OGC Theatre - Contents

Anastasia (sans John)

The Old Grey Cat Interview

Opening act: It's an unenviable position, to say the least. I recall too many instances when a restless audience obliterated the opening act with its chatter, overwhelming the oftentimes sumptuous sounds coming from stage. When the performers connect, then, it's generally for a reason--as in, they're good. Very good. An excellent example of just such an instance occurred on the American leg of CPR's 1998 World Tour. In Philadelphia, the unassuming duo of Anastasia & John wowed the crowd; and, reports from other stops along the way indicate that the Philly show was no exception.

The Old Grey Cat: How did you and John come to be a team?

Anastasia: John and I dated for about three years before he ever heard me sing, and it was about four years before we decided to try singing in front of people. The very first show we did together was a festival with about 600 people passing in front of us. Scary. We also started out doing open-mike nights at local coffee shops.

TOGC: Did you sing in school? What's your musical history?

Anastasia: Yes, I was in concert choir, and loved it very much. I grew up in Missouri, and there wasn't much more to do there than to sing--at least, that's how I felt at the time. I also sang in the local church choir when I was very young till about the age of 14. John has a wonderful talent for guitar, writing and playing. He's been playing since he was about 14. He also played the trumpet when he was young; his main gig was playing taps. His father loved to play the trumpet--I think that's where it started for him. He also was very active in school musicals.

TOGC: Growing up, who were your major musical influences? How have they changed or evolved through the years?

Anastasia: My mom used to play Marty Robbins and Charlie Pride. I think they might have been an influence on me. . . until I turned 14, and got stuck in the '80s mix of Sheena Easton and Def Leppard. If I sang along with anyone at that time it would have been Cyndi Lauper. After I graduated high school, I immediately moved to California to become a musician. That's where I thought it would happen. I was 18 and kind of a heavy metal rocker. Then, I was introduced to Bonnie Raitt, Sinead O'Conner, Don Henley. . . and I fell in love. To this day, Bonnie is a major influence on me, as is Nanci Griffith. I love her simple style.

TOGC: Your album, That's You & Me, features quite a few cool guest musicians--Jimmy Messina, Graham Nash, Jeff Pevar, James Raymond. How did that come about?

Anastasia: Musicians like to help other musicians. The wonderful musicians we picked for our CD were our dream players. We actually did not know Jorge (Calderon, bass guitarist) very well--or, should I say, he didn't know us at the time. We gave him a tape, and he said he would love to play. Everyone said that. I feel very lucky. We knew Graham already, because John had worked for him as his guitar tech for years. We met Jimmy through a songwriting class that he gave long ago at his studio in Carpinteria. Through Crosby, we met Jeff and James. All we did was ask.

TOGC: You thank Jimmy Messina "for helping cut away the fat." Does that mean allow the songs breathing room?

Anastasia: Yes. He really helped us to grow our songs, and with performing. We'd already been performing for a while at the time, but we got a lot better after Jimmy. He's tough, but he's also soft.

TOGC: You also thank David and Jan Crosby... how did they happen into your & John's life?

Anastasia: John works for David as his guitar tech, and Graham. They really are special, very real people. They have given us so much.

TOGC: You've opened for CPR... when I saw you in Philadelphia, you captivated the audience (a rare feat for an opening act in Philly). Did you learn anything about performing, or songcraft, from watching CPR every night?

Anastasia: I really like the way David is in his living room with an audience. I think I've learned from that. Songcraft, we may have some of his soul in some of our songs. Definitely.

TOGC: One of the songs you performed that night was a (beautiful) new one, "Butterfly." You told the story of John having written the music months earlier and that, while walking along the beach, the idea for the lyrics came to you. Is that indicative of the way you write?

Anastasia: When John writes something that doesn't have words, I'll listen to it and then say what I feel the song could be about. This particular guitar part was just so beautiful that I thought it might not need words. The lyrics were inspired by the walk, but came to me the next day while John was once again playing the guitar part.

TOGC: When not on tour or in the studio, what do you do with your free time? Do you "sit in the sunshine"? "Stay up all night long"?

