In
Conversation with
Noa
Bell:
July
2007
A little background:
I think throughout my travels on myspace.com I have
Encountered and interviewed acts from all over the
World from Australia to Brazil to America, Canada and
all over Europe and hopefully soon Japan, all displaying
the same willingness that makes me want to interview
them for ‘Setting Sun’ – the fact that they are trying to
express themselves in different ways that reject the
mainstream and try and stamp their own personality
on it.
Take for instance ‘Israel’s folk singer ‘Noa Bell’
I discovered Noa through one of my regular treks
through myspace.com and was really impressed
by her thoughtful and beautiful songs.
She herself describes her influences as varied
as ‘The Beatles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Neil Young,
Smog, The Velvet Underground, Bert Jansch
And Tim Hardin’ but certainly from listening to
these songs, there is a timeless beauty in her songs
that may display the pop element of The Beatles
or even Joni Mitchell, possibly because of her
upbringing in Israel there is a beauty and delicateness
here that is otherworldly but distantly familiar.
Noa through conversations and also through this
email has a album out shortly. I believe it will be
released shortly on CD baby but in the meantime
visit her on her myspace.com and be enchanted:
http://www.myspace.com/noababayof
Thanks to Noa for her time here.
Andy N x
Setting
Sun:
How are
things and what’s happening at the
moment?
Noa Bell:
Things are wonderful right now! Just got
back from
Philadelphia, after staying there for a
month and a
half, in order to record my
first album with the musical
Production of Greg Weeks
("Espers"). It will be released
in Israel around
September, and couple of months later
In the US and
possibly Europe
Setting Sun:
Next, can you tell us a little bit about
what started you off
In music or as I like to say sometimes who
fired the
Starting pistol etc?
Noa Bell:
The thing that get me started making music
was simply music.
My dad gave my
first Beatles album when I was six, and ever
Since, and even
more so in my high school days, I found my
Soul to be bound to music, to lyrics
that literally helped me
Survive.
When I'm
listening to music, I get the sensation of "burning
Inside"
and then it's clear to me that there isn't any other
Option for
me, but to make music myself.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences at the moment and
what are you
Listening to at the moment (music)
Noa Bell:
My influences at the moment are
contemporary folk
Musicians such as: "Espers",
Diane cluck along with other
Indie musicians such as "smog”, and
going way back to
All the great singer-songwriters from
the sixties such as
Joni Mitchell, Dylan, Towns Van Zandt,
Jackson.C. Frank,
Bert Jansch and so on.
Nowadays I listen mostly to all above, and
other classics
From the seventies such as T.Rex, Grateful
Dead, and
Different kind of great music, I get to
know from
Web sites such as "myspace".
Setting Sun:
I have being really enjoying your songs available
for download on myspace.com at the moment in
particular – Indian Queen at the moment -
can
you tell us a little bit more about that
song
out of interest?
Noa Bell:
"Indian queen" is one of my
oldest songs. I wrote it
when I was 19,when I received a letter from
a dear
friend from Italy, that divides his life
between Italy and
India.
The first words in the letter were:"I
think often of you, I
hope you're feeling better, it's been hard
for me getting it
together.."
and wrote the rest of the song..:)
So it goes around the trip I had to Italy,
and the
way I felt at that time.
Setting Sun:
Also really cool to see you play concerts on a regular
basis - how do these compare to your recordings
- is
their one you prefer over the other?
Noa Bell:
My feelings tend to change about what I
prefer more,
recordings or live shows.
In both of them magic can appear and then I
feel
wonderful. it tends to happen more at shows
,when
you have a really good vibe with audience
that came
to see you.
But sometimes I feel the need in that dark
empty room,
mic, my guitar, and I begin to pour my
feelings away.
Setting Sun:
What's next for you? Do you have many more
gigs lined
up / perhaps even some more recordings?
Noa Bell:
I have the close release of my first album
coming up
soon, it will be available in Israel and
online on my
page on "myspace", "cd
baby","amazon" around
September, and then more towards the winter
I plan to
come back to the states for a longer time,
to write new
songs to travel for a while and close to
March my
album is suppose to be released there, and
a tour
will follow.
Setting Sun:
I know you are from Israel already but
What's the
music scene like there nowadays? Have you
being
to any good gigs recently?
Noa Bell:
There is a small developing alternative
scene in Israel
now that have good musicians making music
in different
styles from folk to Rock and punk. many of
them have
their own pages on myspace..
The best show I've seen lately was by Bert
Jansch
which I've seen twice I was recently In the
US. He's
one of the best there is. brilliant
musician.
Setting Sun:
Anyway, a few less serious questions to
finish
off with, firstly, what would you be your
dream
job if you were not a rock and roll star?
Noa Bell:
My other dream job would be a radio DJ. so
I could
do one of my favourite things, always ,but
for a lot
more people on daily/weekly basis;to make a
"mix tape" .to put old wonderful
songs next to
great new stuff that really should be
discovered!.
Setting Sun:
What would you like to be doing when you are 60?
Noa Bell:
When I'll be 60 years old I would want to
be still
alive ,still in love, and still writing
good songs
Setting Sun:
What will you be doing when you are 60?
Noa Bell:
Hopefully just what I wrote above.. .
