Q&A Sessions
Janet Robin: February 1 - 14, 2000
Page 2

I was wondering if Lindsey ever talked about Stevie or did you ever meet Stevie.Did she ever come to one of the shows you did with Lindsey. If you have met Stevie,what is she like and if you haven't met her what are your thoughts about her personally or on her work? Thanks. (Melissa Sowa, Hemet, California, USA)

I never met Stevie, and actually, I'm not sure if she ever made it out to a show. I had heard she was at The Wiltern show here in LA we played with Lindsey, but I'm not sure. The occasional times I heard Lindsey talk about Stevie were usually about his respect for her, etc.. at least that's what I understood.

I don't have any personal thoughts on her, as I've never met her or worked with her. She seems a great pro and awesome singer and songwriter/performer, and paved the way for a lot of women musicians. I've seen her solo and at the reunion concert and thought she was great!

When you would performed "This is the Time" live, who's idea was it to roll around on the floor at the end of the song...yours or Lindsey's ?? (Believe me, I would have suggested it !!!) (Kris, Santa Monica, California, USA)

Hey, thanks for your question.

I have fond memories of 'dueling guitars' with Lindsey and rolling around on stage! It was always great fun to do that at the shows. I don't know if either one of us came up with that. I think we both just did it as a joke once in rehearsal and it became a "thing" to do live. It was really fun and both enjoyed it at the end of that tune.

Can you tell us any funny stories or incidents about what went on in the bus while you were on tour with Lindsey ??? (Kris, Santa Monica, California, USA)

Hi again!

Hmm... well it's been a while so my memory fades me here on tour bus stories. Many of the times Lindsey was not on the bus with the band, he would travel solo often, though he did ride with us a lot during the day rides. I can't particularly remember any special events. We would have a lot fun telling stories and playing some games and watching movies on the bus, etc.. sometimes we would play some music.

At one point Lindsey did bring some recording gear on board and set up a small studio in the back lounge. That was pretty cool to do some recording while the bus was rolling. I do remember having the bus stop at one point in Canada to take a look at this awesome view of a lake and some mountains. It was so beautiful we had the bus driver stop so we could all get out and enjoy the beauty.

Life on the road is pretty boring and unglamorous for the most part. Getting sleep and being rested is usually the focus so we can prepared and healthy to perform!

Hi Janet, You are very pretty by the way :) (as I wrote earlier, saw you play in the OOTC tour when it was filmed in Chicago). A couple of questions: Was wondering what is the name of the woman who played with you on the OOTC tour? And are you still in touch with her? If so, what is she doing now? (backup, solo recording, etc.) (Justine, North Hollywood, California, USA)

Liza Carbe was the other girl in the band, and yes I'm still in contact with her. We definitely bonded as the 2 girls on the road would generally do.... She is still doing music, she did put out a solo CD of her own and plays around live as well. She also works with her husband in a recording studio they own together and have scored music for some television and independent film work.

I understand that you have had some vocal lessons over the years. I was curious, how many lessons (approx.) would a singer need to drastically change the strength of their voice? I ask because I have (I have been told) a very pretty, untrained, singing voice. I have always thought about getting singing lessons (I had one) but I know they can be costly. Is it something you have to do for months or years to really notice a difference in your singing? (Justine)

Well, just taking from a vocal coach will not only contribute to your strength, etc.. you have to do some work of your own, playing and singing. I don't think you can put an amount of lessons on how long it would take to see a difference. I'm sure, if the teacher is good and you do some work on your own, one might see a difference in a month or so, but you have to continue to see long term results, and you really have to do work on your own, practicing and singing live.

Have you had the honor of meeting Lindsey's son William? And do you know if he and Kristen have made it official yet ??? (Kris, Santa Monica, California, USA)

Hi!

I have not met Lindsey's son, but would love to someday.

I don't believe he's officially married yet, but I really try to stay out of his personal affairs...

Hi Janet. Do you mostly write your lyrics first or the music? And, about the dueling guitars with LB...did it just happen or was it planned? Who started it, Lindsey or you? Thank you! (Jensen, Larksville, Pennsylvania, USA)

I usually start with music first and then onto lyrics after. Though I have had specific lyric ideas in mind at times.

[Dueling guitar question:] Definitely refer back to a previous answer....you'll get details there...

Hi Janet! I hope you don't mind if I ask you some quirky questions about LB. But you might be able to tell us some things that would never turn up in a typical press-run interview. Does LB have any pets? Do you? (Jo, Larksville, Pennsylvania, USA)

I don't really know if he has any pets now. He did have a cat at one point. I have two cats myself.

