What does it truly mean to reinvent yourself as an artist? Are you looking for fresh start inspiration to begin the New Year?
Join Buzz Knight on this enlightening episode of takin' a walk as he engages in a heartfelt conversation with the talented Amanda Shires. As she reflects on her artistic journey, Shires reveals the transformative experiences that led her from being a skilled sideman to embracing her identity as a solo artist and songwriter. With her latest album, "Nobody's Girl," described as her most personal work yet, Shires dives deep into themes of grief and emotional processing that resonate throughout her songwriting.
Throughout this episode, Amanda Shires shares her creative workflow, illustrating how literature and music intertwine to shape her art. Buzz Knight guides listeners through her collaborations with legendary musicians, offering insights into the rich tapestry of american music and indie music journeys. Listeners will hear about the challenges Shires faced in the studio, as well as her approach to vulnerability and authenticity in her music. This episode is more than just a conversation; it’s a masterclass in the art of storytelling through song.
Shires encourages us all to embrace our journeys of self-discovery, reminding us that it’s perfectly okay not to have everything figured out right away. Whether you’re a fan of rock music history, classic rock stories, or simply passionate about music history insights, this episode is a treasure trove of inspiration. Buzz Knight’s knack for music conversations shines through as he navigates the emotional landscapes of Shires’ experiences, making this episode a must-listen for anyone who appreciates the power of storytelling through music.
So lace up your walking shoes and join Buzz Knight on takin' a walk as we explore the resilience of artists like Amanda Shires, who embody the spirit of music and community. Discover the stories behind albums, the creative journeys of indie artists, and the emotional healing that can be found through music. Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the world of legendary songwriters and the inspiring artist interviews that make the music history podcast truly special. Tune in now, and let’s walk together through the vibrant landscape of music history!
#music history podcast #Amanda shires interview #buzz Knight #music history #best musician interview podcast #inspiration #music and resilience #emerging artists #nashville music scene
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Taking a Walk. Welcome to Taking a Walk on Buzz Night,
and we are rounding out our fresh Start twenty twenty
six theme week. We're celebrating artists who have had the
courage to reinvent themselves and claim their own artistic identity.
Amanda Shires has never been content to stay in one
lane as a fiddle virtuoso. She could have easily carved
(00:22):
out a comfortable career as a sideman, but Amanda wanted more.
She wanted her own voice, her own songs, her own truth.
So she gave herself a fresh start, stepping into the
spotlight as a solo artist and songwriter, crafting deeply personal
albums that showcase not just her instrumental prowess, but her
a gift for raw, honest storytelling. A fresh start sometimes
(00:46):
means finding your voice when you've been someone else's accompaniment.
It means taking up space, speaking your truth, and refusing
to be sidelined. In this conversation, Amanda shares her journey
from a comp musician to fearless songwriter an advocate, reminding
us that reinvention isn't just about career, It's about claiming
(01:08):
we really are, especially in the face of personal adversity.
Amanda Shires, a returning guest, is next on Taking a Walk,
Taking a Walk. Hi, Amanda, that's so nice to see
you again.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's nice to be seen.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
And welcome to taking a walk. You know, since we
last did our episode, I asked this opening question, so
you're not going to get away with avoiding it. The
question is, since we call the podcast taking a Walk,
is there somebody living or dead that you would like
(01:49):
to take a walk with and where would you take
that walk with them?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Okay, I would take a walk, I know, I said
Leonard Cohen last time. I can't say the same one.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Well, I don't know why you could not say that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I'd take it. I'd take a walk with James Joyce
and complain about you know, some Ulysses and Finnegans, wake
a little and see what the response would be.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Complain. Yeah, what do you think you would? What would
he say?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I have no earthly idea.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
That's why you would take it right.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Exactly exactly. Maybe we would do the whole walk in
Ireland even.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Oh that's magical. I think you guys would would have
a good conversation.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, I would probably leave them either after a fistfight
and or you know, after a fist fight, then a
beer or a pint or something.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Congratulations on the new album, Nobody's Girl. It's described as
your most personal work to date, even though I feel
like all of your work is deeply personal. What inspired
you to take this direction and how did that writing
process for you unfold for this time?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Well, I think I'm inspired by kind of what I'm
always inspired by what's going on in my life, but
I wouldn't call it inspiration as much as needing to
work through the storms in my life at the time.
