Marion LoGuidice Interview March 2012

Marion Loguidice might be relatively unknown in the UK, but with Cyndi Lauper amongst her Stateside fans it’s perhaps on a matter of time. MTTM caught up with her ahead of her 3^rd album release, Tales From the Topside World, to find out more about the latest album and life as a musician.

MTTM: Your career as a musician started at the age of 40. What were you doing before then and what inspired the change?

ML: I was teaching yoga privately and trying to manage a whole lot of depression. I didn’t quite understand why I felt so heavy all the time, Ihad a lot to be grateful for and my childhood was yesterdays game and I lost- so I had made peace with that – sort of – lets just say I was no longer talking about it. My beautiful daughter had just turned 3 and for what ever reason I was unable to liberate myself from the voices in my head that made my life so empty. Then as I was approaching 40 there was this rumbling within me, like a shaking or shattering of something very old and the desire to write and sing my stories burst forth and my 40 years of silence were over. I never really sang before and did not play an instrument – had no real good support to help me move this out into the world – so I guess I was always collapsing under the weight of that and when I turned 40 I was very clear that the pain of not joining my life in the way that I was intended to – through music, was more painful then the challenges and humiliation I would have to endure as a woman stepping out on to a stage at 40 trying to sing the stories of her life. Never had one day of depression since then – the courage, fortitude and strength of endurance (AKA balls!!) that it took me to step out and live my life as a singer and songwriter, took my life to a place that lifted me above all the heaviness.

MTTM:You duetted with Cyndi Lauper on the album ‘God’s House’, and she’s cited as one of your fans. How did that relationship come about?

ML: Cyndi is like a soul sister and a great mentor to me. When we met it was as if I had known her all of my life. She is one of the most generous people I know. It turned out that she and I were pregnant at the same time and gave birth 6 weeks apart from each other. For the both of us it was our first child so there was a special kind of connection that we had. When she came to my first show she was moved to tears by one of my songs, Mr. Brown, and I think that was the beginning of her taking an interest in my music.

MTTM: For anyone who hasn’t heard your music before, describe it with three words.

ML: I love what Arif Mardin said – “deeply emotional and beautifully poetic”, but I would say a musical story teller.

MTTM: You play a lot of shows in the States. Any plans for a UK show?

ML: I would love to play in the UK. You don’t understand – in my next life I want to be English and live back in the days of Jane Austin and George Eliot! I am a Masterpiece Theater junkie and still getting over the fact that Downton Abbey is will not be on until next season! I have never been to england but i hope one day the opportunity will present itself.

MTTM: Lots of artists seem to be doing house concerts at the moment. Why do you think there’s a rise in this type of performance? What made you decide to start doing them?

ML: I think that there is a real relaxed feeling at house concerts. Its a very cool experience to see someone get up there and do their thing with no stage and lights separating them from the audience – its more intimate in a way and i think that people are craving a deeper kind of experience when they go out to be entertained. I think its a more soulful experience – but that’s just my opinion. I started doing them because so many people asked me to do them after they saw me perform.

MTTM:What parts of the recording process do you enjoy the most, and are there any you really dislike?

ML: I love every single part of the process. I love listening to the band bring to life and in full color the songs that I wrote on one tiny auto harp. The whole process for me is liking watching a Polaroid develop into a mind blowing picture. I love seeing what each player is going to bring to their part – the whole process is so exciting and rewarding. And then you have this full blown piece that started as just a line of words in your head – the idea of something that did not exist a few months back and now lives and thrives in this recording blows my mind.

MTTM: The album title is slightly obscure, can you explain what it means?

MTTM: Why do you think people either love or hate the song ‘Guru’.

ML: God I have no idea but I think the song is brilliant and it is the bane of my existence! When I perform this song to a large or small audience the audience goes nuts, they love it! They start clapping after the first chorus and whooping – something about the words in the chorus levels the field and people love that. But then you have the other side of the fence and those people are disgusted and offended? but they are the quieter ones… I make sure I sing that song after I know I have won my audience over – its a very tricky thing to be as you are and to keep your audience happy.

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