1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:15,956 Speaker 1: Pushkin. 2 00:00:20,316 --> 00:00:23,316 Speaker 2: Of all the groundbreaking musicians to come out of the sixties, 3 00:00:23,596 --> 00:00:27,556 Speaker 2: few were as engaged socially and politically as Joan Biaz. 4 00:00:28,356 --> 00:00:32,436 Speaker 2: A lifelong proponent of nonviolent activism, Joan marched with doctor 5 00:00:32,476 --> 00:00:36,036 Speaker 2: Martin Luther King Junior and has continued to advocate for 6 00:00:36,156 --> 00:00:40,716 Speaker 2: nonviolent civil disobedience ever since. With the release of her 7 00:00:40,756 --> 00:00:44,516 Speaker 2: debut album in nineteen sixty, Joan Bayez became the pre 8 00:00:44,556 --> 00:00:49,116 Speaker 2: eminent female folkye. With just her exquisite soprano and her guitar, 9 00:00:49,636 --> 00:00:53,516 Speaker 2: she reworked classic American folk songs and eventually wrote songs 10 00:00:53,556 --> 00:00:57,196 Speaker 2: that helped fuel her activism. By the time she helped 11 00:00:57,236 --> 00:00:59,716 Speaker 2: launch Bob Dylan's career by inviting him on stage with 12 00:00:59,756 --> 00:01:04,276 Speaker 2: her in the early sixties, Joan was already an international sensation. 13 00:01:05,236 --> 00:01:08,876 Speaker 2: In twenty nineteen, after a career that spanned nearly six decades, 14 00:01:09,196 --> 00:01:13,436 Speaker 2: Joan announced she was no longer performing live. In recent years, 15 00:01:13,476 --> 00:01:17,236 Speaker 2: she's turned her creative attention to visual art. Her new 16 00:01:17,236 --> 00:01:19,636 Speaker 2: book of drawings, titled Am I Pretty When I Fly, 17 00:01:20,276 --> 00:01:24,876 Speaker 2: features sketches rooted in humor, freedom, and sorrow, but in 18 00:01:24,876 --> 00:01:28,916 Speaker 2: classic Joan by A style of course. Her drawings defy convention, 19 00:01:29,516 --> 00:01:33,316 Speaker 2: they were all drawn upside down. On today's episode, you'll 20 00:01:33,356 --> 00:01:36,356 Speaker 2: hear a live conversation I had with Joan Baez at 21 00:01:36,396 --> 00:01:40,476 Speaker 2: the Chicago Humanities Festival in May. Joan spoke about the 22 00:01:40,476 --> 00:01:43,956 Speaker 2: emotional catharsis she finds in drawing. She also talked about 23 00:01:44,036 --> 00:01:47,116 Speaker 2: juggling music and activism as a young artist, and what 24 00:01:47,276 --> 00:01:50,116 Speaker 2: happened when she handed over access to her personal storage 25 00:01:50,196 --> 00:01:54,996 Speaker 2: unit to a group of documentary filmmakers. Also, despite giving 26 00:01:55,036 --> 00:01:58,196 Speaker 2: up live performance, she took a moment to serenade the 27 00:01:58,196 --> 00:02:05,756 Speaker 2: crowd all with her beautiful, beloved voice. This is broken 28 00:02:05,796 --> 00:02:09,076 Speaker 2: record liner notes for the digital age. I'm justin Ritchman. 29 00:02:09,956 --> 00:02:15,036 Speaker 2: Here's my conversation with the great Joan Bias. Thank you 30 00:02:15,076 --> 00:02:18,196 Speaker 2: so much for making this wonderful book of your drawings. 31 00:02:18,196 --> 00:02:21,676 Speaker 2: They're amazing and I can't wait to get into a 32 00:02:21,716 --> 00:02:22,276 Speaker 2: lot of them. 33 00:02:22,756 --> 00:02:24,916 Speaker 1: But before we get into that, it's amazing. 34 00:02:24,956 --> 00:02:28,276 Speaker 2: We're both from California, we both flew here to Chicago 35 00:02:28,316 --> 00:02:32,796 Speaker 2: to do this, and it feels very apt because in 36 00:02:32,836 --> 00:02:34,676 Speaker 2: a lot of ways, this. 37 00:02:34,716 --> 00:02:37,756 Speaker 1: Is kind of where you started it in show business. 38 00:02:37,876 --> 00:02:43,476 Speaker 3: Right was certainly this atmosphere of folk folk music, folk folks, 39 00:02:43,556 --> 00:02:46,636 Speaker 3: and that was mine was mainly in Cambridge, and people 40 00:02:46,636 --> 00:02:48,756 Speaker 3: associate me with the village, but I was only there 41 00:02:48,796 --> 00:02:51,476 Speaker 3: a couple of times. It was mainly Cambridge and the 42 00:02:51,516 --> 00:02:53,036 Speaker 3: folks scene there, Yeah. 43 00:02:52,796 --> 00:02:54,596 Speaker 2: Well, which is where you would have gotten into music. 44 00:02:54,636 --> 00:02:57,796 Speaker 2: But then the Gate of Horn here in Chicago really 45 00:02:57,836 --> 00:02:59,956 Speaker 2: feels like Albert Grossman's club. 46 00:03:00,116 --> 00:03:01,916 Speaker 3: Oh my god. That was a big deal for me 47 00:03:01,956 --> 00:03:05,636 Speaker 3: because I was eighteen or nineteen and I was scared 48 00:03:05,676 --> 00:03:07,916 Speaker 3: to death, and also I was afraid that if I 49 00:03:07,956 --> 00:03:10,636 Speaker 3: sang somewhere where they were still booze, I would go 50 00:03:10,636 --> 00:03:13,996 Speaker 3: to hell. I mean literally, that's where I was at 51 00:03:13,996 --> 00:03:17,116 Speaker 3: that point in my life. And I heard Albert grosswim 52 00:03:17,156 --> 00:03:19,916 Speaker 3: trying to convince my parents that I should come and 53 00:03:19,916 --> 00:03:23,596 Speaker 3: sing at the Gate of Horn, and I heard one 54 00:03:23,676 --> 00:03:26,636 Speaker 3: of them say, oh, she'll never do it, she's too scared. 55 00:03:26,676 --> 00:03:31,636 Speaker 3: So immediately I said, Okay, I'm going yeah, and I did. 56 00:03:31,996 --> 00:03:34,676 Speaker 3: In two or three weeks or something like that. I 57 00:03:34,756 --> 00:03:36,836 Speaker 3: opened for Bob Gibson at the Gate of. 58 00:03:36,796 --> 00:03:44,956 Speaker 2: Horn, legendary place, and a young Roger McGuinn was lurking around, 59 00:03:45,076 --> 00:03:47,916 Speaker 2: and who was born and raised here, and I can't 60 00:03:47,916 --> 00:03:48,996 Speaker 2: imagine what that must. 61 00:03:48,796 --> 00:03:49,276 Speaker 1: Have looked like. 62 00:03:49,996 --> 00:03:53,636 Speaker 2: That also led to you performing at the inaugural Newport 63 00:03:53,716 --> 00:03:55,756 Speaker 2: Folk Festival, right, isn't it is the. 64 00:03:55,716 --> 00:03:58,636 Speaker 3: First one up until then it had been jazz festival, 65 00:03:58,756 --> 00:04:01,396 Speaker 3: just a jazz festival. And like the little club where 66 00:04:01,396 --> 00:04:04,396 Speaker 3: I sang, Club forty seven in Cambridge, it had been 67 00:04:04,516 --> 00:04:08,036 Speaker 3: a jazz club for years. These two women ran it 68 00:04:08,276 --> 00:04:10,436 Speaker 3: and then they saw the writing on the wall and 69 00:04:11,236 --> 00:04:14,436 Speaker 3: start putting folk music in. And I was the first artist, 70 00:04:14,556 --> 00:04:17,476 Speaker 3: and I got paid ten dollars a night. I was 71 00:04:17,836 --> 00:04:19,036 Speaker 3: rich broad. 72 00:04:18,716 --> 00:04:18,916 Speaker 4: You know. 73 00:04:18,996 --> 00:04:21,596 Speaker 3: And then and then pretty soon it was two nights 74 00:04:21,636 --> 00:04:25,756 Speaker 3: a week and fifteen dollars a night. And my family says, 75 00:04:25,756 --> 00:04:28,276 Speaker 3: I would come home with this money and I'd throw 76 00:04:28,316 --> 00:04:30,196 Speaker 3: it over. We had a balcony and I'd hurl it 77 00:04:30,236 --> 00:04:33,116 Speaker 3: over the balcony. I thought everybody would like that so much, 78 00:04:33,116 --> 00:04:34,316 Speaker 3: and they all hated me for it. 79 00:04:37,956 --> 00:04:39,476 Speaker 1: You must what was your parents? 80 00:04:39,956 --> 00:04:42,636 Speaker 2: Your parents didn't think you would actually settle into this 81 00:04:42,836 --> 00:04:46,516 Speaker 2: lifestyle or to this career as a but what was 82 00:04:46,556 --> 00:04:51,276 Speaker 2: the impression of you actually sort of starting to become actual, 83 00:04:51,836 --> 00:04:52,796 Speaker 2: like a working musician. 84 00:04:53,356 --> 00:04:55,556 Speaker 3: I have to give my father credit. He didn't like 85 00:04:55,636 --> 00:04:58,756 Speaker 3: the whole folk music idea for me, say ass, you know, 86 00:04:58,916 --> 00:05:01,596 Speaker 3: talk about your family. They want to make sure you're 87 00:05:01,636 --> 00:05:03,436 Speaker 3: on a straight and arrow and going to make money 88 00:05:03,876 --> 00:05:08,476 Speaker 3: or get married or whatever's appropriate. But after he was 89 00:05:08,516 --> 00:05:10,836 Speaker 3: the one who took me into Harvard Square. I took 90 00:05:10,916 --> 00:05:12,956 Speaker 3: the way he had three daughters and his wife into 91 00:05:12,956 --> 00:05:17,396 Speaker 3: Harvard Square because he'd seen this phenomenon of folk clubs. 92 00:05:17,436 --> 00:05:22,196 Speaker 3: And they were filled with smoke and Harvard students playing 93 00:05:22,316 --> 00:05:25,796 Speaker 3: chess and reading and you know, being very academic and 94 00:05:25,796 --> 00:05:30,636 Speaker 3: philosophical and cool. And I saw a young man playing 95 00:05:30,996 --> 00:05:34,156 Speaker 3: I think it was guitar or some string instrument under 96 00:05:34,196 --> 00:05:37,116 Speaker 3: his yellow light, and he was singing Pleasure No More. 97 00:05:37,836 --> 00:05:39,716 Speaker 3: And it was over for me. I mean, that's all 98 00:05:39,796 --> 00:05:42,996 Speaker 3: I was interested in ever after. That was being there, 99 00:05:43,796 --> 00:05:47,516 Speaker 3: got myself a guitar, copied everybody, stole everything they ever did. 100 00:05:47,956 --> 00:05:50,716 Speaker 3: And my mother was my greatest fan. I mean, if 101 00:05:50,756 --> 00:05:53,236 Speaker 3: I'd stayed in the crib and just played with beads 102 00:05:53,276 --> 00:05:54,756 Speaker 3: the rest of my life, she was to have the 103 00:05:54,796 --> 00:05:59,396 Speaker 3: best bead player you ever. But my dad realized that 104 00:05:59,476 --> 00:06:02,916 Speaker 3: this was something real and he appreciated it. 105 00:06:03,156 --> 00:06:03,476 Speaker 1: Wow. 106 00:06:03,956 --> 00:06:06,196 Speaker 2: I was surprised going through the book because it seems 107 00:06:06,196 --> 00:06:08,636 Speaker 2: to me, you've lived a relatively I should not even 108 00:06:08,636 --> 00:06:11,636 Speaker 2: relatively like a very charmed life. And I was surprised 109 00:06:11,636 --> 00:06:15,876 Speaker 2: to see the amount of under the heading of innocence, 110 00:06:15,916 --> 00:06:17,476 Speaker 2: and early in the book, the amount of sort of 111 00:06:17,556 --> 00:06:20,556 Speaker 2: angst that comes from the your drawing of children. 