And the process was just the same as a process
(03:33):
as it is when you're like not writing songs when
you're in the middle of ruin and trying to figure
out how to take what pieces persist and go forward.
And so in doing that, then in the time that
it takes and the thinking that it takes and the
reflection that it takes, I think there are a lot
(03:54):
of emotions that come with that, and a lot of
feelings and a lot of instances where I try I
was trying to work through and process my grief for
my life through writing about it.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And would you take breaks during that period, would you,
you know, steamroll through a song and then take a
deep breath, start painting or do other things to creatively release.
I mean, what what is your sort of workflow process?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, that's that's an interesting question. The workflow is. I'm
kind of a slow writer because well, that's just because
that's how I am. I write slow, and I edit
and I revise, and occasionally I'll write something fast. But
sometimes when there's not enough words to describe what you're
going through, that's when I take it out on the canvas.
(04:50):
I feel like that. That's that's you know. I do
abstract painting and you know, gestural work because there's just
some things that are just either better unsaid or easier
to work out on a canvas where at the end
you can like it or paint overrit.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Was there other stuff that was going on that you
were inspired by, whether it be particular readings during that
creative time or particular music by other artists during that time.
Was there other stuff surrounding you as you were creating
this new work.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Maggie Smith's book You Could Make This Place Beautiful? I
was reading that book in just the beautiful way that
she shared her experience in her feelings made me feel
encouraged well, I mean, whether she knows it or not,
she encouraged me to share my own experiences and what
(05:49):
I'd been going through. There's also Glennon Doyle. We can
do hard things. And I got super into a new
hobby called backgammon.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, and I'm looking for anybody I can find to
play with. I just really love it. I joined the
Nashville Backgammon Association and I'm not very good yet, but
I will be one day.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Maybe is there like a special card carrying membership that
you get or.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I think you just kind of get to say.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
That it's well, everyone is, you know, these days, bragging
about pickleball. So I think this sounds better to me,
doesn't it to you?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It does? And you know, I tried a lot of
things over the past couple of years to find things
that I like to do outside of gardening and making art,
and I tried pickleball. And I am like a giraffe,
a baby giraffe on roller skates when I do anything
like that. I mean, they just rolled their eyes a lot.
(06:49):
They're like, didn't haven't you ever played tennis? I was like, no,
there was a tennis in Lubock Texas.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Was there music from other artists during this creative period
for Nobody's Girl that you were particularly listening to or
was it sort of, you know, the same ebb and
flow that you would always go through with music.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, during this time I was. I put on the
D'Angelo in the Vanguard Black Messiah a lot, over and over.
I just the musicianship and the sounds. Really they took
me somewhere else and it's just beautiful. And I also
listened to Jack White's No Name a lot, super loud,
(07:32):
like as loud as I could turn it up, especially
that song That's how I'm feeling right now, among others.
But then I listened to You Want It Darker Leonard
Cohen's work over and over because there's something beautiful about
the I don't know the acceptance aspect of that record,
not the mortality part. That part's beautiful, but I wasn't
(07:53):
listening to it for that. And I also just find
his voice very calming.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
So who are the folks that you collaborated on with
the other musicians on Nobody's Girl.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Well, my producer friend Lawrence Rothman, I.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Thought so, I thought he would be there.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
We wrote this song away it goes together. One day
in La we were sitting around in the studio and
just started making up this little little chord progression and
then I wrote all the words in probably about two hours.
So there you have one.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Fast song for me, and it's an amazing song.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Oh thanks. I also worked with my longtime piano player
Peter Levin. We wrote a song called Lately Together and
it's on the record Nobody's Girl, And that was a
conversation we were having that day about you know how
checking in with each other, how are you doing? And
then we decided to write a song as a conversation
(08:57):
about our conversation, and that's how we born.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I like that. I like the flow of that. That's
pretty neat. What was different for you though about recording
this particular album, just in terms of the technical aspects,
if anything.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Different, There's always different things. I mean, this is this.
