Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Joan Armatrading
What can you say about Joan Armatrading that she hasn’t already told you? She has lived her life like an open book, pouring profound sincerity and soulful honesty into her music. Anthems like ‘Willow’ rank among the most vulnerable ever written. Alongside her soaring musicianship, these traits marked her out as one of the most significant songwriters of the 20th century.
She’s certainly shown no signs of slowing down in the 21st century, either. Back in November, Armatrading released How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean, a record that she wrote, performed and produced herself. It is, as you might expect, a singular study by Armatrading. By burrowing into the album is such an individual sense, she was able to uniquely capture exactly what her whims decreed.
As she explained, “I’m not trying to be anything other than me, because I don’t know how to do that. I can only do this. But I’m also not trying to fit into ‘the current,’ because the current kind of does its own thing. I’m really about the song, and the song is the king. I do the thing that I think I’m really good at. And I don’t question it.” With that assured outlook, the record unravels unerringly.
Now, she is revisiting one of the stand-out tracks with a new single version of ’25 Kisses’. In a similar vein to ‘Drop The Pilot’, the grooving disco track is a love song set to resonate with many. Resplendent with layered vocals, heavy modulation and easy hooks, the song has a weightiness fit for lyrics like, “I want you in the worst way.” It’s a song you could drop an anvil into and never hear it hit the bottom.
To celebrate its release, we caught up with the Armatrading to get a few quick thoughts before she moves on to her next project in an unending stream of prolific output. With only ten minutes to play with, we got her thoughts on The Beatles, movie soundtracks, comedies and comfort food. Enjoy.
Quick-fire Questions with Joan Armatrading:
1. What song would you want played at your funeral?
“Rachmaninoff’s ‘Piano Concerto 2’: lll Allegro scherzando.”
2. What song does nobody fully appreciate the complexity of?
“All classical music.”
3. What studio performance were you blown away by?
“Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You.”
4. What song are you most proud of being a part of?
“I write so I’m proud that I can finish a song, put it on an album, and that other people like it.”
5. Do you believe in ghosts?
“Yes.”
6. Have you ever cried at a concert?
“No, but I’ve cried when listening to Sinead O’Connor. She had such a beautiful, emotional voice.”
7. What ‘classic album’ would you like to delete from history?
“None, why would I want to do that?”
8. What lesser-known album deserves to be a classic?
“Black Classical Music Album by Yussef Dayes.”
9. What is your ultimate comfort food recipe?
“Beans on toast. Very simple. Get a slice of bread. Toast it. Butter the toast. Open a can of baked beans. Place the buttered toast on a plate. Put the beans in a pot and heat it on a stove. After it has heated pour the beans on the buttered toast. Eat with a knife and fork. Yum!”
10. Is there any genre of music you haven’t tried your hand at that you’d love to attempt?
“I’m getting around to all of them. Just give me a minute.”
11. You have been asked to provide the soundtrack for the film adaptation of a book, which book do you wish it was?
“I don’t know which book, but I would make sure it was something that allows me to write something dramatic, then some passages that the sadness in the characters could be felt so that the audience can weep. When the movie ends, I would like the viewers to feel uplifted no matter what had happened throughout the film.”
12. What is your favourite venue in the world?
“The Picturedrome, Holmfirth.”
13. Who would be your dream Glastonbury 2025 headliners?
“I saw her, Dolly Parton, on the television when she played Glastonbury in 2014. FANTASTIC! The Killers and Amy Winehouse.”
14. Who is your favourite comedian?
“Ricky Gervais.”
15. Are The Beatles overrated?
“I don’t really know, but I don’t think so.”
