Tara Vanflower talks some more (tara interview)

[James <oneiros@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

hedo all.

Happy holidays and here's a new [3]interview.

                   [1]Tara Vanflower talks some more... 

People who have been reading The Violet Collection for a while know that
I'm a huge fan of Lycia. What can I say? I think they're brilliant...

A few months ago I had the wonderful good fortune of conducting an
interview with Tara Vanflower of the band, who spoke a little bit about her
own album, her work with Lycia, and a whole bunch of other stuff. And now
as the year comes to a close, I've been lucky enough to have the chance to
speak to Tara again about the past, the present, the future, and stuffed
animals. Check it out...

1) Do you remember the first time you ever heard a song by Lycia? How did
it make you feel, and what sort of connections did you make with the music? 

A pen friend of mine sent me a cassette copy of Ionia. So I popped it into
the ol' stereo and began writing him back. The first song started and I
stopped what I was doing and looked up thinking to myself "wow!  This
sounds great!". Then Mike started singing . . . . and I thought to myself
"Oh my Lord! I HAVE to know this person!!". So, I wrote to Sam @ Projekt
and he sent me Mike's address. The music and his voice - the mood -
everything overwhelmed me. I also called a band meeting with my band and
forced them to listen to the cassette. I explained to them that THIS is
what it's ALL about.

2) The latest release from Lycia, Compilation Appearances Volume II,
features songs from the mid to late 90s when you joined the band. What was
it about the early Lycia recordings that inspired you to contact Mike and
what was the particular catalyst that led to you joining? 

I just instantly fell in love with Lycia - and thus Mike. Everything about
the music, his words, his voice struck me with awe. Something about Lycia
makes your heart ache - I don't know what it is - It's like when you see
something so beautiful it makes you sad. I don't know. I was VERY
apprehensive about being involved with Lycia. I in NO way wanted to "screw
anything up". Mike asked me to join because he liked my voice and where I
was coming from musically/lyrically. I in no way tried to push myself into
Lycia. (despite what some may think or tell you) I am forever greatful to
him for trusting me enough to be involved.

3) In putting together a compilation you obviously have to spend alot of
time listening to songs, going through master tapes, all that sorta stuff.
What are the predominant feelings that go through your mind while you're
listening? Do you wish you could change anything, or try something
differently, or are you pleased with everything the way it is? 

I think the predominant feeling is "lost opportunities". I really don't
think Mike would want to change anything in regards to the music he's
made......except that the earlier stuff had been recorded better and that
he would've taken more control over everything in regards to artwork and
stuff like that. I think some of the best Lycia songs ever written are some
that have never been heard by anyone but Mike, John and me.

4) Knowing the connection that your fans make with the music, knowing the
intimacy that your music conveys, have you ever felt the need to hold
anything back for fear that it's too revealing, that it might be too
personal, other reasons? Do you ever write songs just for yourself that you
never intend to let anybody else ever hear? 

I personally have never felt that I needed to hold anything back in the
music I've written. I am an open book. I think that may be one of the
reasons the few people who like Lycia like it so much - because we've never
been afraid to let people see inside of us and they can relate to what they
see/hear. I've never felt I need to hide anything from anyone. That is one
of the reasons it's so hurtful when people critisize our work, whether it's
a cd or a live performance. It's basically like opening your chest wide
open for people to look at and having them spit in it. That is one of our
major frustrations with having been labeled a "goth band". Lycia was never
about spiders and vampires and halloween - Lycia was an outlet to express
real emotions and real things we were struggling through - and to basically
have that expression of our raw emotions belittled to nothing more than a
"goth band" - on equal footing with some of the goofy/pretentious crap out
there - was just terribly dispappointing for us. . Oh, and no, we've never
written anything just for us.......I guess that goes back to the whole
"being an open book" thing! ;)

5) What's your current favorite TV show? How does it stand up to your
favorite shows when you were a kid? 

Hmm......my current favourite tv show is probably King of Queens. I've
laughed so hard I've cried watching that show. Jerry Stiller is HILARIOUS.
I don't think I can really compare the shows I watched as a kid to the
shows I watch now because mentally I am nowhere near the same person as I
was back then. Of couse we still watch Survivor and tons of stuff on
TLC/Discovery/Animal Planet etc. OH! And I like Trading Spaces - that show
where neighbors revamp eachother's houses.......don't know why.......I just
do. And I still love all the shows I watched when I was little too! :)

6) Looking at the work you've done with Lycia, is there anything that you
enjoyed so much that you wish you could do it over again? 

I think I would like to go back and do the Cold Tour again. Only minus the
fact that Mike was diabetic and was sick about 90% of the time. :( And
maybe the last show at Irving Plaza - that was a good/sad experience.

7) I'm wondering if you could tell me the names of three stuffed animals
you own, and why you've named them as such. 

Certainly! Stinky is this really cute skunk I have - named for obvious
reasons. Whiskey is a stuffed terrier I have and I named him that because
that's how I like to say "whiskers". and Spring Peeper is this little green
chick that chirps when you squeeze him. I named him that because Mike got
him for me for Easter right before we moved from ohio and the little spring
peepers (tiny frogs) were already out and chirping - so I wanted something
to remind me of them when we moved to arizona. I'm a FREAK about my stuffed
animals. They're all named and they have to be placed in comfortable
positions or I get all wigged out. No one is allowed to play with them in a
degrading way or make fun of them either.

8) Word Association:

Lycia: sadness, happiness, love, freinds, missed opportunities, the love of
my life

Tara Van Flower: someone far away

Time: ceaseless and ferocious

Arizona: desert, air, freedom

Ohio: green, home, family, sadness

Beginnings: hope, light, breath, joy, peace

Endings: inevitable, gut wrenching

Travel: space, mountains, sea, stars, the burning world, brian john
mitchell, everything

Sound: voluptuous

You: me, candy, white cupcakes with pink frosting

9) Your turn, ask me a question, any question, and I'll do my best to
answer it... 

Hmmmm.......what color should your insides be? (mine should be sky blue and
silver)

rik replies - I'm glad you asked me that! My insides would be a lovely
blue-black, kinda like the hair that my friend Christina had two years ago.
It's a stark look, but it's quite beautiful, very cool. I would like to
think that I have cool insides... =-)

Back to the interview...

10) With the completion of Empty Space, a new recording as Estraya, and
more of your own solo work it seems as though there are a number of things
to look forward to on the horizon. What can we expect to hear from you in
the future? 

We have like four releases ready to go. I have no idea when/if I/we will
ever record another full length release. I know that I would love to return
full time to music - but that seems next to impossible. I would also love
to perform again. Life is so short and so scary and so completely out of
our control......nothing is ever certain. I think the new Estraya release
is by far the best release we've ever recorded - and certainly the most
naked we've ever emotionally been on a release. It captured time and place
perfectly.

                  This interview was conducted by [2]rik

References

   1. http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/131/lycia1.html
   2. mailto:forlorn99@support-cause.hotmail.com
   3. http://www.corpusnet.com/rikstuff/Interviews/taravan2.htm
-- 
 James <oneiros@support-cause.darkspire.net>       No trout leaping. A
 uri: http://oneiros.darkspire.net/  raven nests in an elm tree.
 1024D/62C2F77D                      A nesting songbird.