Are there any pre- or post-concert traditions you can share, like did you eat the same food before every show or say a prayer, etc.? (Jo)

Nothing out of the ordinary. I would just warm up my voice and play some guitar, as would Lindsey and most of the other band members.

Does Lindsey have a phobia about buttoning the top three buttons of his shirt? ;-) What kind of cologne did he wear on tour, or did he smell like Irish Spring? What was his favorite food on tour? What was yours? What's the best part of touring? The worst? Okay, that's it for now. Thanks! (Jo)

Ok, the other questions I'll have to skip because they're definitely too quirky....

As far as the best part of touring: I think the best part is playing every night to a different audience. You never know what it's gonna be like and it's different every night. I really like that it's a "live" performance. I like spontaneity. Sometimes different audiences make you do different things on stage, and that can really change up the shows each night. I like the rhythm of touring. You definitely get in a mode of playing every night and I enjoy the fact that your whole focus every day is the show each night.

Hi again! I wanted to ask a more serious question now. I heard that Lindsey lost his brother Greg in 1992 and Lindsey may have written the song "Turn It On" for him. Do you happen to know what happened to Greg and if it's true about the song? I think that "Turn It On" is the only Cradle song that the band didn't do on the tour. (Jo, Larksville, Pennsylvania, USA)

Hi there!

You know I'm not sure exactly happened to Lindsey's brother, I think he died of a heart attack at a pretty young age, unexpected of course. I never really asked Lindsey, out of respect. I'm not sure about "Turn It On." I don't really know what that song was about, and yes... we never did the song in the band with him...

Me again. This is a silly question really, so I hope you don't mind! After some of excesses of touring with Fleetwood Mac, I was wondering whether Lindsey has any unusual demands or habits when it comes to touring. Does he require particular flowers in his dressing room, or bowls of M & M's (but only the red ones!) or anything strange like that?! Does he have any superstitions before going onto stage (like kissing his guitar for luck!!)? I'm just curious! (Angela, Oxford, England, USA)

Hello there....

I'm not sure of his personal habits/warming up/superstitions (if any), etc... prior to performing. I'm sure he keeps them to himself, as I would too...I don't know anything really, about his dressing room either. We would often share dressing rooms as a band with him, and backstage there's just some deli-trays and water, occasionally some liquor, the usual rock n' roll stuff!

Hi Janet -- I just bought "Open the Door" from the Penguin and I love it. First question -- do you write lyrics first, or music, or both at the same time? How do you go about writing lyrics? (Farrah, Whitestone, New York, USA)

Thanks!

I'm glad you like the CD. I usually come up with some music ideas first and then the lyrics. Lyrics come from particular thoughts in my head I may have at that moment and I write them down in an unofficial way and try to make sense of it later!

Secondly (I had to come up with something original here, so bear with me), if you could cover any one of Lindsey Buckingham's songs on one of your own albums, which would you choose and why? (Farrah)

Well, that's a good question. I like a lot of his songs, they're very unique. I'm not sure I would ever cover a song of his because I'm not sure I could do it justice. As an artist myself, I would have to make it my own style in order to perform it, and that might take away from what I originally like about it!

While you were on tour what did you guys do on your days off ??? What did Lindsey do ?? (Jeff, San Mateo, California, USA)

Well, if we weren't catching up on sleep, we might have been out on the town exploring a bit, but usually there's not a lot of time for that. So, often I would hole up in my hotel room and just relax. Often I would bring up my guitar and work on some material. As far as Lindsey, I can't really speak for him. I'm not sure what he would do, but I think he mostly stayed in his room as well and worked on music.

What was your favorite song to perform live on the OOTC tour and why ??? (Jeff)

I had a lot of favs. I would refer back to a previous answer for more details!

Did you see Fleetwood Mac on the reunion tour? Did you talk to Lindsey? How had he changed since 1992 or had he changed at all? (Ann, Los Angeles, California, USA)

Yes I did see the reunion tour at The Hollywood Bowl here in LA. It was a great show! I didn't get to see Lindsey after the show, as he went straight to the hotel to rest. They were still touring, so I'm sure he didn't want to be bombarded by a bunch of people in his hometown, which there were lots of!

When was the last time you had any sort of contact with Lindsey? (Ann)

Hi again!

