Vitamin C – Interview [2001]

As she got ready for Politically Incorrect, I had a chance to chat with Vitamin C.

You’re pretty busy now.

Yeah, really busy.

How do you like the hectic schedule?

I don’t mind it. You can never complain about being too busy, I guess.

Now that films have taken up more of your time, do you like that or music more?

I think I like writing songs more.

Is it more challenging?

No, I don’t know if it’s more challenging. You have a little more control and it’s more direct.

Whereas with movies you have someone telling you what to do.

Yeah, but that is kind of nice too because then you don’t have to take responsibility.

When did you start the More album?

I was writing it while I was working on Dracula (2000).

Did you go into writing with beats or ideas formed?

No, I usually start off with the song. I write the songs so it can be played on guitar.

Did you bring a guitar along with you?

One or two songs. I co-wrote a lot of the songs on this album. I wrote with a lot of people, so I would fly in and basically sketch stuff out and it would come together. Usually I start with a lyrical idea and concept and take it from there.

Did you work on this album spontaneously?

Yeah. I didn’t want to plan it and I didn’t want to do the same thing as the last album. I didn’t want to repeat myself because that gets boring. The other thing is was that I was trying to do some things I wanted to do on the last record but I wasn’t as successful doing. I wanted to do more groove based stuff and didn’t do that on the first record. You know what is weird? I didn’t write “Smile” to be a kid’s song. “Smile” is about your life falling apart. It’s about having a bad fucking day and getting through it. It’s a grin and bear it song. Somehow that song’s context has been changed. You write a song and it takes on a new life.

o you think that song was taken out of context because of the category you are placed in?

No. I think it’s something that is happening in music. There is something that is going on right now that has nothing to do with any one artist. It’s this teen pop explosion, and honestly I think it’s bad for a lot of the artists. Look at how many older artists couldn’t get on the radio in the last year. There is a youth-quake that has nothing to do with anything.

With your album there seems to be a surface of pop, but below the surface there is a lot more going on and it seems you have to be categorized by media for listeners.

I don’t think you can blame one thing. It’s a combination of radio, marketing, the world. I think people assume that because all these pop girls came out at once that I was the same age. I didn’t tell anyone I was fifteen. Why would I be so stupid? I didn’t write from that perspective. The fact that I write my own shit should have been an indicator, but there are so many factors that you can’t pinpoint one.

You have definitely been lumped in a category with all the Britneys.

I know. I was in a pop punk band before that and I was compared to ten other females who I sounded nothing like. It happens with every genre of music. Remember the whole women in rock explosion?

Yep, with Sheryl Crow, Paula Cole, Hole, etc.?

Yeah. I mean, it’s just like that.

I’m curious most about the production aspect. The beats are really potent and totally different from what is happening in American pop these days. Was that spontaneous?

Well, it really depends on the song. Like “The Itch” came together with an idea and a beat. I sort of put the two together. I co-wrote that and we fiddled around with it until it worked. But generally the beats are not always the first thing. “Sex Has Come Between Us” is very grooved based too. There is a lot of time that goes into trying to fit a beat with a song. There is nothing worse than trying to force fit a song with a track. In my case, I didn’t want to abandon a lyrical concept for a groove. I wanted to do to things that complimented each other.

“She Talks About Love” has a real Euro-pop feel.

That song, well, I have been writing with that guy for ten years. We were listening to a lot of Air and Daft Punk. I think you are influenced by what you are listening to. I wanted to write a song that was about love. That again started with a concept. I wanted to write about searching for a love that was all consuming. We wanted to do something that was experimental with the vocals and make a simple track. It’s a fairly simple track.

Is it hard to write with someone?

It depends on the subject. Sometimes songs work and some don’t. I have a good understanding of what my strengths and weaknesses are. When you write with someone new, there is an adjustment, trying to see what you can and can’t do together. And there are times where you butt heads. I have gone into sessions and come out with nothing. I find that if you go in with a concept it makes it easier. I usually go in with a lyric. I’m trying to think if there was any song on this record where I went in without a lyric and was track driven. There is one track, “I Can’t Say No”, I was going to write the music for this lyric I had but I ended up putting it to a track.

Do your lyrics come with a melody attached?

Completely depends. Sometimes they come together. There are certain songs that write themselves, at the risk of sounding cliché. Some you have to put more thought into. I usually write down ideas about things that happen in my life, and then if I get stuck writing the lyrics I will write a story. That frees me up because you aren’t stuck in the confines in music and timing and stuff. From there I fit it into the hook. Some hooks are better than others. I usually go with what makes sense. It just flows together. Each process is different. It’s not an exact science.

Are Colleen and Vitamin C two different people?

Totally different people without question. Vitamin C allows me to be larger than life. I think as Colleen I’m more shy and serious. But I think Vitamin C has a bit more room. (laughs)

Like Prince. He was a shy person, but as the character he was a whole other person.

I wouldn’t compare myself to him completely, but yeah, sort of. I don’t think about it too much. The concept was more about the first album. It seemed like a good idea at time.

I know More is new, but I can’t help but wonder if you ever thought about doing something really different the next time out.

I actually feel like the new album is a little bit of a departure from the first record. I have been thinking about what I’ll do next. I was thinking about maybe a full acoustic record or full-on dance record. There has been some talks about me doing some dates with my old band (Eve’s Plumb) for fun. I just write, and whatever comes out comes out. When you are writing a song, it isn’t good to start by editing because you constipate the idea.

I have a totally off the topic question. What are some guilty pleasures you have, like music, food, your rider?

Let’s see. Guilty pleasures? Well, my biggest guilty pleasure that everyone always laughs at is my love for Olivia Newton-John. That I guess is a guilty pleasure. But I absolutely love her. And food? I love all food and am not ashamed about it. (laughs) If you put it in front of me, I’ll eat it.

Is there anything on your rider (what an artist requests for their dressing room before and after a show) you really like to have?

I am pretty flexible. But I do enjoy having champagne here and there.

Some artists are really particular so sometimes it’s funny to hear what they want or need.

I guess I’m just easy that way. I’m happy with a bottle of champagne and a newspaper.

+ charlie craine