When I went to do my second session of recording
in La Lawrence's air conditioner did not work, and it
was the heat of summer and it was the sweatiest
I've ever been when I've recorded, And I definitely think
that was difficult. If find like your little instruments slipping
(09:37):
off your you know, your hand slip and you're holding
things slippery. That was kind of different. Then we tried
some new things. We tried some new things with the fiddle.
We put the fiddle through a few we kind of
made like a sample of the fiddle a little bit
in that way you can play it with the piano.
(09:58):
I thought that was pretty fun and then kind of,
you know, may sound less fiddily. It's nice to try
new sounds when you're you know, used to hearing it
one way your whole life.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Is that one of the many things that makes it
special working with with Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yes, And another special thing about working with Lawrence is
is they bring a lot of energy and a lot
of a lot of positivity, super encouraging to be around.
And sometimes I would say one thing that's not my
favorite is that Lawrence will pushed me to write or
(10:35):
record even more than I want to. And that happened
this time, and in the end it was the right
thing to do, even though I I, you know, kicked
and fussed and I and I'm not easy when I
get like that either, I get I get kind of mean.
But I did it, and then I was grateful and
everything was resolved, and I needed to get to those
(10:59):
those couple of songs, even if it meant writing a
couple of trash songs. And it's the process, really, how
you The time it takes is the time it takes,
you know. And I'm looking at this is my best friend.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I mean, I can't picture you being difficult in a
process in the studio with Lawrence. I think you're being
hard on yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, kind of stubborn, you know. And sometimes I just I,
you know, I'm just like I don't want to do that.
You can't make me do something I don't want to do,
you know. And then it's like a kind of like
a lot of back and forth, and I finally do
what they want me to do, because how could you
(11:42):
not when you have a friendship, and you know, I
could go stand outside and stop my feet, or I
could get to it, but sometimes you have to stand
outside and stomp your feet and then get to it.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
But isn't some of it just playful jousting?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Yes, sometimes it is. And sometimes in the studio when
when Laurence this only happened like twice, would push me
and then I was hot and sweaty, and then it's
like I'm also singing about my feelings, which is you
know which a lot of times when you're studios, the
first time you've ever played the song ever, you've played
(12:19):
it and you wrote it and you said, good, did that? Well,
then you go in and then it's the first time.
It's already uncomfortable, and then you add the hot sweaties,
and then you add the what's going on in the world.
Everything feels uncomfortable, and then suddenly you're arguing about how
you I guess you're lazy Shires.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
No now, but I'll bet there's a fair amount of
not only jousting, but but laughter and good vibes as
well in the studio.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Yes, they're definitely right. There is because I think we
can we tend to be able to turn anything into
a joke, and that's kind of that's that's a beautiful
thing when you have jokes and inside jokes that are
born out of ridiculousness.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Is there anything in particular you could share that created
some belly laughter.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
So there's this song peace of Mind, and the chorus
is like, oh, I hope you like, oh you're missing
peace of mind. In the beginning, I wrote you're missing
piece of pizzas of mind, and I tried to sing
it and it was pizza, You're missing pizza mind. That
(13:31):
was hilarious, pizza like we're doing that little Caesar's commercial.
That was good.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
That was really I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, and that's that's pretty embarrassing. I don't know how
I didn't catch that early on.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I'd love to hear. I'd love to hear the outtake sometimes.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Missing piece of piece of mind? So goofy.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
How do you ban balance vulnerability and artistry when you're
sharing such personal stories through your music?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
This is just how I am. I'm just I just
have to be myself. And somehow I was just you know,
born like this or else I was, you know, a
product of my raising. I don't know the answer there.
But when people you know are open and honest with me,
I feel like I I just feel like I learned
a lot, or feel like there's a better connection with people.
