Isobel
Campbell
Top Ten Albums of 2006
1. Bob Dylan: Modern Times—Okay,
it’s not his best but it’s still wonderful. Mystical, slinky,
rumbly, and old-timey in perfect measures. I love the drums, especially
on “Nettie Moore.”
2. Tom Waits: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, & Bastards—I’ve
not heard it yet, but bet it’s bound to be amazing.
3. Eagles Of Death Metal: Death By Sexy—Fun
and dirty. Good rock and roll.
4. Bonnie “Prince” Billy: The Letting Go—I
think this is a beautiful record.
5. Howe Gelb: ‘Sno Angel Like You—Howe
has such a way with words. All poetry. I think “But I Did Not”
is my favorite on this.
6. Cat Power: The Greatest—I love the
voice. “Lived in Bars” and “Where Is My Love”
are favorites here.
7. Current 93: Black Ships Ate the Sky—Shirley
Collins sings on this record. I couldn’t believe it. There’s
lovely instrumentation and singing on this.
8. Joe Sample & Randy Crawford: Feeling Good—Randy
Crawford was on a TV show in Britain recently and I fell in love with
her.
9. Johnny Cash: A Hundred Highways—Can’t
go wrong with John.
10. Kris Kristofferson: This Old Road—I
discovered this a few months ago and was glad, too.
What was the highlight of 2006 for either you personally or for the band?
I’d say maybe people buying my record was a highlight.
What was the low point of 2006 for you?
Sometimes not being able to pay bills.
What are your hopes and plans for 2007?
I hope to maybe settle down a little more next year. To have more time and less panic on my hands.
What was the best album released in 2006 that few people heard?
Maybe Blackships Ate The Sky by Current 93. It’s a real interesting record.
What do you hope to hear more of in 2007? Less of?
I hope to hear more of the old guys. I love the old boys and girls. Old and gold, squeaky, warm, rusty stuff—that’s my favorite. I’d like to hear less clean sounding, sterile, digital records—though I never listen to that shit anyway.
What’s the biggest goal for your life that you have yet to achieve?
Well, one day I’d like to have a baby. One day, I’ll stop making records and make a baby instead—now I’m only practicing. I also wouldn’t mind getting to the bottom of my laundry pile either.
With the rise of MySpace and the ever-increasing presence of bloggers, what is your feeling about using the Internet as a promotional tool? Will MySpace last and are you actively involved in your band’s MySpace page? With the music blogs seen as an increasingly influential source for breaking new artists, do you read them and are they a positive influence that bypasses the industry machinery or just empty hype?
I don’t know if MySpace will last, something else will probably come along eventually to replace it. I think there’s a place for everything and sometimes if I want to check out some new musician people have been talking about I’ll go to MySpace. I think I’ve been on MySpace about six times now.
If the world were ending in 24 hours, what would you do in those 24 hours?
Choose my poison and partner and make the most of things.
If you could have any superpower, what power would you want to have and why?
I’d quite like to fly or maybe I’d like to have the power to heal. Then I could wave a magic wand and make people feel better. I hate to see people in turmoil.
If you could be one fictional character, who would you be and why?
I quite like Calamity Jane. She gets to dance, sing good songs, has a heart, and eventually gets to marry Howard Keel. Catherine Deneuve in Belle De Jour because I love the Yves Saint Laurent clothes and there’s a cute actor who plays a gangster with metal teeth towards the film’s climax.
If you were president, how would you handle the current situation in Iraq?
It’s tricky. Extremely difficult. The British and American troops should be withdrawn for starters.
Who would you like to see run for president in 2008? What are the Democrats doing wrong, how can they take back the White House?
I’ve always liked Hilary Clinton.
Be honest: Did you watch any episodes of Rock Star: Supernova?
I don’t know what that is.
In 2006, what was the best movie you saw, book you read, and/or TV show you watched?
I really liked The Proposition with Ray Winstone and Guy Pearce. I’ve not had the concentration to manage to read this year. I’m starting to feel bad about that. I liked My Name Is Earl.
Do you have any other thoughts about the current state of the world or the state of the music industry?
Well, recently I’ve been thinking there’s nothing here worth making a big deal about—any of the problems are nothing like some of the other things that are going on in the world right now. When it comes to the music business, I just think, “Get up, dust yourself off and roll with the punches for as long as you choose.”
1/2007