Briefs

• Celebrated feminist writer Nelly Arcand, has died at the age of 35. [CBC]
• The city has voted (45 to 5) to go forward with the plans to build two structures on St-Laurent Blvd, making the future of the Café Cléopatre, uncertain. [cyberpresse]
• In town tonight: Queer signer and awesome lady all-around, Sarah Mangle Buys a Bear at the Cagibi (5490 St. Laurent) at 9 pm, $6.
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• Cirque Boudoir this Saturday with the theme of Weimar Berlin in the 1920s. [211 Notre Dame W.]
  
• Gris-Montreal (homophobia fighters) has a new public service announcment video out (in French).
• The fun, young parties started by Christina for Head & Hands is tonight. Faggity Ass Friday is back after a long summer break.
• New interview with Dinah Thorpe [below]

Dinah Thorpe is a new queer singer on the scene, and with her latest album, Truths and Other Stories, out this fall, it sounds like this chick is here to stay. With leathered beats from a seemingly seasoned pro (she’s shared a stage with Buck 65, The Cliks, Eternia, and Melissa Ferrick) Dinah does vocals, and plays acoustic guitar, ukulele, keyboard, drums, while controlling MIDI and programming tunes (not at the same time). Truths and Other Stories is for reals and for truths an exercise in the enkindling of contentment. The double EP features one CD with deep lyrics and melodic beats that reminds of The Organ, or even a lighter Portishead but with more humour and more pop (does that make sense?). The other CD is the remixes, with a giggly rap about being 6 feet tall and playin’ basketball (We Brought the Thunder), you’re laughing and nodding to the music FOR PROMISE K? Kox & Kuntz took a second or two to ask this gentle lady about her faves, early career and BFFs.

How did you get started in music? Who were some of the influential people in your life that pushed you towards it: Nobody really ever pushed me towards music. But it has always surrounded me. My father has a beautiful singing voice and showed me the power of a good descant at a very early age. My sisters and I sang along with Motown 45s in the basement, sang in choirs, and sang Indigo Girls covers at high school coffee houses.

What artists or genres inspire you: Hard or soft, old or new, dirty or clean, what inspires me most is good and interesting songwriting – Joni Mitchell, Frazey Ford, Beethoven, K’NAAN, Dolly Parton, Pete Seeger, LAL, Final Fantasy, The Roots… A very close second for me in terms of inspiration is a good live show. I find that in this era of hyper-compression there is a widely held belief that as long as there is a wall of sound then it is necessarily good sound. Don’t get me wrong – I like loud music. But as live shows get louder and louder, whether or not the music itself is any good is becoming increasingly incidental. That is why it is so refreshing to happen upon good live music. Last weekend I

went to a K’NAAN concert, where half the songs had me in tears and the other half had me dancing. He was the perfect combination of good musicianship, good politics, and good looks. I’m not sure I’ll ever recover.

Best song to make out to: The best sounds to make out to are the sounds of making out. Failing that, two of the sexiest albums of all time in my books are Portishead’s Dummy and The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. In terms of romance, I wou

ld go with a Portugese fado or

some slow southern blues.

What’s playing on the old iPod these days: I try not to listen to MP3s or MPEG4s or other lossy audio formats too much because I like my highs, high, and my lows, low. Having said that, I do very much enjoy my iPod when I am at the gym or out ru

nning, when I listen to a lot of rap and electronica– songs with beats to keep me

moving. Lately I’ve been enjoying tracks by The Roots, Lady Sovereign, MC Lyte, K’NAAN, and Missy Elliott.

making out. Failing that, two of the sexiest albums of all time in my books are Portishead’s Dummy and The Miseducation of Lauren Hill. In terms of romance, I would go with a Portugese fado or some slow southern blues.

Best song to break up to: It’s a tot

al cliché but it was on my jukebox growing up so I have to say “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” I don’t know about actually breaking up to it but as a sing-along it’s hard to beat.

Best song to have a cool lemon drink on a porch on a hot summer day to: “America” by K’NAAN or “Willow Tree” by Chad Vangaalen.

Last book you read: I am currently working my way through A.S. Byatt’s The Children’s Book. As always with her work I am finding it difficult but satisfying. On Deck is an Emma Donoghue romance. On deck on deck is the Neil Young bio Shakey.

BFF: I am continually impressed by the true and deep friendship that I have with my partner, Zoë.

Best song for a union sing-along: “Election Song”

Best song for a brisk fall walk: “Working Title”

Next shows: Pride Follies and Dance, Peterborough Pride, 26 sept and in Toronto: oct 9, Bread & Circus – Indie Week Canada

Contact Dinah Thorpe directly –> dinahthorpe[at]hotmail.com