Shefbase’s Amie Trewin went along to have a chat to former Ash member Charlotte Hatherly while on her current tour promoting her new solo album “The Deep Blue”.
Also check out her gig review of Charlotte’s performance at Plug earlier this month in our Gig’s section.
So you’re about half way through your tour now…
Yeah, so we’re beginning to get into our stride; we’ve learnt the cover by now and started playing it right which is always a good sign!
How was Sheffield for you then?
It was really great, a really nice demonstrative crowd who were up for it. Sometimes acoustically I think people get a bit intimidated and no one wants to stand out by being too loud…so even though they’re into it we’re on stage thinking, “oh f*** everyone hates it!” But tonight they were brilliant!
Cliché question, but are you fed up with so many people still calling you ‘the girl from Ash’?
Um, I guess so. I can’t really get away from it as Ash was almost 10 years of my life. In a way it’s nice, and I’m really proud to have been part of it… but at the same time I’d like to think one day I’ll get away from the ‘Ash’ surname!
Did you find it hard touring and playing with all boys for so long?
I think you become quite sexless. You become one of the lads and you forget that you’re actually a girl! That’s the greatest thing about being solo. I can just enjoy the fact that I’m not a girl anymore, but a 28-year old woman doing my own thing. Playing with girls now is so great and such a novelty! I’ve known Charley, who’s getting semi-naked over there (guitarist Charley, who is indeed semi-naked, turns round and waves) since I was 15. It’s also pretty hard to find really good female guitarists, and I’ve managed to do that too.
So there’s no backstage bitchiness!??
(They laugh) We haven’t been on tour long enough for it to get like that! Haha no I don’t think it would though…
(Charley: If someone’s in a mood we take the piss but in a friendly way; we know the boundaries!)
…and after touring for over ten years I know the road can turn you into a complete c***, but it’s not your fault! I’m much more forgiving than I used to be!
You definitely had a good connection with them onstage…
Yeah, it’s great to be able to play with people I really like. Whereas with Ash I was chosen, now I can just do what I want! Its great fun and I think acoustically you can have more personality, which also makes the audience more chilled. With a full band on stage there’s not much room for banter or chats, you just want to get on with it. With Ash people saw me as a ‘rock chick’, and my persona as being quite ice-cold…I didn’t smile that much on stage so got perceived as a ‘cold rock bitch’! I love how acoustically people can see a different side to you, it’s more intimate and you can be much more relaxed and honest…a bit more approachable I think.
Do you think it’s harder for alternative female artists to succeed within a music scene which is still very male-dominated?
I think in the pop-world it’s fantastic because there’s a lot of big female characters like Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and KT Tunstall who are really cool, even though I’m not particularly into their music. In the indie-world, which I guess is the one I’m in, there’s Bat For Lashes, Feist and Emily Hanes from Metric who are cool…but there’s no one who I really listen to or relate to. I feel very much outside any sort of indie scene.
Honestly, I think the music industry is intrinsically sexist. I’ve never really wanted to say that because I don’t want to sound a victim or like I’m complaining, but it is. And I think it’s a shame like with Beth Ditto, who’s actually really cool and has been about for years…the only things written about her seem to be that either she’s fat or a lesbian. It really frustrates me.
What inspired you when writing your second album “The Deep Blue”?
I wrote it just after leaving Ash when I had so much to say because my whole life had just changed. That’s why it’s much more honest. With “Grey Will Fade” (her first solo album) I was only 18, so it was just pop-punk sort of nonsense that didn’t really mean much! So much has happened this last year; having my own record label, touring, breaking up from a very long term relationship, so many adventures…some good, some bad. But I constantly had things to write songs about!
So finally, what’s next for Charlotte Hatherley?
I will be mainly writing for the next album which will be out next year. Hopefully we’ll do a Christmas gig and we’re going to Europe next month to do lots of touring. I want to be playing great venues like this and I want it to be sold out…I guess I’m not quite there yet but I’m definitely trying!
By Amie Trewin
