Greg Laswell visits Seattle and talks about his latest record, 'Take A Bow'

[tweetmeme]Greg Laswell played to a welcoming crowd on Monday night at The Crocodile. I was lucky enough to get a quick Q&A with him just before he got into town. Check out the interview and pictures from the show here!

What are you looking forward to on this tour?
Mexican food. I’m quite serious. I live in New York and grew up in southern California. I really miss Mexican food. San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Costa Mesa, Seattle, Portland. They all have better Mexican food than my beloved New York City.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any traditions or pre-show rituals?
Yoga. I’m not even kidding. I do hardcore yoga. Yoga-core.

What are your thoughts about Seattle?
I love Seattle. I mention it in two of my songs. I always fear that the audience in Seattle thinks that I am pandering to them. And I’m really not. I fell in love with their city the first moment I arrived. Something clicked. It will always be one of my favorite cities to visit.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about the music business on your musical journey so far?
It is much more of a business than I anticipated.

What are some differences that you’ve noticed in the music you’re making now compared to what you’ve released in the past?
I’m a bit more present in life now. There was a spell there when I only surfaced to write and record songs. (Quite literally). I got my world turned upside down almost 7 years ago now and as strange as it seems, I think I was starting to have a little fun being sad. It became an identity in a way. I’m a bit surprised by what I’m writing these days. It’s still sad, but from a different perspective. Sorry, what was your question?

I read that you recorded Take A Bow in a cabin – how do you feel like the atmosphere enhanced the record?
The owners of the cabin are dear friends of mine, and when they heard the record, one of them said, “It sounds like the cabin.” I think it was what I needed at the time; to get away from LA and people and really be alone for a bit. I needed to look at myself in the mirror and clean up…. And write a record in the process. Looking back on it now, I was cleaning up more than I was working on a record.

What brought you to Brooklyn after living in LA for so long? Favorite spots in Brooklyn?
Moving to New York was always on my to-do list in life. Well, not always, but for a while. A few things lined up and I just did it. I didn’t tell anyone. Not even my parents. I didn’t want a big thing to be made of it. I feel like I waited for southern California to fall asleep next to me one night when it was drunk and then I snuck out. My favorite part of Brooklyn is my apartment, more specifically, my couch, in the early morning, with a fresh cup of coffee and my dog next to me. (I’m on a plane right now, having just left home, sorry). Park Slope is for me. Up and down 5th ave..

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever been given? And who gave it to you?
“Don’t be afraid of hating your own music, it isn’t for you anyway.” My writing professor and mentor, Dean Nelson

I love that you’re in Sara Bareilles’ new video for “Uncharted,” nice finger by the way, is there any chance we’ll get to hear you two on a record together anytime soon?
Thank you. Part of me knew that she would keep that part. Two of us on a record together? Hmm……

If you had to choose three albums that you think every music lover should own, which ones would you choose?
Beach Boys – Pet Sounds, Beatles – Revolver, Bruce Springsteen – Nebraska.

Photos from Seattle: