On Song :: Alessi's Ark

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Here at TLOBF Towers, we’ve been wooed by Alessi’s Ark singer/songwriting skills for some time. Her debut EP made me go all a quiver, whilst her debut album Notes from the Treehouse has made Mr. Thane go weak at the knees. So, what better time to find out a bit more about her musical background…

What was the first song that really caught your imagination?
One of them was ‘the good that won’t come out’ from ‘The Execution of All Things’ by Rilo Kiley.

What was the music your parents liked and do you think it’s influenced you at all?
My parents like all sorts of music and i feel, like most families, much of it seeped into my sister and i while we were and as we are still, growing up. With Dad it’s The Jam and quite a bit of soul and prog-rock and Mum likes David Bowie, Elton John and Graham Nash.

What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
My sister and i were always changing and re-arranging our bedrooms but one thing that always stuck was a chart of times tables.

Which songs or albums would you play at a party?
Albums :
‘You may already be dreaming’ – Neva Dinova
‘LP’ – Magic Magic
‘Cold Fact’ – Rodriguez
‘Along the quai’ – The Berg Sans Nipple
Songs :
Madonna of the wasps – Robyn Hitchcock
Big sky – The Kinks
Detritus – McCarthy Trenching
The soul of my suit – T.Rex

Which songs remind you of a rainy day?
Hold me – The Greenhornes
In your arms on my mind – Nic Armstrong

Which album do you seek solace in when you are feeling sad?
Coal Beautiere’s album ‘Fight your broken heart and fly’. Something else that never fails to make things better is a good story or a song by Dave Hill. Look him up. www.davehillonline.com

Which album would you play when you wanted to get down to some lovin’?
I’m not sure.

What music was, or would be, the “first dance” at your wedding?
I haven’t really thought about that but ‘Comes a Time’ by Neil Young is special.

What was the first gig you went to as a paying customer?
I can’t remember but it’ll come to me. i will report back.

Name the one song you think everyone should hear.
There are plenty of good ones i have yet to hear and ones i hold dear but i love ‘Something on your mind’ by Karen Dalton.

Which one artist do you think not enough people know about?
There are bound to be lots of treasures out there we don’t know about.
Amy Pickard is one of them. I’m sure there’ll come a time soon when more folks do. She made a wonderful film called ‘One for the Road’. Jake Bellows is another.

What’s the best thing you’ve heard recently?
The new album by The Whispertown 2000. It’s called ‘Swim’.

Dead or alive, what 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?
I’d be a listener in the audience and leave them to it : Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt, Magic Magic, Sam Cooke and Daniel Johnston.

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Dancing is the theme !
Dances fantastic – Neva Dinova
Dancing with a monster – Magic Magic
Eau d’Bedroom Dancing – Le Tigre
Ghost Dance – The Patti Smith Group
One Big Holiday – My Morning Jacket (Jim doesn’t mention dancing but i always like it’s implied with ‘was some shakin’ and some record playin’).

And finally, who would win in a fight: a stoat or a goat and why?
Let’s just sit them together, they’d probably get on alright.

Alessi’s Ark on Myspace