May, 1998

Publication title: Jane, vol. -, Iss. -, pg. –
Place: Unknown
Writer: Bill Van Evol

Paula Cole and Sarah McLachlan

Paula Cole had just won a Grammy for Best New Artist, so it was only appropriate that she phoned up double Grammy-winner (and Lilith Fair high priestess) Sarah McLachlan, who took Paula on a pre-Lilith tour when she was nobody and helped make her a star. It was inappropriate that we listened, but what the hell.

Why Sarah gave Paula her big break
Sarah: I was trying to remember the other day, um, when did we first meet?
Paula: It was the San Francisco show and your Fumbling Towards Ecstasy tour, and I remember that was the first show and-
S: I probably had my head up my butt.
P: It was sold out, and I just remember feeling a little nervous ’cause I-I was just feeling extremly thankful, you know, that I had the opportunity to do it. I really needed a break at that time because my record company had gone down the tubes, and I couldn’t find my record anywhere. And then your just organically believed in the music. So I was nervous and I remember coming offstage, and you and your entire band and crew were stage left, applauding. I thought it was so sweet and supportive and kind, and I was kind of blown away by that.
S: It was [for] total selfish reasons. I heard your music and actually saw you live in Bouler, Colo., and you were absoltutely amazing-really powerful and passionate. I just thought that I’d love to get you up there and hear your music every night.

Whether touring sucks
P: My mom says it’s like I’ve gone off to war, that she never sees me, and I’m sure from her perspective it is like that. It’s just wildly intense. You go unsupported emotionally for long periods of time – months or years – without seeing your family or your close friends, or maybe your see the person you’re having a relationship with once a month. It forces you to become more stoic, more kind of spiritually strong in your nomadicism. But that is good, too. I find that in the end, I love my independence. In the end I’m not afraid of it, and I need it; I actually crave the road after a while. So it has both things. As you know, I’m not married, but I have a major person. He doesn’t usually come along because he has so much of his own life, but occasionally, here and there.
S: But Paula, you’re coming to Lilith this summer, aren’t ya, darlin’?
P: Yeah, a couple of weeks, yeah.
S: Excellent.

Om
P: You can do yoga anywhere, any hotel room; lay down a sheet or some towels. I find it keeps me flexible, and it just helps my life – everything from my posture to my diet to more positive thinking to humility…
S: I gotta get into that.
P: It’s really life-changing. It’s wonderful.
The Lilith forecast
S: Well, let’s see. The first week, which is actually the only fully confirmed, check’s-in-the-mail kind of jobby is: myself, Natalie Merchand, Sheryl Crow, the Indigo Girls, Sinéad O’Connor, Erykah Badu… I think Missy Elliot’s confirmed for sure, as well as [for] later in the month; and you. It’s been easier all around. It’s been easier not only with the artists – the artists were never really a problem… There was a lot of hesitance from the labels or managers, or maybe promoters and stuff – but definitly this year it’s much, much easier to get people interested in it. I mean, it’s a really pretty darn friendly and uncompetitive environment, to the point where the Indigo Girls and Sheryl Crow were going, “OH, we both really want these dates,” and the Indigo Girls were all, “Well, Sheryl, you can go second-to-last this night, and how about we go second-to-last the next night?” Everybody’s really into making whatever everyone else wants work.

To Lilith’s critics
S: At this point, fuck off. I have very little patience left anymore in discussing what Lilith isn’t. I’m walking a hard line because I’m the representative for it. And when I’m face-to-face with interviews and I get asked the question, it’s always, “Why isn’t it more like this…” And that’s my own thing that I have to deal with – not to see the negative side of the question but to turn something positive; just like your were saying, Paula.
P: Yeah, I was really pissed off at first when we [nominees Paula, Sarah and Shawn Colvin] all had to play together [in a Lilith-y medley] a the Grammys. We want the world to acknowledge us as artists, regardless of gender. But I always have to take the higher road, because I know in 20 years if I’m looking back, I’ll know that negativity never brought me anywhere… That minute and a hald did me more good that I could have possibly imagined.
S: But sometimes early in the morning, you’re just not as diplomatic as you should be. Give us a break! And then they go, “Oh, my God, you’re certainly jaded, aren’t you?” It’s like, I’m more fucking jaded to have to get up 8 in the morning to talk to you, the day after the Grammys. … [Laughter]

Free stuff now!
S: I got baby booties handed to me a couple time. I did The Rosie O’Donnel Show six months ago, or something like that. We were talking about having kidws, you know; eventually I really want to have children. She gave me a baby book with 3001 baby names or whatever, and that prompted a lot of people to think that I was actually pregnant already.
P: I thought you were. My dad told me you were pregnant, ’cause he got it wrong. I get lots of flowers, which is wonderful. Yeah, lots of notes, personal notes. I’m sure you get the same, Sarah – letters of how songs are really meaningful and how they touched their lives. Sometimes it really helps them through really difficult times. I don’t even attach it to my ego. That’s the music, you know? I am in service to the music. It’s so wonderful that music can move mountains like that. I’ve gotten instruments. I got an Autoharp.
S: Really? That’s nice.
P: Yeah, that is nice. When I was on Rosie, Kermit the Frog came up, and I get Kermit the Frogs now.

I’m your biggest fan
S: Remember, Sarah, we were in the room with Stevie Wonder.
P: Oh yeah. That was cool.
P: It was during rehearsal for the Grammys, and he walked offstage into the side room where he had electric keyboards. Because, you know, music really is his primary language. And he just sat down and startet jamming with Wyclef Jean. Stevie’s left hand plays the most soulful bass lines, and his right hand plays the most beautiful kind of jazz, improvised melodies. All I could do was be quiet and hang my head. I couldn’t even introduce myself to him, as much as I wanted to. I kind of hung my head in humility as I listened to him. There are actually very few people I crave to meet, you know? Well, I met one. I met Aretha at the awards.

The 5-things-on-the-desert-island question
P: Things, not CDs?
S: A “thing” doesn’t constitute a dog or person, then? Oh, this is too wide open. … My guitar. My husband, my dog… a knife. I’ve got to be practical somewhere in there. [Paula laughs] Let’s see… matches are pretty boring because they’d run out pretty quick anyway. Let me think.
P: I’d definitly bring my man and my piano.
S: Oh, great, you take the piano, okay.
P: And my cats, Max and Lila.
S: Well, I have to bring my two cats, too, then – Shala and Simba. I guess I’m kind of over my limit now.
P: Maybe some reefer. [Laughs] If we keep it light.
S: And some seeds so we can grow the rest of it. I’m afraid I have to run off to my next interview.
P: Okay. Hey, Sarah, you take care, all right?
S: You, too, my dear. I love you.
P: Hold your head high, up there on the road.