112 00:06:21,716 --> 00:06:25,316 Speaker 3: You know, I was a Mexican down near the border 113 00:06:25,316 --> 00:06:28,276 Speaker 3: in southern California, which is where you know an image 114 00:06:28,076 --> 00:06:31,156 Speaker 3: like middle school who had come from, and so I 115 00:06:31,236 --> 00:06:33,956 Speaker 3: wasn't an outsider and I was those and our family 116 00:06:34,036 --> 00:06:35,876 Speaker 3: moved all the time, so it was a new school. 117 00:06:36,196 --> 00:06:38,996 Speaker 3: I was the outsider. There's a picture in there of 118 00:06:39,476 --> 00:06:42,316 Speaker 3: a little girl at the door of teacher saying, who 119 00:06:42,316 --> 00:06:45,676 Speaker 3: wants to sit next to Waneda? Well, nobody's going to 120 00:06:45,716 --> 00:06:47,036 Speaker 3: want to sit next to one Eita. It was a 121 00:06:47,116 --> 00:06:50,076 Speaker 3: terrible way to say it. And so I mean, I 122 00:06:50,156 --> 00:06:54,956 Speaker 3: appear to myself in these drawings a lot. I didn't 123 00:06:54,996 --> 00:06:57,116 Speaker 3: know that ahead of time, because I don't know what's 124 00:06:57,156 --> 00:06:59,756 Speaker 3: going to come out on that page when I started drawing. 125 00:07:00,076 --> 00:07:02,236 Speaker 3: But I see me in a lot of it, and 126 00:07:02,276 --> 00:07:05,276 Speaker 3: there was we were marginal our family I was. My 127 00:07:05,356 --> 00:07:09,756 Speaker 3: father was born in Mexico, and I look Mexican didn't 128 00:07:09,796 --> 00:07:13,036 Speaker 3: so they didn't have as much trouble. But that's where 129 00:07:13,436 --> 00:07:16,716 Speaker 3: that feeling marginal came from. 130 00:07:16,436 --> 00:07:17,196 Speaker 1: It appears you're. 131 00:07:17,556 --> 00:07:20,636 Speaker 2: The way you think about children, maybe more largely, if 132 00:07:20,636 --> 00:07:23,876 Speaker 2: not just your own childhood, is that there's this interaction 133 00:07:23,996 --> 00:07:28,036 Speaker 2: with adults, that is, there's a tense interaction if anything. 134 00:07:29,676 --> 00:07:35,196 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know what to say about that. Kids 135 00:07:35,196 --> 00:07:39,316 Speaker 3: trying to communicate with anybody, uncertainly with their parents and 136 00:07:39,356 --> 00:07:42,236 Speaker 3: that division. And you know when a good parent keeps 137 00:07:42,276 --> 00:07:45,836 Speaker 3: trying to find a way to their kid, often by listening. 138 00:07:45,876 --> 00:07:49,276 Speaker 3: But we're it's all such bad listeners, you know, that's 139 00:07:49,356 --> 00:07:52,516 Speaker 3: really what the kid wants. And the little kid there 140 00:07:52,596 --> 00:07:55,716 Speaker 3: is basically saying, Mom, you know who I exist. I'm 141 00:07:55,716 --> 00:07:59,756 Speaker 3: here and mom's busy hanging out the launrday and she's 142 00:07:59,796 --> 00:08:01,996 Speaker 3: not paying any attention and all, No, that is not 143 00:08:02,116 --> 00:08:02,556 Speaker 3: my mom. 144 00:08:02,916 --> 00:08:06,556 Speaker 2: Where do these I know you don't know exactly where 145 00:08:06,596 --> 00:08:08,876 Speaker 2: these come from, but maybe we can start with all 146 00:08:08,916 --> 00:08:11,716 Speaker 2: of the drawings in the book come from drawing upside down. 147 00:08:12,156 --> 00:08:13,036 Speaker 1: How did that start? 148 00:08:14,436 --> 00:08:18,436 Speaker 3: I'm thinking that it started we were talking about me 149 00:08:18,556 --> 00:08:23,796 Speaker 3: finding refuge for myself from whatever was bothering me, and 150 00:08:23,916 --> 00:08:26,636 Speaker 3: whatever happened in the process of a combination of that 151 00:08:26,956 --> 00:08:31,196 Speaker 3: and really not being bored with school. I mean I 152 00:08:31,236 --> 00:08:33,276 Speaker 3: was afraid of but I was also just board stiff, 153 00:08:33,276 --> 00:08:36,156 Speaker 3: and so I started writing with my left hand. Well, 154 00:08:36,156 --> 00:08:41,316 Speaker 3: that was interesting, And then I started drawing backwards. That 155 00:08:41,476 --> 00:08:47,156 Speaker 3: was interesting. I wrote the entire Greek alphabet backwards, and 156 00:08:47,596 --> 00:08:50,876 Speaker 3: you know now memorized it backwords. If that gives you 157 00:08:50,916 --> 00:08:53,356 Speaker 3: any idea of how important that math close was to me, 158 00:08:53,836 --> 00:08:56,676 Speaker 3: that's how important it was to me. And then I 159 00:08:56,756 --> 00:08:58,436 Speaker 3: just look at it as a sort of a graduation 160 00:08:58,596 --> 00:09:02,196 Speaker 3: when I moved into drawing, Drawing upside down and putting 161 00:09:02,196 --> 00:09:07,076 Speaker 3: the labels and the processes is not difficult. It's just confusing. 162 00:09:07,516 --> 00:09:10,116 Speaker 3: If I'm sitting here and I'm drawing, you're seeing it 163 00:09:10,196 --> 00:09:13,316 Speaker 3: right side up. I'm seeing it upside down. Often I 164 00:09:13,356 --> 00:09:15,356 Speaker 3: don't know what it's going to be at all. Just 165 00:09:15,396 --> 00:09:18,476 Speaker 3: start making these lines around the page, and then it 166 00:09:18,516 --> 00:09:21,076 Speaker 3: begins to develop. And sometimes I think, oh, I get it. 167 00:09:21,156 --> 00:09:24,036 Speaker 3: That's the guy and that's the dog. And then we'll 168 00:09:24,036 --> 00:09:26,556 Speaker 3: develop from there, and then I'll turn it back, I 169 00:09:26,676 --> 00:09:29,836 Speaker 3: look at it and see if there's something to fill 170 00:09:29,876 --> 00:09:34,036 Speaker 3: in with, and or a phrase will come to my mind. 171 00:09:34,516 --> 00:09:37,636 Speaker 3: That's the magic of it that I might have even 172 00:09:37,716 --> 00:09:40,276 Speaker 3: started with one idea, but when I turn it around, saying, oh, 173 00:09:40,356 --> 00:09:43,276 Speaker 3: that's not what it's saying to me, It's saying something different. 174 00:09:43,756 --> 00:09:45,356 Speaker 3: And then I turn it back and I write it 175 00:09:45,436 --> 00:09:46,756 Speaker 3: upside down right. 176 00:09:48,676 --> 00:09:51,716 Speaker 1: When you add the phrase to the drawings. 177 00:09:52,116 --> 00:09:54,836 Speaker 2: At that point, are you are you analyzing where this 178 00:09:54,916 --> 00:09:56,916 Speaker 2: might have come from within you? Or is it really 179 00:09:56,956 --> 00:09:59,276 Speaker 2: then also just looking at it almost as if anyone 180 00:09:59,316 --> 00:10:01,276 Speaker 2: could have drawn it and seeing. 181 00:10:00,996 --> 00:10:06,556 Speaker 3: What that's nice? Yeah, you know, I just don't analyze 182 00:10:06,876 --> 00:10:11,156 Speaker 3: period any of this stuff. I'm sure I analyze some things, 183 00:10:11,196 --> 00:10:14,396 Speaker 3: but it would kind of, my opinion, probably ruin it 184 00:10:14,436 --> 00:10:17,316 Speaker 3: a little if I knew exactly, you know, the dynamics 185 00:10:17,356 --> 00:10:21,756 Speaker 3: of Stephen Colbert said, Oh, do you stand on your 186 00:10:21,796 --> 00:10:24,876 Speaker 3: head to do these drawings? I said, sort of, picture 187 00:10:24,916 --> 00:10:28,556 Speaker 3: me dangling off a jungle gym during the drawing stufside down. 188 00:10:29,396 --> 00:10:32,756 Speaker 2: Do you find yourself revising any of the writings that 189 00:10:32,796 --> 00:10:33,756 Speaker 2: you put above it, any. 190 00:10:33,556 --> 00:10:36,756 Speaker 3: Of the Oh good question. Once it's written down, I 191 00:10:36,796 --> 00:10:40,796 Speaker 3: can't because it's an ink. Sometimes I look at it 192 00:10:40,796 --> 00:10:42,836 Speaker 3: and I think, oh, it should have said you know, 193 00:10:43,316 --> 00:10:44,916 Speaker 3: but it's written, so I can't change it. 194 00:10:45,076 --> 00:10:47,516 Speaker 2: Sure, we could find a way for you to do 195 00:10:47,596 --> 00:10:52,356 Speaker 2: that and preserve the integrity of the drawing, but that 196 00:10:52,356 --> 00:10:54,916 Speaker 2: would be less fun. I guess when do you find 197 00:10:54,916 --> 00:10:58,756 Speaker 2: yourself drawing upside down versus right side up? Is there 198 00:10:58,756 --> 00:11:00,276 Speaker 2: a reason that you drop side down? 199 00:11:00,396 --> 00:11:03,716 Speaker 1: Like, is it when you feel stuck or no? 200 00:11:03,716 --> 00:11:07,076 Speaker 3: No, it's just fun. But I draw right side up 201 00:11:07,116 --> 00:11:10,636 Speaker 3: as well, you know, mostly those sketch little things. And 202 00:11:10,636 --> 00:11:12,436 Speaker 3: then I drew when I was in junior high in 203 00:11:12,516 --> 00:11:15,796 Speaker 3: high school, and I drew my boyfriends, and I drew 204 00:11:15,836 --> 00:11:19,396 Speaker 3: James Dean, and I charged five dollars for the drawings. 205 00:11:21,076 --> 00:11:22,836 Speaker 3: But if you go back way far, and this is 206 00:11:22,836 --> 00:11:25,236 Speaker 3: in the introduction to the book, but I would draw 207 00:11:25,356 --> 00:11:29,716 Speaker 3: Bambi and Thumper from my little porcelain guys, you know. 208 00:11:30,236 --> 00:11:32,796 Speaker 3: And then I I charged three pennies for each one. 209 00:11:33,236 --> 00:11:35,556 Speaker 3: And that little place where you put your pencil inside 210 00:11:35,556 --> 00:11:37,716 Speaker 3: the wooden desk and I would have pennies in it. 211 00:11:40,196 --> 00:11:43,516 Speaker 2: That's amazing in terms of the creativity that goes into 212 00:11:43,556 --> 00:11:45,876 Speaker 2: your drawings or the way you approach it, the sort 213 00:11:45,876 --> 00:11:49,116 Speaker 2: of non analyzing, the wanting to sort of do it 214 00:11:49,196 --> 00:11:51,796 Speaker 2: upside down to ensure that it's coming from like a 215 00:11:51,876 --> 00:11:55,196 Speaker 2: real sort of subconscious place. Was that also the case 216 00:11:55,196 --> 00:11:56,756 Speaker 2: with your music. 217 00:11:57,796 --> 00:12:01,556 Speaker 3: In the way that it came naturally and untrained. Then 218 00:12:01,596 --> 00:12:04,756 Speaker 3: it's very much the same. I mean, following that guy 219 00:12:05,036 --> 00:12:08,516 Speaker 3: I saw in the coffee shop. It was just my life, 220 00:12:09,156 --> 00:12:11,596 Speaker 3: you know. I mean I would fall asleep playing the 221 00:12:11,636 --> 00:12:13,716 Speaker 3: guitar and the guitars on my chest, and I would 222 00:12:13,756 --> 00:12:16,156 Speaker 3: wake up and I'd go on playing. You know, I 223 00:12:16,196 --> 00:12:19,276 Speaker 3: didn't even didn't even move. It was just it was 224 00:12:19,316 --> 00:12:21,716 Speaker 3: all I did. I was immersed. Then I get in 225 00:12:21,796 --> 00:12:24,596 Speaker 3: the project, and I was pretty much immersed in this 226 00:12:24,636 --> 00:12:26,436 Speaker 3: project while we were working on it. You know, I 227 00:12:26,476 --> 00:12:29,076 Speaker 3: didn't really think about much else. I just wanted to 228 00:12:29,436 --> 00:12:32,236 Speaker 3: put these drawings in the right place and categorize them 229 00:12:32,276 --> 00:12:33,196 Speaker 3: and put them in a book. 230 00:12:33,676 --> 00:12:37,396 Speaker 2: The drawings that are in the book, when did these happen? 