Laurie Anderson 1984-12-06
Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco, CA
Set 1
Charles Amirkhanian speaks with Laurie Anderson about songs from her recent album, Mister Heartbreak.
Laurie discusses influences on many of the songs on that album including “Kokoku” and “Starkey’s Day”. In addition, the composer explains her new album’s departure from her last release, Big Science, containing “O Superman”.
Laurie’s sense of humor emerges in stories of her “past” lives, the controversy of extinct animal cloning and a funny incident with her “clone” being spotted in New York City. Laurie discusses and plays the music of musicians who have influenced her through the years including Ken Nordine, Bongo Joe, Henry Theil and her immersion in Cuban music through club visits in uptown New York and how it has affected her music on her new album.
Laurie discusses influences on many of the songs on that album including “Kokoku” and “Starkey’s Day”. In addition, the composer explains her new album’s departure from her last release, Big Science, containing “O Superman”.
Laurie’s sense of humor emerges in stories of her “past” lives, the controversy of extinct animal cloning and a funny incident with her “clone” being spotted in New York City. Laurie discusses and plays the music of musicians who have influenced her through the years including Ken Nordine, Bongo Joe, Henry Theil and her immersion in Cuban music through club visits in uptown New York and how it has affected her music on her new album.
Set 2
Laurie discusses the origins and variations of the song “O Superman (for Massenet)”. She plays a Jules Massenet piece sung by Charles Holland (“O Souverain”) then “O Superman” by Laurie; also various bootleg/cover versions of “O Superman." She discusses the Eventide Harmonizer, the “three states of a song” while analyzing the song “Its Cold Outside” which was to become “Big Science” and listen to variations of both pieces. Laurie takes questions from the audience and then talks about writer William Burroughs.
Set 3
Comment
KPFA's Ode to Gravity Series from 1984. Host: Charles Amirkhanian
Recorded before a live audience of 1000 at the Exploratorium's Speaking of Music series.
Recorded before a live audience of 1000 at the Exploratorium's Speaking of Music series.
Sources
| SHNID | Date | Venue | City | State | Archive Identifier |
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Created At
Wed Jun 20 2007 15:38:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Updated At
Wed Jun 20 2007 15:38:52 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
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