(14:27):
And it's not like I choose to be vulnerable or
a person that tends to really answer the question when
you say how are you? I know I should probably
like sometimes say I'm doing great, let's keep walking. But
I've just never been like that. I don't know if
it's because it could be because of my granddad. I'm
(14:47):
not sure, because I asked him how he was a lot,
and he would always start talking about his health, and
at the end of those long conversations he is like,
don't ever ask an old man about his health. I
don't no why. But anyway, that's just how I am.
I just ramble along like I'm doing now.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
It's not rambling, it's a taken a walk interview, That's
what it is. Do you share in the process of
creating with others outside your circle in the studio, such
as your mom? I mean, do you share what's going
on with her in the process of creating new stuff?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I do. I share with my mom probably more than
I share with anybody. A lot of it is, you know,
very much like how your kid wants to show you
something that they're proud of, or in my case, if
I am proud of it, yes, that's one thing, but
if I want her opinion on it or thoughts on it.
I feel like she's always been a safe person to
(15:52):
share things with, and we've been close and talk about everything.
I'm lucky, but that's about all as far as people
I share it with and I don't share like demos.
On occasion, I'll listen to my own demo to make
sure I like the words, but I don't. I don't
listen to it at all for my own self. And
(16:14):
I also like to share with my mom because she
makes a lot of what I do possible, whether it
be making snacks or helping me with my daughter or overall,
like backbone support, I feel like I got a lot
of my backbone. And I guess chat I don't know
(16:35):
what the word for this is, but like where you
feel like questions are challenging or curious about things and
wanting to know how things work and why, and you know,
challenging kind of norms.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I guess you know, since we last we're together for
the podcast, one thing that is really gone crazy out there,
among many things, has been you know, things such as
chat GPT, what's your take on AI and things like
(17:08):
chat GPT.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I mean, it's it's already here, so it's a matter
of going along with it or not. Kind of like
how when we got trains and horses and internet and
and things like that. Radio then it's it's a bit
scary when you go deep and read like how how
(17:32):
what you know? Some people are saying about about the
future of humanity and things like that, but I think
that there are more more important things in the moment, like, yeah,
I keep working on that, but they're more probably important
things to be thinking on and chat GPT and as
far as they hear and now. I mean, it's both important,
but maybe use it to learn how to help other people.
(17:55):
I guess I'm not sure. It's hard to say, Oh,
I don't like it because as much as I love
Neil Young, I wish that, you know, it was more
cool with dreaming and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So you're gonna be hitting the road as always. Do
you love the road as much as you always have?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
That's a good question. I am not sure. I haven't
been on the road since October of twenty twenty three. Really,
I've done a couple of one offs. And I love
to play live. I love to connect with folks that
you know, feel similarly to me, and I love to
(18:38):
you know, see the landscape and all that. But I
also do get nervous because it's it's gonna be you know,
I'm gonna bring mercy. My Mom's gonna bring mercy out
some and it's it's gonna be a different scenario than
it's been before. Not to say I'm not strong enough
four that I definitely am. So I don't really know,
Like I know, I loved it before, so how could
(18:58):
I not love it again? We'll see so far, I
still love it.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Different adjustments, you got different adjustments to make.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Last time I was on the road, I loved it. Yeah,
I don't know, because I'm not on it.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Are there any genres you have in touch that you
can envision touching creatively?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Genres? Let's think I'm open to everything, you know, especially
if somebody invited me to do something. I wouldn't just go,
you know, hop into a death metal band. I would
definitely bead the lead, the compadre there to invite me
and you know, work something out.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
A death metal fan.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That you I'll try anything, seven or eight times.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I love I love hearing Amanda Shire say death metal band.
There's just something, Uh, there's an irony to that. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I mean, who doesn't want to hear a death metal fiddle?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That's right? You got that right. Are there lessons from
the past year that found their way into your music
intentionally or unintentionally.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
That's a good lessons, intentional or unintentional. Well. I did
take a jiu jitsu class and I signed up for
it because I was trying to figure out a way
to get cuddles. And at the end of the class,
I asked if next time I could just be the
person they demonstrated on and the guy said no and
kicked me out. And that lesson I learned there was,
(20:32):
if you're going to sign up for a new thing
to do, make sure you're there to try and do
that thing.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
They kicked you out.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Really well, they kind of just said it, you know,
they didn't find it as amusing as I did.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
They discouraged you from attending further. How's that.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, they wanted to me to like, you know, really
participate and probably get you know, the room kind of
smelled anyway, it wasn't really set up for cuddling. Other
things I learned are I guess that resilience is you know,
glamorous or pretty. It's just you get your pieces and
(21:12):
you keep on going. Also learned that I'm tougher than
I think I am.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Any advice you'd give to others navigating transitions.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
You don't have to figure it all out. And you
don't have to figure it all out all at once,
or any of it all at once. You just got
to figure out what you can and keep on. You
don't have to figure it all out in one day.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Take your time, Amanda, I adore you. Thank you for
being on again Taking a Walk, and congrats on the
new music and all the best always to you.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Awesome, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a
Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends
and follow us so you never an episode. Taking a
Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and
wherever you get your podcasts
Taking a Walk. Welcome to Taking a Walk on Buzz Night,
and we are rounding out our fresh Start twenty twenty
six theme week. We're celebrating artists who have had the
courage to reinvent themselves and claim their own artistic identity.
Amanda Shires has never been content to stay in one
lane as a fiddle virtuoso. She could have easily carved
(00:22):
out a comfortable career as a sideman, but Amanda wanted more.
She wanted her own voice, her own songs, her own truth.
So she gave herself a fresh start, stepping into the
spotlight as a solo artist and songwriter, crafting deeply personal
albums that showcase not just her instrumental prowess, but her
a gift for raw, honest storytelling. A fresh start sometimes
(00:46):
means finding your voice when you've been someone else's accompaniment.
It means taking up space, speaking your truth, and refusing
to be sidelined. In this conversation, Amanda shares her journey
from a comp musician to fearless songwriter an advocate, reminding
us that reinvention isn't just about career, It's about claiming
(01:08):
we really are, especially in the face of personal adversity.
Amanda Shires, a returning guest, is next on Taking a Walk,
Taking a Walk. Hi, Amanda, that's so nice to see
you again.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's nice to be seen.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
And welcome to taking a walk. You know, since we
last did our episode, I asked this opening question, so
you're not going to get away with avoiding it. The
question is, since we call the podcast taking a Walk,
is there somebody living or dead that you would like
(01:49):
to take a walk with and where would you take
that walk with them?
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Okay, I would take a walk, I know, I said
Leonard Cohen last time. I can't say the same one.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Well, I don't know why you could not say that.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
I'd take it. I'd take a walk with James Joyce
and complain about you know, some Ulysses and Finnegans, wake
a little and see what the response would be.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
Complain. Yeah, what do you think you would? What would
he say?
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I have no earthly idea.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
That's why you would take it right.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Exactly exactly. Maybe we would do the whole walk in
Ireland even.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Oh that's magical. I think you guys would would have
a good conversation.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, I would probably leave them either after a fistfight
and or you know, after a fist fight, then a
beer or a pint or something.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Congratulations on the new album, Nobody's Girl. It's described as
your most personal work to date, even though I feel
like all of your work is deeply personal. What inspired
you to take this direction and how did that writing
process for you unfold for this time?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Well, I think I'm inspired by kind of what I'm
always inspired by what's going on in my life, but
I wouldn't call it inspiration as much as needing to
work through the storms in my life at the time.
And the process was just the same as a process
(03:33):
as it is when you're like not writing songs when
you're in the middle of ruin and trying to figure
out how to take what pieces persist and go forward.
And so in doing that, then in the time that
it takes and the thinking that it takes and the
reflection that it takes, I think there are a lot
(03:54):
of emotions that come with that, and a lot of
feelings and a lot of instances where I try I
was trying to work through and process my grief for
my life through writing about it.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
And would you take breaks during that period, would you,
you know, steamroll through a song and then take a
deep breath, start painting or do other things to creatively release.
I mean, what what is your sort of workflow process?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Yeah, that's that's an interesting question. The workflow is. I'm
kind of a slow writer because well, that's just because
that's how I am. I write slow, and I edit
and I revise, and occasionally I'll write something fast. But
sometimes when there's not enough words to describe what you're
going through, that's when I take it out on the canvas.
