Metro UK (May 2005)
60
second interview by Andrew Williams - Tuesday, May
31, 2005
Geri
Halliwell was one of the most famous women in the world as one-fifth of the Spice
Girls. She's pursued her solo career since 1999 and is set to release her third
solo album next month. A recent Channel 5 documentary showed Geri's activities
over the past year or so - including a corporate gig in Moscow and an appearance
on Top Gear.
How
is the new album different to your old ones?
It
took longer to write. My writing's got better, I feel more confident and more
grounded with it and there's a transition in the music. It's got an eclectic flavour
- there's a jazz theme, a couple of show tunes and more confidence in what I'm
singing about.
Have
you written all the tracks yourself?
Yes,
but everyone seems surprised when they find out. Other than It's Raining Men I've
collaborated, particularly lyrically, from the beginning of my career as an artist.
Maybe
people are just used to female pop singers performing tracks written by trendy
production teams.
I've never allowed myself
to be put through that sausage machine. I'm probably the most unmanufactured pop
artist you could meet. It freaks people out when they meet me - they are very
surprised by what a creative force I am in the studio. I love it - the writing
process is probably the best part of what I do.
Even
more than performing?
That's the icing on
the cake but the actual making of the cake is the most rewarding part. Passion
is one of the last tracks I wrote. I was ill in bed and I felt like I had the
words in my mind and a melody (starts singing) 'give me a reason to take you back'
and I could hear that Etta James-type string I wanted at the top. I went into
the studio with this guy I work with and showed him the ideas. To bring it to
life was such an amazing, rewarding experience.
Have
you considered releasing material on your own label like Mel C has just done?
That's amazing and takes a lot of courage
to do, but I quite enjoy working with the support of a record company. I like
the music side of the business - the business side of the music business is really
tricky. I find it draining and time-consuming and I like to leave it to others
and get on with doing what I do best. Letting go of the business side lets me
be more of a creative force - it gives me time to write video treatments and think
about the creative things.
Wouldn't
it give you more creative control, though?
I've
always been blessed with a huge amount of freedom throughout my career. I didn't
even play the first album to the record company - I did 13 tracks and said 'here
you are'. Too many cooks spoil the broth. This time I've listened to people from
the record company out of courtesy but in my experience I've had A&R men saying:
'I don't think that should be a single' and I've said: 'Well I do' and its gone
on to be a massive hit.
You
issued a statement denying you were dropped by your label after malicious rumours
appeared on the Internet. Why do you think people write things like that?
I
don't know - what do you think?
I'm
drawing a blank.
I ignore it. I don't even
talk about it because it feeds it. I just get on with what I do. There will always
be a few people who just want to knock you down or are jealous or just want to
be horrible for the sake of it. I don't know what drives someone to be nasty because
being mean about other people isn't on my radar.
Were
you happy with how you were portrayed in the recent Channel 5 documentary?
No,
not really. It was very one-dimensional. Everyone has a mad half-hour once a month
and they're going to want to use those bits, as it makes more interesting television.
It's a faster fix to show me being angry, zany or a bit crazy than showing other
sides of me. They did an OK job, but I would have liked them to show more of me
with the orchestra or just more of a gentler, more thoughtful side. They only
showed me having tantrums.
The
programme showed you letting your dogs foul the pavement. Has it encouraged you
to take paper out with you?
I don't know.
It's not something I think about.
At the moment I want
to communicate through my music. This album has been a labour of love. If you
want to know Geri Halliwell listen to my album: it tells you more about me than
a documentary ever could. If you really want to know who I am, listen to those
words that I've laboured over.
I appreciate the question
but I have no comment to make. [The Spice Girls are reported to be reuniting
for the Live 8 gig in Hyde Park on July 2.]
source:
Metro UK
