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Rose Elinor Dougall is probably best known at the moment for her stint in girl-pop band The Pipettes, but now she's ditched the polka dots and gone solo. Best of all, she's playing the CMU Christmas Social on 9 Dec and we're possibly more excited than a child after Santa has been down the chimney.
Rose's retro sound does still have hints of her Pipettes past, but it's ruled by her own grown up style and great vocals. Her debut single 'Another Version Of Pop Song' will be released as a limited edition of just 500 7" copies on 8 Dec.
An album is also planned for 2009, and she's definitely one to keep an eye on. Oh, and did I mention she's playing the CMU Christmas Social on 9 Dec? More info on that here: http://www.cmusocial.co.uk.
Rose kindly answered our Same Six Questions.
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Q1 How did you start out making music?
I always used to sing around the house from when I was very small, but it really started when my mum bought a piano when I was about seven. I had some lessons but before that I used to just bang around on it and make up little tunes. Nothing much has changed since then, really!
Q2 What inspired your latest single?
After being in The Pipettes, which was very much based around the idea of writing 'pop' songs, I was thinking about how those processes and ideas related to my own personal song writing now, being outside of that structure, and this is something that came out of that time. I suppose it is about the first couple of weeks that you meet someone you are interested in being around, not believing in forever but enjoying the experience all the same...
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
Most of the songs I wrote for my album were made in my bedroom, with just me and my Casiotone 401. Sometimes I would come up with melodies or words in my head while I was at work or on the bus or somewhere and record them into my phone and try and work out music around it. But often I would just spend a few hours playing around, and a chord structure would just come out of the ether eventually. Sometimes I'll find myself singing words along without realising and then decide which bits are worth keeping, other times I'll use fragments of ideas scribbled down in one of my books and elaborate on them. Fundamentally, it is quite an instinctive process, but I always try and cut out any superfluity. I want my songs to be concise, and am terrified of over indulgence. Since I have been recording them properly with my producer, Lee Baker, the songs have gone through another editing process, and I have also had the chance to play around with rhythm and texture and develop the songs sonically which is something I am also very interested in...
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
There are so many, but to list a few, Broadcast, Bridget St John, The Cocteau Twins, Sandy Denny.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
I would hope for it to induce complete unadulterated ecstasy combined with a sudden, overwhelming morbid depression. And don't you dare tell me it reminds you of Kate Nash, cos I'll stab your eyes out. Sorry, don't really know how to answer that question!
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest single, and for the future?
Well, as I am putting it out myself, and it's the first thing I have done on my own, I don't really have any huge expectations, everything that has happened so far is almost a bonus. I really just want as many people as possible to hear it, and just make people aware that I am making music again, that draws a line under what I have done in the past. In the end, I would really just hope that some people liked it!
published november 2008