I saw Lindsey back in August of 1999. I went to visit him at the studio he was working at. It was great to see him and I heard a few tracks from his new release. They sound awesome as usual. I don't know the specific names of the songs.

I hadn't seen him in several years, so it was really great to sit and talk and reminisce a bit. And of course to talk about music and listen to some too. He's a great person and I always enjoy spending time with him.

I went to two shows on the OOTC tour, and have always wondered why "Countdown" was not performed do you know why ?? (Jeff, San Mateo, California, USA)

Actually, our first show pre-tour in San Juan Capistrano we performed Countdown. I'm not sure why we didn't continue, except that I think Lindsey wanted to work in other songs in the set, that could have been a reason.

Since you have spent time w/ Lindsey on a daily basis, what is he really like? Is he always so serious? Would you describe him as "intense" as he has been many times in the past ??? (Ann, Los Angeles, California, USA)

He's pretty intense, but he's got a great sense of humor, I think. I don't think he's always serious, but he's serious about the music and should be. It's got to be at a certain level and should be the best as possible. To me, he seems to have a genuine generous nature and great heart and soul!

Did you ever meet Cheri Caspari?? Is so, what was she like? (Ellie, Van Nuys, California)

I met her briefly at the Tonight Show taping. Just said hello, that was it...

Hi again Janet,

Thanks a lot for doing this Q & A as I am learning so much from all of the questions!

First a comment: You are so happy and joyous and pretty in the " Don't Look Down" Video and you seemed to please Lindsey very much! Good to see him laughing. dancing around with you all and your guitars! He seems to be having a fun time doing it HIS way !! ;-)

Lindsey said as a little boy he wanted to know how his Mom's piano worked so she taught him to play at an early age, did he jam on piano for any songs? I would love to hear that !

Your quote In Cosmik Debris 1998.....: "Like sitting down with Mozart!" Is perfect to describe this much under-rated musical genius we love and admire for his great body of passionately crafted songs! We are just waiting patiently for the promised new album! (Charlotte Ann, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA)

He didn't play any piano on the road, but he might have done some on Out of the Cradle. He knows how to play quite well, so it's entirely possible.

My favorite Lindsey video is Don't Look Down with the Cradle band. How long did it take to film it and was this Lindsey's concept or a director's? Everybody looks so happy and "unrehearsed" - and it's a great song. Thank you. (Barbara, Houston, Texas, USA)

The video was an all day and almost all evening shoot. I think we were at the location almost for 15 hours or something like that. It was a long shoot. If I remember correctly, I think it was a combination of Lindsey's and the director's concept, but I don't remember for sure. Lindsey was definitely making a lot of the decisions and choices for shots in the video. Even though it was a long day, it was great fun doing the video!

Hi Janet,

Unfortunately I wasn't a FM fan back in '92 let alone a Lindsey fan, so I didn't get to meet, or see you or him when you came to the TLA in Philadelphia (I kick myself now). Anyway, I did however see the much edited made for TV show taped in Chicago. It seemed like he was very nervous but did his best to communicate with the audience. I was wondering if you had any of today's musicians work that you're particularly interested in/or who you would like to work with? Also what do think of the bands that are feeding the almighty pop machine these days, ya know, the flavor of the week bands. thanks for doing the Q&A. (Jeff Baer, Thorofare, New Jersey, USA)

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for your question. Well, there's a lot of great artists I dig... some are getting attention and some aren't quiet as well known, though extremely respected. I've forgotten to mention Patty Larkin in previous answers in regards to whom I enjoy these days. She's an awesome guitarist and songwriter. I really like Aimee Mann as well. I like Sheryl Crow a lot and Elvis Costello. If given the chance to write/play with any of these folks, I definitely would!

As far as some the bands currently feeding the pop machine, well... most of it is pretty trendy, they will definitely come and go quickly. I try to not concern myself too much with what's going on, otherwise I would be totally depressed with the state of our music!

I don't mind some of the hardcore stuff going on, a few of the songs are funny lyrically and have a good groove, but will it last in my music collection? Probably not. I'm hoping there will be a swing towards more crafty songwriting/talented musicianship/performance, etc.... and less trendy-glitz.

I've been fortunate enough to see you play live with Lindsey on the OOTC tour. The first show at The Coach House was awesome!! I noticed in the balcony of The Coach House that they had three cameras set up and the concert was being filmed. I know this is a stretch, but would you know anything about that? I'd love to get a copy of this concert, or all the concerts you did for that matter. Thanks for your time Janet and much success with the CD Open The Door. (David, Norwalk, California, USA)

Hi there,

Actually, I didn't know anything about The Coach House shows being filmed. I don't have any live concert footage either... sorry! thanks for your question.

