I had a period where I wanted to work in a fishing town called Astoria, Oregon-preferably on a boat- after high school. (I thought I loved singing too much and therefore was always on the lookout for something more "sacrificial") I always loved the moody beaches of the Pacific Northwest. I just recently spent a 4 1/2 year stint living in Astoria, New York. Not so beachy. In the middle of those Astorias there was Astoria Studios.
After we had signed to BMG there were singles and remixes to be released to promote Big Beautiful Sky. Also, we were looking into getting the record mixed by Steve Fitzmaurice. I believe he may have been called "Fitz". He wanted to do this at Astoria studios which is on the Thames near Hampstead Court. There is an unmarked door along a lovely old brick wall and through it you step onto a luscious lawn of green. Down a lilting hill the river sparkles in the evening sun and in the left side of your scope sits an old boat. A beautiful boat. A boat wrapped in windows. A boat full of history and stories. Now we were the ones taking part in this story.
This is Kip in a little boat tooling about the river with some fowl friends.
I have a big memory of eating big herby salads with fresh salmon up in the listening room overlooking the property. My husband was there with us and also my dear friend Emily. I felt like a cat in the sun. Cozy, warm, and full of fish. (a very well fed cat, with friends)
You could listen in on what was happening down in the studio. There's a lot of listening and waiting in those processes after your part is done. There are many hands that make that one thing. Pretty wild to be listening to Montana being mixed and maneuvered on a river in England.
Many times in the years around this time I felt like I was watching from outside of myself. So much of making music is absolutely present and consuming and all inside, but making a product is a very different thing.
CLOTHES NOTE: I got this sweater at Portabello Market. It was hand weaved by the woman I bought it from. It is absolutely luxurious and soft and red and it has loooooong sleeves and a bit to wrap around my neck.
-Annette