(04:50):
I feel like that. That's that's you know. I do
abstract painting and you know, gestural work because there's just
some things that are just either better unsaid or easier
to work out on a canvas where at the end
you can like it or paint overrit.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Was there other stuff that was going on that you
were inspired by, whether it be particular readings during that
creative time or particular music by other artists during that time.
Was there other stuff surrounding you as you were creating
this new work.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Maggie Smith's book You Could Make This Place Beautiful? I
was reading that book in just the beautiful way that
she shared her experience in her feelings made me feel
encouraged well, I mean, whether she knows it or not,
she encouraged me to share my own experiences and what
(05:49):
I'd been going through. There's also Glennon Doyle. We can
do hard things. And I got super into a new
hobby called backgammon.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, and I'm looking for anybody I can find to
play with. I just really love it. I joined the
Nashville Backgammon Association and I'm not very good yet, but
I will be one day.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
Maybe is there like a special card carrying membership that
you get or.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I think you just kind of get to say.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
That it's well, everyone is, you know, these days, bragging
about pickleball. So I think this sounds better to me,
doesn't it to you?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
It does? And you know, I tried a lot of
things over the past couple of years to find things
that I like to do outside of gardening and making art,
and I tried pickleball. And I am like a giraffe,
a baby giraffe on roller skates when I do anything
like that. I mean, they just rolled their eyes a lot.
(06:49):
They're like, didn't haven't you ever played tennis? I was like, no,
there was a tennis in Lubock Texas.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Was there music from other artists during this creative period
for Nobody's Girl that you were particularly listening to or
was it sort of, you know, the same ebb and
flow that you would always go through with music.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Well, during this time I was. I put on the
D'Angelo in the Vanguard Black Messiah a lot, over and over.
I just the musicianship and the sounds. Really they took
me somewhere else and it's just beautiful. And I also
listened to Jack White's No Name a lot, super loud,
(07:32):
like as loud as I could turn it up, especially
that song That's how I'm feeling right now, among others.
But then I listened to You Want It Darker Leonard
Cohen's work over and over because there's something beautiful about
the I don't know the acceptance aspect of that record,
not the mortality part. That part's beautiful, but I wasn't
(07:53):
listening to it for that. And I also just find
his voice very calming.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
So who are the folks that you collaborated on with
the other musicians on Nobody's Girl.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Well, my producer friend Lawrence Rothman, I.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Thought so, I thought he would be there.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
We wrote this song away it goes together. One day
in La we were sitting around in the studio and
just started making up this little little chord progression and
then I wrote all the words in probably about two hours.
So there you have one.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Fast song for me, and it's an amazing song.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Oh thanks. I also worked with my longtime piano player
Peter Levin. We wrote a song called Lately Together and
it's on the record Nobody's Girl, And that was a
conversation we were having that day about you know how
checking in with each other, how are you doing? And
then we decided to write a song as a conversation
(08:57):
about our conversation, and that's how we born.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I like that. I like the flow of that. That's
pretty neat. What was different for you though about recording
this particular album, just in terms of the technical aspects,
if anything.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Different, There's always different things. I mean, this is this.
When I went to do my second session of recording
in La Lawrence's air conditioner did not work, and it
was the heat of summer and it was the sweatiest
I've ever been when I've recorded, And I definitely think
that was difficult. If find like your little instruments slipping
(09:37):
off your you know, your hand slip and you're holding
things slippery. That was kind of different. Then we tried
some new things. We tried some new things with the fiddle.
We put the fiddle through a few we kind of
made like a sample of the fiddle a little bit
in that way you can play it with the piano.
(09:58):
I thought that was pretty fun and then kind of,
you know, may sound less fiddily. It's nice to try
new sounds when you're you know, used to hearing it
one way your whole life.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Is that one of the many things that makes it
special working with with Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Yes, And another special thing about working with Lawrence is
is they bring a lot of energy and a lot
of a lot of positivity, super encouraging to be around.