Hello again... Thanks for answering my first batch of Q's!! I have a few more for you....Which Fleetwood Mac album is your favorite? What was the first album you bought? Do you recall if Lindsey ever got sick during the OOTC tour? Did you happen to meet Christopher Nicks (Stevie's brother) during the Cradle tour? Do play any other instruments besides the gtr? Thanks and Take Care!!! (Christa, West Haven, Connecticut, USA)

Hi there!

Well, I really like Rumours, like most FM fans. I just think that's a great classic rock record that everyone should own in their collection. I think that was the first one I got. As far as Lindsey or the band getting sick on the road, yes we all were sick at one point with a cold or something, but everyone made it thru and we continued on the tour.

I did meet Chris Nicks at one point, I believe he was in charge of merchandise for Lindsey for one of the tours.

Yes, I do play other instruments, a little bass, piano, mandolin.

What was the largest venue on the Cradle tour? Were all of the shows sold out? Were there any unappreciative or cold audiences? You guys were so good I can't imagine there would be. Thanks. (Barbara, Houston, Texas, USA)

Well we did 2 tours, one in small theaters and one opening for Tina Turner. The shows opening for Turner were definitely the largest venues. They all consisted of major city arenas or large outdoor sheds. I couldn't tell you the largest venue but most were around 10-15,000 people almost sold-out every night, though of course a lot of the audience was there for Turner, Lindsey had quite a large audience himself.

I think on the smaller first tour there might have been one or two gigs where there was talking during a quiet portion of the set, but that usually didn't last too long. Most audiences on both tours were extremely supportive and totally focused on the music and performance.

Hi Janet! I was wondering if you plan on playing in the Nashville area any time in the future? Also, which do you prefer---acoustic or electric guitar? Thanks :-) (Ann, Gordonsville, Tennessee, USA)

Actually, I just wrote a song with some Nashville writers! so... I hope to come to town sometime soon. It'll probably be when I go back on the road in support of my next CD.

As far as which guitar do I prefer. Well, I really like both. I can't choose. That's sort of like saying which daughter or son do you love more? I love both! I do enjoy the flexibility of the acoustic, though. It's nice to be able to play that instrument whenever, wherever, without having to plug in.

Thank you for providing such informative and entertaining answers :) You have already described the direction Lindsey took in rehearsals quite a bit, but I was wondering how much room he allowed for musical improvisation on the road. (I did notice a limited amount in the Chicago taping by members of the OOTC tour band.....) Thanks also for your kind words of Pittsburgh (my hometown:). Any memories of the Cleveland stop on the tour w/ Lindsey? (Peabodys Downunder - with the extremely small stage.....) All the best for your new album. Tour Cleveland soon! (Todd, Cleveland, Ohio, USA)

Thanks for your questions. It's my pleasure to answer intelligent and relevant questions....

There wasn't much room for improv in the set. We were very well rehearsed and Lindsey was pretty intense about having the tunes played how they were rehearsed. We did get to do a few things like in "This is the Time" where we did solo's at the end and there were definite musical moments that were different each performance.

No specific memories of the Cleveland Peabody's show, but I do remember that venue, as I had formally played it in my previous band, yes it is a small stage with polls that were really irritating! Great town though, and I do seem to remember the audience being extremely into the performance that evening, I think it was so packed they were smashed up against the stage, which was great energizing fun!

On your song, "She's cracking up", are all the vocal harmonies yours?... OR, in other words, were several dubs used, of your own voice, somewhat like a V/O, to make the song. AND, wouldn't that mean that it would be tougher to perform on tour (although I cannot condone the idea of overdubbing, I do it all the time) (Brian, Laurel, Maryland, USA)

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your question, nice to hear from you.

Yes, the back-up vocs on She's Cracking Up were all my own, though they were overdubbed in the studio, as you can hear by the syncopated production. I perform the back-ups a bit different in live performance, unless I'm with my band, then they help out on the bg's and we're able to do what's been recorded.

Hello! How did it come about that the Cradle band and Lindsey opened for Tina Turner? Did you get to meet and talk to her? Did you actually sit and watch one of her shows? And finally, did she say anything about how she liked your group? Thank you! (Jo, Larksville, Pennsylvania, USA)

I'm not sure exactly how we got the opening spot for Tina, but I'm sure it was through the various agencies involved. I did get to meet her briefly before our final show at Radio City Music Hall in NYC. She was extremely cool and sweet and well aware of Lindsey's band. I did watch many of her shows on the road, she's so excellent live and an energizing performer/singer. She didn't say much about the band, I can't totally remember, but she was aware that there were 2 girls in the group and seemed to really enjoy Lindsey's music.

