WALK THIS WAY Juliana Hatfield
Jul 08, 2008
Veteran singer-songwriter-popster goes the self-released route.
BY LAVINIA JONES WRIGHT
Juliana Hatfield, the veteran music biz vixen behind Blake Babies, Some Girls and critically lauded solo records is completely unfazed by her most recent, and most impressive, milestone: the self-release of her tenth full-length. Titled How to Walk Away, the album is coming out on Hatfield’s own Ye Old Records label this August, and it features collaborations with producer Andy Chase, Psychedelic Furs’ Richard Butler, Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, and Jody Porter of Fountains of Wayne. BLURT caught up with Juliana to talk about her album, her upcoming autobiography, and how to play a really good cover.
A tenth record is a huge milestone. How does it feel?
Well, the number is kind of impressive, but when I was making the record, I wasn’t thinking about that. I just feel like I’ve been kind of doing it steadily, and it’s just…another one.
What do you think the benefits are to self-releasing?
I guess the benefits are that I don’t have to run anything by anyone above me. I haven’t had any bad experiences with labels, I think it’s more that when I was working with record labels – major and independent – that I would just feel guilty if I said no to anything.
What made you decide to work with Andy Chase initially?
Working with Andy meant that I wanted to make a different kind of record, because he has a really recognizable aesthetic as a producer. I consider my sound to be kind of raw and sloppy, and his sound is more polished and tightly arranged. I knew working with him, this album would sound different from my other albums.
What made you feel that the timing was right to write your autobiography?
I actually started writing it about six years ago. It was just a goal of mine to write a book. The timing was sort of an accident, but I think it’s good for it to come out near the album. I think the book is a way for me to explain a lot of things that I can’t explain in my music.
Tell me your favorite song to cover live.
“It’s Only Rock and Roll” by the Rolling Stones. I do it in a way that’s really mournful and pretty, because I think that the lyrics of that song are really sad and poignant, but people really overlook them. If I could stick a pen in my heart and spill it all over the stage, would it satisfy ya? It’s all about pouring your heart out in your music.
[Photo Courtesy Christian Kock, via Creative Commons/Wikipedia]
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