THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Melody Pool

Even back home in Australia the 21-year odl singer Melody Pool has yet to create a wave and in his review of her debut album The Hurting Scene, the writer Iain Shedden for the Australian opened with, "Chances are you won't have heard of Melody Pool".

He then hailed her Nashille-recorded album which was crowd-funded and produced by Jace Everett of the True Blood/Bad Things song and Brad Jones who has knob-twisted for Josh Rouse and Justin Townes Earl among others.

Shedden described The Hurting Scene as "one of the most accomplished debuts by aan Australian singer-songwriter for many years" and concluded by saying it was "a rich tapestry, an album full of promise from a relatively unknown performer".

The album is in that region between folk and alt.country, and after having it released independently Pool was picked up by Mushroom/Liberation and it was re-released. Pool has done considerable touring (Milk Carton Kids n Europe, New Zealand's Marlon Williams in Australia) and shortly comes to New Zealand for some dates (see below).

Time then for this promising young artist to answer of Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire. 

The first piece of music which really affected you was . . .

A Case of You by Joni Mitchell, which remains my favourite song to this day.

Your first (possibly embarrassing) role models in music were . . .

Miranda Lambert and LeAnn Rimes haha oh dear…

If music was denied you, your other career choice would be . . .

Not sure; maybe a teacher or support worker. I have no backup plan!

The three songs (yours, or by others) you would love everyone to hear are . . .

‘Your Love Is Killing Me’ by Sharon Van Etten, ‘Sorcerer’ by Stevie Nicks and ‘Windows’ by Angel Olsen

Any interesting, valuable or just plain strange musical memorabilia at home?

We have a very valuable instrument which belonged to my Dad’s old guitarist, the late Martin Jenner (AMAZING guitarist), but it’s interesting because it is a left handed mandocaster, which is a cross between a mandolin and a telecaster but with 6 strings.

The best book on music or musicians you have read is . . .

‘Chronicles: Volume One’ by Bob Dylan. Very interesting while also being quite contrived and I questioned whether a lot of it was the truth, but I read it in about a week.

If you could get on stage with anyone it would be . . . (And you would play?)

Joni, of course. We’d play her song ‘River’.

The three films you'd insist anybody watch because they might understand you better are . . .

Practical Magic (to learn why I love all things witchy), The Wedding Singer (to learn what makes me laugh), Inglourious Basterds (yes, it’s spelt like that, and you’d watch it to learn that I’m not a lightweight)

The last CD or vinyl album you bought was . . . (And your most recent downloads include . . .)

The last record I bought on vinyl was Neil Young’s ‘After The Gold Rush and the last album I downloaded is Kim Churchill’s new record ‘Silence/Win’ (which is amazing. Get it)

One song, royalties for life, never have to work again. The song by anyone, yourself included, which wouldn't embarrass you in that case would be . . .

A song off my next record (early retirement ha!)

The poster, album cover or piece of art could you live with on your bedroom forever would be . . .

‘The Meditation by Francesco Hayez

You are allowed just one tattoo, and it is of . . .

The moon

David Bowie sang, “Five years, that's all we've got . . .” You would spend them where, doing . . .?

All over the world, exploring.

And finally, in the nature of press conferences in Japan, “Can you tell me please why this is your best album ever?”

‘Because I don’t plan to make another!’

………….(I do really, but that would be my response haha)

MELODY POOL TOUR DATES

San Francisco Bath House, Wellington. Friday July 11 (with Marlon Williams and Aldous Harding)

The Tuning Fork, Auckland. Saturday July 12 (with Marlon Williams and Aldous Harding)

Taste Merchants, Dunedin. Sunday July 13 (with Aldous Harding)

Wunderbar, Lyttelton. Wednesday July 16 (with Aldous Harding)