I wish I had a question to ask you...I'm not familiar with your work..but on behalf of everyone at the Penguin..I would like to thank you for taking your time to answer these questions..It's rare that we get such an in depth look at what goes on behind the scenes...Thank you! (LauraTN)

You're very welcome!

Hi! You mentioned in one of your previous answers, that you had seen Stevie in concert. Could you tell us what tour it was? What is your favorite Stevie album and song? Thank you very much. (Jensen, Larksville, Pennsylvania, USA)

You know I'm not sure what tour it was, it was a show out here in LA around 1994 or so. I don't really know the name of the record, but I really like that song: "Leather and Lace," with Don Henley and Stevie. I think that's the record I like the most too.

I saw the OOTC performance at the Roxy in Phoenix--enjoyed the performance very much! The Roxy is a bar, not a concert hall, and that night a few people in the crowd were drunk and rowdy--way more interested in partying than in listening to the music, and Lindsey was pretty upset about it...he even swore at the audience a few times! I was shocked, to say the least. I can understand that he has worked hard and wants people to listen, but surely it would have been more professional to just ignore the obnoxious persons, or quietly ask security to escort them out...? My question is: was that just a one-time occurrence, or did he get frustrated and mad at the audience at other concerts? (Mari, Ruidoso, New Mexico, USA)

Yes, I do remember that show. Actually, that was the only time that I noticed Lindsey being frustrated with the audience. That definitely never happened at any of the other shows on the road.

Hi Janet. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. (I promise I won't ask what LB smells like or the story behind the dueling guitars again! LOL!). My questions are: Do you play any instruments besides guitar? (I apologize if that one's already been covered). If you could create your own Fantasy or All-Star Band, who would you pick to play each instrument? If you could be a fly on the wall at any moment during Rock n' Roll history, where would you be and what event would you be watching? And finally.... Even though you have all your energies and emotions right now focused on your new album (which I'm looking forward to purchasing shortly), do you find yourself planning for your next album after this one? Thanks again; looking forward to seeing you on tour. (Bonnie Moe, Rochester, Minnesota, USA)

Hey, thanks for your questions. I'm glad they're not about personal hygiene!

See a previous answer on other instruments I play: bass, piano, etc..

As far as a fantasy all-star band, that's a real tough one. I would love to be in a band with Paul McCartney. I'm sure every singer-songwriter fantasizes about being on stage with a Beatle. I'd love to have David Bowie on vocals, then again, Ann Wilson rocks pretty hard, and of course there's always Robert Plant. Guitar would definitely have be either Jimi Page, or Jimi Hendrix, but the latter Jimi is sadly no longer with us, and of course, we would have to have Lindsey on guitar as well. Nancy Wilson on acoustic would be awesome. Bass would probably be either John Paul Jones or John McVie, and drums is tough: Probably John Bonham, first choice, but then again, he's not around either..... of course Mick Fleetwood and Keith Moon would be a great pair of drummers, but Keith is no longer with us either, damn! What's with these drummers?

Well, my list could go on and on.....the fact is: There are WAY too many great players to feature in an all-star fantasy band..... There would have to be several all-star bands!! Maybe an all-star tour too!

As far as being a fly on the wall in R n' R history, that's another tough one. I think being on the wall in the recording studio whilst St. Pepper's was being made would be pretty damn cool. Then again being on the wall wherever Jimi Hendrix wrote "Purple Haze" would also be really cool. Maybe I could fly from wall to wall all over the world, sort of a the "rocker-fly-girl" !

Yes, I'm currently in the stages of pre-production on my next record. I hope to have this new one out by the summer, and resume touring!

I have a videotape of the Chicago OOTC show you did. Awesome. Absolutely awesome. I was stunned. I noticed immediately that Lindsey had a good repoire with you and the guitar player between Liza and bass. He seemed especially interested whenever the two of you were featured prominently in a song. Can you tell us the names of all the musicians please (maybe testing your memory a bit)? Did the line-up remain the same throughout the tour? (Tim Bucci, Springfield, Illinois, USA)

Hey Tim,

Thanks for your questions. I'm glad you enjoyed the show. The line-up for that tour included: Steve Ross on guitar, Neale Heywood, guitar, Liza Carbe, guitar, Kevin on bass, Dan on keys, Michael Tempo on percussion, Scott Breadman, percussion, John Wackerman, Drums, and myself, guitar. The line-up stayed the same for that tour, the only change was for the 2nd tour we did opening for Tina Turner, we had Federico Pol on bass. Kevin ended up getting another gig with Terrence Trent D'Arby.

