Lene Lovich Q&A
IE: Your new album, Shadows And Dust, is infused with supernatural themes.
Lene Lovich: We deal with the real world everyday. It gets a little tedious [laughs]. I’ve always been interested in unnatural and spooky things. I’m not really so much into horror for the sake of people dying and blood and gore and that sort of thing. I’ve always loved stories and myths and legends and anything that has a science fiction or fantasy element to it.
IE: What is the secret to the longstanding creative collaboration between you and your husband, Les Chappell?
LL: I suppose that to a great degree we like similar things and we have similar standards. We won’t stop until we get it right. If one of us is losing a little bit of energy, then we have the other to say [laughs], “This isn’t really right. We have to go to the next stage.”
IE: One question on everyone’s mind is about the more than 15-year gap between the release of March and Shadows And Dust. Did motherhood play a part in your absence?
LL: Of course. I don’t know how people can do such an important job and also do other jobs. I can’t see how it can be done. It also came at a time when the music business was not so much fun for me. So, it was not a difficult decision for me.
IE: As an artist and performer, to what would you attribute your longevity?
LL: I think you have to continuously excite yourself [laughs], if that doesn’t sound too rude. You have to want to do it for some other reason apart from making a living. That’s not been the main thing [for me]. The main thing is to create something that’s never been before. To make something exciting happen.
— Gregg Shapiro
Shadows And Dust (The Stereo Society) is Lene Lovich’s first album in 16 years.
I have loved Lene Lovich’s music since first seeing her (videos of BIRD SONG and ANGELS )played on Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert back in 1980. I think this latest CD (SHADOWS AND DUST) by her is very close to surpassing the beauty and inspiration of FLEX for me.FLEX still remains my favorite, though. My favorite tracks from SHADOWS AND DUST are CRAZE, LIGHT and LITTLE RIVERS. I was wondering if LITTLE RIVERS is about the transformation that occurs when we reach the end of our term here on this Earth and begin our next journey elsewhere. The song is so beautiful. Thank you Lene for all your talent and inspiration, and for making THIS term on Earth so special for so many of us.
I have been a Lene Lovich FANatic since 1980 when a friends band played a video of Lucky Number. She is so uplifting and her lyrics inspire hope. I had the privledge of meeting her during the March tour. Wonderful and gracious, I will never forget it. Shawdows and Dust is worth the long wait. I can’t stop listening to it. Now please…tour in the US
Just a reminder:
LENE LOVICH will be performing two nights during the 3-day festival in NYC known as Drop Dead Festival 4.
visit http://www.dropdeadfestival.com for complete info, full weekend schedule, and how to get tickets.
In addition, director Richard Elfman will make an appearance at a special screening of Forbidden Zone on Saturday, Sept. 2nd.