Singer/songwriter Emily Easterly has been charming audiences around the country with her sultry, gritty, alt-folk-pop (with a splash of country) sound.  I was able to steal some of her time recently and learn a little more about what makes her tick and where she finds inspiration.

How long have you been writing your own music?

I got a guitar when I was nine and then later got really into listening to the Beatles.  After that I started writing songs at age twelve.  They were not very good songs at first and were about horses, made up love stories and whatever was in my head at the time!  But later in high school, I started writing more consistently, about four songs a month.  Not all of them were great but it was good practice.

Have you ever played in other bands?

In high school my best friend Mary and I had a guitar duo-thing going on.  We played songs that we wrote and also a lot of covers.  We actually played a lot gigs too!  Mostly stuff at school, but we also had a standing weekly gig at Barnes and Noble at one point!  I really think all that gigging back then set me up for what I’m doing now, even if they were kind of silly shows.  I also played bass in a band my freshman year in high school.  We played mostly classic rock stuff.  I loved just playing bass, not being the leader of the band, just sort of participating. But it didn’t last too long and we weren’t very good!

Do you co-write with anyone?

I’ve been pretty secluded with my songwriting.  But recently, my boyfriend, J Seger (who is also a singer/songwriter) and I have been doing some co-writing and it’s worked out really well.  We have very different styles in music, but we have been able to work out a couple songs together.  On my new record, “Heart Comma Heart”, there is a song called “Holly” which J initially wrote and then I added a couple things.  I think it really worked out well as our first real collaboration.

What's the most important thing to you, when writing a song?

I think the most important thing is for me to be excited about what I’m writing.  If I don’t like the song, then I figure there is no reason why anyone else should. 

Melody or lyrics first?

I work both ways.  Sometimes I get an interesting couple of chords and try and go from there, other times I go based off a concept or a phrase of words that I like. 

How would you describe your sound?

I don’t have one of those weird tag lines with a mash up of artists to describe their sound like “Emily Easterly sounds like if Tom Waits went on an Alaskan cruise with Billy Holiday and had a baby”.  But, sometimes I do use the line, “what a redhead should sound like”, which I like because it really doesn’t mean anything.  But if I must list something substantial, I would say that my sound is sometimes along the lines of early Liz Phair and sometimes with a Beatle influence. 

What bands are you listening to right now?  Who are you excited to see live? 

I just saw Spoon play last week at Terminal 5 in NYC.  I was pretty excited to see them live because they have been one of my favorite bands for a while and I have almost all of their records.  They are so consistent and so good.  It was really refreshing to hear simply good music.  To me, Britt Daniel (of Spoon) seems like a guy who is doing his thing, not trying to be cool or fit a trend.

In terms of other stuff that I’ve been listening to, I used to listen to a lot of “indie rock” while in college. I was pretty up on that stuff… like the first Arcade Fire record, the first Broken Social Scene record, always some Flaming Lips, stuff like that.  But in recent years, I have really shied away from that stuff.  I have turned more to the past and have been listing to Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Kinks, Roy Orbison, and Harry Nilsson (who is currently my favorite! I love, love, love him!!!)  It’s been really great to discover all of these guys for myself because they are real, genuine artists.

What's your favorite room to play and why?

I love playing Rockwood Music Hall.  The vibe is great in the room and I love that it’s small.  I think the sound is also some of the best in New York.  Mercury Lounge was also a real treat to play. 

Finish this sentence:  "If I weren't a musician, I'd be..."

No idea at all.  I have always had this inherent idea that this is who I am.  I don’t know, I’m pretty organized and good at cleaning, maybe I would have been a good maid?  

Create your dream bill-  who's on it?

Sparklehorse

Harry Nilsson

Paul McCartney and Wings circa 1976

What are your thoughts on the state of the music industry?

There is a music industry? 

What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

I don’t really feel like I’m in a position to be giving advice.  I’m still learning and trying to make things happen myself!

What are some of the differences between NY audiences and audiences around the country?

It’s nice to play the listening rooms in New York (like the Living Room and Rockwood) because people are expected to be quiet and listen during your set.  Audiences in some other cities, depending on the venue, don’t really do that.

Do you get jitters?

I get more hung up on the logistics of things, like how to get to the gig, load in, all that stuff than I do the actual playing and performing. 

You co produced your last album, Heart Comma Heart with Chris Cubeta.  What was that like?

Recording this record with Chris was probably the most comfortable recording experience I have had yet.  This is my third self-released record.  I have recorded two records in Richmond, VA and one in Miami, FL, which were all great experiences.  But, working with Chris was just very easy.  I felt like he was truly interested in what I was doing and really believed in my music.

What are some misconceptions you think people have about musicians?

I think people think of musicians has doing their music as a hobby and not a career or a lifestyle.  People who aren’t musicians don’t always understand the whole concept of being a musician for more than just “fun”. 

Check out Emily Easterly's new album, Heart Comma Heart available on her website.

And for those of you in NYC, Emily is playing a very special, exclusive studio set this Friday night.  It will be a rare opportunity to hear stripped-down music in an actual recording studio.  Did I mention there's an open bar?

Friday, April 18th, 2008
Galuminum Foil Studios
P.S. 318 Warehouse Songs Vol 2 - 8:00pm
90 Walton St
Brooklyn, NY (Williamsburg)
Price: $15