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Articles:The Herald - October 14, 2009: Difference between revisions
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He is an extraordinary performer. The first time I saw [[American Music Club]] play, at a club in Bristol in 1992, Eitzel drank a pint of whisky during the show, bellowed at the soundman for some mysterious transgression and finished by slapping a slice of processed ham on his head. Polished it was not. The last time I saw him, at the Venue in Edinburgh, he revealed that, although he was “basically gay”, after a few drinks he found women very attractive. “It’s confusing for everyone,” he sighed, before playing a spellbinding solo acoustic version of Joy Division’s Heart and Soul. On other occasions, I’ve seen him burst into tears halfway through a song. | He is an extraordinary performer. The first time I saw [[American Music Club]] play, at a club in Bristol in 1992, Eitzel drank a pint of whisky during the show, bellowed at the soundman for some mysterious transgression and finished by slapping a slice of processed ham on his head. Polished it was not. The last time I saw him, at the Venue in Edinburgh, he revealed that, although he was “basically gay”, after a few drinks he found women very attractive. “It’s confusing for everyone,” he sighed, before playing a spellbinding solo acoustic version of Joy Division’s Heart and Soul. On other occasions, I’ve seen him burst into tears halfway through a song. | ||
I wonder what’s going through his head onstage. “I try not to look at the faces,” he says. “I love people who are onstage and generous, and I try to be that person for the audience, but my problem over all the years was that I was always distracted by the lights, the crowd and people looking at me.” On the current tour, piano player [[Marc Capelle]] provides the sole musical accompaniment. Eitzel says performing without a guitar has made him less self-aware: “Now I can just sing and close my eyes, and it makes me focus on the moment. It really works. We don’t have bad shows.” | I wonder what’s going through his head onstage. “I try not to look at the faces,” he says. “I love people who are onstage and generous, and I try to be that person for the audience, but my problem over all the years was that I was always distracted by the lights, the crowd and people looking at me.” On the current tour, piano player [[Marc Capelle]] provides the sole musical accompaniment. Eitzel says performing without a guitar has made him less self-aware: “Now I can just sing and close my eyes, and it makes me focus on the moment. It really works. We don’t have bad shows.” | ||
At 50, he’s busier than ever. [[American Music Club]] split after the false promise of ''[[San | At 50, he’s busier than ever. [[American Music Club]] split after the false promise of ''[[San Francisco]]'' but reformed in 2003 to make two further albums, and are planning a third. Though the dynamic of the band still seems fraught, Eitzel is excited. “We’re planning on co-writing all the songs, because they don’t like it that I get the publishing because I write them all,” he laughs. “It’s a respect thing, apparently. So it’s going to be a long process. But they’re all great songwriters. I love the band, I really do.” | ||
He’s also writing another record with [[Peter Buck]] – “I have to channel my inner pop because he’s a genius of pop songwriting” – and, intriguingly, has completed a piece of musical theatre with British playwright [[Simon Stephens]] called ''[[Marine Parade]]''. “It’s about making decisions and it’s about love,” he says. “The songs don’t move the plot forward, they work like normal songs do – they come in and mean everything. It works, it’s great, that’s all I can tell you. It’s a populist masterpiece.” | He’s also writing another record with [[Peter Buck]] – “I have to channel my inner pop because he’s a genius of pop songwriting” – and, intriguingly, has completed a piece of musical theatre with British playwright [[Simon Stephens]] called ''[[Marine Parade]]''. “It’s about making decisions and it’s about love,” he says. “The songs don’t move the plot forward, they work like normal songs do – they come in and mean everything. It works, it’s great, that’s all I can tell you. It’s a populist masterpiece.” | ||
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Beautiful, remote and largely unknown. No wonder Eitzel felt at home there. | Beautiful, remote and largely unknown. No wonder Eitzel felt at home there. | ||
''[[Klamath]]'' is out now on Decor. Mark Eitzel plays Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, November 7. | ''[[Klamath]]'' is out now on Decor. [[Mark Eitzel]] plays Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, November 7. | ||