Popolio.com
by Alfredo Rodriguez, Jr.
(First ten on March 1st, second ten on March 2nd)

1. The last two works seem a little darker than usual Meshell Ndegeocello fare. Is this a reflection of where you are emotionally or are they reflections on the past?

Meshell: I guess those two records are darker in tone, but I think that’s always been there. I’ve been playing some Bitter stuff recently and it feels pretty dark lyrically, right? The last records are reflections of where I was when I wrote them. Or what I was thinking about. I’m not really able to write about what’s gone by, I reflect what’s happening at the time. That’s why I don’t like to play old stuff so much. But, I’m trying to be better about it.

2. Where are you emotionally in 2010, this accomplished and far into your career? I don’t know, what’s the answer to this? How do you determine your emotional longitude and latitude?

Meshell: Um, I’m settled. More than I was. I’m happy. Or happier than I was. I’m still easily hurt.

3. You’ve interpreted Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and others before, why Ready For The World’s “Love You Down” this time around?

Meshell: I just felt like I could really treat it differently. I’m thinking about covers recently, in general. Sometimes I don’t want to choose from the canon, from the list of the inimitable and I just want to revisit a nostalgic favorite. Maybe it’s cheesy but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. It was a vacation and a challenge at the same time.

4. Love the way you flip gender and sexuality and even age on this one as you have done before on other songs (Bill Wither’s “Who Is He and What Is He To You”). Having songs that do both, what are your thoughts on whether songs are gender-specific or more general in regards to the relationships they are about? Do we need more songs out there that are specifically female-female and male-male?

Meshell: Oh, I don’t know. Sure, all that is good, but I think we need more people who are willing to relate to love regardless of the pronouns. I like stuff that’s ambiguous, too.

5. The title, The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams, makes me think of it in two ways. One, that creation has made you “man enough,” if you will; that you don’t need a man. Or, two, that it sounds like an ode to a man-child (a son); kind of how the track, “Solomon,” pays tribute. What were your intentions around this title?

Meshell: It was born from my mother telling me my man, my prince, would come. And he didn’t come, so I became what I needed. Had to. “Solomon” is, in fact, a tribute to my son, Solomon.

6. Now, Devil’s Halo, to me, encompasses what your music has always been. You delve into the pain, sorrow, and reality of love and life even if it’s not always pretty; it’s gritty. It’s not the sugary-sweet pop approach. This is why “Fool of Me” and “Wasted Time” are my favorites on Bitter. But, there’s always some good love and hope. Is this a conscious part of your writing process? Insights on this title.

Meshell: No, that’s it. Good and bad in all things, especially love. I don’t think it’s a conscious part of my writing process, I just think it’s how it is and I honor that. Usually higher the highs, the lower the lows, right? You can’t just commemorate the good stuff.

7. The World Has Made Me the Man of My Dreams sounds like everything that has come before from you with some punk and rock thrown in. Devil’s Halo harkens to Bitter as far how instrumental it is (though sonically distinct), but shares more of that rock-infused sound with The World… Will we be hearing a full-on punk/rock Meshell album in the not too distant future?

Meshell: That’d be cool. Maybe. Thank you for noticing. I just hope for bigger, broader things for my sound. I just keep trying to create new sounds or channel the sounds in my head.

8. You started in the go-go movement of DC in the 1990s and have introduced your fans to other genres they otherwise may not have been exposed to (hip hop, jazz, dub, etc.) throughout the years. Why did go-go speak to you, then, and what was it saying? What’s the newest genre that is speaking to you, now, and what is it saying?

Meshell: It was just everywhere and I wanted to be in a band. It’s so DC, it just spoke to me ‘cause it was in all the places I was. For a new genre… I listen to so many things now, but I’ve been feeling a lot of Brit pop and new wave recently. It’s just saying there is more to life than what people expect of you, whether you’re broke and mad in northern England or stuck in the neo-soul box.

9. Having been on Madonna’s label, Maverick, at one point, do you keep up with popstars? What are your thoughts on Lady Gaga and the like?

Meshell: Wow, no. I don’t really keep up. I decided to try to have a substantial career as an artist rather than being a pop star so I tried to stop watching. I hear Lady Gaga is a nice person, though. I guess I just think it all comes and goes now. I’m starting to feel that whole “nothing new under the sun” thing with pop stars.

