I've been following this discussion with keen interest. I think Brenda,
you're on to something. I don't see Joni going indie because she'd lose her
"ameteur" standing in a certain way. Let me explain.
For decades, she's been railing against the business. She's the last person
in the world to turn on a dime and go into a string of interviews with
"Ooooh, I love to meet people who ask me "What Bob Dylan's really like?" and
"So, how's it feel to write "Both Sides, Now"?" and "Do you often get
mistaken for Judy Collins?" When I turned down interviews for the past 30
years, I didn't know what FUN it could be!"
That's not Joni. When others do it, it's real and it's great and it works.
But I can't imagine that Ms. Mitchell can make the jump. She identifies
herself as "a painter". Period. She's been telling us for decades that
music is her "day job". (And she's a late riser! Hee hee)
In June 1971, the "Blue" album revealed her vision of Los Angeles:
"But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene."
I think this is ONE painter who has painter herself into a corner. Someone
tell me she's working on new songs. We haven't heard that for a looooong
time. And she said "Yes" to a Hits package. And the next one in the nest
is the FIRST-EVER sequel. This sounds exactly like an exit strategy to me.
(As in, "Well, if I'm goin' out, I'll make sure I like the Hits package.
We'll do it MY way. And if I'm going out, I'll let Larry pick the songs for
the oldies record ("Both Sides Now"). And if I'm on my way out, what's the
harm in a sequel?"
Maybe the promotion routine is too much excitement, travel, and illness now.
On the other hand, I'll never forget how juiced she was
the last time I saw Joni. It was Detroit in 2000, and
she was at the "Both Sides Now" concert. Even though her flight was
delayed, she kept the date and was wired when she took the stage. What I'm
saying is that I think she actually *enjoys* very short tours. I think
she'll do another short tour but will not do a big tour and will not grant
an interview to Rolling Stone. My guess.
One more thing? When I saw Joni in the Rolling Thunder Revue, I thought,
"All that talent, and she runs off after ONE or TWO songs? That's a waste."
When I saw her in the film from the Isle Of Wight concert, & I thought, "She
lost on a festival crowd. It doesn't translate."
Same thing about the Dylan tour. Unlike Neil and Crazy Horse, and the E
Streeters, my opinion was that stuff like "Song For Sharon" works in a
living room best and is almost lost in a hockey arena. It doesn't
translate.
But the "Both Sides Now" tour worked for me. Listen to any of those shows
and you'll hear someone have a time and working at doing her best. For me,
I hope a tour happens. Man, that last one was a great time.
Lama
Lamadoo
Brenda said,>>>>>
She could also do what Van Morrison has done the last few years. He makes
the
records he wants and then takes them to whatever label he thinks can do the
best
with it because it may fit a particular genre. He makes very short term
licensing
deals and he owns it all. It would be something to see her do that. It
just doesn't
seem likely that she would.>>>>>>
