Interview with Ella Blame
Interview by Michael F. Coles
Pictures taken from her My Space page and debut CD
Check her out at - ella-blame.com
Like a lot of other music as of late, I first discovered Ella on My Space when she sent me an e-mail saying that I might like what she had to offer as a musician; she was right! I love dark, ethereal, and ambient music, especially when it is accompanied by female vocals. If the above description is your "cup of tea," I suggest you go now and check out what she has to offer on her page! Support the locals yo!!
The Outcast: Please give the readers a brief history of who you are and what you do.
Ella: I grew up in a family of musicians and from the very beginning I was surrounded by all kinds of music. For a while, painting and drawing was more important to me than music but I always loved to sing. From the age of 6 to 17, I took courses in violin and was supposed to become a violin virtuoso. However, I decided to study painting instead. I live in beautiful Wisconsin.
The Outcast: Do you like working on solo work or do you prefer to work with other musicians?
Ella: So far, I was always collaborating with other musicians, but I do most of the work like composing the vocal lines, writing most of the lyrics, mixing and mastering most of the songs, administrating the website, promotion, photos, artwork and layout for the CD's and so on. Every musician I worked with so far contacted me via the internet and asked me if I would like to use some of their instrumental music. Thanks to the internet, I had the opportunity to work with musicians from the USA, Canada, Japan, India, and Germany. Most of the music wasn't written for vocals but I always found tracks that fit perfectly. After the release of my second album, I will concentrate on finding musicians that are willing to support my vision of music and art. I can't wait to be on stage again.
The Outcast: What do you hope to accomplish with your musical journeys?
Ella: I hope to touch souls.
The Outcast: Please tell me what your debut - Ineffable Desire - is all about. Why such a title? Ineffable means not being able to express in words, yet you say so much! Is it a concept album?
Ella: I chose the title because I loved the combination of these two words, and in a certain way, you are right with the "concept album." I chose the title "Ineffable Desire" because it is the headline for all of the songs. The desire might be ineffable but anything else I was trying to express.
The Outcast: On certain songs T.C. writes some of the lyrics. Who is this individual and why let others write lyrics that you have to sing? Although there were a couple of other individuals who had written lyrics for your release, T.C. had more.
Ella: T.C. was a very good friend of mine, a soul mate, and a wonderful and talented man. He left this planet two years ago and I had a hard time accepting that. My next album "Bitter Tears" is dedicated to T.C. He was very important for my musical work, in a certain way a muse. Karin is another very good friend of mine. Ten out of the twelve lyrics on "Ineffable Desire" are written by me; T.C. wrote the lyrics for "Dance With Me" and Karin the lyrics for "Thought Control." Several months ago, I found out that there is a typo in the booklet. The lyrics of "Violent Silence" are written by me. I wrote them in one of these nights when I couldn't sleep. The reason why I sang two songs with lyrics from other writers is simple; I just love the lyrics.
The Outcast: On your CD you state that you and Michael D. Temple "write, compose, record, and perform music never heard before of genres Psychedelic Pop, Progressive Dance, Psychedelic Dance, and Ethereal/Ambient." I definitely found your CD to be ethereal and ambient before anything else. What exactly were you trying to capture with this set mood? A lot of your lyrics seem "dark in nature." Am I wrong with this interpretation?
Ella: At the time when I released "Ineffable Desire," Michael and I were planning on working as a duo but we changed our plans. On "Ineffable Desire", you can find collaborations with four different musicians: Michael D. Temple, Shinji Imai, Kilian Thöns, and Norman Friedenberger. I didn't write the text for the booklet but I liked the description of my music and genres at the time when I produced the CD. Later I changed the genres into Ethereal/Ambient, Symphonic Outer Space Music, and Psychedelic. Although there are many songs you could dance to, I wouldn't describe my music as any kind of dance. My lyrics are definitely more on the dark side, but not in a destructive way.
The Outcast: Besides being a musical artist, I noticed on your page that you also draw and paint. Is there one expression of art that is stronger than the other? What comes first?
Ella: Music comes first. However, painting and drawing is almost as important to me as music.
The Outcast: Who are some of your greatest influences in all of your forms of artistic expressions?
Ella: Billie Holiday, all kinds of jazz, and the depths and heights of everyday life.
The Outcast: I heard you won an award for your album cover? Tell me more about that.
Ella: In September 2007, I had been selected as a nominee for the Toronto Exclusive Magazine Music Awards 2007 in the following categories; Best International Pop Song "How Things Have Changed" and Best International Pop CD Art Work. I don't see myself as a pop singer and "Ineffable Desire" is definitely not a pop CD (I would agree!! - Mike) but it was very nice to receive this kind of appreciation.
The Outcast: Another personal question, what are your political views? What do you think about our current president and the things he has done?
Ella: A president is never the only person responsible for everything. There are many other people who have the power to make decisions and in a certain way, everything is connected.
The Outcast: What do you hope to find after your life has ceased to exist?
Ella: More wisdom than in my current existence.
The Outcast: What do you want written on your tomb-stone?
Ella: I won't have a tombstone - I want my ashes to be spread in the woods, swamps, and lakes of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Wisconsin.
The Outcast: Ineffable Desire - was released in 2004. When can we expect a new release?
Ella: Very soon. All songs and the artwork for the new album "Bitter Tears" are done. My second album was planned for November 2006 but because of several tragically events, I didn't have the time and the energy to produce it. However, in a certain way it was good that it took so long. Now is just the right time. I went through a lot, became stronger and more aware of what I want to accomplish with my music and generally in life.
The Outcast: What comes first, music or the lyrics?
Ella: Usually the lyrics.
The Outcast: Any closing words?
Ella: Thank you so much for your support.
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