231 00:12:37,476 --> 00:12:38,956 Speaker 2: Are these older drawings newer? 232 00:12:39,796 --> 00:12:42,236 Speaker 3: They went from maybe ten or twelve years ago up 233 00:12:42,316 --> 00:12:45,196 Speaker 3: until now. And that's how come I'd find they made 234 00:12:45,236 --> 00:12:47,956 Speaker 3: little bunches around the house. And I have found more 235 00:12:48,076 --> 00:12:50,196 Speaker 3: since the book. You know, if I was little stash 236 00:12:50,956 --> 00:12:53,036 Speaker 3: with a rubber band about, I think, oh goodie. You 237 00:12:53,076 --> 00:12:56,556 Speaker 3: know some other insanity, and it is. 238 00:13:01,556 --> 00:13:05,436 Speaker 2: Do you find Catharsis in the emotion of the drawings, 239 00:13:05,556 --> 00:13:07,996 Speaker 2: or do you find emotion I guess in. 240 00:13:07,996 --> 00:13:12,556 Speaker 3: The Yeah, you know, sometimes I've cried the ones of 241 00:13:12,636 --> 00:13:16,316 Speaker 3: the animals, you know, and that old horse is being 242 00:13:16,356 --> 00:13:19,116 Speaker 3: pushed along and the guy is saying, you know, come on, 243 00:13:19,636 --> 00:13:24,196 Speaker 3: life is long, but you're you know, he's empathetic with 244 00:13:24,236 --> 00:13:26,916 Speaker 3: the horse, and the horse looks tired, and for me, 245 00:13:26,956 --> 00:13:30,156 Speaker 3: it brings up, you know, every awful movie that's had 246 00:13:30,956 --> 00:13:35,196 Speaker 3: horses hurt in it. So I get very moved by 247 00:13:35,196 --> 00:13:38,476 Speaker 3: this stuff. But I can't pretend that it's myself who 248 00:13:38,476 --> 00:13:40,996 Speaker 3: invented it. It's coming from somewhere else. So I can 249 00:13:41,076 --> 00:13:43,316 Speaker 3: say that this is how it made me feel or 250 00:13:43,876 --> 00:13:45,716 Speaker 3: you know, happy or sad or deep? 251 00:13:45,836 --> 00:13:50,276 Speaker 1: Or do you cry often? Would you say? Just in life? 252 00:13:50,356 --> 00:13:51,076 Speaker 1: Are you a crier? 253 00:13:51,636 --> 00:13:56,876 Speaker 3: Oh? Not particularly? I probably was when I was younger. 254 00:13:57,676 --> 00:14:00,476 Speaker 2: Yeah, so there is something about the quiet moments of 255 00:14:01,796 --> 00:14:04,236 Speaker 2: turning a piece of paper upside down. 256 00:14:04,036 --> 00:14:10,836 Speaker 3: And doesn't everybody, no, you know, my fon other scientists, 257 00:14:11,036 --> 00:14:16,876 Speaker 3: very academic, you know, professorial, and he couldn't figure this out. 258 00:14:17,196 --> 00:14:20,716 Speaker 3: He said, but I don't understand, And I said, you 259 00:14:20,756 --> 00:14:23,836 Speaker 3: probably shouldn't try. He said, but what are you doing? 260 00:14:23,876 --> 00:14:27,556 Speaker 3: And how does that work? You know, I said, Papa, 261 00:14:27,756 --> 00:14:30,276 Speaker 3: just you know, try it, try it. I took him 262 00:14:30,276 --> 00:14:32,276 Speaker 3: one time to one of those places where you paint 263 00:14:32,316 --> 00:14:36,996 Speaker 3: them pottery, do your own. He reluctantly came with me. 264 00:14:37,076 --> 00:14:38,596 Speaker 3: I said, come on, you do one of these. Oh 265 00:14:38,636 --> 00:14:40,116 Speaker 3: I don't know how. I said, you don't have to 266 00:14:40,156 --> 00:14:43,076 Speaker 3: know how. You got a nice, big bull like that, 267 00:14:43,396 --> 00:14:45,436 Speaker 3: got a bunch of colors, and he was going like, 268 00:14:45,516 --> 00:14:48,556 Speaker 3: he said, oh, I hate it. Oh it's awful. This 269 00:14:48,716 --> 00:14:53,556 Speaker 3: looks horrible. I said, Papa's is wonderful. But he couldn't 270 00:14:53,556 --> 00:14:56,116 Speaker 3: explain it. So it was he was having hard time 271 00:14:56,156 --> 00:14:56,996 Speaker 3: with it. 272 00:14:57,116 --> 00:14:59,316 Speaker 2: Was he sort of the odd person out in the family, 273 00:14:59,556 --> 00:15:01,236 Speaker 2: it feels, I mean, you and your sister clearly had 274 00:15:01,236 --> 00:15:02,436 Speaker 2: an artistic sensibility. 275 00:15:02,596 --> 00:15:03,756 Speaker 1: Seems like your mother. 276 00:15:03,636 --> 00:15:06,556 Speaker 3: Guy, Yeah, I mean he has three daughters and a 277 00:15:06,596 --> 00:15:11,516 Speaker 3: wife who had no left nothing there, nothing, not even 278 00:15:11,596 --> 00:15:15,716 Speaker 3: a little p shape thing. And he my father's passionate 279 00:15:15,756 --> 00:15:19,716 Speaker 3: about standing waves, and he would talk about all the time. 280 00:15:19,716 --> 00:15:22,276 Speaker 3: We didn't know what he was talking about. And a 281 00:15:22,316 --> 00:15:25,356 Speaker 3: bunch of family went to one of his speeches and 282 00:15:25,396 --> 00:15:27,996 Speaker 3: he thought, you know, support him, and he started talking 283 00:15:27,996 --> 00:15:31,316 Speaker 3: about standing waves and he says, can anybody here tell 284 00:15:31,316 --> 00:15:33,636 Speaker 3: me what a standing wave is? And my aunt got 285 00:15:33,676 --> 00:15:40,876 Speaker 3: up and went like this, if that explains anything. 286 00:15:43,076 --> 00:15:45,676 Speaker 1: To this day, do we know what standing waves are? 287 00:15:46,876 --> 00:15:47,436 Speaker 3: Not? Really? 288 00:15:49,036 --> 00:15:51,476 Speaker 2: I guess I'll look that one up. I would love 289 00:15:51,516 --> 00:15:54,316 Speaker 2: to go to the image. I think it's Image five. 290 00:15:56,196 --> 00:16:01,716 Speaker 3: She's pregnant and he is not the dad who got 291 00:16:01,716 --> 00:16:05,156 Speaker 3: her pregnant. He's trying to say, you don't worry, honey, 292 00:16:05,276 --> 00:16:08,356 Speaker 3: I understand, let me tell your mom, which might mean 293 00:16:08,476 --> 00:16:11,036 Speaker 3: we're not going to say anything and I'll protect you 294 00:16:11,076 --> 00:16:13,476 Speaker 3: from that, or it means let me break that to 295 00:16:13,596 --> 00:16:18,436 Speaker 3: your mom. I think that's what that's about. And it's 296 00:16:18,476 --> 00:16:22,076 Speaker 3: just very, very emotional. 297 00:16:22,836 --> 00:16:26,636 Speaker 1: These works are are highly emotional. 298 00:16:27,796 --> 00:16:30,476 Speaker 3: I've been you can call them works. I love that 299 00:16:31,716 --> 00:16:32,956 Speaker 3: sounds so official, isn't it. 300 00:16:34,236 --> 00:16:41,036 Speaker 1: Piece you are, You're Joan Bias. Your life is in 301 00:16:41,116 --> 00:16:42,476 Speaker 1: your existence. 302 00:16:42,036 --> 00:16:44,716 Speaker 3: And it wasn't this stuff though it was your work. 303 00:16:44,836 --> 00:16:47,916 Speaker 2: I love that you know these I mean, you're you're 304 00:16:48,036 --> 00:16:50,316 Speaker 2: very self deprecating, and I can appreciate that about you. 305 00:16:50,436 --> 00:16:54,076 Speaker 2: I was reading something about your documentary and in it 306 00:16:54,116 --> 00:16:56,836 Speaker 2: you say that the only great song you wrote not 307 00:16:56,916 --> 00:16:59,516 Speaker 2: in the documentary, but in this little piece about the documentary, 308 00:16:59,516 --> 00:17:01,996 Speaker 2: you tell the interviewer the only great song you ever 309 00:17:01,996 --> 00:17:06,356 Speaker 2: wrote was Diamonds and Rust, which it's a great. 310 00:17:06,116 --> 00:17:07,276 Speaker 1: Song, but that's not true. 311 00:17:07,916 --> 00:17:08,756 Speaker 3: It's not true. 312 00:17:08,796 --> 00:17:10,756 Speaker 1: I mean, it is a great song, but it's not true, 313 00:17:10,916 --> 00:17:13,396 Speaker 1: you know, I mean thank you David's song. 314 00:17:14,436 --> 00:17:17,396 Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, you know. That only means that I 315 00:17:17,436 --> 00:17:21,036 Speaker 3: think only one of my songs has a universality that 316 00:17:21,156 --> 00:17:25,916 Speaker 3: it's it just catches in a different way and it's 317 00:17:25,956 --> 00:17:28,636 Speaker 3: bigger than itself. No, I think I've written a lot 318 00:17:28,636 --> 00:17:31,676 Speaker 3: of good songs, but I do think that one's head 319 00:17:31,676 --> 00:17:35,756 Speaker 3: and shoulders. Suppose the one's under it? What do I know? 320 00:17:37,796 --> 00:17:39,996 Speaker 2: And that has to do with how you perceive people 321 00:17:40,276 --> 00:17:41,356 Speaker 2: interact with the song. 322 00:17:41,676 --> 00:17:42,676 Speaker 3: I guess probably you're right. 323 00:17:42,756 --> 00:17:46,636 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, there's other songs. I mean, you've written so 324 00:17:46,756 --> 00:17:47,756 Speaker 2: many gorgeous songs. 325 00:17:47,956 --> 00:17:48,436 Speaker 3: Thank you. 326 00:17:48,676 --> 00:17:52,716 Speaker 2: I really I almost wish you had written more gorgeous songs, 327 00:17:53,036 --> 00:17:55,276 Speaker 2: or more songs in general that would then be gorgeous. 328 00:17:55,316 --> 00:18:01,156 Speaker 3: You know, they picked the right guy. 329 00:18:01,356 --> 00:18:04,396 Speaker 2: Hard questions are coming, it's just bettering. Yeah, okay, but 330 00:18:04,556 --> 00:18:07,556 Speaker 2: your documentary. I'm just wondering about this period of your 331 00:18:07,556 --> 00:18:12,476 Speaker 2: life post touring. You've wrapped up that part of your life, 332 00:18:12,676 --> 00:18:14,756 Speaker 2: which was many decades long. 333 00:18:15,956 --> 00:18:18,556 Speaker 3: You were barely a spark in your mother's eyes. 334 00:18:20,956 --> 00:18:30,156 Speaker 2: Neither my parents were born life. Now she's not gonna 335 00:18:30,236 --> 00:18:37,916 Speaker 2: like me go back to butter in you this part 336 00:18:37,956 --> 00:18:42,156 Speaker 2: of your life though, post touring, where has it left 337 00:18:42,236 --> 00:18:48,996 Speaker 2: you with? Processing both your life the things that have happened. 338 00:18:49,436 --> 00:18:52,876 Speaker 2: And there's a documentary that you made with some friends 339 00:18:53,836 --> 00:18:58,396 Speaker 2: that would be coming out that sounds incredibly personal. 340 00:18:59,596 --> 00:19:02,796 Speaker 3: It is it is, and I sort of figure out 341 00:19:03,556 --> 00:19:07,276 Speaker 3: I haven't got anything to lose, really seriously, and my 342 00:19:07,396 --> 00:19:10,476 Speaker 3: family is all gone. Anybody who could have been hurt 343 00:19:10,636 --> 00:19:15,476 Speaker 3: or confused or whatever. I didn't do that while they 344 00:19:15,476 --> 00:19:20,196 Speaker 3: were alive. And it's very personal. And the women who 345 00:19:20,916 --> 00:19:23,476 Speaker 3: directed it, one of them is a very close friend. 