Interview with Lou Rhodes

By Colin Whitby

I hope you enjoy our interview with Lou Rhodes who’s latest album ‘Beloved One’ was featured in our last edition. The album really resonated with us and it should be no surprise that Lou’s interview has confirmed our ‘knowing’ that she performs from the heart.

Don’t forget you can find out more about Lou from her web site

Colin.

Colin Whitby: Who do you feel has been your main inspiration over the years (music or other influences)?

Lou Rhodes: I think rather than “who” my answer would be rather a “what”. Essentially my influence and inspiration since I can remember has been “love” in all it’s forms and guises. I’ve resigned myself over recent years to the fact that I’m very heart-centred. I used to think this was a weakness but have begun to think more and more of it as a strength. I’ve just got into the work of David Deida and find he speaks my truth in a profound way. I believe more and more that the pursuit of deeper and deeper love is about abandonment to the divine. I feel very lucky to have an outlet for these feelings through my songs. I think I’d be too much for those close to me if I didn’t have this!

CW: Do you find that being yourself so openly has brought like minded people to you (like attracts like)?

LR: Yes I think it does to a degree. I get so many lovely e-mails and letters from people telling me my songs have somehow helped them deal with feelings they have and that’s such a blessing to me. It’s funny though; although my songs may give the impression that I’m this incredibly open person who’s really in touch with her feelings I find that, in my own relationships, I still find it hard to express my own, deepest truths.

CW: If you could pick a song that meant the most to you in recent years, what would it be and why?

LR: Not sure if you mean one of my own songs or someone elses. Hmm, guess I should answer to both. My own: Each Moment New (my “flagship” song) Someone else’s: Oh so many! Think I’d have to go for “My Lady of the Island” by Stephen Stills. (I just wish someone had written a song like that for me!)

CW: You were supported by Jim Moray recently, do you feel his style of mixing old and new is the way forward for folk?

LR: I think folk is essentially about mixing old and new. Many people have the idea of folk music being about woolly jumpers, beards, pipes and dusty old pubs. This is what sidelines it as a musical genre. Folk is basically “music of the people”. It’s about story-telling and conveying life-experience and roots. Our roots in the contemporay west are multi-faceted and multi-cultural. It would be very blinkered for us to cut out these influences in our music.

CW: Did you find Lamb fans followed you to your new solo career?

LR: Yes, some have and, I guess some of the more electronic and beats oriented fans didn’t. In general I’ve had really lovely responses from Lamb fans.

CW: We saw you on Daughters of Albion, where we heard Beloved One for the first time. How did your involvement in the concert come about?

LR: My involvement in Daughters of Albion came about by chance. An old friend of mine who worked in connection with the Barbican suggested me for it and the rest’s history. It was an amazing event to be a part of.

CW: The song Beloved One has evoked a very personal response in myself and my wife connecting each of us somehow deeper with ourselves, have you found others have responded in this way?

LR: That’s wonderful to hear. Yes I have heard from a few people that Beloved One spoke to them deeply. For me it was an attempt to convey feelings that were almost beyond words so to hear that it got through to even a few is reward indeed.

CW: Your appearance on the Mercury Awards was another high this year, how has your nomination impacted you?

LR: Getting nominated was great. It felt like a real acknowledgemnet of my work. Things like that are funny though. Once it’s over it’s very much... business as usual.

CW: What are your plans for 2007, will you be touring?

LR: As I write it’s the first week of 2007. I’m about a third of the way into writing and recording my new album. I don’t have a title as yet but one will come when it comes. In the diary so far is a small US tour in March, Australia in April and UK and Europe in May (watch www.infinitebloom.com for details). I’m also really looking forward to the summer festival season in the UK and Europe and hope to play at some of my favourites.