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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 2000)
September 15.2000 Cris crossover D earjoni Mitchell: lease don’t be startled by what I’m about to tell you. Sit down and take some deep You don’t know what you got breaths— maybe strum some chords— but ’til it’s gone I need to get this off my chest. As many times as I’ve gotten choked up listening to by K aty D avidson “Both Sides Now,” as many times as I’ve tried to hit all the notes on Blue, as many times as the bat. “T hat’s what’s on my plate right now.” I’ve read your interviews and identified with Tret Fure was her partner and musical com every wise word you’ve ever professed, I have panion of 20 years. As a duo, they were the to let you know: You’re no longer my No. 1. Sonny and Cher of women’s music—“a daily Cris Williamson has introduced me to new experience,” as Williamson put it. She likened horizons. the breakup to the death of her father; she’s Then again, I got to talk with her on the grieving the same way: by writing songs. phone for 30 blissfully enlightened minutes, "As hard as heartbreak is, it forces you to and I’ve never come within true earshot of you. grow,” she said. “Loss is the only thing that Two months ago, all I’d heard about reminds you of gifts.” Williamson was she was one of those old, Currently touring around the nation, folksy, Michigan-festival mainstays. I knew her Williamson is on her first solo jaunt in 15 as one of the founders of “womyn’s music,” a years, playing songs spurred by the separation, foremother to the influx of folkies after her— songs that poured out of her wounds. “Is this you know, kind of like you, hut with granola- the tradeoff for art?” she asked. dyke flavor. It’s weird, but it seems like every time But that’s just what 1 heard. Williamson speaks, she’s reciting poetry. Every After doing a hit of research, 1 learned phrase works in several dimensions, every the first record she ever released, The Chang' pause is perfectly dramatic. She’s a professional er arid the Changed, is considered a classic in musician but also a practicing philosopher, folk circles because of its soaring vocals and rolling out words of wisdom she learned from poignant, universal lyrics. She wrote and just plain living. recorded it in 1975 after her father died. She And getting her to talk is certainly not a was in her 20s. It went on to become chore. She’s opinionated, confident and one of the best-selling indepen well-read, so she has something to dent releases ever. say on every subject. W hen I It 's weird, Needless to say, this asked her what role sexual intrigued me. orientation plays in her but it seems like I learned that she co songwriting, she replied: every time Williamson speaks, “My goal is to shed light founded the first women- only record label, Olivia on the human condi she's reciting poetry. Records, and that her tion, not the gay condi Every phrase works pioneering eventually tion. But being a lesbian led to the form ation of a and a woman has influ brains. She said the most effective tunes are in several dimensions, new musical genre, enced me, of course.” the ones that haunt us, the ones we can’t get women’s music. By the end The theme of univer out of our heads. every pause is of the 1970s, women song sality seems to run through “The Beatles changed my life,” she said. perfectly dramatic. writers— lesbians in particu her veins. She said the great “Wherever they went, we went. They brought lar— were writing, recording and est music is timeless music, the mind and the body together—then the soul.” releasing their own music, largely melodic music, music that weathers She reminisced about listening to Sgt. Pep - the ages and remains as relevant as the day it because of W illiam son’s efforts. per’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with her college was written. This is what she strives for as a band, the Crystal Palace Guard. It was the first This intrigued me some more. recording she had ever heard in stereo. “It trav songstress. However, I learned the most wonderful eled right through your head!” she said. “People’s musical tastes swing like a pendu things about Williamson during our phone con Despite her appreciation for melody, lum,” she said. “The middle is where most of versation— how she links life and music, how Williamson said her own songwriting style is the classics are. I think I’m in the middle; I she grieves, how she feels about the Beatles. lyric-intensive. “I’m a very lyrical person— I’m hope I’m part of what lasts.” Now Joni, I recognize your ability to write a wordsmith,” she said. “I’m a scholar. T hat’s She cited Bob Dylan, the Band, Carol empathetically and all, hut believe me when I really my first love.” King, Janis Joplin, George Gershwin, the tell you Williamson’s greatest trait is to relate She groaned, however, when I asked her to Beatles, and you, Joni, as other “middle” well with other humans, to establish a connec name her favorite songs of her own, comparing artists. According to Williamson, the link tion by comparing experiences. She does it the process to picking a favorite child. She they share is their ability to write simply, tirelessly through both music and conversation. relented, however, and named “Colorado Dust- have a good sense of melody and use their “I broke up with Tret,” she told me right off PflLM SPMflG Serving your real estate needs for... CONDOS C rcc C ray ( 760 ) 833-5434 2U E. Palm Canyon _P*m Spring», CA 92264 * just 00* V acation H omes H otel P roperties A partm ent B ldgs . There w ill be an EXTRA w e e k before you r n e x t copy o f ||M s trm ~ | ball Days” and “Pieces of Pangea.” She said she still closes every show with “Waterfall,” from The Changer and the Changed. W hen Williamson isn’t touring, she lives outside Eugene and is a tireless activist. She lives a model life as an assertive yet empathetic human. She is a wonder woman. “My life isn’t more interesting than anyone else’s, maybe just more visible,” she told me. I’m sorry, Joni, but Cris Williamson has won my heart. Please forgive me, Katy J [ 7 ] C ris W illiamson plays at the Aladdin The - atre, 3017 S.E. Milwaukie Ave. in Portland, at 8 p.m. Sept. 22. For tickets call the box office, (503) 233-1994, or Ticketmaster. J E W E L A. ROBINSON M u ltim illio n $. P ro d u c e r O F F IC E (503) 2 8 1 -4 0 4 0 V O IC E M A IL (503) 3 0 1 -4 2 8 3 E -M A IL Jew el2U @ teleport.com £03 1730 N.E. 10th Avenue dfe» Prudential Portland, OR 97212 Nomiweet puertee See my Exclusive Listings on our webpage http://www. pru-nw.com We p u b lish a g a in on 10 / 6/00 v is it w w w .ju sto u t.co m for n ew s and calen d ar updates. on limited Edition v e rn a i ' "the only shop that comes to you” 4 2 3 5 SI*. W o tu h lo ck B l\d • Portland. O R *)72U(> 503 774-3531 - 3 9