346 00:19:23,876 --> 00:19:26,476 Speaker 3: And that's why it was possible, because I just held 347 00:19:26,476 --> 00:19:28,596 Speaker 3: my nose and took a deep dive and said, because 348 00:19:28,636 --> 00:19:31,596 Speaker 3: I wouldn't have control, they would have control. So I 349 00:19:31,636 --> 00:19:34,796 Speaker 3: had to have that faith. And the film was about 350 00:19:35,156 --> 00:19:37,156 Speaker 3: the last tour. That's kind of the theme of it, 351 00:19:37,196 --> 00:19:40,076 Speaker 3: the last tour. And then I cut them loose in 352 00:19:40,156 --> 00:19:44,076 Speaker 3: my storage unit. I'd never been in the storage unit. 353 00:19:44,836 --> 00:19:48,596 Speaker 3: I thought storage units has things like old lamps, you know, 354 00:19:49,036 --> 00:19:53,236 Speaker 3: And this thing had a lifelong thing of tapes of stuff. 355 00:19:53,236 --> 00:19:56,156 Speaker 3: When I was twenty two, and I would speak and 356 00:19:56,196 --> 00:19:58,516 Speaker 3: send it to my parents in place of a letter 357 00:19:59,396 --> 00:20:03,316 Speaker 3: and write letters. And here's me at twenty two saying, Oh, Mummy, 358 00:20:03,516 --> 00:20:06,036 Speaker 3: I'm so excited because tomorrow I get to meet doctor 359 00:20:06,036 --> 00:20:07,996 Speaker 3: Martin Luther King and we'll sing it this so and 360 00:20:08,036 --> 00:20:11,796 Speaker 3: so Baptist. So here's these kids. So we don't have 361 00:20:12,196 --> 00:20:15,276 Speaker 3: me explaining what it was like, we have you know, 362 00:20:15,556 --> 00:20:16,676 Speaker 3: voice of me. Then. 363 00:20:17,516 --> 00:20:27,516 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's also you've been open in the past about 364 00:20:28,076 --> 00:20:31,876 Speaker 2: going to therapy, but included I've not seen it, but 365 00:20:31,916 --> 00:20:34,956 Speaker 2: as I understand included, there's also you've recorded in the past. 366 00:20:34,996 --> 00:20:37,396 Speaker 2: You've recorded some of your therapy sessions, and some of 367 00:20:37,436 --> 00:20:38,476 Speaker 2: those tapes are in there. 368 00:20:38,916 --> 00:20:41,956 Speaker 3: Yeah, those are kind of scary, But I mean I 369 00:20:41,996 --> 00:20:44,396 Speaker 3: didn't see this stuff till it's done. That's what they do. 370 00:20:44,476 --> 00:20:46,596 Speaker 3: They say, oh, we'll let you see towards the end. 371 00:20:46,796 --> 00:20:48,876 Speaker 3: So two days before it's towards the end, you're looking 372 00:20:48,916 --> 00:20:52,876 Speaker 3: to say, ah, and there's nothing I can do. So 373 00:20:53,036 --> 00:20:54,636 Speaker 3: it was really just faith. 374 00:20:54,996 --> 00:20:58,436 Speaker 2: You didn't sift through any of that with them. Have 375 00:20:58,596 --> 00:21:02,116 Speaker 2: you since since it was screened for you, have you. 376 00:21:02,956 --> 00:21:04,276 Speaker 3: Had any second thoughts? 377 00:21:05,076 --> 00:21:05,276 Speaker 1: Yes? 378 00:21:06,676 --> 00:21:08,796 Speaker 3: There, yes, too late. There are a couple of things. 379 00:21:08,836 --> 00:21:10,756 Speaker 3: I thought, Oh, oh, I wish they hadn't put that in, 380 00:21:11,396 --> 00:21:14,236 Speaker 3: but you know, I can see that it adds to 381 00:21:14,356 --> 00:21:15,356 Speaker 3: the quality of the film. 382 00:21:16,956 --> 00:21:19,036 Speaker 2: We'll be back with more of my conversation with Joan 383 00:21:19,116 --> 00:21:26,076 Speaker 2: Biez in just a sec. We're back with my conversation 384 00:21:26,436 --> 00:21:31,716 Speaker 2: with Joan Biaz. You mentioned Doctor King earlier. When did 385 00:21:31,756 --> 00:21:32,916 Speaker 2: you first meet Doctor King? 386 00:21:33,196 --> 00:21:35,436 Speaker 3: You know, I don't remember the first actual meeting. I 387 00:21:35,516 --> 00:21:39,076 Speaker 3: remember when I saw him, which was a life changing event. 388 00:21:39,676 --> 00:21:43,596 Speaker 3: And I was a gathering of high school students put 389 00:21:43,676 --> 00:21:46,356 Speaker 3: on by the American Friends Service Committee, and they were 390 00:21:46,356 --> 00:21:48,876 Speaker 3: from all over the country and we were discussed politics 391 00:21:48,956 --> 00:21:52,156 Speaker 3: and nonviolence and that, and each year they would do 392 00:21:52,276 --> 00:21:54,596 Speaker 3: this and they'd have a speaker in the year I went, 393 00:21:54,996 --> 00:21:58,316 Speaker 3: so I was sixteen. It was doctor King and he 394 00:21:58,476 --> 00:22:01,356 Speaker 3: was talking about I can't even say it, I'm getting tire. 395 00:22:01,396 --> 00:22:04,276 Speaker 3: He was talking about the bus boycott and I started 396 00:22:04,316 --> 00:22:06,636 Speaker 3: to cry and I couldn't stop because he was doing 397 00:22:06,756 --> 00:22:10,036 Speaker 3: what we've been talking about and studying. And there was 398 00:22:10,116 --> 00:22:14,236 Speaker 3: this guy I was twenty nine or something, twenty six. 399 00:22:14,316 --> 00:22:16,916 Speaker 3: If I was sixteen, was twenty six, and he was 400 00:22:17,796 --> 00:22:22,116 Speaker 3: just doing and engaged and with people and taking the risks. 401 00:22:22,356 --> 00:22:25,836 Speaker 3: The risk is always to me, it's the point at 402 00:22:25,876 --> 00:22:29,356 Speaker 3: which there will be no social change worth talking about 403 00:22:29,476 --> 00:22:38,196 Speaker 3: until some people are willing to take a risk. That's 404 00:22:38,276 --> 00:22:41,596 Speaker 3: easier said than done, you know, But that's when I 405 00:22:41,676 --> 00:22:43,716 Speaker 3: mean they were taking the risk, every single one of 406 00:22:43,756 --> 00:22:45,836 Speaker 3: those folk, you know, including doctor King. 407 00:22:47,436 --> 00:22:50,036 Speaker 2: As you move on into your career, I mean, obviously 408 00:22:50,356 --> 00:22:54,436 Speaker 2: I've always wondered did your activism feel separate from your 409 00:22:54,516 --> 00:22:58,516 Speaker 2: music or did your music compel your activism both. 410 00:22:59,076 --> 00:23:03,596 Speaker 3: When I was thirteen, I had an ukulele and I 411 00:23:03,716 --> 00:23:06,516 Speaker 3: started play and not what I remember learning, but that 412 00:23:06,636 --> 00:23:09,596 Speaker 3: ukulele was a lot of different songs, lot of rhythm 413 00:23:09,636 --> 00:23:11,356 Speaker 3: and blues because that's what I loved, and they had 414 00:23:11,396 --> 00:23:14,356 Speaker 3: only four chords max. And then I learned emmat till 415 00:23:15,076 --> 00:23:17,996 Speaker 3: and I realized that how connected I was to that. 416 00:23:18,116 --> 00:23:23,796 Speaker 3: I mean, parents are Quakers, so that's pacifism, nonviolence activism, 417 00:23:24,716 --> 00:23:27,316 Speaker 3: and so I to me this, you know, the dots 418 00:23:27,356 --> 00:23:30,476 Speaker 3: began to connect. And then when I was fifteen, I 419 00:23:30,596 --> 00:23:34,996 Speaker 3: stayed in school during you're supposed to duck and cover 420 00:23:35,476 --> 00:23:37,276 Speaker 3: and the Russians are going to send a missile over 421 00:23:37,556 --> 00:23:39,596 Speaker 3: was not so out of the question. Now it was 422 00:23:39,636 --> 00:23:41,396 Speaker 3: going to blow up my high school. I thought, this 423 00:23:41,556 --> 00:23:45,076 Speaker 3: is so dumb, you know, and the kids are doing 424 00:23:45,116 --> 00:23:46,996 Speaker 3: and they're going to go home and the siren goes off. 425 00:23:46,996 --> 00:23:48,236 Speaker 3: They're going to run home or they're going to have 426 00:23:48,316 --> 00:23:51,076 Speaker 3: bomb parties and there's swimming pools, and I thought, I'm 427 00:23:51,076 --> 00:23:53,836 Speaker 3: going to stay in school to to you know, just 428 00:23:54,236 --> 00:23:58,596 Speaker 3: resist it. And so I did. And that was purely political. 429 00:23:58,836 --> 00:24:01,156 Speaker 3: That had no music, you know, involved with it at 430 00:24:01,156 --> 00:24:04,996 Speaker 3: that moment. So that age was I was really waking 431 00:24:05,116 --> 00:24:06,676 Speaker 3: up to activism. 432 00:24:07,516 --> 00:24:09,796 Speaker 2: This is why doctor King phellis that you're revelation. Sorry 433 00:24:09,796 --> 00:24:12,636 Speaker 2: now I'm going back, but your parents are Quakers. And 434 00:24:12,716 --> 00:24:18,116 Speaker 2: then you're seeing doctor King, who essentially was schooled in nonviolent, 435 00:24:18,356 --> 00:24:21,916 Speaker 2: non violent activism from Baird Rustin, who was a Quaker. 436 00:24:22,036 --> 00:24:25,196 Speaker 2: So of course that must have really really resonated. 437 00:24:25,836 --> 00:24:30,356 Speaker 3: Yeah, it all resonated. Bayard was an extraordinary man, you know, 438 00:24:31,116 --> 00:24:36,756 Speaker 3: behind the scenes because he was so sensitive. They didn't 439 00:24:36,756 --> 00:24:40,236 Speaker 3: want his homosexuality to ruin anything in the public perception 440 00:24:40,396 --> 00:24:44,916 Speaker 3: of the movement. And the guy was a massive force 441 00:24:45,196 --> 00:24:47,396 Speaker 3: behind Doctor King and behind all of us. 442 00:24:48,356 --> 00:24:50,556 Speaker 2: Really, I don't think any of that would have happened 443 00:24:50,636 --> 00:24:55,596 Speaker 2: without Bayard. His philosophies underpinned almost all of that work, 444 00:24:55,716 --> 00:25:00,556 Speaker 2: Doctor King, Ralph, Ralph Abernathy, all of them we're doing. Yeah, 445 00:25:01,156 --> 00:25:05,516 Speaker 2: how was it toggling between the glamour you could say, 446 00:25:05,796 --> 00:25:10,436 Speaker 2: of music and you know, and you're in two worlds. 447 00:25:10,476 --> 00:25:14,316 Speaker 2: You're dealing with luminaries and music, you're dealing with luminaries 448 00:25:14,356 --> 00:25:17,436 Speaker 2: and sort of public life, and how would you toggle 449 00:25:17,516 --> 00:25:18,436 Speaker 2: between those two things? 