umm, i got this in an email(because i signed up for the official VC austrailian fan club[even though im american...lol]_)...and i'd like to share it with everyone :wink:
Vanessa Carlton Q&A
Q: Do you have any plans to visit Australia and New Zealand?
VANESSA: Yes! I was so disappointed last year when I had to cancel my trip out to see you all. I was being worked into the ground and it just caught up with me. Honestly, I’d like to make Aus. and New Zealand (forever known as middle earth) my first international stop for the new album.
Q: Is there a tentative release date for any new material; do you know what your next single will be?
VANESSA: The album will be released in the states next march. Not sure which song will be the first single yet. Gotta good batch of tunes!!!!
Q: In the song 'Rinse' you refer to "she", was this a reflection of yourself or the emotions of someone else?
VANESSA: That song was written about a friend of mine. In the end, all art is about the artist though.
Q: What song is your favourite to perform live, and why?
VANESSA: I love playing Prince. It’s kind of a jam band song. Most of my songs feel fresh to me when I play them.
Q: What do you do to prepare your fingers for playing?
VANESSA: If I’ve been on tour for a while, I don’t do anything. If I’m prepping for a tour I practice songs that are a handful. I do them over and over until my hands get tired.
Q: What artists and bands are you currently listening to?
VANESSA: The Streets, great lyricist. Third Eye Blind (Out of the vein). Trail of the Dead (Theory of a Dead man) Etta James (Greatest Hits). The Cure, The Beatles
Q: So far, what has been the highlight of your fame?
VANESSA: Getting good tables at restaurants and free lotion. When it comes to music, the greatest thing is selling out a venue. I used to play tiny clubs.
Q: Shakira once said that she finds most inspiration when on an airplane, where do you find most inspiration?
VANESSA: I finished writing to songs on a plane the other week. She’s on to something. I find that immersing myself in pop culture -whether it be watching the news, listening to new artists, or going to a gallery- is the ultimate stimulation. I also have an internal source of inspiration that hasn’t dried up yet. I gotta keep that place soaked at all times.
Q: When you first decided that you wanted to pursue singing as a profession, did you have any doubts that you would get as far as you have?
VANESSA: I wasn’t aware of how far you could go. My only desire was to make and album and perform. I didn’t anticipate it being on this scale. I didn’t know I was going to make a video or be on TV. That wasn’t part of my goal. Now I understand what it means to be “commercially successful”. Afterall, I almost signed with an indie label before I sign with Interscope.
Q: If you could describe yourself as a weather type, what would it be, and why?
VANESSA: I like blue skies, a warm sun and a salty ocean. My favorite season is fall on the east coast. Rainy days can be cozy though.
Q: What song in your album, "Be Not Nobody," is most personal?
VANESSA: The whole album chronicles my development as a songwriter that’s figuring out her craft and her world. It is a personal body of work. If I was to pick one song, I’d say Twilight. I wrote that in my dorm room at ballet school after I realized I was going to quit.
Q: If you weren’t a signed artist, what would you be doing? Would you still be dancing, pursuing another avenue of the entertainment industry, or something else altogether?
VANESSA: I would still be writing music. A record deal does not validate an artist. I’d probably be graduated from school right now.
Q: If you had the opportunity to work with one artist, dead or alive, who would that be, and why?
VANESSA: Neil young. I’m going to ask him to sing on my record. He is one of the most righteous men I have ever met in my life. I’m a huge fan.
Q: Have you felt that your ability to express your views through your music has been somewhat smothered since many artists, most prominently The Dixie Chicks, have articulated their thoughts on world affairs and have been widely criticised for doing so?
VANESSA: No. The Dixie Chicks did not do anything wrong. It was really disappointing to realize that our government does not accept dissent. Why the fuck was The chicks comment on a ticker on CNN!!!!!! It was as if a bomb went off. Millions of people felt the same way as Natalie Maines. A lot of people are embarrassed and ashamed about how the situation in Iraq was handled, including myself. I choose not to speak out. I wrote a song called Amerateen instead.
Q: How much does commercial success influence your song writing and what you record?
VANESSA: Success allows me to be taken seriously by the powers that be. Ultimately, I am handed more creative freedom without having to fight for it. My writing process is isolated from the glitter of fame. To be honest, if you’re in the “glitter” it doesn’t sparkle like you think it would.
Q: If you could ask any of your fans a question, what would it be, and why?
VANESSA: Who’s your daddy. Just kidding, ummmm……I’d probably have a food conversation. I love fruit! Always wanted to bond over berries.
Q: Would you actually walk a thousand miles just to see the one you love?
VANESSA: I hope that I’d be smart enough to get to him using some kind of transport system.
