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| MSJ:
What's the best thing that's ever been said about your music? |
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One of the best things that was ever said to me was from a fan. They told me that they were going through some very difficult times and that the only thing that got them through was listening to my music. That really touched me. |
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| MSJ: What's ahead for you? |
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I'm hoping to record a new Lana Lane CD this year. It’s been about five years since my last release so I’m ready! Erik has been very busy the past few years but I’m confident we’ll carve out some time to record in 2018. |
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| MSJ: Do you think that illegal downloading or streaming of music is a help or hindrance to the careers of musicians? |
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I think it’s a hindrance. Nowadays it’s very difficult to make a living as a musician because of illegal downloading. People don’t understand that when they download and share music in this way that they are stealing from musicians. No one likes to work for free. |
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| MSJ: In a related question, how do you feel about fans recording shows and trading them or posting them online? |
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| I don’t like it, but there’s really no way to control it — unless I made everyone check their phones at the door. It’s the reality now when you perform. I personally don’t understand why people do this — seems to me that they miss most of the show watching it through their phones on such small screens. |
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| MSJ: What was the last CD you bought and/or what have you been listening to lately? |
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| Lately I’ve been listening to the Joan Chamorro Jazz Quintet. They are from Barcelona and have a young singer named "Rita Payes" that sings with them. They do all the old jazz swing numbers with fantastic vocal harmonies. Their version of “How High The Moon” is one of my favorites. It does my heart good when I hear young singers embrace this type of music. I grew up on this kind of music and it helped shape my vocal style. |
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| MSJ: Have you read any good books lately? |
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| I’ve never been a book reader, but recently I’ve been introduced to some awesome audio books from Erik. We enjoy listening to them when we travel down to SoCal or on any long road trip. We both love sci-fi stories. |
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| MSJ: What about the last concert you attended for your enjoyment? |
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| I haven’t been to a concert in quite some time. However, I have fond memories of a Michael Buble concert that I attended at the Hollywood Bowl years ago when he first started out. As you know I’m a huge Big Band fan (Count Basie, Nelson Riddle, etcetera) and his show was arranged much like those legendary orchestras. I felt like a giddy little school girl. |
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| MSJ: Do you remember the first concert you attended? |
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| I do. It was back in the late ‘70s. It was a “Day on the Green” outdoor concert at the Oakland Coliseum. The bands were The Eagles, The Steve Miller Band, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Foreigner and Heart. This concert was where I really fell in love with Heart. The other Day on the Green concert I remember was in 1980. The bands were Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick, Journey and Molly Hatchet. |
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| MSJ: Have you come across any new gear recently that you love? |
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| No musical gear, but I am falling in love with my new Botvac (robot vacuum). In all fairness, it is a piece of gear! |
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| MSJ: Do you have a musical “guilty pleasure?” |
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| Yes. I love the Shirley Bassey James Bond themes. Whenever I hear them I just have to smile! |
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| MSJ: If you could sit down to dinner with any three people, living or dead, for food and conversation, with whom would you be dining? |
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| I would love to sit down with The Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr.) and hear about their antics in Las Vegas. |
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| MSJ: What would be on the menu? |
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| All things Steak House (caesar salad, filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, creamed spinach) with a Jack on the rocks for starters... |
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| MSJ: Are there any closing thoughts you would like to get out there? |
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| I would like to say thank you to you, Gary! I really appreciate your support through all these years and I am looking forward to lots of exciting things in the coming year. |
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| MSJ: This interview is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2018 Volume 1 at garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2018. |
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