450 00:25:19,596 --> 00:25:19,716 Speaker 5: You know? 451 00:25:19,796 --> 00:25:23,196 Speaker 3: I kind of didn't. My battle was with not wanting 452 00:25:23,276 --> 00:25:26,196 Speaker 3: to be commercial, you know, and I thought that was, well, 453 00:25:26,236 --> 00:25:28,076 Speaker 3: we're going back to I'd go to hell. You know 454 00:25:28,676 --> 00:25:30,556 Speaker 3: if I sang in a place that had booze in it, 455 00:25:31,316 --> 00:25:34,916 Speaker 3: that you becoming commercial was a really really bad thing 456 00:25:34,996 --> 00:25:37,876 Speaker 3: for me. And I don't know where I do that line, 457 00:25:37,996 --> 00:25:40,436 Speaker 3: but I mean, for instance, the stage had to be 458 00:25:40,756 --> 00:25:44,836 Speaker 3: black with nothing on it, no flowers, no flags, And 459 00:25:44,956 --> 00:25:47,196 Speaker 3: I thought, well, this is really simple for people. They 460 00:25:47,236 --> 00:25:50,436 Speaker 3: said I was impossible because they set up these great 461 00:25:50,636 --> 00:25:53,556 Speaker 3: sets under TV, and I say, strike everything, you know 462 00:25:53,596 --> 00:25:57,796 Speaker 3: all here. You know, I missed perfectly folk whatever, and 463 00:25:58,196 --> 00:26:00,956 Speaker 3: really afraid to veer from that that I was doing 464 00:26:01,036 --> 00:26:01,876 Speaker 3: something really. 465 00:26:01,756 --> 00:26:04,676 Speaker 2: Bad, almost like the way the gospel artists might have thought, 466 00:26:04,716 --> 00:26:07,076 Speaker 2: or like a Ray Charles might have thought about secular 467 00:26:07,196 --> 00:26:08,796 Speaker 2: music versus gospel. 468 00:26:09,436 --> 00:26:09,596 Speaker 4: Yeah. 469 00:26:09,676 --> 00:26:11,396 Speaker 3: No, it's very similar to that level of. 470 00:26:11,636 --> 00:26:15,556 Speaker 1: Yeah, dedication to like a higher cause. 471 00:26:15,556 --> 00:26:18,516 Speaker 3: And that level of silliness. I mean, you know, I 472 00:26:18,596 --> 00:26:21,116 Speaker 3: didn't know that at the time, but I was over 473 00:26:21,236 --> 00:26:24,476 Speaker 3: I overdid it at every turn, you know. I remember 474 00:26:24,556 --> 00:26:28,796 Speaker 3: one time I decided, no more limousines for me. This 475 00:26:28,956 --> 00:26:32,116 Speaker 3: is not right, this is not what everybody does. They 476 00:26:32,196 --> 00:26:35,756 Speaker 3: have normal cars. So I stuck at that for about 477 00:26:35,796 --> 00:26:38,996 Speaker 3: two weeks, and then somebody picked me up this battered 478 00:26:39,036 --> 00:26:43,196 Speaker 3: old Volkswagen bus, and it was so uncomfortable. Oh screw it, 479 00:26:43,316 --> 00:26:45,996 Speaker 3: you know, bring on the limousines and the red carpet. 480 00:26:48,556 --> 00:26:54,196 Speaker 2: Don't blame you, don't blame you. Yesterday I landed found 481 00:26:54,196 --> 00:26:58,436 Speaker 2: out Tina Turner passed away, and I was just curious 482 00:26:58,436 --> 00:27:00,836 Speaker 2: if you, like, when or how or if you guys 483 00:27:00,916 --> 00:27:02,236 Speaker 2: had crossed paths. 484 00:27:02,836 --> 00:27:07,756 Speaker 3: My great Tina stories when my career was tanking. She 485 00:27:07,996 --> 00:27:10,316 Speaker 3: was just coming back up her second round, you know, 486 00:27:10,676 --> 00:27:14,276 Speaker 3: as a lioness, and she yeah. And so I met 487 00:27:14,316 --> 00:27:18,196 Speaker 3: her in Germany and they were celebrating her in her success, 488 00:27:19,356 --> 00:27:22,676 Speaker 3: and somebody asked her how she felt about all this. 489 00:27:22,836 --> 00:27:24,476 Speaker 3: She said, I'm just so happy to be read ike, 490 00:27:24,636 --> 00:27:28,876 Speaker 3: I don't care about the rest. And then, you know, 491 00:27:28,956 --> 00:27:30,996 Speaker 3: she was really sweet with me. She realized that I 492 00:27:31,156 --> 00:27:33,596 Speaker 3: was in a pickle, you know, and she came over 493 00:27:33,636 --> 00:27:36,316 Speaker 3: and I said, what should I do? She said, girlfriend, 494 00:27:36,556 --> 00:27:39,436 Speaker 3: get a wig first of all, you know y'all need 495 00:27:39,476 --> 00:27:41,716 Speaker 3: a wig. And I said, good. Is that all I need? 496 00:27:41,876 --> 00:27:42,076 Speaker 2: You know? 497 00:27:43,236 --> 00:27:45,236 Speaker 3: And then we were on the same TV show together 498 00:27:46,076 --> 00:27:50,676 Speaker 3: and I saw her performance. She performed steel Claw. Do 499 00:27:50,676 --> 00:27:53,476 Speaker 3: you ever hear that song? It is as ferocious and 500 00:27:54,476 --> 00:27:58,476 Speaker 3: evil and she's perfect for it. And she came off 501 00:27:58,556 --> 00:28:00,836 Speaker 3: the stage and I said, Tina, your mother made it 502 00:28:00,916 --> 00:28:05,436 Speaker 3: with a scorpion. And I meant it as a compliment 503 00:28:05,516 --> 00:28:06,836 Speaker 3: and she took it as a compliment. 504 00:28:08,156 --> 00:28:11,436 Speaker 2: That is the most acciate description of a Tina Turner 505 00:28:11,516 --> 00:28:13,276 Speaker 2: performance I have ever heard. 506 00:28:14,076 --> 00:28:14,956 Speaker 1: Was that TV show? Was it? 507 00:28:15,036 --> 00:28:16,916 Speaker 2: I didn't realize that there was a sequel to The 508 00:28:17,076 --> 00:28:20,356 Speaker 2: Tammy Show in sixty six, the Big T and T Show, 509 00:28:21,116 --> 00:28:24,756 Speaker 2: And you performed on that with with Iken, Tina with Tina, 510 00:28:25,796 --> 00:28:27,196 Speaker 2: and that it was it that show? 511 00:28:27,716 --> 00:28:29,756 Speaker 3: No, no, no, no. This is years later, and when 512 00:28:29,796 --> 00:28:31,476 Speaker 3: she was she and I were on tour in different 513 00:28:31,476 --> 00:28:34,236 Speaker 3: parts of Germany. Yeah, and I had one night at 514 00:28:34,236 --> 00:28:39,396 Speaker 3: the Olympia and she had two weeks booked there to rehearse. Said, 515 00:28:40,316 --> 00:28:41,836 Speaker 3: oh boy, I got a long way to go. 516 00:28:44,316 --> 00:28:47,556 Speaker 1: I see why you went to refer advice. Makes a 517 00:28:47,596 --> 00:28:48,116 Speaker 1: lot of sense. 518 00:28:49,156 --> 00:28:54,956 Speaker 2: Also, yesterday Bill Lee passed, who understandably Tina Turner's is 519 00:28:55,036 --> 00:28:57,836 Speaker 2: incredible and just des there's everything, but Bill bill Lee 520 00:28:58,916 --> 00:29:01,836 Speaker 2: really integral. It seemed to to the early folks scene 521 00:29:01,876 --> 00:29:02,796 Speaker 2: that you guys were part of. 522 00:29:02,836 --> 00:29:07,156 Speaker 3: This was Spike's father, the bass player. The first time, 523 00:29:07,236 --> 00:29:09,676 Speaker 3: first or second time, I don't remember. I went Newport 524 00:29:10,116 --> 00:29:13,116 Speaker 3: Odetta and her husband, Danny was at his name. They 525 00:29:13,236 --> 00:29:17,876 Speaker 3: drove me and he was believe was there her bass player, 526 00:29:18,356 --> 00:29:20,556 Speaker 3: and so I was in good hands. 527 00:29:20,796 --> 00:29:23,356 Speaker 1: Yeah, he's such a great bass player. 528 00:29:23,476 --> 00:29:28,876 Speaker 2: Yeah. Toggle between jazz and folk kind of seamlessly beautiful. 529 00:29:29,676 --> 00:29:32,716 Speaker 2: Back to my original point, you're hanging with You're hanging 530 00:29:32,796 --> 00:29:36,956 Speaker 2: with Tina Turner, you're hanging with Bayard Rustin and Doctor King. 531 00:29:37,716 --> 00:29:40,116 Speaker 2: I shouldn't say hanging. I should say that you're working 532 00:29:40,196 --> 00:29:43,836 Speaker 2: with these people. And I imagined to some degree your 533 00:29:43,916 --> 00:29:47,396 Speaker 2: career might have probably suffered to some degree or not suffered, 534 00:29:47,436 --> 00:29:49,636 Speaker 2: but I imagine you probably could have if you had 535 00:29:49,676 --> 00:29:51,836 Speaker 2: taken the advice of Abera Grossman and signed to Columbia 536 00:29:51,996 --> 00:29:53,716 Speaker 2: and maybe just yeah. 537 00:29:53,796 --> 00:29:55,956 Speaker 3: They were so sure, I mean the Grossman's and the 538 00:29:56,276 --> 00:29:58,476 Speaker 3: people at Columbia were so sure that I would go 539 00:29:58,556 --> 00:30:02,676 Speaker 3: with Columbia because that had Dylan and Peter Paul and 540 00:30:02,796 --> 00:30:07,476 Speaker 3: Mary Janice Joplin and just collecting them like that. So 541 00:30:07,596 --> 00:30:10,476 Speaker 3: that was the place to go. And because of all 542 00:30:10,556 --> 00:30:13,436 Speaker 3: these things about going to hell and going commercial, I 543 00:30:13,636 --> 00:30:17,756 Speaker 3: chose Vanguard Record Company, which is basically a classical music 544 00:30:17,836 --> 00:30:20,316 Speaker 3: record company, and it was perfect. I was with him 545 00:30:20,356 --> 00:30:23,596 Speaker 3: for a long time, so he's you know, had a 546 00:30:23,676 --> 00:30:26,436 Speaker 3: real sense about the polk music, did a lot of 547 00:30:26,516 --> 00:30:30,116 Speaker 3: choosing songs with me and really got into it in 548 00:30:30,196 --> 00:30:32,236 Speaker 3: a way that I know Columbia would not have done, 549 00:30:32,556 --> 00:30:33,876 Speaker 3: or I think they would not have done. 550 00:30:34,876 --> 00:30:38,236 Speaker 2: We should pull up image image one if you can 551 00:30:38,316 --> 00:30:41,756 Speaker 2: pull that up. You wrote this beautiful day, oh day 552 00:30:41,916 --> 00:30:45,436 Speaker 2: that Harry but Levonte daylight come and we want to 553 00:30:45,476 --> 00:30:45,836 Speaker 2: go home. 554 00:30:46,716 --> 00:30:49,876 Speaker 1: Harry similar I sent that to his wife. 555 00:30:50,116 --> 00:30:52,316 Speaker 3: Did yeah he was so happy? 556 00:30:52,436 --> 00:30:54,236 Speaker 1: Here Did you get a respond he saw it? 557 00:30:54,476 --> 00:30:56,676 Speaker 3: Oh? Yeah, well no he didn't. It was just after 558 00:30:56,756 --> 00:30:59,316 Speaker 3: he died. We saw him A couple of times in 559 00:30:59,396 --> 00:31:05,156 Speaker 3: his mid nineties, and he was just when my son 560 00:31:05,316 --> 00:31:07,596 Speaker 3: was with me and another friend, and when we left 561 00:31:07,756 --> 00:31:10,676 Speaker 3: talking with Harry, my son burst into tears. He said, 562 00:31:10,716 --> 00:31:12,676 Speaker 3: I feel like I've been in the presence of a 563 00:31:12,756 --> 00:31:15,836 Speaker 3: fucking prophet. And I said, well, that's because you have been, 564 00:31:16,156 --> 00:31:19,516 Speaker 3: you know, but this is slightly divorced from that. But okay, 565 00:31:19,596 --> 00:31:22,116 Speaker 3: So when I'm drawing that, there's this girl and I 566 00:31:22,156 --> 00:31:24,636 Speaker 3: see she's got a flower pot. I thought it was 567 00:31:24,676 --> 00:31:27,836 Speaker 3: a flower pot hertle basket, you know, by the flower's 568 00:31:27,876 --> 00:31:30,756 Speaker 3: coming out, And so I turned it around and I 569 00:31:30,836 --> 00:31:34,956 Speaker 3: see they're palm trees sticking out, and so, okay, turn 570 00:31:35,036 --> 00:31:36,836 Speaker 3: it back now I know they're palm trees. I'll stick 571 00:31:36,876 --> 00:31:40,356 Speaker 3: something in. There's a little elf kind of dancing. Turn 572 00:31:40,436 --> 00:31:43,436 Speaker 3: it back over and he's kicking her and aside, and 573 00:31:43,556 --> 00:31:47,476 Speaker 3: so she's saying dey odo, and that's from the palm trees, right, 574 00:31:48,196 --> 00:31:51,716 Speaker 3: And then that's just my sidekick. Then that's what came out. 575 00:31:53,156 --> 00:31:53,836 Speaker 1: So whimsical. 