“How often is it that you hear a musician describe their aspirations as not to make music that will help them top the charts, or firm up their place in the cultural zeitgeist, but to merely be, well, useful?”
A few years ago, there was a moment – a relatively brief moment within her three-and-a-half-decade career – when PJ Harvey was ready to leave music behind forever. The feeling first began gnawing at Harvey when she was deep in the songwriting process fora weighty exploration of the inequality and suffering caused by American warmongering. “I went through feelings of huge doubt, that maybe I just wasn’t as good as I used to be as a songwriter,” says Harvey.
Next came the tour for that album, which edged Harvey further into creative limbo. “I do have quite a strong work ethic,” she says. “So I just kept pushing through it because I thought, well, it’ll pass. But tours are really physically demanding, and it was a long tour. As my physical energy waned, so too did my sense of direction and purpose. I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing anymore.” The day-to-day challenges of touring also ended up prompting more existential questions.
It’s surprising to hear Harvey be this candid; in part, due to the fact she rarely gives interviews. Despite being arguably the most celebrated British musician of her generation – Harvey has two Mercury Prizes, sevennominations, and two bestselling poetry books under her belt – you get the sense that the press attention and the accolades aren’t why she does it.
The story of how she rekindled her creative flame began, in part, by her renewed focus on the smaller things in life. “It’s so beautiful down here,” she says, cheerily, of the weather in Dorset, when we connect on a balmy June afternoon. “Sunny, but not too hot. Where are you?” London, I answer, deep in the bowels of an office building.
Deutschland Neuesten Nachrichten, Deutschland Schlagzeilen
Similar News:Sie können auch ähnliche Nachrichten wie diese lesen, die wir aus anderen Nachrichtenquellen gesammelt haben.
Harry Styles is the perfect male pop star in 2023 - apart from his musicWith no other male idols to turn to, Harry Styles has become pop culture’s Man-In-Chief – but there’s little substance behind the hype 🖋️ _emilybootle
Weiterlesen »
Drummer Nandi Bushell to open Ipswich music schoolNandi Bushell, who has played with the Foo Fighters and Lenny Kravitz, is setting up the school.
Weiterlesen »
Yup, 'Eargasms' From Music Are A Real, Medical ThingNot only can you have eargasms, but they can come (teehee) from your ear boners too.
Weiterlesen »
YouTube kills another Discord music bot used by over 3 million servers“YouTube is integral to the music feature and we cannot continue without it.”
Weiterlesen »
More than 1m attend live music events in one weekSold-out arena gigs and smaller venues brought more than £320m to London the Music Venues Trust says.
Weiterlesen »
More than 1m attend live music events in one weekSold-out arena gigs and smaller venues brought more than £320m to London the Music Venues Trust says.
Weiterlesen »