LiveWorld Transcripts

Borders.com presents

Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls
Chat about her Solo Debut, "Stag"

March 06, 2001

Amy Ray has rocked the world as half of the sensational Indigo Girls, and now Amy’s long-awaited solo CD “Stag” is about to hit the stores. Read what Amy had to say about her solo work, the Indigo Girls, her activism and so much more!

Page 1 of 5

Borders: Welcome to NetCafeLive! Tonight, we are chatting with musician Amy Ray. NetCafeLive is presented by Borders, Inc. and Talk City Marketing Group. Welcome, Amy!

Amy Ray: Thanks! Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

Bertico: How do you feel about this new CD, and why the name "Stag"?

Amy Ray: I'm, personally, very proud of it. I think the process was more important to me than anything. The name "Stag" is pretty self-explanatory. It would be a long explanation, otherwise! By process, I mean the process of recording it. The whole working with a different band and learning how to make a record, and taking it down to an independent level, and the parameters of what I'm doing--time, budget, and all that. The act of doing something on my own means as much to me as how it came out, actually.

Kyres: I can't wait to buy the new CD! Will you continue to be part of the Indigo Girls?

Amy Ray: Yes. This CD is definitely not an indication of the Indigo Girls breaking up! It's healthier than that, in that we are both branching out and trying to bring in new life to the duo, and new experiences.

Chad: Is there any one person who's been a major inspiration throughout your musical career?

Amy Ray: I'd say, probably, most likely Emily. Other than that, I tend to be influenced by a lot of bands from the independent music scene in the southeast. The reason the bands on the record are on the record is that they've been very influential to my songwriting in the last five years.

Sally: Once you have the music and lyrics together, how long does it take to record them?

Amy Ray: It depends on the project. This record took me a year to make, because I was on tour with the Indigo Girls while I was making it. I also wrote songs during the year as I was making it. Some songs are two or three years old by the time they get recorded. They evolve during that time, sometimes, but I don't have a set process for the amount of time between writing a song and recording it.

Dark Eyed Girl: If you were not in music, what would be your second choice as a career?

Amy Ray: Probably, something to do with the environmental side of forestry, or maybe a high school teacher.

Tara And Beth: Amy, how do you think you would have developed differently as a musician, had you started off as a solo performer? Thanks! Tara and Beth (We love you!)

Amy Ray: That's a really good question. I think I probably would have developed in the same way. I might have developed faster in some senses, because, early in my career, I was lazy, sometimes. That was because Emily was so good that I could fall back on her. That's part of the reason why I decided to do a solo project--to challenge myself, and try to become more evolved as a musician.

Susie Q: When you write songs, do the lyrics and tunes just come to your mind? Or does it come to mind through a particular experience that you've had?

Amy Ray: It always comes to mind through a particular experience. I never just pull lyrics out of nowhere. Sometimes the lyrics come first, and sometimes the music. It just depends.

SWF In KY: Will you be touring by yourself, or as the Indigo Girls this year?

Amy Ray: In April, I will be touring with a band called The Butchies, in support of my solo CD. Emily and I have tentative dates for July and August, touring as an acoustic duo. For Indigo Girls, that probably won't be announced until June. You can find the information at www.daemonrecords.com for my solo dates, and at www.indigogirls.com for the Indigo Girls dates.

Page 1 of 5