576 00:31:55,196 --> 00:32:00,796 Speaker 2: I love it was Harry's uh calypso music was that 577 00:32:01,236 --> 00:32:03,556 Speaker 2: at all in your Oh my god, it was what 578 00:32:03,716 --> 00:32:04,956 Speaker 2: of your sphere of influences? 579 00:32:05,156 --> 00:32:08,956 Speaker 3: Absolutely, I had not even heard or I hadn't heard 580 00:32:08,956 --> 00:32:12,356 Speaker 3: an anybody really it was rhythm and blues, and my 581 00:32:12,476 --> 00:32:15,356 Speaker 3: mom brought home this album of Hairy Pelafoni. We just 582 00:32:15,676 --> 00:32:18,396 Speaker 3: stared at it. Nobody should look like that. 583 00:32:18,756 --> 00:32:21,836 Speaker 1: He was gorgeous, he was so handsome. 584 00:32:21,876 --> 00:32:23,556 Speaker 3: I don't mean if we played it for the first 585 00:32:23,636 --> 00:32:28,036 Speaker 3: two weeks. We just stared at it. Remember my father 586 00:32:28,196 --> 00:32:32,196 Speaker 3: being a little unnerved by that. He was like, and 587 00:32:32,316 --> 00:32:34,476 Speaker 3: then yeah, and then I played it and I the 588 00:32:34,556 --> 00:32:37,156 Speaker 3: first it was kind of I don't think it. No, 589 00:32:37,356 --> 00:32:39,516 Speaker 3: it got printed or not. But this first album I 590 00:32:39,636 --> 00:32:42,876 Speaker 3: did one half of the songs were elefantie songs that 591 00:32:42,996 --> 00:32:45,396 Speaker 3: I had taken. Yeah, I took him right directly off 592 00:32:45,476 --> 00:32:46,516 Speaker 3: that album. 593 00:32:47,556 --> 00:32:51,036 Speaker 1: Wow, how was he thought of in the in the 594 00:32:51,436 --> 00:32:54,116 Speaker 1: folk scene? Was he thought of in that? I mean, 595 00:32:54,156 --> 00:32:56,476 Speaker 1: because he was taking old songs and you. 596 00:32:56,516 --> 00:33:00,036 Speaker 3: Know, well in the early snooty folk days, he was 597 00:33:00,756 --> 00:33:04,556 Speaker 3: off limits because he was, you know, banging on drums 598 00:33:04,636 --> 00:33:07,996 Speaker 3: and having a good time suposed to do you know, 599 00:33:08,596 --> 00:33:11,236 Speaker 3: And then you know, and I didn't know, of course, 600 00:33:11,316 --> 00:33:12,756 Speaker 3: none of us knew at that point that he was 601 00:33:12,796 --> 00:33:16,116 Speaker 3: going to end up being political activists and working with 602 00:33:16,196 --> 00:33:19,836 Speaker 3: doctor King. But what a lovely way to arrive, you know. 603 00:33:20,156 --> 00:33:23,476 Speaker 2: Yeah, after this last ad break, we'll be back with 604 00:33:23,556 --> 00:33:27,036 Speaker 2: the rest of my conversation with the great Joan Biaz 605 00:33:27,396 --> 00:33:34,516 Speaker 2: live from Chicago. And now the rest of my conversation 606 00:33:34,956 --> 00:33:40,396 Speaker 2: with Joan Biass speaking of the early snooty folk days 607 00:33:41,236 --> 00:33:43,676 Speaker 2: as a person who was barely you know, gleaning in 608 00:33:43,716 --> 00:33:46,476 Speaker 2: my parents eyes when you started your career. I came 609 00:33:46,516 --> 00:33:50,716 Speaker 2: to folk music relatively late, and I came through the 610 00:33:50,836 --> 00:33:55,436 Speaker 2: Kingston Trio, who I love, and I was dismayed to 611 00:33:55,516 --> 00:33:56,356 Speaker 2: find out. 612 00:33:56,636 --> 00:34:00,116 Speaker 3: I had to hide them at the back of the 613 00:34:00,196 --> 00:34:03,596 Speaker 3: record collection. Really, yeah, because you're not something They're way 614 00:34:03,676 --> 00:34:08,036 Speaker 3: too commercial. You had kings loved them, Yeah, but I 615 00:34:08,076 --> 00:34:10,876 Speaker 3: couldn't let anybody know. I mean, am a snooty folks 616 00:34:10,876 --> 00:34:12,516 Speaker 3: saying no, ma'am no. 617 00:34:12,996 --> 00:34:14,516 Speaker 1: I feel vindicated. I love that. 618 00:34:15,476 --> 00:34:16,556 Speaker 3: I feel vindicated. 619 00:34:16,956 --> 00:34:17,236 Speaker 1: Great. 620 00:34:17,796 --> 00:34:19,756 Speaker 2: I couldn't hide them on my iPod in the day, 621 00:34:19,836 --> 00:34:21,196 Speaker 2: so you know, I just took them off because I 622 00:34:21,196 --> 00:34:21,756 Speaker 2: didn't want. 623 00:34:21,596 --> 00:34:23,996 Speaker 3: To be guilty guilty pleasure yeah, yeah, yeah. 624 00:34:24,236 --> 00:34:26,236 Speaker 2: Replaced it with the latter day Dylan record or something 625 00:34:26,316 --> 00:34:28,756 Speaker 2: to you know. Atone for my sins? 626 00:34:29,516 --> 00:34:31,316 Speaker 1: Can we go to the next image? 627 00:34:31,396 --> 00:34:34,316 Speaker 2: I think it's image. Make sure I got my images 628 00:34:34,396 --> 00:34:37,436 Speaker 2: right there we go. Yeah, this one that's. 629 00:34:37,436 --> 00:34:41,196 Speaker 3: Very Sophie's choice. Looking to me, they made me choose, 630 00:34:41,316 --> 00:34:45,196 Speaker 3: so I'm assuming I'm thinking between her two kids or 631 00:34:45,276 --> 00:34:47,796 Speaker 3: three kids, they made her choose which one she was 632 00:34:47,876 --> 00:34:50,876 Speaker 3: going to be able to keep. That's my guess. 633 00:34:51,276 --> 00:34:55,076 Speaker 2: New My guess was much lamer than that. She kind 634 00:34:55,116 --> 00:34:59,716 Speaker 2: of looked like Joni Mitchell to me, I tried to 635 00:34:59,796 --> 00:35:00,116 Speaker 2: warn you. 636 00:35:00,316 --> 00:35:01,356 Speaker 1: I didn't want to tell. 637 00:35:01,236 --> 00:35:06,196 Speaker 3: You she's checking which label, which record label to go on? 638 00:35:06,316 --> 00:35:08,396 Speaker 1: They know, well, you know, I didn't know. 639 00:35:08,436 --> 00:35:16,156 Speaker 3: I mean, she's saying Columbia or Vanguard, no not, you know, no, So. 640 00:35:16,196 --> 00:35:18,356 Speaker 2: I'm not I thought, Okay, well, look at Jonny Mitchell. 641 00:35:18,356 --> 00:35:21,116 Speaker 2: Maybe was she she feel like she was being Did 642 00:35:21,116 --> 00:35:23,196 Speaker 2: she ever feel like she's being pitted against other women 643 00:35:23,276 --> 00:35:24,036 Speaker 2: in the industry? 644 00:35:24,356 --> 00:35:28,916 Speaker 3: Or that is so wild? I mean, Kevin idea, what 645 00:35:29,316 --> 00:35:31,996 Speaker 3: people go through looking at this stuff? You know, in 646 00:35:32,116 --> 00:35:34,316 Speaker 3: a billion years, I wouldn't have thought that that was 647 00:35:34,396 --> 00:35:38,636 Speaker 3: Jonny Mitchell's searching for record company someone else. 648 00:35:38,716 --> 00:35:46,596 Speaker 2: Want to give an interpretation where if we go back 649 00:35:46,636 --> 00:35:50,076 Speaker 2: to the genesis of this, where would you have. 650 00:35:50,236 --> 00:35:54,836 Speaker 1: Started That oval means it's a head, so you start 651 00:35:54,836 --> 00:35:55,356 Speaker 1: with the oval. 652 00:35:55,556 --> 00:35:58,156 Speaker 3: I think so usually yes, then an ear or two. 653 00:35:58,836 --> 00:36:01,516 Speaker 2: So by the time you do an oval, though, you know, oh, okay, 654 00:36:01,556 --> 00:36:05,516 Speaker 2: it's probably a face. So then you go to ears. 655 00:36:06,036 --> 00:36:08,196 Speaker 3: I go to ears, I go to some weird hair thing. 656 00:36:08,436 --> 00:36:11,276 Speaker 3: Their eyes, a lot of the eyes are very similar, 657 00:36:11,516 --> 00:36:15,036 Speaker 3: except they're looking in different places, you know, and so 658 00:36:15,156 --> 00:36:17,796 Speaker 3: a lot of what's written on there will be determined 659 00:36:17,796 --> 00:36:19,196 Speaker 3: by what their eyes are doing. 660 00:36:19,476 --> 00:36:23,716 Speaker 1: Really, yeah, yeah, when did you add the tears. 661 00:36:23,916 --> 00:36:24,836 Speaker 3: Had what the tears? 662 00:36:25,036 --> 00:36:25,236 Speaker 1: Yeah? 663 00:36:25,316 --> 00:36:28,476 Speaker 3: Probably early on to give it some character whatever it 664 00:36:28,636 --> 00:36:30,476 Speaker 3: was going to be. It would make it, you know, 665 00:36:30,516 --> 00:36:32,036 Speaker 3: would have some definition to it. 666 00:36:32,836 --> 00:36:37,836 Speaker 1: And when did you decide that it wasn't Joni Mitchell? Yeah? 667 00:36:37,996 --> 00:36:44,476 Speaker 1: What points did you decide? I want to add that 668 00:36:44,596 --> 00:36:46,116 Speaker 1: was my other guesses. Maybe it was Odetta. 669 00:36:46,196 --> 00:36:46,356 Speaker 2: Yeah. 670 00:36:50,076 --> 00:36:52,276 Speaker 1: Why did Why the color? Why the color on the scarf? 671 00:36:52,476 --> 00:36:55,036 Speaker 3: Oh? I don't know. I just but each of them 672 00:36:55,156 --> 00:36:57,116 Speaker 3: has a little bit of color. I just got carried 673 00:36:57,116 --> 00:36:59,396 Speaker 3: away and started adding a little bit of color to 674 00:36:59,436 --> 00:37:02,196 Speaker 3: each of these things. If I did too much red, 675 00:37:02,236 --> 00:37:05,116 Speaker 3: then I'd skip over to that looks like orange and purple. 676 00:37:05,596 --> 00:37:07,476 Speaker 3: But you know what I'm thinking is one of my 677 00:37:07,636 --> 00:37:12,276 Speaker 3: mother's stepmothers was really horrible and her favorite colors were 678 00:37:12,316 --> 00:37:15,956 Speaker 3: orange and purple. So who knows, you know. 679 00:37:17,476 --> 00:37:18,956 Speaker 1: That's interesting. Why was she so? 680 00:37:19,476 --> 00:37:23,556 Speaker 3: What was Well, she's schizophrenic, lunatic, and she was, and 681 00:37:23,676 --> 00:37:26,596 Speaker 3: she was very abusive to my mother and my mother's sister, 682 00:37:27,116 --> 00:37:29,836 Speaker 3: my mother's sister the one who did the standing waves. 683 00:37:30,916 --> 00:37:31,756 Speaker 3: So she pulled through. 684 00:37:31,796 --> 00:37:36,356 Speaker 2: Okay, good, good. Would your mother talk to you about 685 00:37:36,516 --> 00:37:38,836 Speaker 2: those sorts of things she did? 686 00:37:38,956 --> 00:37:42,156 Speaker 3: We'd push her a little bit. I guess she watched 687 00:37:42,196 --> 00:37:45,556 Speaker 3: a lot of the abuse, and so it's maybe even harder, 688 00:37:45,836 --> 00:37:49,196 Speaker 3: they say, if you're just seeing this stuff that you 689 00:37:49,236 --> 00:37:51,956 Speaker 3: don't have something to grab on to to try and 690 00:37:52,076 --> 00:37:57,436 Speaker 3: change or heal. My mother discovered andy depressants when she 691 00:37:57,596 --> 00:37:59,916 Speaker 3: was in her seventies, and when she realized she'd been 692 00:37:59,956 --> 00:38:05,236 Speaker 3: depressed all like, she said, oh oh, she's saying things 693 00:38:05,276 --> 00:38:07,876 Speaker 3: like I didn't realize there are peppers growing on that 694 00:38:07,956 --> 00:38:10,836 Speaker 3: pepper tree. Oh there's just so really yeah. 695 00:38:10,916 --> 00:38:13,836 Speaker 2: I had a similar experience, similar experience with that a depressant, 696 00:38:13,836 --> 00:38:17,556 Speaker 2: similar experience also with I finally got eyeglasses too. Wow, 697 00:38:18,796 --> 00:38:21,996 Speaker 2: I remember seeing things, you know, Wow, I remember being happy. 