This article was first published on CLUAS in February 2008
Cathy Davey - 2007 Choice Music Award nominee
Her album 'Tales of Silverleeve' was nominated for the award...
Cathy Davey answers below questions CLUAS put to all 10 acts nominated for the 2007 Choice Music Award. Check out the answers from the other acts up for this year's award.
Give
us a little synopsis of about how this album came about and what was it like writing
and recording it?
i spent a long time on this album. I was determined to keep as much of my home recordings
as possible and when re-recording parts it was of equal importance not to be anywhere
that felt "professional". For some reason I never overcame the red light fever so
recording in my house or a rented house or even my dad's house helped me forget
that I was actually committing to tape. The killer of happy recording in my case.
It may have suffered sonically as a result but the warmth you get from the sound
of a kettle boiling or a chicken roasting in the background just does it for me.
The more proof of life in recordings the better.
Writing the album.... There were so many phases. Spurts of songs and stretches of
rubbish but I reckon that will always be the case. If too many songs come easily
I will start to doubt my standards.
How do you feel about the idea of music awards in general?
I haven't decided yet. It's too confusing trying to figure out how it effects
your confidence and in turn what drives you to write songs. I'm not convinced awards
are good for most artists, and I'll bet it's a struggle for those who win loads
of them to gain perspective come the next album. But sure, recognition is nice.
Do you feel winning the award will enhance your career?
Ah! I try to pretend it's not a career! Otherwise it's all numbers, stats and
docket type stuff. I fell into music blissfully ignorant and although it got me
into trouble I keeps me from going mad....
Your favourite album from those also nominated for the Prize?
It would be rude to say.
Do you think the idea of the album is a little antiquated in these days of single
track downloading and plummeting CD sales?
We should bring back cassette tape. Getting to love an album (including the boring
ones) because you couldn't be arsed fast forwarding.
Do you feel the Irish music scene is in a healthy state at the moment?
Is there a scene? There's a vast amount of music being made by all sorts and
some of it I adore, some of it I don't. Same as most places. Probably the best thing
to do is do away with that word as it implies we are all making similar music. With
so many influences flying around thanks to the internet it's now possible to be
as unique and special as ever. I'll tell you this though. What's great about Ireland
as regards to its musicians is that there's a great generosity with support for
fellow artists. You don't get that everywhere, no sir.
Plans for 2008?
Keep on playing, tour in new countries, write more, be happy, see what happens.
How are changes in technology influencing how you record, distribute or publicise
your music?
When I was still writing this album I was able to put some of my songs, demo
form, up on myspace. I can't stress how much more it did for me than all the a&r-ing
in the world could have done. There is a ginormous community of people out there
who don't want polished, over-cooked, over-hyped music delivered to their ears courtesy
of some marketing suits. It was freedom for me. I wrote a song and people listened
if they wanted to. I miss the quality of tangible music but I can do without.
- The winner of the award will be announced on 27 February 2008 in Vicar Street.
- Have you entered the CLUAS competition to win all 10 nominated albums?
- Check out the answers given to these questions by the other Choice Music Prize 2007 nominees including:
