Pegi Young Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Mar 11th 2010 5:49PM by Matt Levin
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Pegi Young released her soulful, country-twanged debut album in 2007 -- more than 30 years after she started writing music. But for so long, Young never found the time to get into the studio to work on her own material. Between being a background singer for her husband, rock legend Neil Young, and co-founding a special-needs school (The Bridge School), Pegi Young had other priorities up until recently. Now her music career is starting to take off, with a second album coming out this spring. She'll play on Vapor Records Night at SXSW on March 17, and she spoke with Spinner about her expectations of the festival.

Describe your sound on the upcoming album, 'Foul Deeds.'

It's similar in some ways [to her self-titled first album], because [it has] some of the same instrumentation -- a little bit more electric guitar a little less bell. Kind of veering toward rock 'n' roll.

How did your band form?

I played the Academy Awards in 1994 (as a singer in Neil Young's band); that was my first live performance. Everybody knew I had songs. [Manager Elliot Roberts] and [guitarist Ben Keith] and Neil -- they knew I played. I played before I Neil ... So I think it was in 2000 that I started actually working on my first tour as a background singer. Then I started a singing group back where we lived. One thing led to another, and it was like well, OK, why not now? I've got the opportunity.

What are your musical influences?

I love great harmonies, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, a kinda jazzy thing. Also, the California, Bay Area kids: I grew up with the psychedelic San Francisco scene. Love that kind of music: the Dead, Joy of Cooking, It's a Beautiful Day, Santana, Janis -- all this great music that came out of that era. But also music like Emmylou Harris. Real country music.

What's your biggest vice?

I think a lot of those vices went a long time ago. Like I said, I was a child of the Sixties.

What's your plans for SXSW, and what is your festival survival kit?

I like to go and check out some of the young bands; people that I may or not know of. I've been [to SXSW] before, but I've never performed. I'm excited and I'm even a little nervous about it. It's such a cool festival. On the days when I'm doing my thing, [I drink] a lot of tea, a lot of water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

What's your musical guilty pleasure?

Amy Winehouse, though she's much better than the poppy stuff out there. I just want her to get through this ... whatever's happening.

Beatles or Stones?

I'm so about Brian Jones. The Beatles were incredible and changed the face of music, and the Stones were like the bad boys.

What's the craziest thing you've seen or experienced while on tour?

[Laughs] I don't think I can answer that.

How much is your husband involved in the creative process when you're working on an album?

He was really not involved in the ['Foul Deeds'] record. ... He's on this record because of stuff I used from the first session [for 'Pegi Young']. He was cool, very supportive of the first one. In the studio, it's not easy for him to just sit there. ... It's natural for him to come into the studio and start calling the shots. He tries to do his own thing. I'll ask him straight up [what he thinks]. I listen. I trust these guys. They've been in the studio a lot. Made a lot of music... I'm in kindergarten. They're cutting their Ph.D's.

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