698 00:38:22,156 --> 00:38:28,196 Speaker 1: Wow, this is great. Thank God for any depressants and eyeglasses. 699 00:38:29,156 --> 00:38:30,396 Speaker 1: Two things that I've saved. 700 00:38:30,156 --> 00:38:33,156 Speaker 3: My life enough for Joni Mitchell, You've not enough of Joni? 701 00:38:33,276 --> 00:38:37,756 Speaker 1: You know, uh I really well, never mind. 702 00:38:40,236 --> 00:38:42,516 Speaker 3: You're scoring one hundred, so go ahead, okay? 703 00:38:43,196 --> 00:38:44,476 Speaker 1: Did you well? 704 00:38:44,556 --> 00:38:47,556 Speaker 2: Because I thought that perhaps this could have been a choice, Like, 705 00:38:47,636 --> 00:38:51,836 Speaker 2: did you ever feel in the industry in those days? 706 00:38:52,636 --> 00:38:54,276 Speaker 2: A lot of women in the industry that I've spoken 707 00:38:54,316 --> 00:38:57,156 Speaker 2: to still, I know, they feel like they're pitted against 708 00:38:57,196 --> 00:39:00,196 Speaker 2: one another almost, like when for a while there could 709 00:39:00,196 --> 00:39:02,636 Speaker 2: be like one black comedian, Like now she's like there 710 00:39:02,676 --> 00:39:05,356 Speaker 2: could be one like woman rapper, you know, like, did 711 00:39:05,436 --> 00:39:08,596 Speaker 2: it feel like there could be Did that pressure to 712 00:39:08,756 --> 00:39:10,516 Speaker 2: compete against women exist? 713 00:39:10,916 --> 00:39:13,156 Speaker 1: Then? For you? 714 00:39:13,876 --> 00:39:18,476 Speaker 3: I didn't think I any need to compete against There 715 00:39:18,556 --> 00:39:22,916 Speaker 3: was no competition in my in my you know, weird 716 00:39:23,036 --> 00:39:26,596 Speaker 3: little brain, because I was so insecure in so many ways. 717 00:39:27,196 --> 00:39:30,756 Speaker 3: But not about this voice, which also is a gift, 718 00:39:30,876 --> 00:39:32,796 Speaker 3: and I can I can claim it as a gift. 719 00:39:40,596 --> 00:39:43,476 Speaker 1: Can we hear some of that voice? No no, no, no, no, 720 00:39:43,756 --> 00:39:44,676 Speaker 1: no no no. 721 00:39:44,956 --> 00:39:51,356 Speaker 5: I ain't gonna let nobody turn me around, turn me around, 722 00:39:52,476 --> 00:39:57,516 Speaker 5: turn me around. Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around. 723 00:39:58,516 --> 00:40:03,756 Speaker 3: Keep on walking, keep on talking, marching up. 724 00:40:03,756 --> 00:40:20,796 Speaker 6: To Freedom Land, amazing. 725 00:40:21,556 --> 00:40:24,476 Speaker 1: Can't follow that. We should follow that with Q and A, 726 00:40:24,636 --> 00:40:28,076 Speaker 1: so you guys can try to follow that. Maybe we should. 727 00:40:28,236 --> 00:40:30,516 Speaker 2: We should We turn it over to the audience for 728 00:40:30,596 --> 00:40:35,876 Speaker 2: some questions. We got some people out there with the microphones. 729 00:40:35,876 --> 00:40:39,156 Speaker 2: If you want to ask a question, and again, a question, 730 00:40:39,316 --> 00:40:39,956 Speaker 2: not a comment. 731 00:40:40,476 --> 00:40:42,796 Speaker 3: I will remind you a story. Somebody gave me his 732 00:40:42,916 --> 00:40:45,076 Speaker 3: T shirt and said, please don't tell me your story, 733 00:40:46,636 --> 00:40:48,436 Speaker 3: and I loved it, and then he commenced to tell 734 00:40:48,476 --> 00:40:50,236 Speaker 3: me the whole story of how he bought it and 735 00:40:50,276 --> 00:40:51,156 Speaker 3: where he founded him. 736 00:40:54,116 --> 00:40:55,676 Speaker 1: Our first question will be up here. 737 00:40:57,556 --> 00:40:59,876 Speaker 3: Hi, Joan, thank you so much for joining us. This 738 00:41:00,036 --> 00:41:02,916 Speaker 3: is so cool. My question is what do you do 739 00:41:03,316 --> 00:41:09,196 Speaker 3: when you don't know what to do next? Well, one 740 00:41:09,196 --> 00:41:12,156 Speaker 3: of the things I do is I talk to this tree. 741 00:41:13,116 --> 00:41:15,876 Speaker 3: There's a mighty oak tree in a field across from 742 00:41:15,916 --> 00:41:19,476 Speaker 3: the house. And I don't see therapists anymore, but I 743 00:41:19,556 --> 00:41:21,596 Speaker 3: will go and talk to this tree and I will 744 00:41:21,636 --> 00:41:24,636 Speaker 3: get an answer. And I either go to the tree 745 00:41:24,716 --> 00:41:27,916 Speaker 3: and say, listen, can you help me understand this problem 746 00:41:28,036 --> 00:41:30,556 Speaker 3: so I'll feel better? And sometimes I just say I 747 00:41:30,636 --> 00:41:32,996 Speaker 3: want to feel better. I don't care what the problem is. 748 00:41:33,156 --> 00:41:35,036 Speaker 3: I don't want to I just want to feel better. 749 00:41:35,556 --> 00:41:38,036 Speaker 3: And if it's what do I do next, that's where 750 00:41:38,076 --> 00:41:40,396 Speaker 3: I would go. It will be that tree. But generally 751 00:41:40,476 --> 00:41:41,836 Speaker 3: I don't have to ask the question. 752 00:41:44,836 --> 00:41:49,356 Speaker 1: It's a great question. Nicense. Is SYNCD too, Yeah, well 753 00:41:49,436 --> 00:41:50,196 Speaker 1: we have someone up here. 754 00:41:50,516 --> 00:41:50,756 Speaker 5: Hello. 755 00:41:51,716 --> 00:41:54,516 Speaker 7: I've listened to Diamonds and Rust many times, and every 756 00:41:54,556 --> 00:41:56,836 Speaker 7: time I listen to it, I say, if that's not 757 00:41:57,116 --> 00:42:02,396 Speaker 7: Dylan you're talking about. But then in your book you 758 00:42:02,476 --> 00:42:05,996 Speaker 7: said no. When Dylan called you, if I remember the 759 00:42:06,036 --> 00:42:10,276 Speaker 7: book correctly, you denied it. And were you kidding him? 760 00:42:10,476 --> 00:42:11,716 Speaker 1: I mean, how could that not? 761 00:42:11,836 --> 00:42:13,316 Speaker 3: Don't understand how I denied it. 762 00:42:13,996 --> 00:42:16,876 Speaker 7: In your book when you wrote about Diamonds and Rust 763 00:42:16,956 --> 00:42:20,756 Speaker 7: In your book, you said that, at least if my 764 00:42:20,916 --> 00:42:23,796 Speaker 7: memory serves at my agent may not. You said that 765 00:42:23,876 --> 00:42:27,716 Speaker 7: when he called you to thank you about writing about 766 00:42:27,796 --> 00:42:32,356 Speaker 7: him in Diamonds and Rust, you told him, now that 767 00:42:32,516 --> 00:42:33,316 Speaker 7: wasn't about you. 768 00:42:33,676 --> 00:42:35,996 Speaker 3: Okay, I got it now, I got it now. First 769 00:42:35,996 --> 00:42:38,596 Speaker 3: of all, he would never call and say anything about 770 00:42:38,596 --> 00:42:46,276 Speaker 3: the song, so rob that. But but I was joking 771 00:42:46,356 --> 00:42:49,356 Speaker 3: with him because at the beginning of Rolling Thunder and 772 00:42:49,716 --> 00:42:52,036 Speaker 3: he hadn't paid any attention, had no hol Owan or 773 00:42:52,076 --> 00:42:54,836 Speaker 3: whatever came directly over and said are you going to 774 00:42:54,876 --> 00:42:56,436 Speaker 3: do that one about the guy with the blue eyes? 775 00:42:56,996 --> 00:43:00,596 Speaker 3: I said, oh, you mean my husband and he was 776 00:43:00,876 --> 00:43:08,716 Speaker 3: not a happy camphor. That's the story, though, I have 777 00:43:08,916 --> 00:43:09,836 Speaker 3: to questions. 778 00:43:10,436 --> 00:43:15,716 Speaker 8: My first question is do you have any communications whatsoever. 779 00:43:15,436 --> 00:43:19,276 Speaker 1: With Joni Mitchell and Mitchell? 780 00:43:19,396 --> 00:43:19,956 Speaker 3: Yeah, I know. 781 00:43:20,476 --> 00:43:23,836 Speaker 8: And my second one is what type of activism are 782 00:43:23,916 --> 00:43:25,156 Speaker 8: you involved in today? 783 00:43:26,636 --> 00:43:30,516 Speaker 3: Okay? First of all, I never had a closeness with Joni. 784 00:43:30,596 --> 00:43:32,196 Speaker 3: I've worked with her a couple of times, and I 785 00:43:32,276 --> 00:43:36,116 Speaker 3: admire her enormously and I was really happy to see 786 00:43:36,156 --> 00:43:38,436 Speaker 3: here where was it Newport? When she came out? I 787 00:43:38,516 --> 00:43:40,756 Speaker 3: thought that was brilliant. What was the next question? 788 00:43:42,436 --> 00:43:44,356 Speaker 1: What do you do for activism currently? 789 00:43:44,556 --> 00:43:45,196 Speaker 4: What am I doing? 790 00:43:45,356 --> 00:43:46,956 Speaker 1: How do you act? 791 00:43:49,756 --> 00:43:51,876 Speaker 3: Well? First of all, I wrote the book. I mean 792 00:43:51,916 --> 00:43:55,116 Speaker 3: I'm thinking about that's probably more political than a number 793 00:43:55,156 --> 00:43:57,796 Speaker 3: of things that I could have done. And if something 794 00:43:57,876 --> 00:44:00,076 Speaker 3: comes along that I really think is appropriate for me 795 00:44:00,156 --> 00:44:02,396 Speaker 3: to be out there with, then I'm sure I'll be 796 00:44:02,476 --> 00:44:05,356 Speaker 3: out there and I can. You know, I suggest to 797 00:44:05,436 --> 00:44:07,556 Speaker 3: other people that they go make good trouble because it 798 00:44:07,676 --> 00:44:10,956 Speaker 3: makes their lives, you know, really worth something. I believe 799 00:44:11,356 --> 00:44:18,076 Speaker 3: what you got on Yay Okay, any other questions, Yeah, 800 00:44:18,076 --> 00:44:19,956 Speaker 3: I got a question up here up here. 801 00:44:20,156 --> 00:44:23,316 Speaker 9: Yeah, So that was an interesting story about the box 802 00:44:24,436 --> 00:44:26,916 Speaker 9: with the you know, tapes in it and so forth 803 00:44:26,996 --> 00:44:30,716 Speaker 9: that the filmmaker's got. And I think that many people 804 00:44:30,876 --> 00:44:33,156 Speaker 9: have boxes like that in their attics and so forth, 805 00:44:33,276 --> 00:44:36,996 Speaker 9: with old things, you know, and so forth. So I 806 00:44:37,116 --> 00:44:41,276 Speaker 9: guess I'm curious how did you decide like you decided 807 00:44:41,316 --> 00:44:43,316 Speaker 9: to give it to them to deal with, And then 808 00:44:43,396 --> 00:44:47,236 Speaker 9: you also said, if I understood right, that you're not 809 00:44:47,396 --> 00:44:49,196 Speaker 9: going to look at that stuff ever again. Can you 810 00:44:49,316 --> 00:44:52,636 Speaker 9: talk about how you made those decisions? That's quite profound. 