"Mama, have you heard of these Free Fiona people?" She was laughing at first, but then came the tears "It was happy crying"
September 25, 2005 2:00 AM Subscribe
Extraordinary Machine so it turns out everything we thought of Fiona Apple's long-awaited, soon-to-be-released album was wrong.
Interview and live performance on WNYC (13Mb Mp3)
Then last January, Apple was at her mother's Manhattan apartment, spending the afternoon as she'd spent many previous afternoons: wearing her bathrobe and watching Columbo reruns on Bravo.
So Gen X.
posted by ori at 2:12 AM on September 25, 2005
So Gen X.
posted by ori at 2:12 AM on September 25, 2005
nice one, jack_mo.
here's a suggestion for the title of her autobiography: iFiona
posted by Hat Maui at 2:42 AM on September 25, 2005
here's a suggestion for the title of her autobiography: iFiona
posted by Hat Maui at 2:42 AM on September 25, 2005
jack_mo wins. Game's over already.
posted by five fresh fish at 2:43 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by five fresh fish at 2:43 AM on September 25, 2005
What, exactly, was wrong?
The whole idea that Sony had shelved the album - it was Apple who didnt want it released.
posted by Lanark at 2:58 AM on September 25, 2005
The whole idea that Sony had shelved the album - it was Apple who didnt want it released.
posted by Lanark at 2:58 AM on September 25, 2005
"It was just a miscommunication!" I'm not sure I buy it.
posted by grouse at 3:05 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by grouse at 3:05 AM on September 25, 2005
Apple would be a great name for a baby girl, to offset the blonde mothers who incessantly name check their little world to everyone in earshot: "Jackson, come here!" "Tyler, get off that thing! " For once, I'd like to hear a jobless mother scream, "Apple!"
posted by The Jesse Helms at 6:54 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by The Jesse Helms at 6:54 AM on September 25, 2005
"The record company was sort of like, 'What the heck is this? .....So things were getting mixed and remixed ad nauseam to make songs that were already idiosyncratic more radio-ready."
Fiona is a nut but man, can I appreciate her plight. She is probably not the best poster-girl for what's happed to music over the last couple decades but that statement is so fucking typical. I mean, nobody really thinks what they hear on the radio is what the artists initially intended do they? I can't think of the last decent slow tune I've heard on the radio that wasn't smothered with a heaping of cello and violin tracks.
And Jesse, yeah, now that you mention it...I'd like to see a jobless Gwyneth - please, pretty please.
posted by j.p. Hung at 7:26 AM on September 25, 2005
Fiona is a nut but man, can I appreciate her plight. She is probably not the best poster-girl for what's happed to music over the last couple decades but that statement is so fucking typical. I mean, nobody really thinks what they hear on the radio is what the artists initially intended do they? I can't think of the last decent slow tune I've heard on the radio that wasn't smothered with a heaping of cello and violin tracks.
And Jesse, yeah, now that you mention it...I'd like to see a jobless Gwyneth - please, pretty please.
posted by j.p. Hung at 7:26 AM on September 25, 2005
David Spade called for Gwyneth to retire on his new show the other day--she's been whining everywhere about how hard her life is--being a new mom and all (ignoring her vast wealth, hired help, and freedom not to work for a few years if she chose to, etc).
posted by amberglow at 9:02 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by amberglow at 9:02 AM on September 25, 2005
Kooky women are teh hawt.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 9:38 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 9:38 AM on September 25, 2005
I don't have that much sympathy for the artist who thinks the music "world is bullshit" can't figure out that there's a strong independent music world out there. How many smaller labels would fall all over themselves to get her contract and let her do exzactly whatever the hell she wants? Maybe she's sold her soul and first born child to Sony's lawyers and is fucking indentured to them or something. But it seems to me that anyone with cred and the slightest distaste for the big music world should have alternatives. I'm not saying she has to go Ani-DiFranco and build her own record label from the ground up, but sheezus. I guess she just can't be bothered if she's watching Columbo reruns all day. My heart bleeds.
posted by scarabic at 11:37 AM on September 25, 2005
posted by scarabic at 11:37 AM on September 25, 2005
She looks like the Ur-Olsen twin. Fiona or Gwenith?
