LiveWorld Transcripts

Borders.com presents

Musician Dar Williams
Discusses her latest album, "The Green World"

August 21, 2000

Musician Dar Williams is here to chat about her music, concerts, touring, and recording.

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NetCafeLIVE: Welcome to NetCafeLive! Tonight we are chatting with songstress Dar Williams who will discuss her latest album "The Green World." NetCafeLive is presented by Borders, Inc. and Talk City, Inc. Please welcome Dar William!

Dar Willams: Hi everyone! I haven't done one of these in a while. It's nice to be back in cyberspace.

BrightAngel: Your music is truly unique. What do you see as your contribution to music and how do you hope to influence the area in the future?

Dar Willams: I only write songs that I feel I have to write, even if they are goofy ones. And, that seems to keep me honest about writing songs that communicate and are not just trying to sell themselves. And, I always appreciate it when other artists do the same. That's all I contribute.

Selissah: Using songs to tell stories is not something new, but its something that seems to get forgotten. What inspired you to bring this story telling format back?

Dar Willams: I think it was the only way I could write songs. I am one of those annoying people who hears their friend's problems and tells them a story to show that I understand what they are saying and to offer some path out of whatever muck they've found themselves in. So, I tend to see concepts expressed through relationships and stories.

Darthwife: What kind of system do you follow for writing a new song? Do you come up with a story or the concept first?

Dar Willams: If I'm lucky, some catch phrase will come into my head along with a melody. And, like recently, I had a melody with the words "farewell to the trees" in my head. I thought it was going to be some song about forests lost to land development, but someone asked me to write a song for a movie, about a person who is losing her ideals to make art efficiently, for a job. And then I realized that a better use of that melody was the line "farewell to the old me". The song arranged itself around that central concept. It gets a little dry if I just start with a concept, and try to pump a melody and story into it. It's better to start with the more whimsical melody and mysterious line that pops into my head.

MusicalInterlude: Have you given any thought to changing the style of your music at any time? And if so, what would you try?

Dar Willams: I'm always tweaking it here and there. When I came home from a tour, in 1997, I had this techno song in my head that I woke up with, called "In The Day" sung by a techno rave guy, who's in recovery. And he's just so excited to finally have kicked drugs, and he's sort of a ridiculous character. I was glad that a really propulsive techno song popped into my head, because it makes me feel like I've got a muse, who isn't afraid to lead me down any path. It's another thing to try to get away with singing something like that!

Krazykel: You've always used the Internet to reach out to fans. Where do you see the future of the Internet going in terms of music?

Dar Willams: Every time new technology gets introduced there is a loosening of control over music. And then, eventually, most of the people who had control to begin with regain that control. However, I think the Internet is going to be different. And if we are all just sheep that can be herded through persuasive advertising media, I think right now there's a big piece of fence that's down. And a lot of sheep are bolting! That said, a lot of the people who influence the pop star machinery also influence the major press, major television, and concert venues. So that's a pretty solid block of power. I am very optimistic, though, because I have been on independent labels and have been taken up by many different Internet chat groups and so I've been able to have a very full career, without needing to conform to the biggest power structures out there right now. And I'm very grateful to the Internet for that. I feel like an Internet success story. I also tour my ass off!

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