A Conversation with Eliza Gilkyson (continued)

PM: I've never asked an artist anything like this in all the interviews I've done, but maybe you would say something about the recent sad passing of Bob Feldman. [The founder of Red House Records.]

EG: [sighs] Yeah, like everyone, I was completely shocked and not ready for it, because Bob was--talk about old school, he was the guy that got into it like so many of our generation got into it because he just plain loved the music, and he believed in it. And he never lost sight of that. That's what he was like--

PM: Right to the end.

EG: --twenty-five, thirty years later, he still was just in it for one reason, he believed that music could make a difference, and help facilitate transformational events. And that's why he loved me, that's why he wanted me on his label, that's why he stood by me. And I think he was the voice of the conscience for a lot of people who lost sight of their original reason for getting into music. I think he was a reminder--he was almost an annoying reminder, I think. [laughs] But he was kind of a nudge sometimes, even. But that's where he was at. And when he died I felt, God, I'm going to be without a home again, rudderless. But, amazingly, the label is rallying. They're coming together like a family. And Bob's wife, Beth, is going to be involved now. And she is just a power woman. She's like a goddess. And she's coming on board. And Eric, who was his right-hand guy for all this whole time--

PM: He's a great dude.

EG: --he's as brilliant as Bob was. And so I think the label is going to turn this into a transformational experience and rise to the occasion. So I'm just hanging in. I think it's still a good home for me.

PM: That's fantastic. How far away--well, you said you haven't written a song since Paradise Hotel.

EG: I've written one, yeah.

PM: So you're a year away from making another record.

EG: I am, but I actually my latest plan is that next fall I'm going to release a record that is a collection of all my hymns, because I have this series of hymns that I've written since really the '80s, that are all--I call them secular hymns. They're not religious. But they're set up in a sort of hymn-type structure, like "Requiem," or "Land of Milk & Honey," which is on Milk & Honey. I set them up--I'm very into Ecclesiastical Anglican church music. I've always loved it. So I've got a dozen of these hymns, and I thought I would release that next season.

PM: That's a great idea.

EG: I think it's timely, it's political, and it's also spiritual in a sense, but it's not religious music. And I think it would be interesting to put them all together. And some of them have never been released before. And some of them I'm going to re-record. And I think it would be cool. That's my next project, actually.

PM: Well, it's kind of you to take the time with me today, and to invite me into your house. I've done over a hundred interviews, but it's very rare--maybe twice--that I've done one in an artist's home.

EG: Really? Ah.

PM: So I'm grateful for this.

EG: Well, I'm glad that you liked being here. Some people don't really notice anything.

PM: It's a beautiful house.

EG: [laughs] Thanks, and thanks for coming.

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	her earlier CDs here or here
	elizagilkyson.com
	redhouserecords.com
	photo thanks:
	joel siegfried  / dark30
	todd wolfson
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