10. Speaking of labels, you’ve experienced releasing multiple albums for one label as well as consecutive albums on different labels. Is this by choice? Do you have a preference for one or the other? Pluses/Minuses for both?

Meshell: It’s been both by choice and not. I’m really happy just to make a record.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: matthew,

Popolio.com
by Alfredo Rodriguez, Jr.
(First ten on March 1st, second ten on March 2nd)

11. What are your thoughts on soul/R&B and hip hop as they stand today? Where do you think they need to go?

Meshell: I think it’s pretty homogeneous, but maybe it always was. It’s always been pretty formulaic, but I’d like to see it leave the formulas behind a bit. I wish hip hop would just get some content together. But, I also love a killing beat, so…

12. Where do you think you want or need to go musically that you haven’t been before? Lyrically?

Meshell: I feel I have a lot of room to grow lyrically. Where exactly, I’m not sure, but I always feel I could do better. Musically, I just take it as it comes. I think I could make a hip hop record with proper, old school sampling. I’d really like to do more scoring. I’ve produced a couple things. I’d like to get better at that.

13. Are there people that you have wanted to work with in the industry where perceptions on gender and sexuality have gotten in the way? What do you do with that?

Meshell: Yes. I get angry and then I get over it. What else is there to do?

14. If you could improve just one thing about yourself as either a musician or a songwriter, what would it be and why?

Meshell: Oh, my. I’d be a better singer. I’ve never felt I was really a good singer. I just sung on my demos ‘cause I didn’t have anyone else to do it.

15. When you go on tour and do your live shows what are you trying to achieve? What do you hope your audience gets out of a live show?

Meshell: I love to play. I’m trying to bring a real bonafide and quality musical experience to an audience. We all really play and we don’t play to a click or a track or any of that. I work with incredible musicians and I hope that sometimes that is heard or that somebody hears the expertise and the craft. I also just really like to play. I’m there to have a good time.

16. Do you think about your audience and fans when you’re recording a new record? Or are you just doing what you want to do and hope they will go along for the ride?

Meshell: Both. Neither. I try to and then I try not to. I want to respect the listeners, but I also want to get out what I want to say, hear, and feel.

17. If they were making a film about your life who would you want to play you? Why? What would be the message of that film? What would the soundtrack sound like?

Meshell: An unknown person from an arts high school. It’d be a story of transformation and eventual self-acceptance. The soundtrack would be my own records if it were a movie about me, wouldn’t it? Or Brian Eno could score it.

18. What is your mission on this earth as you see it? Are you achieving it?

Meshell: I ask myself that everyday.

19. Any exclusive scoops on any exciting news for popolio.com that fans can look forward to this year?

Meshell: I got a covers record brewing…

20. What’s next for Meshell Ndegeocello?

Meshell: There’s always more music. I’m thankful for that. Hope you will be, too.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: matthew,

Thanks a lot for letting me/us know what Meshell's next move maybe. I loved all the songs she chose. If i could have added some of my personal favs, they would include songs that no one has covered, Teddy Penderglass-can't we try, Stevie Wonders-too shy to say, Maurice White's-I need you, Luther Vandrosse's- other side of the world,War's-baby it's cold outside and Chic's-falling in love with you. Just to name a few.

I only have one. Radiohead "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT90I7sZmNQ

It's a perfect track for the band (Deantoni, Mark, Chris and Keefus) because the song has solos for each of them, and the song lends well to Meshell's vocals...

P.S. "In Rainbows" is a GREAT album for any of you looking to be blown away track after track. Only took me three years to figure that out.

In the past I've pondered covers of Van Halen and Led Zeppelin material, mostly due to Deantoni's impressive playing and the fact that the rest of the band is able to keep up with him.

Basically at this point, there's nothing this band can't do. I don't know how she goes back to performing "The Best of Bitter and More" in April after the response the crowd gave her at the Largo. If it were me, I would do some dates before then just to feed off of that energy.

Then again, maybe that was just the crowd that was there that evening. It may have been the first concert I have been where there wasn't someone yelling out song titles from her catalog.

As for the covers, we don't know that those have been chosen for the recording of the album. She may just be testing out different songs and then choosing from them which ones to put on the album. Of course, that's purely speculation. She could have already recorded it for all I know.

Like the rest of you, I can't wait to see what comes next

Yo, thanks for all the info & the links m!!!
(heheh...I'm catching up slowly but surely