8 Questions with Grey Anne

contributor: Ed Thanhouser

Grey Anne continues to be one of the most recognizable acts here in Portland.  Rising from the ashes of her former band, Per Se,  she is known for her use of looping pedals and engaging live show.

1. I noticed you recently returned from a brief west-coast tour, of which I know you kept a nice, detailed diary. What was your favorite thing, anecdote or city from that experience?

thing: the houndstooth trousers I bought in San Francisco. They’re the latest hub of my casual chic.

experience: Getting to know Tennessee (of Cap Lori), because she was the unknown element of the tour, and she turned out to be an excellent musician, and, I think, a kindred spirit.

anecdote: Probably the Falafel Pun. Not my favorite moment by any means, but a fun one to re-tell. (See my wweek tour diary, “Getting Out Of The Way–Napa, CA.”)

2. You’re an artist who uses lots of live looping in your set, and I’m curious about the writing process involved. Do you often write songs with the RC-20 or do you write and arrange them first, then figure out how to perform the song with looping afterward?

Well, for me, the looping came before the looping pedal. Back when I played in Per Se, and even when I used to write songs with a tape recorder in high school, I always favored repetitive arrangements. Not that that’s rare, that’s how most pop songs are built–with “riffs” or “licks,” which are basically loops. When I went solo, I guess I took on the looping pedal as a way to keep bringing across those pop arrangements the way that I conceived them, because those musical structures and the way they interplay, are part of my vision for the songs almost as much as the lyrics and melodies.

3. Another looping-related question: how does your live performance inform your studio work and vice-versa? Were the various audio layers of “Facts & Figurines” adapted straight from the live looping versions, or was there a different process involved?

facts n figurines was made while I was still playing with the band, (and my former bandmates are featured on the album.) I didn’t even have a looping pedal for most of that time. So the parts of facts n figurines which seem like “loops,” are actually just like what we were performing live–us playing or singing the same things over and over. On the recording, I took on more of the overall vocal and instrumental workload than I did in the live environment. But the parts aren’t looped, they’re just layered and repetitive.

4. Say you’re in charge of booking an all-star Portland show: what local acts are on your ‘dream-bill’?

I’m living the dream, actually. I play with my favorite local bands all the time. If I didn’t, I’d give shoutouts here to try to summon the best musicians to my side. But as it is, I’ve been incredibly fortunate. Any act I’ve played with in the last couple years, was probably someone I quite like.

5. What’s your favorite venue to play in Portland?

Posh concert venue: Mississippi Studios
Bar/venue: Holocene and Kelly’s Olympian
House: Artistery and Dekum Manor

6. I read in your blog about going gluten-free with your diet, and the difficulties of that restriction while touring. I know from experience that good road-food is truly an art. In retrospect, do you have any food-advice for other touring musicians (or other traveling folks) who have diet restrictions, or just want to avoid the typically-unhealthy food that usually accompanies life on the road?

My solution to the gluten problem was twofold: I made sure we prioritized breakfast, because that’s a really easy meal to order without getting lots of wheat if you just avoid the toast. And then I bought 20 pre-cooked packs of lentil rice biryani, and while we were in the car, I just tore into them and ate them like otter pops. Way tidier and easier than you’d think. And gluten-free and filling.

7. Being that you’re both undoubtedly busy with your respective ‘primary’ projects, is your collaboration with Dat’r’s Paul Alcott, Sweater! on hold or finished? I haven’t seen any updates in a while. Are you two still working together, and do you have any upcoming Sweater! news, albums, tours or shows?

The Sweater! report:

As you may know, we have this unofficial 10-song album, which we handed out at our PDX Pop show, but we haven’t actually published it with cover art and whatnot. I would love to process that album now, still, and see how it flies, but Paul prefers to hold off on promotions until he’s already got follow-up work in the can. He’s backlogged hundreds of beats. I have them on my computer, and I’ve vowed this’ll be the Summer of Sweater! So…I’ll get on that. And then we can do more.

8. What would you say is the most indispensable or favorite piece of gear you own?

The most indispensable piece of gear would be my acoustic guitar, because it works under any conditions. I’ve never wanted to be one of those musicians who has to plug in, to be able to entertain. When there’s a buzz somewhere in the sound system, when I’m on a traincar in a foreign country, when I’ve forgotten the thingie that plugs into the other thingie, I can pick up my acoustic and still deliver a decent show.

My favorite pieces of gear right now are my new accordion, and my newly-inherited banjo. I like these instruments because I have few ambitions attached to them. I probably won’t learn many songs on these instruments, and will use them mostly for meditative noodling.