m not one of those people who have a list of obscure influences. I listened avidly to radio from early childhood until the 90’s. My heros Sting & The Police have always been the greatest influence on my song writing, choice of chords, and musical moods. As a kid in the 70’s and 80’s, Elton John, Vince Guaraldi, Yes, and then 80’s poetic bands like Duran Duran, Tears For Fears, a-ha, Joe Jackson, Level 42, and Sade wound their way into my pre-adolescent brain. I also greatly admire Ben Folds, Nikka Costa, Bjork, Harriet Wheeler of The Sundays, Frou Frou, Olive . . . And of course, since I’ve played classical music since age 7, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Debussy, Ravel, Copland, and John Williams and James Horner figure prominently. Basically what most of these influences have in common are dramatic melodies, strong, sometimes funky basslines, celtic harmonies, and storytelling lyrics or moods. Nowadays I’m also finding more blues/honky-tonk riffs popping into my newer songs, though I don’t know why, maybe it’s just a product of returning to the South.
TLAMS: If a listener was only going to check out 1 of your tunes to get familiar with you as an artists, which tune would you have them listen to?
KS: Probably ‘Signature’, despite the long intro . . . it’s my usual high drama, with good piano playing, singing that goes from a whisper to a wail. It’s a unique song but it still has the bone structure of a pop song, so it might please the most listeners.
TLAMS: What inspires you to write a song, and how does that come together with other musicians?
KS: A strong Feeling about something-- but most often, conflicting feelings about something—are what move me to write. Sometimes lines come to me in the car, sometimes at the piano as I stumble upon a beautiful riff. Music to me is made up of many colors—chords are different colors, and like a painter, I choose the colors based on the mood I want to portray. I write songs in every tonal key, choosing a song’s key deliberately to portray the mood. To me, E minor is a pensive key, A minor is a wailing key, G major is a hopeful key, D major is a wistful key, Db major is a triumphant key, etc. As far as lyrics go, my songs are often about feelings for people. But then again, maybe not. I have a song [written just before Hurricane Frances in Florida last year] called ‘Clair de Lunatic’ (with a chorus riff stolen from Debussy) that is perhaps about a hurricane, or maybe a lost love. I’m not even sure. Depends what the listener wants to hear.
TLAMS: What's your favorite song, and what inspired it?
KS: I’m usually most in love with one of my newborn babies. . . a few weeks ago I wrote a song called ‘Lay Down Your Dreams’ which was inspired by the film, Born Into Brothels. I’ve been playing that one live a lot lately, but for sheer drama and power, I always love playing ‘Signature’ and her like sisters, ‘Leave Me Alone’, ‘Fire In Paradise’, ‘Zero’; these are all on my latest album, Starfish. Seems I must especially pull out ‘Clair de Lunatic’ this month and dust her off. She’s very dark, sad but hopeful, and I’m really feeling that right now.
As far as writing songs with others, I had the best songwriting team with my bassist/ex-husband when I was in Nektarine [Orange County, CA 2002-2004, www.nektarine.net]. I don’t trust anyone else to help me write songs anymore, at least right now. So I just write whole songs, lyrics and instrumentation, give the music to my current bass player and describe the drums to one of my drummers, and it’s a dictatorship. That’s the way I like it right now.
TLAMS: What's going on with you "industry" wise in this crazy world of music?
KS: Hmm, if I want to continue making a living from my art, which I very much do, must I join ‘the industry?’ I’d like to confine that ominous word to steel, oil, war. Again, conflicting feelings. I’ve gotten a few offers this year for licensing, artist representation, a video, etc. Having worked in Southern California already, these offers, a few of which I thought were sketchy, don’t really get me that excited anymore. I used to lament not having a good recording studio and wish for a recording contract, but we’ve recently upgraded our home studio, and now I don’t even want to leave the house. What I need now is a good entertainment lawyer, and some distribution. Maybe I won’t look at things as a scam so much, if I had protection. I’m an ASCAP writer and publisher; I’m kind of selfish about my songs and don’t really want them to go out into the world for free. I certainly didn’t make them for free. ‘Signature’ and ‘Fire In Paradise’ have done well on Garageband.com and gotten me a shred of attention, for the 2.9 cents that’s worth. And I’m enjoying Sonicbids, which lets me pick and choose which gigging and song sharing opportunities are worth it for me.
TLAMS: You'll be out here for the "Don't Call Us Tori" night, Saturday September 24, have you played in Los Angeles before?
KS: Ha ha, ironically . . . .no. My OC band stayed in OC and Long Beach, playing clubs from The Galaxy to The Coach House, Gypsy Lounge, DiPiazza’s, etc. The drive from southern OC, where we lived, to venues in L.A. is tougher than flying to L.A. from the east coast. Plus we just didn’t feel like selling tickets there much, when most of our fans and friends were already in OC. So how funny is it, that I’m really excited to finally be playing in L.A. and plan to do it more often.
TLAMS: How does the L.A. "scene" differ from the scene in Florida?
KS: Well, Gainesville is like that secret island in the Bahamas that you wish to keep a secret . . . I have to say that it’s pretty bad, people wouldn’t want to come here, so just forget it. Paid gigs, no ticket selling, tons of places to flyer, ample media attention, free radio play, promoters and fans who really give a damn about all kinds of music, audiences who buy merch regularly, casual dress (glitter and wigs not encouraged), no age discrimination, about 300% more venues per square mile, a tight-knit music community who looks out for each other rather than stepping on each other’s necks, and oh yeah, the University of Florida, which brings in 65,000 students August through May. In April 2004, just after I moved here, Gainesville was named #5 on Esquire’s list of Cities That Rock. I’ve played about one or two clubs a month here since June 2004, and I still haven’t played all the clubs in town. New ones are opening as we speak. Then there’s Orlando’s very up-and-coming music scene, and Jacksonville’s, which I’ve also started playing in. So in this perfect hothouse are growing an astounding number of happy, excellent, very creative, highly listenable bands in all genres. I plan to help promote my top favs in L.A.
All that being said, it was crucial that I cut my teeth on SoCal’s scene, and that I had the band that I did and those songwriting experiences. Without that business experience of selling tickets and promoting shows all on our own, I don’t think I would be as successful here, because I wouldn’t appreciate Gainesville as much.
TLAMS: Do you have any local favorites, artists that you'd like to see while you're out here?
KS: Of course, I’ll be thrilled to hear Christiane of Riddle The Sphinx, as well as Shannon Hurley and other ‘Don’t call Us Tori’ artists, because they are right up my alley. Other L.A. bands/friends I’d love to catch if they were playing include Damage, Cotonormal, Pillow of Wrongness, Charlotte Martin, Adam Marsland, Evie Sands, Evita Y Glen, 9 Ball, George Fryer Combo, I can’t even think of them all right now. OK, a few of those were OC bands. Ah! The Incredible Moses Leroy, from San Diego. Love to Ron Fountenberry. And still, for all that great music in SoCal that I miss-- I love, love, love my Gainesville.
Article by: TLAMS
Submitted: Sept, 2005
Photos: Artist's Website, Press Kit
Artist Website: www.KillarneyStar.com
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