Teddy Thompson—son of famed British rock legends
By Mac Randall
eddy Thompson is the son of storied
E nglish folk-rock duo Richard and
Linda Thompson, and on his self
titled debut album (Virgin), the 24-year
old singer/songwriter does the family
proud. His father is a guitarist's guitarist,
whose career began with folk-rockers
Fairport Convention in the ‘60s. He then
teamed up with Teddy’s mother Linda for a
decade that produced five albums.
Teddy's own music combines elegant
melodies, witty lyrics and a soulful singing
style. The music is an engaging hybrid of
pop, rock, country and folk. Fans of artists
like Crowded House, Sheryl Crow and John
Hiatt will surely want to check him out.
STS: Did you ever feel any qualms
about getting into music because of the
family questions and comparisons with
your parents that would inevitably arise?
Teddy Thompson: Nope. It was never
an issue until other people asked about it
in interviews. I suppose it’s more interesting
for other people than it is for me.
STS: I was actually surprised that your
dad plays guitar on your album.
TT: Finding somebody else to play on
the record would have been ridiculous. I
would have been trying to find somebody
who was second-best. The fact that he’s
related to me only means I get a better rate.
STS: How difficult is it to write songs?
TT: Songwriting is definitely a disci
pline, and I’m not a particularly disciplined
person. I have a problem sometimes buck
ling down and finishing things, though I'm
getting a bit better. I
tend to get excited
about something, get
halfway through it and
then move onto some
thing else before I finish.
So the hard part for me
is the work aspect. The inspirations great
and the perspiration's painful.
STS: The last track on your album is a
duet with Emmylou Harris that really brings
out the country element in your voice. Has
country music been a big influence?
TT: I'm a big country fan. I’m not sure
why. but it was the first music I ever really
loved. When I was 10, the only music I
cared about was Hank Williams and the
Everly Brothers. But you know, country
music is similar to English folk music: it’s a
lot of the same sentiments and ideas, just
in different settings. Perhaps that’s why I
felt such a natural affinity for country music.
STS: “Missing Children,’’ was co-written
with Rufus Wainwright, another product of
a semi-legendary musical family. How did
that come about?
TT: We’re good friends, and we were
just hanging out one night and he had an
idea for a song. I think we wrote the first
two or three lines and a little bit of the
tune—and then we went out and got
drunk instead. It was quite a long time
afterwards that I found it again
and pieced it together.
STS: You live in Los
Angeles now. and several
songs, especially “So
Easy,” seem to
poon the cul
ture of that
city. Am I
ially "So
to lam
*
wrong?
TT: No, you're
right. “So Easy" is
about those unem
ployed L.A. actors,
reached my
point with Los
it may be time
could do a whole album
about how much I hate
L.A. It could be the
opposite of the Randy
Newman record: “I Hate
L.A.' It wouldn't get
played at Laker games,
but if the Lakers played
New York, maybe
they'd play it then. •
For more on Teddy Thompson, his parents and
Fairport Convention, go to steamtunnels.net
and search using keyword “Thompson.”
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