And sometimes I would say one thing that's not my
favorite is that Lawrence will pushed me to write or
(10:35):
record even more than I want to. And that happened
this time, and in the end it was the right
thing to do, even though I I, you know, kicked
and fussed and I and I'm not easy when I
get like that either, I get I get kind of mean.
But I did it, and then I was grateful and
everything was resolved, and I needed to get to those
(10:59):
those couple of songs, even if it meant writing a
couple of trash songs. And it's the process, really, how
you The time it takes is the time it takes,
you know. And I'm looking at this is my best friend.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I mean, I can't picture you being difficult in a
process in the studio with Lawrence. I think you're being
hard on yourself.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
Yeah, kind of stubborn, you know. And sometimes I just I,
you know, I'm just like I don't want to do that.
You can't make me do something I don't want to do,
you know. And then it's like a kind of like
a lot of back and forth, and I finally do
what they want me to do, because how could you
(11:42):
not when you have a friendship, and you know, I
could go stand outside and stop my feet, or I
could get to it, but sometimes you have to stand
outside and stomp your feet and then get to it.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
But isn't some of it just playful jousting?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Yes, sometimes it is. And sometimes in the studio when
when Laurence this only happened like twice, would push me
and then I was hot and sweaty, and then it's
like I'm also singing about my feelings, which is you
know which a lot of times when you're studios, the
first time you've ever played the song ever, you've played
(12:19):
it and you wrote it and you said, good, did that? Well,
then you go in and then it's the first time.
It's already uncomfortable, and then you add the hot sweaties,
and then you add the what's going on in the world.
Everything feels uncomfortable, and then suddenly you're arguing about how
you I guess you're lazy Shires.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
No now, but I'll bet there's a fair amount of
not only jousting, but but laughter and good vibes as
well in the studio.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Yes, they're definitely right. There is because I think we
can we tend to be able to turn anything into
a joke, and that's kind of that's that's a beautiful
thing when you have jokes and inside jokes that are
born out of ridiculousness.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Is there anything in particular you could share that created
some belly laughter.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
So there's this song peace of Mind, and the chorus
is like, oh, I hope you like, oh you're missing
peace of mind. In the beginning, I wrote you're missing
piece of pizzas of mind, and I tried to sing
it and it was pizza, You're missing pizza mind. That
(13:31):
was hilarious, pizza like we're doing that little Caesar's commercial.
That was good.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
That was really I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Yeah, and that's that's pretty embarrassing. I don't know how
I didn't catch that early on.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
I'd love to hear. I'd love to hear the outtake sometimes.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Missing piece of piece of mind? So goofy.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
How do you ban balance vulnerability and artistry when you're
sharing such personal stories through your music?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
This is just how I am. I'm just I just
have to be myself. And somehow I was just you know,
born like this or else I was, you know, a
product of my raising. I don't know the answer there.
But when people you know are open and honest with me,
I feel like I I just feel like I learned
a lot, or feel like there's a better connection with people.
(14:27):
And it's not like I choose to be vulnerable or
a person that tends to really answer the question when
you say how are you? I know I should probably
like sometimes say I'm doing great, let's keep walking. But
I've just never been like that. I don't know if
it's because it could be because of my granddad. I'm
(14:47):
not sure, because I asked him how he was a lot,
and he would always start talking about his health, and
at the end of those long conversations he is like,
don't ever ask an old man about his health. I
don't no why. But anyway, that's just how I am.
I just ramble along like I'm doing now.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
It's not rambling, it's a taken a walk interview, That's
what it is. Do you share in the process of
creating with others outside your circle in the studio, such
as your mom? I mean, do you share what's going
on with her in the process of creating new stuff?
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I do. I share with my mom probably more than
I share with anybody. A lot of it is, you know,
very much like how your kid wants to show you
something that they're proud of, or in my case, if
I am proud of it, yes, that's one thing, but
if I want her opinion on it or thoughts on it.
I feel like she's always been a safe person to
(15:52):
share things with, and we've been close and talk about everything.
I'm lucky, but that's about all as far as people
I share it with and I don't share like demos.