Anastasia: Yes, I LOVE the sunshine--although I do stay very busy with the business we have. And, it is 1:30 a.m. I just got back from a Patty Griffin concert, and it's late, but it's peaceful. Sometimes it's nice to be awake while the rest of the world is sleeping, and just be.

TOGC: What do you think of when you "gaze at the stars from afar"?

Anastasia: People, places, people who lived long ago, how far the stars really are from us, quietness.

TOGC: People get so caught up in the rush of their everyday lives that they often overlook or forgo the "simple" pleasures around them that you point out in "Things You Oughta Do." How do you maintain a "proper" balance?

Anastasia: It can be difficult, but I am very good at dropping everything to just breath and appreciate. I think the key is to have patience. So many people don't even have the time to just stop and look at the sky, I guess that was the point I was trying to make in "Things." Everything will happen when its supposed to. It doesn't help to press, it just adds to the stress. I always have a lot to do, but I don't get anything done if I don't ever look at the sky.

TOGC: Do you write "in character" or from the heart? Is it safe to assume that a song like "It's Not Easy" is about you?

Anastasia: I do write mostly "in character," nut also with a little from the heart thrown in. "It's Not Easy" was half John and half me. We wrote it right around the time when we were just starting out. He was the original singer of that song. I was just ending a job as a nanny, and I asked if I could sing it because it felt so right at the time. "Things," however, was written as me telling someone I hope this is what you will do. "Butterfly" is kind of the same thing, you'll be okay. I have other songs, though, that I wrote as me being the first person. They'll be on the next CD.

TOGC: What comes first, the lyrics or the music? Do you find one easier than the other?

Anastasia: For me, it's both. The majority of the songs that I've written on my own were probably guitar, then melody, then words. Sometimes I'll have a guitar part, and one great line, and that's the song. Sometimes it takes a while to finish a song. . . I just finished one today that I started writing many months ago. I do have tons of lyrics in a book, waiting for a home. I also write with just vocal, and words. And I love to co-write with John. Often, he'll have the guitar part first. After he has an idea, words come very naturally for him. He's amazing.

TOGC: That's You and Me was a truly independent release. Why did you two opt for that path and not, say, an established label? Does it give you a freedom you might not otherwise have?

Anastasia: Yep, freedom, but it's a long and slow process. We both talked about a big label, and after we made the CD we did send a few out to some of the smaller labels. I guess we thought we'd like to be able to make something off the CD, because you can't make it on touring alone. A lot of the major labels don't allow artists to sell CDs at their shows, but some do. We also like to know what's going on. I'd like the help of a label in the promotional department, and distribution--and maybe recording support--but, for now, we're happy. It's good to be the one in control sometimes.

TOGC: You mentioned in Philadelphia that you're headed into the studio again this fall. Will that be another independent release? When can we expect it? Aside from "Butterfly," what other songs are under consideration?

Anastasia: We hope to start recording at least two songs, "Butterfly" and "Safe Inside," in November. We've talked about it, and are really going to try to get it released by January?. . .  or February? I never know, I was really off on the last one's estimate of time. It's a long process. I think the technical part will go faster this time though, since we have one under our belt. So long as we can afford it, we will do it again independently.

Other songs we'll most likely record are "You Are Everywhere," one I wrote, and "Little Man," which John wrote. We've performed both of those live. We have a couple older songs we are talking about doing. One called "Had to Follow," and another titled "Along the Way." We also have a few brand-new ones which we haven't performed yet, but are great songs. "Leap of Faith," "I Ain't Livin' Like That," and "The Coffee Pot" (Which is a little ditty in the John Prine mode). We have a couple more we are writing, and a whole bunch of older ones which we'd like to bring to life. I also have a serious song called "In This House." It's just words and vocals with melody.

TOGC: Do you have any plans for a tour in the near future?

Anastasia: We're going to try to go through Oregon and Washington in September. We're working on the bookings right now. And we'd like to go through Atlanta, Missouri, and Tennessee in October, if possible.