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Carrie Newcomer

A Conversation with Carrie Newcomer (continued)

PM: You're an activist in your heart, I think. As such, whom do you favor in the Democratic race for nominee?

CN: Oh, it's so hard to figure out that one. I'm definite--[laughs] well, I make jokes at my shows when I talk about what's available at the boutique after the show. I always talk about the albums that are available, and then the Ginsu Knives, and the folk digital watches with Pete Seeger on them. But I always say we have folk bowling balls that are great bowling balls but they always veer to the left--

PM: [laughs]

CN: --and maybe a lot to the left. But I definitely support a progressive ticket. And it's been very difficult because I think it's important that a more progressive candidate wins this next election. So I think a lot of us are looking very carefully at what candidate is maybe most electable.

PM: Right, exactly. Who actually stands a chance.

CN: Kucinich. I just think his politics are great.

PM: Right. But how electable is he?

CN: I wonder. I don't know. I shouldn't make comments one way or another on that, because I don't know, the way it is at the moment. Everybody thought one thing in the Iowa caucuses, and then it turned out completely different.

PM: Then when Howard Dean came in third, it was a big surprise.

CN: Yeah. So listening to polls and stuff may not be the way to go on that. But I love Kucinich's politics, that's for sure.

PM: Yeah, and I think that's the answer I'm after. You like his politics.

CN: I do. I think Kerry has some really valid points and there are things about him that make him very electable. I think Edwards, he's such a southern gentlemen, and I think people like that. Howard Dean, he has a lot of good things going for him, too. So it's hard to say. It really is hard to say. But just straight politics, I really like Kucinich.

PM: At least it's shaping up to be kind of an interesting race. That's a nice change of pace.

CN: And I'm really glad that there have been a lot of different kinds of voices, you know, from very conservative, very centrist Democrats like Lieberman, to someone who's a lot more on the progressive side of the ticket like Kucinich, or Carol Moseley Braun. I think it's been really great that we've been hearing these arguments and these voices, and that they're putting forth some of these ideas so that we even hear them. That's pretty encouraging.

PM: I agree.

CN: I don't know. Everybody thought it was going to go one way in Iowa, and then it doesn't. And I'm not a political analyst, thank goodness.

[laughter]

PM: Yeah, right. There are more interesting things to be.

CN: Oh, I don't know about that, but I don't think I'd be very good at it.

PM: What are you reading lately?

CN: Oh, I love to read. And I always have about three books going at the same time. Right now I'm starting a book called Three Junes [by Julia Glass]. I just finished a real interesting book called Forever [by Pete Hamill]. And Our Lives as Torah. It's by a woman who talks about the tradition and process of storytelling as having a sacred quality to it.

PM: Wow. Do you have the authors at hand involved for these three you mentioned?

CN: Our Lives as Torah is by Carol Ochs. I also just finished not too long ago one called Expecting Adam, which is a really wonderful memoir. I'm trying to remember her name. Isn't that terrible, I don't have the author's name [Martha Beck] at the tip of my tongue?

PM: Well, you read a lot of books, obviously.

CN: I do. I'm pretty voracious about it. But you would think I would remember the authors, being a writer myself.

PM: May I ask, then, to whom are you listening? Are you spinning many records at the house?

CN: Uh-huh. Well, I've been spinning two. Let's see here. Now I'm spacing. When people ask me this, it's like when someone asks you what your favorite aunt's name is, and you can't remember her name.

PM: [laughs]

CN: Patty Griffin's last album, 1,000 Kisses.

PM: Yeah, a buddy of mine produced that, Doug Lancio, a very sharp guitar player.

CN: No kidding.

PM: Yeah.

CN: I just loved that album, and I still have not been able to let go of it. God, it's a fabulous album.

PM: I keep trying to interview her but her management won't give me the time of day.

CN: Oh. Yeah, it's a great album. And I've been listening to the new Lyle Lovett. He hasn't come out with anything in a long time, so it's nice to hear him.

PM: I love that first song, "Cute as a Bug."

CN: Isn't that wonderful?

PM: I play it over and over and over.

CN: And let's see, I've been listening to the latest Jayhawks a bunch.

PM: Yeah, Rainy Day Music. That's fabulous. [see our review]

CN: Isn't that? I love the retro thing they do with the production on that.

PM: Yeah, it's just beautiful. They're into all the old gear and all the old amps and guitars and the whole deal, sounds good.

CN: Really cool. And I just picked up the new Lucinda, just kind of listened to it once or twice so far, and I'm liking it. I always have to give myself lots of time to let the albums settle in.

PM: Yeah, because I miss a lot of things at first. It takes me a while to get things.

CN: I have this three listen rule: I just give every album about three listens, because depending on where you're at, if you're in a hurry, or you're in the car, or whatever--

PM: Yeah. Sometimes I have my little ears on and sometimes I have my big ears on.

CN: Yeah. And I've enjoyed the new Lucinda. I just picked up the new Roseanne Cash, and it's a lovely album. And an album that I've been to a lot for the last two years--there are albums that end up in my car and I just can't get them out of my car--is the Heartland CD. It's Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor and Yo-Yo Ma. Oh, man!

PM: A bunch of losers, yeah.

CN: [laughs] It's this combination of classical instruments and roots instruments doing very traditional melodies.

PM: Wow, that sounds great. I don't know that record.

CN: Oh, Heartland, it's called. That one just floored me, and it's been staying in my car.  continue

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