Inara George Interview

"All Rise" takes the Heart in tow and drifts through an x-ray nebula of emotion, punctured by hope, love and illuminated by California sunshine. Much like Inara herself; Small, sprite and full of life, she heaves a giant vintage hollow body epiphone to get her thoughts across. The music of "All Rise" ranges from indie, folk, vintage pop and what sounds like mutations of eerie country western lounge acts. All of it is approachable yet sometimes coy. Some would argue that "All Rise" is too dreamy and unassuming to affect the listener. I would say that these are the same jerks that need a wall of noise to overload their senses to feel anything. "All Rise" is a beautifully woven album carried by a wonderful voice that gives room for the listener.

KM: Inara is an interesting name. It sounds Japanese. How did you get that name?
Inara: It is actually Latvian. My mother and father had a friend named Inara and they liked the name.

JDD: How did a sense of place influence your songs?
Inara: Not quite sure what you mean...Did my surroundings influence my writing? I suppose so, but I think I write more about what's going on in my life, rather than where I am physically.

JDD: Were you writing diaries and poetry when you were younger?
Inara: Here and there. I have never been very good about keeping a diary. And I have never been much of a poet. I would say I am a songwriter that is sometimes poetic.

KM: How has the theatre affected your music?
Inara: I think it has affected it quite a bit. Not only in how I perform or interpret songs, but my writing. To be exposed to such incredible writers, like Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams... I'd say could only help me.

KM: You were raised in a family ingrained in music. What was it like growing up in a situation like that?
Inara: My father died when I was just 5, so my upbringing could have been a lot musical if he had been around. But my mother still encouraged all of us to play music, write, act, dance etc. And she took us to see the music of my father's peers. So I still had a pretty arty upbringing.

KM: Did you ever have any formal music training or was it always just a part of your life?
Inara: Like almost all kids I took piano lessons and I was also in the school choir, but I would never say that I'm very skilled in any traditional sense. I've had moments of being able to read music more fluently than other times, but I suppose it doesn't apply to what I'm doing, so I forget very quickly. It's just like any language, you have to keep using it. Does that answer your question?

JDD: When did you start thinking about making music and being in a band?
Inara: I don't know if I ever started thinking about it, I just fell into it. When I was 19 I started a band with some friends as a joke and it kind of snowballed. It took me a couple of years to actually feel comfortable with the idea of playing music professionally. But I feel pretty lucky that this is where I ended up.. I'm having a lot of fun.

KM: Can you describe your creative process?
Inara: There is not much to it. I just sit down with a guitar and hope that something good comes out. Usually I begin with the music, but sometimes I have a word or phrase that gets me started. I wish there was something more magical about it. At the risk os sounding a little cheesy, I guess when I can finally play a new song from start to finish is when it feels kind of magical. Nice to feel like you finished something...made something new.

KM: How long do you work, typically on a song, before you feel its has realized complete fruition?
Inara: Every song is different. Some songs take a month, some songs take a day.

KM: You seem very connected with the guitar. Is this true? How many do you have?
Inara: I have quite a few, but I am not a gear head like many of the musicians I play with. Mike Andrews, who produced the record, is a complete equipment fiend. I am quite content with a few great guitars.

JDD: Did you ever do any collaborations and how did that go?
Inara: Mike Andrews helped me write most of the songs for this record. I love to collaborate with people. It's the best feeling to share a song with someone else. I tend to enjoy the song so much more.

JDD: Who did the album cover?
Inara: Geoff McFetridge, who is this incredible graphic designer and old friend of my boyfriend. I am so thrilled by how the artwork came out.

JDD: Who do you play with and how did you find these musicians?
Inara: Mike gathered together this amazing group of guys for the record and almost all of them are still playing with me.

JDD: When did you start recording music?
Inara: I suppose when I started playing in a band. Around 19.

JDD: What are some of your songs about?
Inara: That's a hard question. What do you think they're about?

KM: Is there an underlying string or idea that you are trying to express through your music?
Inara: I wish I was more conceptual than I am. I just write songs and hope they're good songs.

KM: If you could distill your drive to create music in one word, what would that word be?
Inara: Fun.

KM: Jackson Browne sings on one of the tracks of "All Rise". How did this come about?
Inara: He is an old friend of the family and when we were finishing up the record Mike suggested that we have Jackson come in and sing on "A Day". It seemed fitting somehow.

KM: We spoke briefly at Noisepop last February. You said that some journalist had fabricated a story about how your father had died on stage during a set. How do you feel artists like yourself are impacted by hackneyed journalism and press?
Inara: I do think that a lot of people believe everything they read...I know that I tend to. So I think that a journalist has quite a bit of power over an artist, a politician, etc. And I figure if you're going to say nasty things about my music or record( btw I do believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions) at least get your facts right.
JDD: Do you think that it is important to have a lot of emotion in your voice, as a singer?
Inara: Definitely. But I think that everyone's definition of emotion is different. I think the better thing to know is what is the intention behind the voice.

KM: Have you toured outside of the states yet?
Inara: Not with this record. But I hope to soon.

KM: Are there any events that you recall from your tours that are particularly memorable?
Inara: We had a heckler the other night. A very drunk heckler at that. That was pretty memorable. She wanted us to play rock and it was just me and Mike with acoustic guitars. I think if we had a less attentive audience that night it would've probably been really depressing.

JDD: Any advice to your young fans who may want to do music one day? Inara: I'm not very good about giving advice. But if I were to say one thing just have fun. That is all you can control.

An interview with Inara George By Keith Martin & Jesús Don Diablo