» Al Start interview
Al Start is a Brighton legend, Paul Disney caught up with the singer, songwriter and is now a huge fan!
Describe yourself?
AS: I’m a 30-something, female singer songwriter from Brighton. Tall and dashing (well, maybe!!).
Why Brighton?
AS: I came to Brighton 20 years ago as a student and fell in love with the place. My romance continues to this day. It’s a unique and fascinating place to live. I’m hooked!
Where did you get that extraordinary voice from?
AS: 80 fags and five cans of Special Brew a day! Oh no, that was Joni Mitchell’s answer to that question! My voice is something I’ve been working on for a long time, kind of you to ask!
What would you change about Brighton and Hove if you could?
AS: Oh now you’re asking. The only thing I would do is lower the extreme house prices and only tell the locals. Stop Londoners moving into poncy apartments and let us be able to afford a home here!
Tell me about your new album, I heart History?
AS: It’s a collection of ten songs all based on stories from Brighton Museum’s archives. I’ve picked the fruitiest, naughtiest, funniest and saddest stories I could find and turned them into songs. Each one relates directly to Brighton and is something that happened right here on our doorstep. Musically the style is new acoustic – lovelyguitars, some mandolin and fiddle, clarinet but with drums and some programming here and there. Lush harmonies and great lyrics!
What are you aspirations?
AS: I used to be fiercely competitive and loose sleep over the release of each album/tour and worry what everyone thought of me; but recently I feel I’m a bit more laid back. I have several projects on the go at once which helps; I write and record children’s songs and run singing workshops and assemblies at school, to encourage youngsters to sing.
Name a musician who has influenced you?
AS: Joni Mitchell, Morrissey, Crowded House and The Beatles – proper good song writing. Just to name a few.
Describe the music you write and perform?
AS: I really write a considered lyric; by that I mean, I try to make each song a little snap-shot of a movie. I work on the images to put across an interesting story. I love harmonies and strong melodies so try to meld the story in with the tune to make a simple-sounding catchy song – listen and you’ll see!
When I perform I love to chat with the audience and tell stories and include lots of humour. I love live gigs and am a confident performer. I go to a gig as a punter and really feel the artist is making a connection, so I try to do that.
How long have you known that you wanted to be a singer songwriter?
AS: It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be! I used to sneak into my little sister’s bed at night, when I was six, and make up songs on the spot and sing them relentlessly into her ear – poor girl! I started writing properly when I was 11 and took up the guitar – never looked back since!
Which one song out of all the different genres in music would be your number one choice?
AS: No way! I couldn’t possibly choose.
OK if you can’t name one – give me a top ten tune?
Oh good! ‘Moving’ by Kate Bush
Tell me about Tucan
AS: Ahhh… well Tucan was my old band. We went through a couple of line-up changes; first it was Charlie and me (Charlie on double-bass) and then after a few years my sister Cheryl joined me as a duo. She has the most wonderful voice – boy, did we sing a great harmony! But I had to go solo in the end as she had other commitments. Cheryl often sings backing vocals and harmonies on my CDs though – lovely!
Where’s the best event place or venue you have played in?
AS: The best recent gig was in Trafalgar Square last summer at Euro Pride in London – WOW! On stage with just my guitar singing to a sea of over 10,000 people it was fantastic!
What’s the difference between gigging somewhere like New York compared to Brighton?
AS: You know, it’s not that different! I went to New York thinking it would be so-o-o-o much better than Brighton or London, even. But it ain’t! Don’t get me wrong, it was brilliant, but it makes you realise how great things are on your own doorstep. And when you tour in different countries you realise that one venue is much the same as another wherever you are in the world. It’s actually comforting! New York rocks though – it does have an edge but it’s hard to define.
You run your own record label Lone Coyote Records – where did you gain that experience?
AS: Just DO IT! Is my advice. I decided to stop waiting for someone to sign me, and sign myself. Then you have that out of the way and you can just get on with being a signed artist and go for it! You learn how to do everything as you go, it’s not that hard to do!
Tell me why you are running in the Race for Life this year?
I ran last year, and will again. I had cancer myself in my 20s and was very ill for a very long time. I now relish life. I also run because I have lost many loved-ones to cancer and wanted to do something to contribute to the cause. I raised a fair bit of money and got fit at the
same time. It was great fun (lie: it was horrible – rained like I’ve never seen before and was waist –high in mud!). I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone thinking of doing it.
Visit Al’s new freshly madeover website: www.alstart.co.uk and buy her album, or be a friend: www.myspace.com/alstartgo and come to the Museum to the ‘On the Pull’ exhibition and be amazed at what Brighton’s been getting up to since the middle-ages! Launches Valentine’s Day for nine months. Go on, it’s very saucy!!!
On the Pull Thursday 14 February to Monday 1 September 2008 Installations around Brighton Museum & Art Gallery
