Women In Technology
“There are some things in life that have to be done regardless of success or failure.”
(insert from White Town 7″EP, July 1990)
That was what I wrote for the first insert on the very first White Town release. I remember cutting up a thousand by hand and sticking them in the sleeves. Now here I am, with a “proper” recording deal only…ooh.. six years later š Even if everyone hates my songs, I should get a Nobel Prize for patience.
Though a lot’s changed for me in the last two months, some things remain the same. I still believe that music is about emotion rather that fashion. And that within music, the most interesting and honest parts are the imperfections. It’s the blemish in a photograph that catches my eye. A lot of what I hear nowadays seems too… perfect. Beautiful smiles beam out from sparking videos, miming to *immaculately* produced songs. Who looks like that in real life? Perhaps I’m being too picky and all that pop music can offer is an escapist dream of glamour-by-proxy. But I hope not.
Whenever I write these blurbs there’s usually an accompanying soundtrack. This time round it’s been Tribe Called Quest’s “Showbusiness” (for obvious reasons) and, mainly Magnetic Fields “Famous”. Although I don’t have marble-like skin (or indeed hair like Alain Delon), that song seems spookily appropriate. But don’t worry, the next album won’t be a whingeathon about the burdens of money and fame. Don’t you hate it when musicians moan? Pah!
I suppose the weirdest time was when Mark Radcliffe was playing “Your Woman” on Radio One every other day and there were only about 10 copies of the CD in the country. The next strangest was doing a live interview with Simon Mayo and I *still* hadn’t signed to anybody. It all felt a bit…..unreal. It still does now, especially as I was meant to be finishing my final year at Derby Uni this June. Going from Baudrillard and Chomsky to the baroque intricacies of a recording contract is a bit bewildering. Anyway, enough babbling. I hope you like this album. But hey – if you don’t, just go and record your own. It’s really not that difficult š
Love and kisses
Jyoti
Thanks
Firstly to Geoff Merritt and all the Parasol massive for putting out all my stuff over the last six years.
Also thanks to…
Mark & Lard, Simon Mayo, Neil Ferris & the Brilliant! Crew, JF and all the team at Chrysalis/EMI, Cath & Baz, Gaz beekeeper, Chris Martin, Katy W., Ant Collapsed Lung, Dave Sneak, Mark Adcock, Stephen Denver Moughan, Kellie McGuffie, Sheryl & Jimmy, Not-So-Mad Martin, Matt, Malcolm “Showbiz Pal” Schofield, Paul Groom, Ian DJ, Googie & Simon, my Mum & Dad and, of course , Ele.
