Last Wednesday at the Hotel Cafe, Musicbleep and many, many others, had the opportunity to celebrate the release of Carina Round's brand new, self released EP "Things You Should Know." We have followed Carina for quite some time, whether it be a a show at the Viper Room backed up by her band, or a quiet, intimate solo performance at Mountain Bar. She is a true artist with passion, energy, and grace. Now that she is self releasing her music, she has an endless horizon of creative opportunities, to be self indulgent and the freedom to express herself the way she wants to. This night also marked the start of her residency at the Hotel Cafe, playing every Wednesday until June 3rd, SO GO AND SEE HER! That night, not only did we get to see a truly outstanding performance, we got to sit down with this British beauty and talk with her about "Things You Should Know", The UK, and deep-sea diving.
MB: Do you prefer playing by yourself or with a band?
Carina: I prefer both, it’s like two different things
MB:Anything you miss being on a label?
CR: NO! well…free CD’s (laughs)
MB: Do you ever get nervous before performing?
CR:Yeah, I’m kinda nervous now, actually
MB: Is your family musical?
CR: Not in my immediate family are at all musical, but, um, my grandfather was very musical, and I heard that my great, great grandmother used to play the piano in silent movie theaters.
MB:Are you close to your family?
CR:Um, im really close to my mother, as close as one can be
MB: Is she really supportive of what you are doing?
CR: Yeah, ridiculously. Too much!
MB: You went home for a while, you were here in LA for a while and then did you move back to the UK and came back?
CR: No I just went home for 6 weeks and I thought about moving back, then I was like ‘what am I thinking?” I love the uK, but in small doses. It’s the same with anywhere really. If I stay anywhere long enough, I’ll start to get panic attacks (laughs) LA can get under your skin as well even though it’s really accommodating, so it’s really hard to let go once you’ve bitten the apple.
MB: What was the first instrument that you learned how to play?
CR: I never really learned how to play properly, but guitar
MB: So what was the first song you learned to play?
CR: I think I learned Neil Young’s “Like a Hurricane”
MB: Other than powedering your beautiful face, like you are doing now, do you have any pre-show “rituals” that you do before performing?
CR: It used to be drink as much as I can before I go on stage so I don’t get nervous (laughs), it was a key essential (laughs). Now, not really. I just like everyone to be in a serious mind space, not take themselves too seriously, but take the music seriously and just be focused, um, it’s a really important moment for me, being on stage.
MB: We’ve heard the EP, but how would you compare your new sound to your last album, ‘Slow Motion Addict’?
CR: I don’t know, a lot of people have said ‘that new sound thing’ but I feel that my lyrics are a lot better now. I’ve gotten a chance to express myself without answering to certain things that I don’t feel that need or should be painted into music. The whole thing to me is the journey. It was important for me to create the dynamics that I wanted to create with the music. I think that it’s no secret that I felt a little constrained by the situation when I was doing “Slow Motion Addict” as much as I appreciate who I was, what I learned, and what I gained out of it, but I really wanted it to be distilled, pure expression.
MB: What artists do you admire or are influenced by or inspire you?
CR: I mean it’s really cliché to say these days, but Radiohead is like the best band ever. They are really inspiring, really, every time I hear them, no matter what state of mind I’m in, completely sober, wasted, stoned, devastated, full of joy, anything, it just reaches me, and it’s incredible. Also early stuff like early Roxy Music, Nina Simone, Aretha Frankln, Tom Waits, Leornard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Kate Bush. They are all my favorites. I dunno I get inspired a lot.
MB:Who are you listening to right now?
CR: The new Neko Case album is amazing, it blew my mind. And the new Decemberists is amazing too. I love that it’s an opera, and the girl from My Brightest Diamond just kills it.
MB: What was your songwriting process for you EP and also your new album?
CR: I think for this EP, it was triggered by certain experiences that were so meaningful to me that I just needed to talked about it. And that is why I made it an EP, it’s like a little snapshot of that whole thing, you know?
MB: So will you be holding a residency at the Hotel Café?
CR: Yes, every Wednesday until the 3rd of June. I love it, pretty lucky to have it.
MB: Thank God you are a musician, but if you we not, what would you be doing?
CR: A cook. Or a deep sea diver, or something like that. (Laughs)
MB: Is there anything else that you would like to share to your fans?
CR: Fast once a week, you’ll live longer. (Laughs)
PHOTOS: JOSH SHAEDELL
STORY: CORY RADKE
INTERVIEW: CORY RADKE & TONY CRAGO
It seems as almost every other week we have a review of a Greg Laswell show or an update, as he is a resident artist of Musicbleep and we frequent his shows as much as we possibly can. However, last Saturday's show, a last before he hits a summer long tour, my close friends all gathered at the Hotel Cafe to not only check out his performance, but to celebrate my date of birth. So I would like to thank my friends, AJC, NMIT (ILYG), and to Greg himself (thank you for the dedication).
The show was sold out, per usual, and packed in my favorite venue. He had all of his "teammates" on stage to perform with him, which created a familiar, yet rare dynamic (he played solo the previous night). As you all know from previous posts we have seen Greg at various venues, playing with varies acts, and on the Hotel Cafe tour; it never gets old. I would also like to congratulate him on the single that he wrote especially for the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, 'Off I Go'. If you knew what was best for you, after reading this blog, go to iTunes and download this song, it's amazing! Check him out... www.myspace.com/greglaswell.com and www.greglaswell.com 
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