More on: Martha Wainwright

Martha Wainwright has followed-up her self-titled 2005 debut with 'I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too'. We spoke to Martha just after her recent UK tour about working with her producer husband Brad Albetta, collaborating with Pete Townshend, and why she wanted to have more fun with this album.

Why did you wait until your late twenties to make your debut album?
I guess I was just living life, and finding my own voice, and you know, there were a lot of different circumstances. I couldn't get a record deal - no-one would sign me! I was on the road for a long time with Rufus [Wainwright, Martha's brother] as his back-up singer. I worked on the record for over a year, with my now husband Brad Albetta, and we would work in his studio when it wasn't booked. Everything just took longer that it's probably supposed to. I guess I started the record late because, finally, I had to do it. I think I was dragging my feet a little bit.

What sort of feedback do you get from your family?
Overall, I think it's been positive. I don't think I could feel like continuing very much if it weren't. Luckily for them and for me, the first couple of songs I wrote were pretty good, and I think that was a relief as it would be difficult to say so otherwise! They're very helpful, and very positive.

Coming from a musical family, do you think it was inevitable you became a singer?
I went to school to study theatre, so it's not that far removed. I obviously wanted to be on the stage to some extent. I don't think I have the discipline to be an academic, although perhaps I dreamt of that. The reality is, is that if you listen to yourself, and follow a path that is honest for yourself, then I guess music was inevitable for me. Certainly when I started writing songs, the fact that they already had a very particular style, that was an indication to me that there was something to go on, and there was a reason to continue.

What's it like to work with your partner?
We've gotten better at it. It can be difficult, but it's good to be able to be honest with someone in the studio, and there's not a lot of room for bullshit! So maybe sometimes for other people it's uncomfortable - but they can always leave, because we have our own studio! I think that when you get to a point where you are so comfortable with someone, that can produce something different than what you would get with someone else, so that's nice.

Can you tell me what it was like to work with Pete Townshend?
We were only in the studio together for a couple of hours. It wasn't planned that he would be on the record necessarily - he's a friend of mine and a fan, and we've worked together before. He's played on some of my songs on his television show, and on stage as well. I wanted to play him some songs to give him an impression of what I had, and make sure I was in the right direction. I asked him if he'd like to play on something, and he said "sure". I said we don't have to put your name on if you don't want to, but obviously it's very exciting to have such a legend do anything around you. It was nice, I think, for him and I to not put so much pressure on the fact that he was going to do it, and to just work.

I read that you don't like to dissect your songs too much?
I don't think a dissertation needs to be written about my music, but what I'd like to point out about my songs is that they have the potential to have several meanings, which is always interesting as a writer and a poet to keep them sensible enough, but partly nonsensical. It allows me to remain interested as I'm singing them for the 500th time!

At your recent London gig you said "in my filthy dirty dreams, there are men singing my songs"...
I didn't think anyone heard that! Yes, at the Royal Festival Hall, I had Ed Harcourt, Romeo from The Magic Numbers and my husband Brad singing on stage. It was interesting that I had written a song about a past love, and it was so great to have all these gentlemen singing a romantic song with me, and to me. It was quite like a fantasy, like a dream!

What do you like to get up to when you're in the UK?
A lot of my friends live in North London, so I like to walk on the Heath, visit the Tate Modern, eat oysters at The Cow.

Are there any misconceptions about you, that you'd like to put right?
Not really. I think people talk about 'Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole' and my father too much, but that's to be expected.

You look stunning in your recent promotional shots - why did you decide on that image?
I think I wanted to have more fun with this album. The first album I did was probably a bit more earnest, as was the look of it, but this record is a little bit more tongue-in-cheek, a bit more playful. As a musician and artist I wanted to play with fashion more, play with hair and make-up, to get into it, and enjoy it. It's a long road ahead, so it's fun to be able to wear nice clothes and shoes... and if I wear these things, maybe designers will send me free clothes!

Becky Reed

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