High 5, with Addie Brik
A few months back, Georgia-born but Scotland-based singer songwriter Addie Brik released her new album, the excellent I Have A Doctor On Board, on her own Itza label.
Featuring both Here Comes The Lover, which was described as “beguiling” by God Is In The TV when voted their Track of The Day, and Belly, Folk Radio UK’s “breathtaking” Song of The Day, the 10-track album was recorded in Glasgow and written in a small room overlooking the Firth of Clyde, Scotland.
Based around a series of interviews Addie had with an inventor and a lifeboat captain in Scotland, the record puts technology in a sailboat with songs about freedom, curiosity and community.
AAA caught up with Addie for a quick chat.
Favourite Film
Ingmar Bergman, Smiles Of A Summer Night; something with Jeanne Moreau; Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress; Powell and Pressburger’s Gone To Earth (I like almost all their work but this film is so strange, set in Shropshire and haunted in a babbling brook kind of way).
Favourite Single
Depends what side of the bed I get up on. Wir, Take It (For Greedy); Henry Purcell, When I Am Laid In Earth (Dame Janet Baker, Susanna and the Magic Orchestra, both exquisite versions); Tom Petty, Time To Move On; The Stooges I Wanna Be Your Dog; Lynyrd Skynyrd, Sweet Home Alabama; Ry Cooder, Little Sister, Little Feet, Long Distance Love; Neil Young, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere; Akon, Sexy Bitch.
Favourite Album
The Band Music From The Big Pink. This record’s about subjects that no-one else was talking about. Levon Helm was the main attraction for me: a deep groove drummer and his voice was so, so good. As an aside, a lot of The Band’s songs seem to take shape through Levon and his southern gentlemanly ways. For sure, Robbie Robertson picked up on Levon’s stories when he wrote The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down – that kind of understanding for the subject only could have come from Levon.
Favourite Gig
Fela Kuti and Egypt ’80 Los Angeles. When Fela got out of prison he came to LA and the old boxing arena, which had been shut down for decades, was reopened for this show. Fela’s shirt was off and his back was badly scarred from all the lashings he got in prison – his fists were up. The stage was a sight with all his wives and the incredible band, the brass… it was about the time of Beasts of No Nation. Whoa, no one like Fela. It was steaming. Me luv Fela.
Favourite Book
The Golden Treasury Of The Best Songs And Lyrical Poems In the English Language – always have this with me.
