As he does from time to time, Sufjan Stevens has upped his thoughts on a new Asthmatic Kitty signing. This time it’s an interview that feels especially personal. The discussion takes place with ex-Marzuki band mate, folksy Seattle singer-songwriter Shannon Stephens. (Bonnie “Prince” Billy covered her “I’ll Be Glad” on Lie Down In The Light.) She’s just released her second album, The Breadwinner, her first in almost 10 years. In the piece, Sufjan talks about that old college band Marzuki and describes Stephens as possessing “a gorgeous alto voice like Judy Collins and a penchant for writing catchy folky songs about love and heartache.” He also updates us on what Stephens did after college (“she moved to Seattle, got married, raised a beautiful family, worked in landscaping, and grew older, wiser, and more complete”) and where she is now. In the end, Sufjan and Shannon’s conversation sheds light on both participants: We get naked insights into Sufjan’s process, his output, etc. Take a look at a few of the highlights after you listen to The Breadwinner‘s “In Summer In The Heat.”
Here’s the accompanying video:
As far as the Stevens vs. Stephens tête-à-tête:
SUFJAN STEVENS: I’m quite embarrassed by some of my older songs, and often feel they’re the product of immaturity. Do you have a similar view of some of your older material?
SHANNON STEPHENS: Yes, I do — particularly a few songs from the Marzuki days, when I felt compelled to turn every song into a neat, tidy little gospel message. I frankly don’t want to perform a lot of those songs now because I can’t really get behind them anymore. Life is not neat and tidy; neither is the gospel message! And I don’t want anyone to think I’m suggesting that.
SUFJAN STEVENS: At the same time, people often tend to like the older songs. Is there some kind of psychological disassociation that’s required of us to maintain a healthy view of older material? I never like the idea of condescension toward a song. But I loathe looking back, and the idea of nostalgia makes me sick. Also, I fear that some of the best songs are the product of reckless naivety, the fodder of youth.
SHANNON STEPHENS: I’m not sure how to handle requests for some of the more embarrassing songs. Sometimes a song can be good and immature at the same time. For instance, going through a college breakup is an event that happens when you are immature. But if you can articulate it properly, the song transcends the phase of life it was written in. Other songs are not articulated well in the first place, or they come to the wrong conclusions, and those do not transcend. Those are the ones you end up wanting to bury. And those are the ones I’m not currently planning to play at shows. But the question is still unresolved for me, because those embarrassing songs don’t just belong to me; they also, in a way, belong to the fans whose lives they have affected. Maybe it is arrogant to refuse to play them, even if they don’t represent me anymore.
Later, in a question, Sufjan notes:
For myself, I’m starting to fear that music is far too selfish, self-absorbed, and self-interested for the ordinary life. When I’m entrenched in a project, for instance, the dishes are left undone, the bills left unpaid, the house is a mess. I become sub-human. I begin to despise all my bad habits.
And, for those of you clamoring for a new Sufjan album, there’s this:
I’m at a point where I no longer have a deep desire to share my music with anyone, having spent many years imparting my songs to the public. Although I have great respect for the social dynamic of music–that it should be shared with others, that it brings people together–I now feel something personal is irrevocably lost in this process. Now, while I refuse to act wholly on this impulse (I refuse to take my audience for granted in spite of my mood), I’m still trying to find the value of the song in private. Having spent ten years in private (not sharing your music), can you offer some wisdom on this matter? Does a song have any meaning even it’s not shared?
Considering we’re in the era of over-sharing (in various forms), that last question he poses is especially poignant/relevant. The rest of the interview is at Asthmatic Kitty.
The Breadwinner is out via AK.
[Photo by Zack Bent]
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I think it’ll be a pleasant and mildly uncomfortable day when all the “indie world” notices Sufjan Stevens is just a dude who does things and it’s cool and whatever. We’ll all breathe a sigh of almost-relief that could be captured in a wide angle shot and be used as the end for the somewhat interesting documentary on some of his life as paralleled to Jeff Mangum and (in a pinch) Kurt Cobain. (Just replace “grunge with “folk-grunge”, “torn jeans” with “pressed slacks”, and “cardigan” with “cardigan”.)
This guy takes himself WAY to seriously…do a soundtrack…I’ll let him know when he’s as good as the Hollies or Laura N…
He just sounds honest to me. Have you ever looked at an old photograph and thought ‘what was I thinking’? Maybe you did your hair differently or wore some crazy clothes. The point is you’ve changed and you’re not entirely the same person you once were.
It’s fun to try on your old kicks; but if people constantly asked you to wear a certain outfit would you really want to? How would you feel if that outfit was a leisure suit? Make no mistake, it could be pretty badass leisure suit. But I’m thinking you might prefer to wear something else.
In the first paragraph, you write “Shannon Stevens” and not “Shannon Stephens.” Is this a typo or are Shannon and Sufjan related? Are they dating? Married? Brother and sister? MacKenzie and John Phillips-ing it up? Please clarify this otherwise I think you may have blown their love affair cover.
Ah, was just a typo. Thanks for noticing.
…at some point it’s about time to release an album though and stop screwing around with interviews and the such, eh? No, no, no. Nevermind, Sufjan’s past that.
hes been performing new material on his tour
and its sooo good
i was at the show in ithaca
he played six or so new songs
dense, electronic, chaotic, but sufjan
soooo good
what’s interesting about this dialogue is the conflict between creation and sharing. if something is created, doesn’t it by default mean it is meant to be shared? if not, then it was always meant to be inert form of blah locked inside some kind of vacuum not even meant for observation. and if musicians can’t share their artwork, then i’d conclude their egos are getting in the way of something that wants to breathe life to a user on the other end.
‘…those embarrassing songs don’t just belong to me; they also, in a way, belong to the fans whose lives they have affected. Maybe it is arrogant to refuse to play them, even if they don’t represent me anymore.’
I really agree with this from a philosophical point of view. Creation is much more selfish when it is not shared. I’m confused as to why he thinks it is the other way around.
often musicians care about how the audience will perceive their music as much as the audience will perceive the artist, which is remarkably self-absorbed and ego driven..
but sufjan appears to get so absorbed in the process that he neglects the rest of his life because the art alters his daily priorities. but its probably why his music rules
Nothing about artwork requires that it be shown in an open forum. It’s sort of like writing in a journal, if he has a desire to produce something from within that he’s feeling in song form, sometimes it’s enough to simply see it realized.
I’m not buyin’ it, though. I think he’s saying this so he doesn’t have to make good on his album for every United State promise. Bitch.