Crack Plug-ins and Smelly Music: Lorde on WTF
If you're like me, a huge fan of neurotic, self-absorbed, narcissistic rambling and cats, you probably listen to WTF podcast with Marc Maron. I first saw Marc Maron on Comics Come Home in 1995 on Comedy Central, and I've been a fan ever since. Back when he looked something like this, but with like, a leather jacket, and little more anger and anxiety than he goes on stage with today. It was 14yr old Deadair's EVERYTHING!Recently¹, the Cat Ranch Wrangler had New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde, aka Ella, on his podcast (or as he often phrases it, "... in the garage"). During the interview Marc and her recount an incident before the interview, when he was trying to get her attention as she was walking down a hill, by yelling "LORDE!", which she's apparently not accustomed to people calling her in a panic, because she kept on walking.
"Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor!!"- said no one ever... except Lorde's Mother. When she's in trouble. Maybe.
Now, if you can get through Maron's typical opening monologue of informing the listeners of his daily life, his current insecurities, and his flawless sponsorship reads. Incidentally, he is one of the best in the business, if you ask me. Seriously, you barely see the ads coming. He doesn't stumble or drag on too long with them. His reads are tight and to the point. Given how much he's likely making off those ads, one would understand why he's so professional. More podcasters should take note, if you ask me. I don't need a 5-minute "conversation" between hosts trying to convince me they're wearing MeUndies² right this very second. Or an eighteen-minute speech about your ketos causing dietary supplements, Joe Rogan.The interview has some of the typical conversation points. How she started playing music. Some of her favorite musicians. What life is like in New Zealand (seriously, just rename the place Middle Earth already). And, typical for Marc, what her relationship with her parents is like. *SPOILER ALERT* It's fine.What I found most fascinating was listening to her talk about living with, and the effects on writing music with synesthesia. A word that took MANY Google searches for me to learn how to spell.
syn·es·the·siaˌsinəsˈTHēZHə/nounPHYSIOLOGYPSYCHOLOGY
More simply put, synesthesia is a condition where a person's brain mixes up the 5 senses. Sounds becomes visuals. Smells become sounds. Touch becomes... more intense touch or something, I guess. Which would explain her, let's call it eclectic, dance moves at the VMAs.via GIPHYIn Lorde's case, she has what's called Chromesthesia, or sound-to-color synesthesia. Meaning, she associates certain musical notes with colors. I don't have synesthesia, but after my doctor pulled 2 JELLY BEAN SIZED LUMPS OF WAX out of my ears, my hearing improved so much I honestly could HEAR A RAINBOW! So I get it. Jelly beans. In my ears. It was gross. Q-tips are bad people.Anyway, when Lorde hears music, she can see the entire path of a song (her words), like a multi-color brick road (my analogy). In addition, it was interesting to hear her talk about which music is less impactful on her disorder, like acoustic guitars, and which causes a more severe visual reverberation, so to speak.
“I love the Mamas and the Papas. That gets little intense synaesthesia wise. It’s the best. Beauty terror. It’s horrific and it’s wonderful.”
I imagine, is a lot like what an acid trip feels like, but with fewer melting walls, and less painful from lack of future spinal taps³.The soon to be old-enough-to-legally-drink singer also talked about the making of her first, grammy award winning album. Which was literally made with NO INSTRUMENTS. It's riveting to me how differently she creates music, compared to how music was written when I was 20yrs old. Even with different tools the artistry is still there, but without losing any of the emotion it requires to birth a song, as evident in her lyrics.
"It's literally cracked plug-ins."
I was already a fan of Lorde's music, but this conversation made me more of one. Listen to the full interview at wtfpod.com or click play below.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/wtfpod/WTF_-_EPISODE_844_LORDE.mp3
- Recently, as in last week. I just listened to it today, because now that I own a car I don't don't spend 6+hrs a day on the T. Which facilitated the need for podcasts to prevent me from going insane listening to the ramblings of fellow Orange Line internees. So, needless to say, I'm a little behind.
- Not a sponsor of this blog, but I could use some new boxer briefs. Seriously, the prudish looks from the old lady at the laundromat who realized I go commando because I never have any underwear to fold are getting uncomfortable.
- Hi, future employers who may be reading this; just know, I'm drug free. Yeah, I can't explain this boundless amount of hypomania-esque energy I have either.
