In Conversation with

 

Eliza

 

A little background:

 

 

 

 

 

This I suspect will be the first in a short series

Of interviews from bands from Iceland.

 

This interview as well as the hopefully two

Or three interviews to follow after that all

Came from the same source – the sometimes

Fantastic Manchester based festival

‘In the City’ which lots of bands

Play often-free gigs to try and draw some

Attention from record companies.

 

On the night I saw Eliza, my brother and me

Had popped over to watch a number of

Bands from Iceland all play sets in the same

Venue and out of the five acts we saw,

We were both amazed with four of the acts

We saw, which includes Eliza.

 

Eliza’s influences in our eyes clearly

Bordered on Kate Bush – vocals wise,

But not in a Tori Amos – perhaps closer

To Evanescence with her backing which in

Places was very powerful and melodic

In the same breathe.

 

Very well recommended indeed.

 

Otherwise, after I watched the concert

I immediately decided that Eliza was

A act that ‘Setting Sun’ certainly should

Interview, so I contacted Eliza through her

Myspace.com account and this interview

Shortly followed after that.

 

For more information on Eliza’s music

Please contact her through her

Website on myspace.com which is the

Following

 

http://www.myspace.com/elizanewman

 

Thanks to Eliza for her interview here.

 

I look forward to hearing the album

In due course.

 

Cheers

 

AEN   

Setting Sun:

 

How are things and what is happening at the moment?

Eliza:

 

Things are good but very busy at the moment,

 

I am finishing of my album and studying full time at

The Icelandic arts academy so my brain is a bit fried!

Setting Sun:

 

Can you next tell us next a little bit about the
history of your music – what started you off etc or
like I sometimes like to say – who fired the starting
pistol?

Eliza:

 

Well I have been doing music since forever and I can’t

Really remember myself with out it!

 

Originally I started in bands cause I was a bored

Teenager and wanted to do something different but

Then it developed in to something much more with

My former band Bellatrix but that’s a story on its own!

Now I do music cause I like to, its such a big part of me and

Who I am !


Setting Sun:

 

What are your influences and what music are you

Listening to at the moment?

Eliza:

 

I have many influences, depending on

What period of my life I look at!

 

When I first started in bands I was very

Influenced by bands like Ride,

My Bloody Valentine and The Stone Roses

But since then I have gone through so

Many phases, I am a big fan of Kate Bush

, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin,

Velvet Underground, The Beatles,

Siouxsie and the Banshees etc.

 

I could go on and on and on

 

I am listening to Regina Spektor at the moment

I love her, and also the Icelandic band Mammút

- They are brilliant.

Setting Sun:

I really enjoyed your recent show at Manchester’s
‘In the City’ – You had a real energy showing through
in your live set which I am guessing comes from a lot
of workmanship which I am guessing comes partly from
playing live a lot. How does this compare to your more
studio-based recordings? Is there one you prefer over
the other?

Eliza:

 

I think I like playing live more then working

In the studio, cause its spontaneous and you

Never know what’s going to happen, its a

Special thing between you and the audience

That will only happen once and you got to

Connect and make it work.

I also like working in the studio but its

Very different vibe although on this record

I tried to hold on to that live feeling and

Not over do things. Its better to have

Feeling then perfection I think?

Setting Sun:

 

Was really impressed with nearly all of your songs
immediately in particular ‘Diamond’ which I feel
should be released as a single. What’s the story
behind that out of interest?

Eliza:

 

I wrote Diamond in about three minutes!

 

It just came out of me in one go which

Is often the best way, it was totally

Unconscious.

 

Hopefully it will be one of the

Singles on the album.

 

We will see.

Setting Sun:

 

Was also interested in noticing on two of the six
songs on your recent live set ‘Deep blue’ and ‘Still
water’ – both of which as with your fantastic finale
‘Island’ seem to have a recurring imagery about water
and islands – is this a recurring image in your songs?

Eliza:

That’s funny, I hadn't really thought

About that! 

 

I don’t really analyse my lyrics too much

They just come out!

 

But I guess I use this kind of imagery

In the way I think and that comes

Out in my lyrics.

Setting Sun:

What’s next for yourself? Seem to recall you have
an album on the way - Do you have any singles /
further releases planned / maybe any concerts –
including hopefully Manchester?

Eliza:

 

Yes the new album is coming out early next year in

Iceland and Britain hopefully at the same time.

 

It looks like the first single will be Empire fall

But nothing is set in stone yet. I will definitely

Be coming over to the UK to play next year to

Promote the album and of course I would love

To play in Manchester, there's always a

Good party there!

Setting Sun:

 

A few slightly more light hearted questions to
finish off with – What would you like to be

Doing when you are 60?

Eliza:

 

Composing my 5th symphony.

Setting Sun:

 

What will you be doing when you

Are 60?

Eliza:

 

Hopefully I'll still be alive and making

A racket!

Setting Sun:

 

Lastly, what would you be your dream

Job if you were not a rock and roll star?

Eliza:

 

Astronomer.