Julie Doiron
The Singing Lamb: Give us a brief summary of what your new album’s like!
Julie Doiron: Oh, you haven’t heard it yet?
I’ve only heard “Consolation Prize” so far!
Julie: Oh okay! Well “Consolation Prize” doesn’t represent the whole album. It’s not a whole pop album or whatever that kind of song would be! I don’t know how to explain it other than I think it’s a really good record. There are some songs on it that are pretty rockin’ and there are three songs on it that are just guitar and voice, but for the most part it’s just really good! I don’t know; I’d rather have other people listen to it instead of me explaining it to them.
Do you think it’s anything like your last album, Woke Myself Up?
Julie: I’d say it’s a continuation of that. It was done the same way, I recorded it with Rick White again but this time I had Fred Squire, who had been touring with me for a couple of years now. He did all the drums and the lead guitar stuff and Rick did all the bass and keyboards. I did the singing and a lot of the main guitar parts but then a few other things too; I played drums on one song! Yeah, I would say it was definitely a continuation from the last album. It feels really different for me and I don’t know how to explain it. All the other ones seemed a little more together, not in a polished sense. Well Woke Myself Up felt a little more, not polished but pretty much perfect to me as an album. This one, for me, seems to be the perfect combination of all the albums I’ve done in the past, leading up to this point. It feels really honest and yet it’s still really rockin’ and it’s very confident sounding to me. I guess it’s kind of similar to Woke Myself Up but with a few hints of what elements from the past.
Speaking of the past, I’ve heard some comparisons to Eric’s Trip and your new material; at least on “Consolation Prize”. I’m not entirely sure about the entire album as you’ve said it doesn’t represent the whole. Do you think you’ve geared back a bit in terms of sound for this record?
Julie: I think I’m at a point where I really love making rock music. I’ve always loved that but for a while it wasn’t possible because I couldn’t afford to have a band or I was just doing a lot of solo shows; yeah mainly for that reason. Then in the last few years, I started touring more with other musicians and I began having a lot of fun rocking out again. That sort of coincided with playing with Eric’s Trip again and it just reminded me of how much I love making music like that. So I think it would be a natural progression to say that the album will probably reflect where I’m at; at least live. I would say half the album is definitely what I’m trying to do live and there’s some mellower stuff that I haven’t really tried to do live that I really like for recordings. I think I’m just at a point where I want to rock out and have fun and I’ve been getting to that point for quite a few years now. That’s what I had tried to do with Woke Myself Up as well; I wanted it to be a rock album. But we ended up treating it a bit differently because there were some songs there that needed to be a lot quieter, needed to just have guitar and voice. I think we did what I pretty much wanted to do and then even more so with this album. I think it turned out exactly the way I kind of anticipated it or hoped it would anyway.
Do you plan on playing any more Eric’s Trip shows in the future?
Julie: Well we did quite a few shows last year. I think we did about 12 shows last year and in 2007 we did quite a few more. We haven’t talked about doing shows anytime soon but it’s always kind of open at this point because we’ve done shows every year since 2006 now. So I don’t know. I would imagine that it would be a possibility. Rick and I talk quite a bit and we talk frequently about doing projects together, whether it be Eric’s Trip or just the two of us, something like that. It’s always open; nobody has said they wouldn’t do it, so…
What is it about playing in Toronto that you like most? Is there anything you like about playing here?
Julie: Well I find that shows in Toronto usually go really well. I like being there because I have a lot of friends in town so it’s always nice to see them. The shows are always fun. There are some cities that are easier to play in and I guess you’re always guaranteed to have someone at your show in Toronto!
True! What are some of your favourite venues in town?
Julie: The Horseshoe is a lot of fun. I find that if you’re playing at the Horseshoe, it’s a lot of fun if you’re in a rock band but not as fun if you’re solo.
You’re playing the Horseshoe again, right?
Julie: Yeah! I played there last year too! Hmmm, other venues…I thought that Mod Club was a lot of fun when I was there with Eric’s Trip, it sounded really good. It made me feel like a rock star with all those fancy light shows! I don’t know what it’s like to see a show there but it sounded amazing on stage and it felt pretty cool. I’ve only played there that one time. I played quite a few churches in 2007 and last year as well. We did a few shows at the Boat and that was pretty cool! I’m trying to think of where I really like to play! We seem to play a lot of shows in Toronto often…
You guys seem to play a lot of in-stores around town as well!
Julie: It’s true, yeah! We do that quite a bit. In-stores are always fun because in every town because it’s a chance to play for a few people before the show. The more you can play while you’re on tour, the better it is because it keeps you kind of ready for the show. So I find in-stores are great because they’re intimate and they’re not as formal as rock shows; it’s just relaxing.
Yeah, I love its intimacy! It has a nice feeling to it.
Julie: I’m really trying to think of where my favourite venues are! There are places that I really like to play and I’ve had amazing shows at but I’m trying to think Toronto specifically…I don’t know, Horseshoe’s fun!
It’s a common answer among Torontonians!
Julie: Well in the past, I haven’t done many shows there. When I was in Eric’s Trip, Lee’s Palace was our favourite place because it was really exciting for us at the time. So it was the classic place; we were really excited. I’m trying to think of a place that I really enjoyed…but for me, as longs as the venue feels okay and the people and audience are really awesome, it’s good. I’m trying to think of a place where I would never play again and I can’t think of one right now. I can’t think of anywhere that I’ve had a really horrible time at. I don’t think I have a favourite venue yet.
That’s good that you haven’t had any shows that were so bad, you wouldn’t return to!
Julie: I think I have, but unfortunately I have a pretty bad memory sometimes. So when I try to think of things on the spot, I can’t think of them right away and then it comes to me the next day. Like “Oh! That’s right, my favourite venue’s that place!” But it’s always way too late. I should just make a list of everything and that way when I get asked at any random time, like when I’m out for a drink or something I can pull out my list and go, “Well actually, my favourite book, blah blah blah!” I can never think about it right away.
Lists can come in handy!
Julie: Totally! It’s like every year when they ask for my top ten of the past year, I can never come up with something on the spot! For a while, I was trying to make a list and find ten that I wouldn’t want to forget; especially in interviews and someone asks you and you can only think of two when you’ve listened to a whole bunch more!
Yeah!
Julie: And you’re on the spot and you feel like a jerk after! For a while, I started making a few lists but I haven’t done that lately.
It really sucks when you list your favourite and you’re always missing one crucial one that you love!
Julie: Yeah, exactly! It’s a horrible feeling when you forget one. Especially if it’s for an interview and they’re going to print, for example: people who you think are really great, and there’s someone that you think is really great and you forgot to mention them and you feel kind of bad.
It’s almost like forgetting to thank someone at an award show.
Julie: Yeah, I’ve never had to do that but it would be really scary!
Okay last question: if you could be a singing animal, what would you be?
Julie: Ooh, singing animal. Gosh, my kids and I would always have discussions like this about which animal we would be in general. I’m trying to think; I used to be really into sea otters but I think if I was a singing animal? I really like rabbits…
I love rabbits!
Julie: Yeah! But singing…rabbits don’t make any noise. The first thing that comes to your mind is birds but only because you hear them sing all the time so it’s easy to imagine. I would probably be uhh…I’m trying to think of what my personality is like. I do a lot of swimming but none of those animals really sing!
Well you can say hypothetically!
Julie: I know! A dolphin. Or a rabbit! It’s a toss-up between a dolphin and a rabbit. Because I like the idea of…ooh, maybe a cow! I love cows too. It’s hard to pick one!
Ooh, you can create a hybrid animal!
Julie: When I draw with my kids and create animals, I tend to do a smaller version of a giraffe or a cow that looks like a giraffe with spots! But I think I’ll go with dolphin. I really love swimming. And I also really like moving around, so maybe I’ll say rabbit too. By day a rabbit, by night a dolphin!
For more Julie Doiron visit her website and/or Myspace! Her new album, I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day is out on March 10th and she’ll be at the Horseshoe on March 26th, along with Rick White. Tickets are $10.00 and they’re still available so pick them up now!