Next, during "This is the time" you have two absolutely chilling, frenetic solos! Lindsey ("Mr. Run Amok" himself) must have loved how that came out. Did he ever comment on it? Yours and Lindsey's were definitely the most awesome, as everyone but Liza had a couple of short solo opportunities during that one. (Tim Bucci)

Thanks for your comments! I loved doing that tune, it was great fun to play and great fun to do a little solo at the end. It was a nice feature for the musician's. I think Lindsey enjoyed that moment a lot. Liza actually is a great musician, just not a " lead soloist" by definition, hence her miss on that tune. She's actually an awesome bass player and classically trained guitarist (just to note).

I, too, saw that look ol' Linds gave you during "Go Your Own Way" and laughed out loud about it. There seems to be a great stage chemistry between the two of you (and I suspect a solid friendship beneath) - you can tell he has a lot of respect for you. Thanks for the answers here. Take care, Janet! (Tim Bucci)

You're very welcome, my pleasure!

Hi Janet, first question, did you see a change in LB during the Dance tour that maybe wasn't there during the Cradle tour? (David A., Rosemead, California, USA)

Hmm, well no I didn't really see a change. He seemed happy and excited to play with his former band....a lot of the stuff he worked out for the Cradle tour was used on The Dance tour, so I'm sure he was happy about playing those cool ideas to a much larger audience.

Second question, in your own personal opinion, where does Fleetwood Mac stand in terms of all time bands, artists?, In your opinion, their record speaks for itself? (David A.)

Well FM is definitely one of the all-time greatest bands in RnR. I hate placing bands or artists by number so I hesitate to do so. I would have to probably say top ten at least, if you wanted a number of some sort. Lindsey and Stevie definitely have to be one of the greatest combo-songwriter's too!

Howdy! I've been a fan since I joined your mailing list a few years ago. One of the many reasons why I've enjoyed your music was for the reason that you cited many musical influences that I listen to myself. One influence I've heard you mention is Led Zeppelin. What about Zeppelin inspired you? The overall sound, or was it the talents of certain individuals within the band (such as with the lyrics, the guitar lines, etc.)? And *how* did you allow the music to inspire you? (Sarita, Texas, USA)

Well, I definitely dig Zeppelin. I grew up listening to that, as my brother blared it in his room and mine was next to him....

I think the overall sound of there songs and powerhouse that Zeppelin exuded was really a thing for me. Definitely Jimmy Page's guitar work too. I really like the usage of electric and acoustic guitars on a lot of their tunes, as well.

As far as "how" it inspired me... well, I think any musician can attest to the "sponge" factor. Hence, listening to stuff and letting it sink in. I don't think I could have avoided influences. That's how I think it works in music. You get exposed to music, and eventually utilize your exposure.

I was pretty young and grew up listening to a lot of different kinds of music. When I would sit with my guitar, I would pull from my memories of tunes I liked (either in style or vibe) and combine them with my own musical experimentation, and eventually try to come up with a song on my own!

Hi Janet. I've got several questions, but I'll try not to bombard you with too many at once. First I'd just like to tell you that I bought your album from your website nearly two years ago and I find that I still put it in my CD player regularly. One of the things that I really like about your songs is that I find new things in the mix each time I listen, and I love all the varied guitar work - the mixture of electric and acoustic and all the texturing is really great. (Not coincidentally, those are some of the things I love about Lindsey's work too.) I especially like "I Swore," "Catch My Breath," "Give It All Up (For You)." "Broken" has a great guitar hook and I really love the vocal arrangements on "She's Cracking." I'm curious if arrangement and production work hold a lot of interest for you? Do you enjoy being your own producer? (Les, San Diego, California, USA)

Hi there!

Thanks for your kind comments on the CD. I'm glad it still holds true for you. Yes, production and arrangement are a big thing for me. I often do a lot of pre-production with guitar parts, vocal ideas, and rhythm parts prior to recording or presenting them live with the full band. I enjoy being my 'own' producer, though I also embrace other producer's, and would be very open to working with someone I felt was compatible with my style, etc..