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www.ExpressGayNews.com • September 30, 2002 Q1 CYMK Cover Story On the ‘Home’ Front An Interview with Alison Moyet By Gregg Shapiro GS: You have a long-standing creative AM: No, I really do like to mix it. My first GS: Wow, that’s incredible. Alison Moyet possesses one of the partnership with Peter Glenister, as both a bands I ever played in were punk bands. So, AM: Yeah, it really is. It feels even most easily recognizable and powerful voices producer and co-songwriter. You co-wrote the first things I ever did were four on the more exciting than the first time, because in the music industry. Embraced by the gay more than half of the songs on Hometime floor thrash. My tastes are quite eclectic. the first time you’re not aware how club community since the early eighties when, with him. Why do you think that you work Even with the song writing, and even if you difficult it is to get in the position you as a member of the electronic duo Yaz (with so well together? go back to Yazoo, you’ll find that the songs are, so you take things for granted. Vince Clarke, who later went on to co-found AM: Because I think writing were quite disparate and it was Vince’s sound After a long period away from the Erasure), her powerhouse performances on relationships are very intimate. I never did and my voice that tied them in to sounding industry and you realize how dance club standards such as “Situation” this kind of jobbing songwriting. I know a lot like a common thread. So, no I don’t have competitive the whole thing is and how and “Don’t Go” made her something of a of songwriters that will sit in a room with anything that I prefer, but I just do know that it can really be finely balanced on what sensation in both the disco and new wave somebody strange and write. The concept when I go down one route, I feel like I’m one person’s opinion is. When you scenes. of that has never really worked for me. I think missing a part of myself. That’s why I always realize the things that stand up against As a solo artist, she continued to earn it’s a very intimate thing to tell your words to need to have a bit of everything in there. you and then you get the kind of respect and devotion with the songs someone and to weave them in. It’s almost GS: Because of your previous reviews that we get and the kind of “Invisible,” “Love Resurrection,” “Is This like having a lover. I just like him very much. success with dance music, are there plans support. Just that the record...they’re Love?,” and “Whispering Your Name.” On I think he’s a hugely talented bloke and great for dance remixes of any of the tracks on already in state of having to keep Moyet’s splendid new album, Hometime company. Hometime? reprinting, even in the first week. It’s (Sanctuary), her voice has lost none of its GS: Several different musical AM: I think they were talking about just been great. ability to inspire an emotional response. influences can be heard on Hometime. For having someone remix a track on Hometime. See MOYET on page 31 Whether she’s adding her own spice to example, “Yesterday’s Flame” has a Latin They’re talking about a guy called Mike a Latin-tinged track such as “Yesterday’s beat. Were you listening to a lot of that type Cruz. I was just trying to get to hear about Flame” or exploring her lightly funky side in of music prior to writing that song? some of his stuff. I’m completely out of touch “More” or belting out a dramatic number AM: No, I listen to very little music with the dance movement. To be honest with such as “Should I Feel That It’s Over,” Moyet actually. I always find that my relationship you, I’ve never in touch with it. It’s never has come home again. with music has been more about doing it than been a case that I’ve been a part of a Gregg Shapiro: There were eight years listening to it. When I get the need for music movement, it’s more a case that you get taken between the release of Essex and Hometime. I don’t turn to a record player, I turn to my on board, do you know what I mean? I never Can you give me a capsule idea of what was guitar or my porta-studio or something like went clubbing ever. going on in those years? that. I deliberately listened to very little music GS: Hometime is being released on Alison Moyet: Basically, I reached a bit when I was recording this album. I really Sanctuary Records, which is home to Pet of an impasse with the record company [Sony didn’t want to be influenced by...I wanted to Shop Boys and James, as well as the late Music] who wanted me to follow more of a get away from that whole kind of ebb of Joey Ramone. How do you like your new commercial line of recording than I wanted to thinking about what your career needs or label “home”? take. They didn’t want to release me from my what you need to put in a record or what AM: So far, it’s just been incredible. contract. I think they were hoping that I’d come sells, what gets on radio. I didn’t want to be When my relationship broke up with Sony to my senses and that never happened. After influenced by anything other than just let it and I had this album and it wasn’t an album 10 years, finally, they let me go. be quite an organic process. The way that that interested them, because I didn’t feel GS: I also understand that during that I’ve written the songs is the same that I’ve they’d be able to sell it. I went to Sanctuary period of time you did some musical theater. ever written songs, even right back to Yazoo. and I was completely blown away by the You were in the Kander and Ebb musical It’s just about finding the right context for way they reacted just organically to the Chicago. them. music. They don’t have the tools that AM: Yes, I was in Chicago in the West GS: “If You Don’t Come Back To Me” Sony has. They don’t have the same End and it was one of the most fantastic and “Ski” both have a jazz flavor to them. kind of marketing monies and stuff things I’ve ever done. I had a brilliant, brilliant Would you agree? to spend on the lavish kind of time, just laughed everyday. AM: Yeah. You can sense a bit of that, a setting up the album, but they GS: What part did you play? bit of jazz, a bit of blues, a bit of chanson. It’s completely believed in the AM: I played Mama Morton. You a mixture of things. I’m 41 now and I’ve been album and the reaction that couldn’t imagine me as Roxy [Hart] with my exposed to lots of different things. That’s we’ve been getting these thighs. [Laughs] how I kind of take them in. I kind of take them last two weeks in England GS: Do you foresee doing more of that in through the pores of my skin. I’m not a is just...I’m really happy for type of thing in the future? collector. I’m not at all a trainspotter. I can’t them. I’m really happy that AM: I would like to, but what was so tell you albums or album tracks or who the it’s come to them, because good about Chicago is that the songs were right artist is to listen to. None of that they care about the record. still dark. I wouldn’t like to do anything too interests me, but everything that surrounds We’re just getting the cowgirly, thigh-slapping. Chicago is a great you everyday is what influences you. most, just the most musical and they had a great cast. Yeah, GS: “You Don’t Have To Go” is the kind incredible reviews that I’ve based on that experience I would do it again, of emotional, belter’s ballad that you do so never had, never enjoyed because it’s just fantastic. well. Do you have a preference for ballads? in my life. Q2 www.ExpressGayNews.com • September 30, 2002 CYMK Theater Review A Comedy for All Seasons Local Playwright’s New Play Makes World Premiere Review By Mary Damiano keeps getting higher. Laughs are plentiful, Imagine channel surfing through a the pace is brisk and the story intriguing. zillion cable stations and hitting upon a black Things falter a bit in the second act, as and white movie in which everyone is oh-so playwright McKeever relies too heavily on witty and oh-so sophisticated and oh-so exposition. But things are soon back on funny. As you watch, reveling in the smart track, with a nice blending of comedy and writing and wonderful acting, you think, they pathos. just don’t make ‘em like that anymore. The casting is excellent.