THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE SONGWRITER QUESTIONNAIRE: Ebony Lamb

 |   |  2 min read

Eb and Sparrow: Liberator
THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE SONGWRITER QUESTIONNAIRE: Ebony Lamb

Ebony Lamb – of Eb and Sparrow who have opened for Pokey LaFarge, Wagons, the Warratahs, Tami Neilson and many other folk-country luminaries – embark on an extensive New Zealand tour (dates below) on the back of their excellent new album Sun/Son.

So clearly it was time to flick her our Famous Elsewhere Songwriter Questionnaire . . .

The first song which really affected you was . . .

Old blues songs Dad and his mates would sing, we sung a lot at home.

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

Elvis, Bonnie Raitt, The Beatles, Tchaikovsky

The one songwriter you will always listen to, even if they disappointed you previously, is?

Gillian Welch

As songwriters: Lennon-McCartney or Jagger-Richards; kd lang or Katy Perry; Madonna or Michael Jackson; Johnny Cash or Kris Kristofferson?

Lennon-McCartney, kd lang, Jackson, Cash & Kristofferson

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

Bill Callahan – Javelin Unlanding

Nina Simone – Feeling Good

Me at the Museum, you at the Winter Gardens – Tiny Ruins

410LczXaGsL._SX326_BO1_204_203_200_Melody first? Words or phrase first? Simultaneous?

Simultaneous

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

I’m lazy and watch amazing interviews straight from the horses mouth, I do tend to read about artists though, just finished Georgia O’Keefe’s biography.

If you could co-write with anyone it would be . . . 

Leonard

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

Jim White Versus the Packway Handle Band on vinyl

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

Liberator off our new album Sun/Son, god that would be great, dark country indie crying out for a change in consciousness the world over, played everywhere so we don’t forget, but I’d have to work again, or I’d just be a slob. Then again, someone might pay someone to never play it again, you never know.

One line (or couplet) from a song -- yours or someone else's -- which you think is just a stone cold winner is . . .

‘I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time’

11822700_673679246066685_3633226059809414386_nWichita Lineman – written by Jimmy Webb

Songwriting: what's the ratio of inspiration/perspiration?

Both are vital

Ever had a song come to you fully-formed like it dropped into your lap?

Deadbeats off our last album, 3 weeks of internal angst, came out in 5 mins after going camping at Little River with Aldous, Marlon and Jessie Shanks as well as a bunch of beautiful friends. I just came home to Wellington and wrote it out, felt so good.

And finally, finish this couplet in any way you like: “Standing at the airport with an empty suitcase at my feet . . .” (You are NOT allowed to rhyme that with “meet” however)

‘Where’s my luggage’!

NATIONAL TOUR DATES  SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER

Sat 5th Sept Wellington San Fran

Sat 12th Sept Hastings Common Room

Sun 13th Sept  Wairarapa  Tin Hut,

Thurs 17th Sept Tauranga The Art Gallery

Fri 18th Sept Te Awamutu Walton Street

Sat 19th Sept Auckland Wine Celler

Sun 20th Sept Leigh Sawmill

Mon 21st Sept Auckland  Freida Margolis

Fri 2nd Oct Whanganui Musicians Club

Fri 16th Oct Nelson Arts Festival

Sat 17th Oct Blenheim Dharma Bums Club

Sun 18th Oct Barrytown Barrytown Hall 

Thurs 22nd Oct Akaroa Hilltop Tavern

Fri 23rd Oct Lyttelton Wunderbar

Sat 24th Oct Dunedin Chicks Hotel,

Sun 25th Oct Wanaka Lot 3 Café,

Sat 31 Oct Paekakariki St Peters

Share It

Your Comments

post a comment

More from this section   The Famous Elsewhere Questionnaire articles index

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Tommy Emmanuel

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE QUESTIONNAIRE: Tommy Emmanuel

Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel is no stranger to New Zealand's shores and nor should be because he was for a long time a near neighbor. Born in New South Wales 60 years ago, Emmanuel rose... > Read more

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE HIGHLY PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE . . . Ben Tolich aka Mali Mali

THE FAMOUS ELSEWHERE HIGHLY PERSONAL QUESTIONNAIRE . . . Ben Tolich aka Mali Mali

Over the years Elsewhere has listened to and favourably reviewed the interesting and unique sound of Mali Mali, which is the performance name of Auckland's Ben Tolich whose work we admired for its... > Read more

Elsewhere at Elsewhere

Lubbock, Texas: Lubbock or leave it

Lubbock, Texas: Lubbock or leave it

There comes a time when anyone who travels becomes Blanche Du Bois, the woman in Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire who famously said, "I have always depended on the kindness of... > Read more

Dennis Bovell: Mek It Run (Pressure Sounds)

Dennis Bovell: Mek It Run (Pressure Sounds)

For a very long time from the mid Seventies bassist/producer Dennis Bovell was the go-to guy when British artists wanted an authentic deep dub sound. His work with poet Linton Kewsi Johnson has... > Read more