keep art alive: johnette napolitano

the ten questions project: johnette napolitano

* 1. what music (or other art form) inspires you when you create your art?

-WHATEVER IS COMING THROUGH MY HEAD AT THE TIME. WORKING WITH MY HANDS FREES UP MY MIND, I START TO HEAR THINGS. I GENERALLY LISTEN TO TALK RADIO WHEN I'M WORKING.

* 2. long distance road trip: what three people do you invite along (fictional or non-fictional, dead or alive)?

-OH I IMAGINE HUNTER S.THOMPSON, DOROTHY PARKER AND NIKOLA TESLA.

* 3. what is your favorite breakfast cereal?

-OATMEAL

* 4. what is one thing that is hanging on your bedroom wall?

-MY GRANDMOTHER'S RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CROSS. SHE'S BURIED WITH ONE.

* 5. what smell/scent evokes strong memories for you?

-COFFEE AND CINNAMON. THERE WAS A PERIOD WHEN I WAS SO BROKE I HAD NO PHONE, I COULD AFFORD 50 CENTS A DAY FOR A PHONE CALL AND A PAPER, I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB. ALL I COULD AFFORD WAS COFFEE AND CINNAMON STICKS, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I LIVED ON BACK THEN AND TO THIS DAY I CAN'T SMELL COFFEE AND CINNAMON WITHOUT SQUIRMING.

* 6. coffee or tea?

HA..MOSTLY HERB TEA NOWADAYS, I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE COFFEE BUT I DO.

* 7. what has been the most impactful compliment, or criticism, you have ever received?

-I WOULDN'T WANT TO GIVE THE PERSON CREDIT, BUT LET'S JUST SAY I'M THE TYPE THAT IS MOTIVATED BY PEOPLE WHO TELL ME I CAN'TDO SOMETHING. MY DRUMMER GABRIEL RAMIREZ AND I CALL IT THE 'F*** YOU' FACTOR.

* 8. three words that describe you?

LOYAL. MANIC. HONEST.

* 9. cartoon character crush: who is, or was, yours?

-I WAS JUST TALKING TO JIM MANKEY ABOUT THAT LITTLE HEN IN THE FOGHORN LEGHORN CARTOONS WITH THE GLASSES THAT SWOONED EVERY TIMETHE ROOSTER CAME AROUND. SHE WOULD BAKE HIM PIES AND STUFF. 'OOOOOOOOH..A MAN!' SHE KILLS ME. I LOVE A LOT OF THE ADULT SWIM CARTOONS.

* 10. the world is ending in ten minutes and you get to listen to one, and only one, song: which song?

- WELL IN TEN MINUTES I COULD FIT IN A COUPLE SONGS, I THINK. ONE IS A ROBBIE ROBERTSON NATIVE AMERICAN TRACK, CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME..THE OTHER IS AN INSTRUMENTAL I WROTE FOR JUAN QUEZADA, THE POTTER IN MATA ORTIZ. PROBABLY 'THE SCIENTIST' FROM THE 'SCARRED' ALBUM.LOUIS ARMSTRONG 'IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD'. SO MANY GREAT SONGS. OH! 'THE HIGHWAYMAN' BY THE HIGHWAYMEN, WILLIE AND WAYLON, JOHNNYAND KRIS. I WANT TO COVER THAT SONG. MAY START THAT TODAY.

***

johnette napolitano, of concrete blonde fame, and who has worked with various artists and recorded albums with other bands/band incarnations, is one of my all-time favorite musicians. her songs have become part of my inner soundtrack, and have acted as muse to many pieces of writing i've done. little conversations was the first concrete blonde song i ever heard, and i remember listening to it, rewinding it, and listening to it again and again while i drove up the 101 freeway; my tape deck blaring, as i sang along. pretty and twisted, a side project johnette recorded with wall of voodoo's marc mooreland, is one of my favorites; i have had to buy multiple copies of the cd after letting any people "borrow" it, and never seeing it again (the true sign that something is keen, in my opinion). johnette is an artist who constantly reinvents herself via her songwriting, painting, flamenco dancing, political activities, soundtrack scores, and various collaborations. i look foreward to her next endeavors, and know that i will be playing her songs (and telling others to listen) for years and years to come.

find out more about johnette at her website: johnette napolitano.com

and at her myspace

i would like to thank johnette for participating in the keep art alive: ten questions project, and for being inspirational to my writing.

go now go and check out more of her work, listen to an album, check for shows, and buy something if you can. keep art alive and show your support.