We’ve been fans of Ivana XL for a while now and decided to ask her throw us some tracks for a podcast for you all. Then we got our man Geebz to put the podcast together. Good looking Geebz! This podcast is a little different in that we asked her to send us some of her favorite tracks and some of her own, well she did us one better…She sent us some of her favorites and a NEVER BEFORE RELEASED or HEARD track of her own called Two Little Dogs to end the podcast off! So please enjoy the relaxing mellow tunes on this beautiful Tuesday morning. She was also kind enough to answer some Q+A’s below. . .
The songs that are in the podcast, what do they do for you that others don’t?
These are all songs that are on heavy rotation on my boombox at the moment. They also happen to be songs that friends of mine have turned me on to recently. They all blew me away instantly.. especially the France Gall.
Where is your favorite place to listen to music?
In a car! It’s rare that I get to ride in a car, living in New York. I used to drive (and crash) Plymouths, mostly. I really miss being completely surrounded by speakers, and MOVING. I was a terrible driver, so it’s better this way, for you and for me.
Where is your favorite place to write music?
Anywhere where I know people can’t hear me! My building has ears. (My neighbors ears. And the people outside my windows ears, sometimes.) I get really embarrassed when I get knocked at on the wall or ceiling. I think the bathroom is a nice spot though. Great acoustics.
What inspires you other than music?
I guess anyone that listens to my stuff hears that it’s 99% about love/heartbreak. So THAT, but also just human relationships in general. Most people have had their heart broken or you know, destroyed haha. We’ve all broken hearts, or will, and we are all going to lose people that we love for one reason or another and we’ve got to deal with it. So nobody is really alone in this. It’s the greatest thing to have figured out.
If you had to pick one song to represent you the best what would that song be?
That’s tough!..but automatically I think of Guantanamera. My mom used to sing it to me all the time. It was the first song I learned to play on guitar. It was always sort of floating around in my life.
If you had the choice to put a band together to back you on an album who would you pick?
I’d choose Will Oldham. I’d ask him to play every instrument, and sing, teach me to play the piano, and then I’d ask him to be my husband. I don’t see why he wouldn’t want to just drop every genius thing he’s got going on now and go with me? Also, I really enjoy two person bands. There’s something very special about watching just two people on a stage do everything.
If you had the choice to select any musician (alive or dead) in the world to produce a Ivana XL Album who would it be and why?
Robert Pollard. Every Guided By Voices album has been hugely important for me. I love the fact that some songs don’t even clock in at a minute long. Sometimes you say what you have to say in 58 seconds.. ya know? If it wasn’t for his music and production I’d probably be writing like verse/chorus/verse/bridge/chorus, now. The formula. Which isn’t always so much fun.
You have a nice amount of new songs out… Do you plan on putting another album out anytime soon and any idea of what it may be called?
I plan on just releasing songs as they come on itunes and Myspace until I can produce an album properly. I’m calling the EP I just put out “demo style” even. Eventually I’d love to sit down and take all the demos I have, pick 11 or so and re-do them. It’s a matter of money though. Waiting on the jackpot.
You’re rich and you love music so you decide to put on a Dave Chapelle like show of all of your favorite artists…Who would be on the bill and what would the event be called?
It would be called “Amazing Sandwich”. I’d ask Lucinda Williams, Emily Haines, Guided By Voices, Nirvana, Me Without You, Mozart, Leonard Cohen, Broken Social Scene… many more.. the sandwich would be truly amazing.