811 00:44:53,276 --> 00:44:54,876 Speaker 9: I can't wait to see the documentary. 812 00:44:56,116 --> 00:44:59,676 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you. I just meant that after this 813 00:44:59,916 --> 00:45:02,716 Speaker 3: film is done and I've seen it all, and the 814 00:45:02,756 --> 00:45:05,316 Speaker 3: stuff that i'd never seen before I didn't know anybody 815 00:45:05,396 --> 00:45:08,476 Speaker 3: had kept, I have no desire to revisit that and 816 00:45:08,556 --> 00:45:10,956 Speaker 3: try to drag much more stuff out of those boxes. 817 00:45:11,316 --> 00:45:15,556 Speaker 3: I think that's enough, though, what do you will? 818 00:45:15,596 --> 00:45:16,316 Speaker 1: You destroy them? 819 00:45:17,236 --> 00:45:18,796 Speaker 3: You know, I don't know what I'm gonna do with them. 820 00:45:19,316 --> 00:45:23,236 Speaker 3: It probably is the time to have a glorious bonfire 821 00:45:23,356 --> 00:45:26,396 Speaker 3: with a bunch of prayers stuck you know, here and 822 00:45:26,436 --> 00:45:29,116 Speaker 3: there in it's right, guys, and it's sacred to do. 823 00:45:29,396 --> 00:45:34,796 Speaker 3: I mean, otherwise, this stuff, it's just a museum. They 824 00:45:34,836 --> 00:45:36,716 Speaker 3: don't want to hear. They don't want to hear that ship. 825 00:45:36,836 --> 00:45:37,596 Speaker 3: I promise you. 826 00:45:41,596 --> 00:45:42,236 Speaker 1: I would like to. 827 00:45:42,636 --> 00:45:46,756 Speaker 4: Ask you a question. I'm right here, I'm your sound engineer. Okay, 828 00:45:50,716 --> 00:45:53,796 Speaker 4: I'm originally from Argentina, and I would like to ask 829 00:45:53,876 --> 00:45:58,716 Speaker 4: you about if you see any differences or similarities in 830 00:45:58,836 --> 00:46:02,516 Speaker 4: the activism in South America and in America. 831 00:46:05,796 --> 00:46:07,396 Speaker 3: I think I don't know how to answer that question, 832 00:46:07,516 --> 00:46:10,196 Speaker 3: except that I think that some places you pay a 833 00:46:10,236 --> 00:46:13,276 Speaker 3: heavier toll. You know, it's okay for me to sit 834 00:46:13,356 --> 00:46:15,956 Speaker 3: here and talk about taking a risk, and in your 835 00:46:16,156 --> 00:46:20,716 Speaker 3: a country like Afghanistan or the Ukraine, taking a risk 836 00:46:20,876 --> 00:46:24,236 Speaker 3: is a very different thing. And so in Latin America 837 00:46:24,316 --> 00:46:28,876 Speaker 3: it's somewhere in between. No, but the bravery it takes 838 00:46:29,076 --> 00:46:30,836 Speaker 3: anywhere to make that final. 839 00:46:31,636 --> 00:46:31,796 Speaker 2: You know. 840 00:46:31,996 --> 00:46:33,996 Speaker 3: I'm just going to do this. I just have to 841 00:46:34,116 --> 00:46:37,196 Speaker 3: do this. I mean here, it might be okay. I'm 842 00:46:37,196 --> 00:46:38,956 Speaker 3: going to go in a library and pick out a 843 00:46:39,076 --> 00:46:41,476 Speaker 3: band book and I'm going to read it out on 844 00:46:41,516 --> 00:46:43,676 Speaker 3: the street corner. I'm going to set up a microphone 845 00:46:43,676 --> 00:46:45,436 Speaker 3: and a thing I'm going to read the book, you know, 846 00:46:46,916 --> 00:46:49,476 Speaker 3: something like that, and where gays are not supposed to 847 00:46:49,516 --> 00:46:53,156 Speaker 3: get married, you organize, you know, a huge wedding of 848 00:46:53,396 --> 00:46:56,876 Speaker 3: as many people as you can get. And those are 849 00:46:57,036 --> 00:47:02,916 Speaker 3: forms of nonviolent civilist obedience which are invaluable and scary, 850 00:47:03,076 --> 00:47:10,356 Speaker 3: and we got to do them anyhow, Read a couple more. Okay, 851 00:47:10,356 --> 00:47:10,596 Speaker 3: I have a. 852 00:47:10,676 --> 00:47:15,796 Speaker 8: Question I'm going to My question was, is our country doomed? 853 00:47:16,876 --> 00:47:18,276 Speaker 3: And yes, m h. 854 00:47:19,796 --> 00:47:22,796 Speaker 8: And someone who has, you know, lived through the civil 855 00:47:22,916 --> 00:47:26,876 Speaker 8: rights movement, what words of encouragement do you have for 856 00:47:27,436 --> 00:47:30,716 Speaker 8: somebody like me who's really disheartened with the you know, 857 00:47:31,036 --> 00:47:32,836 Speaker 8: state of affairs in our country today. 858 00:47:33,636 --> 00:47:36,116 Speaker 3: Well, your question is an oxymoron. Do I have any hope? 859 00:47:36,196 --> 00:47:40,956 Speaker 3: Not particularly? But the other day somebody said hope is 860 00:47:40,996 --> 00:47:45,276 Speaker 3: a discipline, you know. I think that's because I don't 861 00:47:45,276 --> 00:47:50,636 Speaker 3: consider myself a very hopeful person. I've managed to shift 862 00:47:50,716 --> 00:47:55,716 Speaker 3: over from being a total pessimist to somebody considering hope. 863 00:47:56,476 --> 00:47:58,636 Speaker 3: But it would be a practice, I mean, you have 864 00:47:58,756 --> 00:48:01,556 Speaker 3: to practice it because this is not a hopeful world. 865 00:48:02,076 --> 00:48:04,796 Speaker 3: This is not a hopeful country. This is this is 866 00:48:05,396 --> 00:48:08,636 Speaker 3: heading towards and parts of it already are a fascist country. 867 00:48:09,396 --> 00:48:10,716 Speaker 1: So what do we do? 868 00:48:11,476 --> 00:48:14,196 Speaker 3: Actually, I made a list. I was sharing it with 869 00:48:14,476 --> 00:48:16,876 Speaker 3: justin theause people say what do I do? And I've 870 00:48:16,916 --> 00:48:19,836 Speaker 3: always given this dumb stare. But now I've made a 871 00:48:19,956 --> 00:48:23,596 Speaker 3: list of which I will post on my Instagram and 872 00:48:23,876 --> 00:48:29,756 Speaker 3: or Facebook page, which with suggestions. I mean, from gun 873 00:48:29,916 --> 00:48:34,516 Speaker 3: violence to the Ukraine, to women's rights to They're all 874 00:48:34,676 --> 00:48:37,476 Speaker 3: these things somebody could get on different levels. You can donate, 875 00:48:37,956 --> 00:48:40,836 Speaker 3: you can support, or you can at some point take 876 00:48:40,876 --> 00:48:43,436 Speaker 3: a risk. You know, all are valuable. 877 00:48:46,956 --> 00:48:53,516 Speaker 10: All right, last question, My question is about women in 878 00:48:53,636 --> 00:49:00,996 Speaker 10: Iran and non violence resistance. You know that they came 879 00:49:02,316 --> 00:49:06,116 Speaker 10: non violent on the street and they faced with the 880 00:49:06,196 --> 00:49:10,916 Speaker 10: bullet in their eyes cution, and it's going on for 881 00:49:10,996 --> 00:49:15,076 Speaker 10: the past two weeks, fifty people have been executed only 882 00:49:15,516 --> 00:49:19,396 Speaker 10: for being on the street. How do we have this answer? 883 00:49:19,996 --> 00:49:24,796 Speaker 10: How we can deal with this violence, brutal violence that 884 00:49:25,636 --> 00:49:28,316 Speaker 10: people around the world. Is not just Iran, but Iran. 885 00:49:28,396 --> 00:49:30,756 Speaker 10: I think it's on one of the top on the top. 886 00:49:32,116 --> 00:49:34,916 Speaker 3: All we know is it trying to deal with it 887 00:49:35,036 --> 00:49:38,916 Speaker 3: with violence? Is immorse that you can't crush the state. 888 00:49:39,716 --> 00:49:42,956 Speaker 3: I'm not telling anybody what they're supposed to do. I'm 889 00:49:43,076 --> 00:49:47,036 Speaker 3: just looking at historically, what has been done and why 890 00:49:47,156 --> 00:49:49,836 Speaker 3: we've arrived at the state where we looked at violence 891 00:49:49,956 --> 00:49:52,756 Speaker 3: is the only answer. I wish I had an answer 892 00:49:52,876 --> 00:49:58,236 Speaker 3: for you. I painted Mushia among my mischief makers, and 893 00:49:59,356 --> 00:50:03,996 Speaker 3: it's too overwhelming the sorrow to spend a lot of 894 00:50:04,076 --> 00:50:07,996 Speaker 3: time thinking about these different places, certainly including around way 895 00:50:08,076 --> 00:50:08,716 Speaker 3: high on the list. 896 00:50:08,756 --> 00:50:12,316 Speaker 1: As you said, one last one, happy one, I hope. 897 00:50:12,676 --> 00:50:15,876 Speaker 1: What advice would you give to new singer songwriters? 898 00:50:16,356 --> 00:50:19,836 Speaker 3: You a singer songwriter? Yeah, okay, no, I wish I 899 00:50:19,916 --> 00:50:23,276 Speaker 3: had something brilliant to say except bravo and go make 900 00:50:23,316 --> 00:50:23,956 Speaker 3: good trouble. 901 00:50:29,076 --> 00:50:29,836 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. 902 00:50:36,356 --> 00:50:38,516 Speaker 2: I want to thank Joan Baez for the live conversation 903 00:50:38,676 --> 00:50:42,236 Speaker 2: we had from the Chicago Humanities Festival. Be sure to 904 00:50:42,316 --> 00:50:44,556 Speaker 2: check out her new book, Am I Pretty When I Fly? 905 00:50:44,916 --> 00:50:49,196 Speaker 2: Available mostly wherever books are sold. You can hear all 906 00:50:49,276 --> 00:50:51,676 Speaker 2: of our favorite songs from the great Joan Baez on 907 00:50:51,796 --> 00:50:55,316 Speaker 2: a playlist at Broken Record podcast dot com. You can 908 00:50:55,356 --> 00:50:58,276 Speaker 2: subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash 909 00:50:58,356 --> 00:50:59,796 Speaker 2: broken Record Podcast, where you. 910 00:50:59,796 --> 00:51:01,876 Speaker 1: Can find all of our new episodes. 911 00:51:02,596 --> 00:51:06,156 Speaker 2: Broken Record is produced with help from Leah Rose, Jason Gambrell, 912 00:51:06,436 --> 00:51:10,756 Speaker 2: Ben Talliday, Misha Venkatt, Jordan mcmah millen, and Eric Sandler. 913 00:51:11,396 --> 00:51:15,716 Speaker 2: Our editor is Sophie Craik. Brooken Record is a production 914 00:51:15,836 --> 00:51:18,596 Speaker 2: of Pushkin Industries. If you love this show and others 915 00:51:18,596 --> 00:51:23,316 Speaker 2: from Pushkin, consider subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is 916 00:51:23,356 --> 00:51:27,316 Speaker 2: a podcast subscription service that offers bonus content and unintrupted 917 00:51:27,436 --> 00:51:30,356 Speaker 2: ad free listening for only four ninety nine a month. 918 00:51:31,156 --> 00:51:35,396 Speaker 2: Look for Pushkin Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions, and if 919 00:51:35,396 --> 00:51:37,716 Speaker 2: you like the show, remember to share, rate, and review 920 00:51:37,836 --> 00:51:39,356 Speaker 2: us on your podcast app. 921 00:51:39,836 --> 00:51:42,636 Speaker 1: Our theme us expect Canny Beats. I'm Justin Richard.