INTERVIEW : 2004-10-29 Interview (by Leslie Raymond)
In addition to being an amazing singer-song writer; Joseph Arthur sculpts, paints, and writes poetry – his works can be found on his website, www.josepharthur.com. While signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World record label, “Come to Where I’m From,” was named the Best Album of 2000 by Entertainment Weekly. His artwork is also revered, having been nominated for a Grammy in 1999 for the album cover of his EP “Vacancy.” Arthur dropped by the WERS studio to talk with us about his new album “Our Shadows Will Remain,” his guitar and, of course, if he were an egg, what kind of egg he would be.
Leslie: Joseph Arthur on the Coffeehouse, WERS, 88.9 Was that song off your latest album, “Our Shadows Will Remain?”
Joseph: Yeah that’s the last song on it. It sounds a lot different though on the record. It’s all synthesizers and huge drums machines
L: It defintely does, the record defintely has a-
J: -different sound.
L: So the new record “Our Shadows Will Remain,” your out on tour in support of that?
J: That’s right. Getting ready to support- uh go and open up for R.E.M.
L: That’s awesome, that’s big huh?
J: It’s pretty exciting and terrifying.
L: Terrifying, big stages huh?
J: Yeah, I’ve never really played in front of that many people, so it’s gonna be, interesting.
L: You guys are going to Canada.
J: Uh-huh. Yeah one show in Connecticut, then five in Canada so at least you know...
L: Our friendly neighbors-
J: If they boo me off the stage, it’ll be in Canada you know; none of my friends or family will see.
L: Well I don’t think they’ll be booing you off the stage. Your new album’s gotten some amazing reviews.
J: Yeah it seems like people like it.
L: Now I have a really random question, are you ready?
J: Alright, no but go ahead.
L: If you were plate of eggs-
J: Say-
L: If you were a plate of eggs. . .
J: Oh
L: -like served at a diner, what kind of eggs would you be?
J: A brie omelet.
L: A brie omelet?
J: Yeah
L: Interesting. Now what do you think that says about you.
J: Um, it says I’m sophisticated and...tasty.
L: Nice, nice.
[song]
L: So, let’s talk a minute. You have a really like fancy guitar (Leslie checks out the artwork on Joseph Arthur’s guitar).
J: Oh yeah
L: And not in the sense that it’s like bling-bling-
J: Well it was-
L: -or gold and glittery.
J: Well, it was a little bling-bling too
L: You have some glitter on there?
J: Well no not glitter, but I mean-
L: You’ve some do-dads, some-
J: It’s a high quality guitar. It’s tricked out, psychedelic-sized.
L: That’s really cool. Now did you draw on it all at once?
J: No this is evolved over time. It was like uh initial sort of line drawing, then I kind of went and filled in the colors. Then these reptiles and stuff came from a toy store in Paris.
[song]
J: This is a song, that’s actually only available on the website, there’s a video for it too, it’s called “All of Our Hands.”
L: Yeah, check out the video, it’s really moving, to say the least. I don’t know exactly word I’d use for it.
J: Yeah disturbing
L: Yeah disturbing. But definitely check it out, because it says something.
J: Ok thank you. Thanks for having me.
L: Yeah, thanks for coming by.
(http://www.wers.org)
