There Will Be Rosenblood

Lynn Rosenblood
From: Santa Monica, California, US

Day 4 (which you have to say in a geordie accent) of the Devil's week long interview extravaganza and after the dance histrionics of the absolutely not square Not Squares today's interview heads in a much more classical direction with Canadian songstress Lynn Rosenblood. Lynn has taken time out from stretching her tonsils to tell the Devil about her love of opera singers, Sufjan Stevens and er, fucked up family dynamics!

The Devil: Who are the biggest influences in your life and on your music?

Lynn: My mother and my grandmother were both opera singers so they have left a big mark on my musical life – Opera is so large and I remember the two of them singing and talking and getting all crazy and it seemed so complicated that I really had to go another way with my approach which is no intellect just natural. My songs arise from my relationships and how they fit in to the nature of things.


The Devil: What was the first record you owned and what was the first record you ever bought with your own money?

Lynn: While my mum was studying her music she would give me headphones and the first records I ever remember listening to were Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev, and Carol King’s Tapestry. I never had to buy any music for so long because my brother was such a collector from the time he could walk and my dad had a ton of jazz records and everyone around me was just crazy for music there was always music and there was always headphones and stuff coming out of them - but My personal first may have been Rickie Lee's Pirates.

The Devil: What makes you stand out from the millions of other artists across the world?

Lynn: I think my truth is clear and I don’t hide my words.

The Devil: What makes you unique? 



Lynn: Again I think it is the truth and how simple I tell it that makes my songs special.

The Devil: Which bands or artists on the current music scene make your spine tingle?

Lynn: Currently I do love Shelby Lynne as a singer and I love Alexi Murdoch as a songwriter, Sufjan Stevens as an over the top unattainable genius, Broken Social Scene for fun and freedom and Eels for all of the above.

The Devil: Favourite song?

Lynn: Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell

The Devil: 
Favourite book?

Lynn: Lullabies for Little Criminals - Heather O'Neil

The Devil: Favorite Movie?


Lynn: I usually love the one I just watched and I love foreign films – I just watched a Christmas tale about a fucked up family staring Catherine Deneuve – I love dynamics, especially fucked up family dynamics.

The Devil: Favourite website?

Lynn: you tube

The Devil: Tell me something that you've never told anyone before.

Lynn: My songs are my friends – they are resolutions to feelings I don’t necessarily understand – my songs are my compass in life…when I cant write one it usually means I’m struggling to figure out how to relate to someone or a situation.

The Devil: If you weren't a singer songwriter how would you keep yourself occupied?

Lynn: art school teacher

The Devil: If you were interviewing yourself what would your killer question be and how would you answer it?

Lynn:

Q : How important is a musical community to your process?

A: Artistic community is crucial to any kind of artist. One needs piers of all creative avenues to fuel the energy of ones work. Picasso would go steal strangers off the street to critique his work midstream. We are as good as those we hang with!

The Devil: Is there anything else you'd like to tell the Devil Has The Best Tuna readers?

Lynn: I have to be creative everyday or I don’t feel like it was a good day. A song needs time and space to develop even if it appears to just pop out. My life is all about the creations and what I do to get to the place to be able to do that – and my mum always said – t.s. Eliot was a postmaster.

Go Try

MP3 - Lynn Rosenblood - and the winner is...
MP3 - Lynn Rosenblood - I'm Not Yours
These tracks are published with the permission of Lynn Rosenblood so please don't claim breach of copyright

Go Visit

Lynn Rosenblood - Myspace

Here are some videos from a couple of Lynn's favourite artists...

Eels
Spectacular Girl



Broken Social Scene
Forced To Love