On occasion, I'll listen to my own demo to make
sure I like the words, but I don't. I don't
listen to it at all for my own self. And
(16:14):
I also like to share with my mom because she
makes a lot of what I do possible, whether it
be making snacks or helping me with my daughter or overall,
like backbone support, I feel like I got a lot
of my backbone. And I guess chat I don't know
(16:35):
what the word for this is, but like where you
feel like questions are challenging or curious about things and
wanting to know how things work and why, and you know,
challenging kind of norms.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I guess you know, since we last we're together for
the podcast, one thing that is really gone crazy out there,
among many things, has been you know, things such as
chat GPT, what's your take on AI and things like
(17:08):
chat GPT.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
I mean, it's it's already here, so it's a matter
of going along with it or not. Kind of like
how when we got trains and horses and internet and
and things like that. Radio then it's it's a bit
scary when you go deep and read like how how
(17:32):
what you know? Some people are saying about about the
future of humanity and things like that, but I think
that there are more more important things in the moment, like, yeah,
I keep working on that, but they're more probably important
things to be thinking on and chat GPT and as
far as they hear and now. I mean, it's both important,
but maybe use it to learn how to help other people.
(17:55):
I guess I'm not sure. It's hard to say, Oh,
I don't like it because as much as I love
Neil Young, I wish that, you know, it was more
cool with dreaming and stuff like that.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
So you're gonna be hitting the road as always. Do
you love the road as much as you always have?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
That's a good question. I am not sure. I haven't
been on the road since October of twenty twenty three. Really,
I've done a couple of one offs. And I love
to play live. I love to connect with folks that
you know, feel similarly to me, and I love to
(18:38):
you know, see the landscape and all that. But I
also do get nervous because it's it's gonna be you know,
I'm gonna bring mercy. My Mom's gonna bring mercy out
some and it's it's gonna be a different scenario than
it's been before. Not to say I'm not strong enough
four that I definitely am. So I don't really know,
Like I know, I loved it before, so how could
(18:58):
I not love it again? We'll see so far, I
still love it.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Different adjustments, you got different adjustments to make.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Last time I was on the road, I loved it. Yeah,
I don't know, because I'm not on it.
Speaker 1 (19:12):
Are there any genres you have in touch that you
can envision touching creatively?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Genres? Let's think I'm open to everything, you know, especially
if somebody invited me to do something. I wouldn't just go,
you know, hop into a death metal band. I would
definitely bead the lead, the compadre there to invite me
and you know, work something out.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
A death metal fan.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
That you I'll try anything, seven or eight times.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
I love I love hearing Amanda Shire say death metal band.
There's just something, Uh, there's an irony to that. I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
I mean, who doesn't want to hear a death metal fiddle?
Speaker 1 (19:58):
That's right? You got that right. Are there lessons from
the past year that found their way into your music
intentionally or unintentionally.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
That's a good lessons, intentional or unintentional. Well. I did
take a jiu jitsu class and I signed up for
it because I was trying to figure out a way
to get cuddles. And at the end of the class,
I asked if next time I could just be the
person they demonstrated on and the guy said no and
kicked me out. And that lesson I learned there was,
(20:32):
if you're going to sign up for a new thing
to do, make sure you're there to try and do
that thing.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
They kicked you out.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Really well, they kind of just said it, you know,
they didn't find it as amusing as I did.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
They discouraged you from attending further. How's that.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Yeah, they wanted to me to like, you know, really
participate and probably get you know, the room kind of
smelled anyway, it wasn't really set up for cuddling. Other
things I learned are I guess that resilience is you know,
glamorous or pretty. It's just you get your pieces and
(21:12):
you keep on going. Also learned that I'm tougher than
I think I am.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Any advice you'd give to others navigating transitions.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
You don't have to figure it all out. And you
don't have to figure it all out all at once,
or any of it all at once. You just got
to figure out what you can and keep on. You
don't have to figure it all out in one day.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Take your time, Amanda, I adore you. Thank you for
being on again Taking a Walk, and congrats on the
new music and all the best always to you.
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Awesome, Thank you.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Taking a
Walk podcast. Share this and other episodes with your friends
and follow us so you never an episode. Taking a
Walk is available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and
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