I love how this thread turned into a Gwenith Paltrow bashing contest simply because her daughter has the same first name as Fiona's last name.
posted by delmoi at 1:08 PM on September 25, 2005
I love how this thread turned into a Gwenith Paltrow bashing contest simply because her daughter has the same first name as Fiona's last name.
posted by delmoi at 1:08 PM on September 25, 2005
I don't have that much sympathy for the artist who thinks the music "world is bullshit" can't figure out that there's a strong independent music world out there. How many smaller labels would fall all over themselves to get her contract and let her do exzactly whatever the hell she wants?
I don't think that number would be too high, I mean first they'd have to buy out sony's contract, then they'd have to keep paying Fiona to record music she might not ever be happy with. Dosn't sound like a very sound investment.
posted by delmoi at 1:14 PM on September 25, 2005
I don't think that number would be too high, I mean first they'd have to buy out sony's contract, then they'd have to keep paying Fiona to record music she might not ever be happy with. Dosn't sound like a very sound investment.
posted by delmoi at 1:14 PM on September 25, 2005
The last song is Parting gifts Apperantly she played it entirely, improvised in one shot, and that's whats on the record.
Crazy
posted by delmoi at 1:20 PM on September 25, 2005
Crazy
posted by delmoi at 1:20 PM on September 25, 2005
... then they'd have to keep paying Fiona to record music she might not ever be happy with.
Why? Why not just make the album, and strike a distribution deal? She should be able to afford it by now; if not, she should be able to find investors who could under-write it.
Either way, it would put a strong incentive in play for her to "get happy with it" (or stop complaining).
(FWIW, I was really kind of underwhelmed by Extraordinary Machine. It struck me as simulaneously ornate and curiously lifeless.)
posted by lodurr at 2:30 PM on September 25, 2005
Why? Why not just make the album, and strike a distribution deal? She should be able to afford it by now; if not, she should be able to find investors who could under-write it.
Either way, it would put a strong incentive in play for her to "get happy with it" (or stop complaining).
(FWIW, I was really kind of underwhelmed by Extraordinary Machine. It struck me as simulaneously ornate and curiously lifeless.)
posted by lodurr at 2:30 PM on September 25, 2005
Just props here for the Wikipedia entries on Fiona Apple and Extraordinary Machine. I've contributed to both but the heavy lifting the last couple of months has been by, er, this editor. The album article in particular has brought in almost every source imaginable to get an accurate picture of its troubled passage. (Incidentally, I was one of the few at the time to notice this little tidbit. /brag)
The last song is Parting gifts Apperantly she played it entirely, improvised in one shot, and that's whats on the record.
As far as I know, "Parting Gift" isn't an on-the-spot improvisation, but rather an album-quality recording in one take, which was also the first. Most of the other songs were much more carefully produced in studio. Fiona sang and played piano, then Elizondo laid down drum tracks and built from there, with Apple eventually providing a final vocal track.
I don't have that much sympathy for the artist who thinks the music "world is bullshit" can't figure out that there's a strong independent music world out there.
You're talking about someone who's one degree of separation (via Brion) away from Aimee Mann, who was one of the first major artists to be successful at self-publishing with Bachelor No. 2, and who's formed United Musicians, in principle an artist-run co-op label. I think Apple knows about this world, but she's probably still under contract with Sony.
In any case Apple states in the second interview that both she and Sony were dissatisfied for different reasons, and the dispute with the label was more complicated than she had an album she wanted to release and the label didn't. The story here isn't what we were hearing a year ago, but it's still one of a big, commercial label having very little clue how to handle a "non-commercial" artist.
If it were completely true as previously understood, and as Apple intimated in the interview, she feared completing an album that the label would shelve forever, then clearly she would work to quit the contract -- probably losing control of the album completely in the process. In the end it looks like the free-fiona folks were not instrumental in the release, but perhaps entered the picture after Apple herself had already begun to resolve the situation by working with a different producer.
Look how long Prince lived as TAFKAP, allegedly all because he couldn't work with his label. If somebody with the sales and fanbase of Prince can't just walk away, it's got to be harder for someone like Apple.
posted by dhartung at 2:37 PM on September 25, 2005
The last song is Parting gifts Apperantly she played it entirely, improvised in one shot, and that's whats on the record.
As far as I know, "Parting Gift" isn't an on-the-spot improvisation, but rather an album-quality recording in one take, which was also the first. Most of the other songs were much more carefully produced in studio. Fiona sang and played piano, then Elizondo laid down drum tracks and built from there, with Apple eventually providing a final vocal track.
I don't have that much sympathy for the artist who thinks the music "world is bullshit" can't figure out that there's a strong independent music world out there.
You're talking about someone who's one degree of separation (via Brion) away from Aimee Mann, who was one of the first major artists to be successful at self-publishing with Bachelor No. 2, and who's formed United Musicians, in principle an artist-run co-op label. I think Apple knows about this world, but she's probably still under contract with Sony.
In any case Apple states in the second interview that both she and Sony were dissatisfied for different reasons, and the dispute with the label was more complicated than she had an album she wanted to release and the label didn't. The story here isn't what we were hearing a year ago, but it's still one of a big, commercial label having very little clue how to handle a "non-commercial" artist.
If it were completely true as previously understood, and as Apple intimated in the interview, she feared completing an album that the label would shelve forever, then clearly she would work to quit the contract -- probably losing control of the album completely in the process. In the end it looks like the free-fiona folks were not instrumental in the release, but perhaps entered the picture after Apple herself had already begun to resolve the situation by working with a different producer.
Look how long Prince lived as TAFKAP, allegedly all because he couldn't work with his label. If somebody with the sales and fanbase of Prince can't just walk away, it's got to be harder for someone like Apple.
posted by dhartung at 2:37 PM on September 25, 2005
Tori Amos had something like 5 or 8 records she was contractually obligated to with her first (and now former) label. Despite her cool relationship with that label, she had to continue releasing music under it (which the label chose not to promote in any way).
It is quite likely Fiona Apple has no choice but to continue with Sony or quit music, once she signed her contract in 1997. Maybe she is done at three, maybe there are several more to go. Who knows. But when a record label thinks they've got a hot young prospect like Apple wrapped up, they don't ask for one album. They ask for many. And they are good at writing contracts you don't get out of, as they have the money for flesh-eating lawyers.
posted by teece at 3:17 PM on September 25, 2005
It is quite likely Fiona Apple has no choice but to continue with Sony or quit music, once she signed her contract in 1997. Maybe she is done at three, maybe there are several more to go. Who knows. But when a record label thinks they've got a hot young prospect like Apple wrapped up, they don't ask for one album. They ask for many. And they are good at writing contracts you don't get out of, as they have the money for flesh-eating lawyers.
posted by teece at 3:17 PM on September 25, 2005
Unfortunately, the album sounds like jacked-up calliope music; it honestly made my ears bleed and wonder if the reason it hadn't been released was because it was Just Plain Bad. (Of course, the number of Just Plain Bad albums that are released every year quiets that argument.)
posted by delfuego at 3:35 PM on September 25, 2005
posted by delfuego at 3:35 PM on September 25, 2005
As far as I know, "Parting Gift" isn't an on-the-spot improvisation, but rather an album-quality recording in one take, which was also the first. Most of the other songs were much more carefully produced in studio. Fiona sang and played piano, then Elizondo laid down drum tracks and built from there, with Apple eventually providing a final vocal track.
Listen to the linked mp3 @ 30:45
posted by delmoi at 4:52 PM on September 25, 2005
She looks like the Ur-Olsen twin.
Isn't that a good thing?
posted by Ryvar at 11:21 PM on September 25, 2005
Isn't that a good thing?
posted by Ryvar at 11:21 PM on September 25, 2005
delmoi, after transcribing the interview, I have to agree.
delfuego, I can see your point -- some of the weaker songs seem to be fighting with the production rather than supported or complemented by it. Still, my visceral reaction was immediately This is great and it's only stepped back from that on hearing Apple's own opinions. Almost all the songs are individually good (and after 6 months or so I can see the real song and not just Brion's glockenspiel and calliopes, if you follow me). I can't wait to compare what Elizondo and ?uestlove did with the same material, though.
posted by dhartung at 6:11 PM on September 26, 2005
delfuego, I can see your point -- some of the weaker songs seem to be fighting with the production rather than supported or complemented by it. Still, my visceral reaction was immediately This is great and it's only stepped back from that on hearing Apple's own opinions. Almost all the songs are individually good (and after 6 months or so I can see the real song and not just Brion's glockenspiel and calliopes, if you follow me). I can't wait to compare what Elizondo and ?uestlove did with the same material, though.
posted by dhartung at 6:11 PM on September 26, 2005
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posted by jack_mo at 2:10 AM on September 25, 2005