Music, Style & Culture
| Print : Web : Radio : Mobile

Caitlin Rose: Comparison Is Just A Cheap Form Of Description

Speaking to Hayley Fairclough, Cailtin discusses the perks of music snobbery, her Nashville background and the sex habits of Guardian readers…

Posted 27th January 2010, 6:05pm in Interviews, by Hayley Fairclough
Caitlin Rose Driven by a desire to “sing [her] guts out”, Caitlin Rose’s EP 'Dead Flowers', set for release on 15th February, is a country record at heart, loaded with bittersweet lyrics and powered by her incredible vocal talent. At 22 years old, Rose sings and speaks of topics much wiser than her years, boasting an insightful intelligence that many of today’s revered artists could only dream of. Speaking to Hayley Fairclough, Cailtin discusses the perks of music snobbery, her Nashville background and the sex habits of Guardian readers…

For the readers that are less familiar with your music, how would you sum up ‘Caitlin Rose’ in five words or less?
Not as good as Tristen. [http://www.myspace.com/tristentristen]

You were recently featured as Guardian’s ‘new band of the day’ - how does it feel to be getting that sort of recognition?
Someone I know here in the states said Guardian is the paper to read if you want to get laid. Hopefully somewhere between breakfast and all of the sex its readers are having they had a chance to breeze through that particular article. It's pretty cool though.

Are there any people you’re frequently compared to that really bothers you/you don’t agree with?
It's all a matter of opinion. Comparison is just a cheap form of description.

How old were you when you first performed live?
I was 16 and it was at a pool party. I didn't make it through a single song.

You recently performed a few gigs in London , how did they go?
They went well. There were lots of people and some of them bought me drinks or bought my record.

How did the London audience compare to the Tennessee crowd?
It's the same everywhere you go, either they like it or they don't. In London they're a little more honest...or more critical; it all depends on how your ego wants to take it.

If you hadn’t have grown up in Nashville, do you think your music would sound any different?
Maybe, but I can't imagine growing up anywhere else.

What would you say to someone who says country is dead, or who won’t listen to country because it doesn’t have the same ‘cool factor’ as bragging about the underground punk band they found?
I'd respectfully disagree, but if someone doesn't like it I'm not going to argue. I was recently dating someone who hated country music. He always tried to make me listen to Frank Zappa. In this respect, we never understood each other. There's nothing wrong with wanting to listen to "cool" music. Without music snobs The Velvet Underground wouldn't have ever been as popular, or perhaps not even existed, and that would've been a shame. I like punk music too, but lyrical content is my main jam. That's why I listen to The Replacements.

What can people expect from your EP, ‘Dead Flowers,’ when it drops here next month?
I don't really know what to say about it anymore. Expect a really loud tambourine track and some mandolin.

The cover of the title track, Dead Flowers, is incredible; a world away from The Rolling Stones’ original but at the same time hinting at the old. What in particular about this song inspired the cover?
A cover of this song inspired the cover. Townes Van Zandt did it on a live record and it's one of my favourites. Andy Willhite had recently started playing pedal steel when we recorded and I kind of just wanted him to go with whatever he felt. We really didn't do that many takes of it either and I think he did a stellar job on it.

The EP also features a Patsy Cline cover, ‘Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray’ – how big of an influence has she been in inspiring you to get where you are today?
I listened to her a lot when I was a kid. Most of the CDs I owned were compilations of Billboard hits from the 50s and 60s and I used to request ‘Crazy’ on the local oldies station a lot. She's one of my favorite singers.

‘Shotgun Wedding’ is a wonderful song, the lyrics are very honest and poignant. What inspired you to write about this particular topic?
It's loosely based on some folks I met at a diner in Franklin, TN. Their story was relayed to me and my imagination took over their life.

Are there any plans for a full length album in the works?
I've been rehearsing songs with my band all this month. We start recording first week of February with Mark Nevers at a studio called The Beechhouse.

What does Caitlin Rose like to do when she’s not making music?
I like to listen to music. Preferably on a jukebox in a bar. There aren’t many real jukeboxes left though and I hate those internet ones.
Click like to get the latest music news, hottest tracks and more via Facebook.

Comments