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Alison Wood



MYSPACE

Amber: For those who do not know much about you, tell them who you are and how you got started.
Alison: All right, let's see... I've been into music since I was little; I grew up playing piano and singing. After college I picked up the guitar, and then started writing songs. That's it, in a nutshell. I've always loved music, but have only been writing and performing my own songs for a couple of years.

Amber: What is one thing you would change about the music industry?
Alison: I guess the primary change I'd want to see in the music industry is that I'd like to see music be put in the hands of the artists and the fans. I don't like that a bunch of businessmen get to decide what gets recorded, what gets played on the radio, and so on. That sort of encompasses a lot of the changes I'd make if I could.

Amber: What is one mistake you've done that you will never do again, music wise?
Alison: The first thing that comes to mind is singing when I'm sick. I have a friend who's in Juliard's graduate program for opera, and he had to go three months without talking at all because he sang when he was sick and injured his vocal cords.
Alison: I recently made the mistake of singing when I was sick, and couldn't talk for a week afterward; I was really worried I had done lasting damage, so I'll never do it again.

Amber: What is your favorite song that you have written?
Alison: That's a tough call - it's not quite like picking your favorite child, but almost. Goodnight, L.A. is one of my favorites, because it's so much fun to play. It was also the first song of that style that I wrote, and I was really proud of it. I'm also really happy with some of my new songs, and I'm looking forward to recording them.

Amber: If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Alison: Another tough question! It might be "African Skies" from Paul Simon's album Graceland. That's one of my favorite songs -- and favorite albums -- of all time.

Amber: If you weren't doing music, what do you think you would be doing?
Alison: Theater and film -- directing, some acting -- or else teaching. I actually work in theater and as a private tutor, and I really enjoy them both. Or else engineering, maybe aerospace, or astrophysics. I love physics, and I love building things.

Amber: How do you get ready for concerts?
Alison: I write a set list, I make sure my guitar is in tune, and I warm up my voice. I don't have any big routine, I mostly like to just make sure I'm in a good mood and psyched up to play.

Amber: Has MySpace helped you with your fan base?
Alison: Definitely. The internet in general has been a great way for me to get my music out to new people who would never have heard it otherwise, and MySpace is one of the best internet tools around right now.

Amber: What are your favorite movies?
Alison: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Igby Goes Down, Full Metal Jacket. Pretty much anything made by Jim Henson. To name a few.

Amber: If you could choose any year to live in, including the past and future what year would you choose and why?
Alison: There are a bunch of historical periods that I think would've been really interesting, like the 1960s. It was such an important period in America's political and cultural development -- it would've been cool to have been growing up then, I think.

Amber: If you had a movie about your life coming out, what would you call it?
Alison: That's a great question. Maybe "In the Right Place...." (at the right time). I've had a lot of good luck. Hopefully I've made the most of it.

Amber: How do you pick the names for your upcoming cds?
Alison: My last CD, "At Arm's Length," is titled from a line from one song. I picked that line because I thought it summed up an overall theme of the album.

Amber: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Alison: New York part of the year, California part of the year, and Boston for a few weeks in the fall. There's nothing like fall in New England, but I don't like the long, cold winters. I'd visit lots and lots of other places, but probably live in the US. (I won't get into politics.)

Amber: Now give people a reason to go listen to your music!
Alison: What I set out to do in my songs is to write intelligent, literate music with really catchy, pleasant melodies. If I've done my job, then what you'll hear takes all the best things about typical pop music, and gets rid of the stuff people complain about making pop music bad or cheesy or dumb. Who doesn't want a song that's smart and singable?





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