Interview with Flip Grater

Interview with Flip Grater

Ch.L.: Folk Music has many new fans in Europe, who may be hearing about you for the first time. How would you describe yourself and the music you play to someone who'se never seen or heard you before.

F.G.: I make sad music. Of a kind of indie-folk variety. With a little alt-country thrown in.

Ch.L.: What's your latest CD and how's it doing?How did you choose the title for the CD, is there a story behind it?
   
F.G.: It's called While I'm Awake I'm At War. It's gone really well at     home and has just been released in Germany. The album is named after a song on it that is about melancholy and the comfort that can     be found with a lover.

Ch.L.: Who do you look up musiccally and how deep do your musical roots run?
   
F.G.: I love all kinds of music and bands but my heart has always been     in folk music. My father taught me to play guitar when I was a child     and he taught me all of his favourite songs like Bob Dylan, Cat     Ste    vens and Neil Young songs.

Ch.L.: As an artist you have to do so many different things such as recording, touring, doing interviews etc. What do you like best, what's your favorite activity?
   
F.G.: I do all those things and have always been independent in New     Zealand because I run my own label there. I love all aspects for     diffe    rent reasons. I love being at home writing. I love being in the studio     working with amazing musicians. I love being on tour and meeting     new people and playing to new audiences.

Ch.L.: What inspired you to become an artist?

F.G.: Hmm.. I never intended to make music for a living. I had learned     guitar when I was a kid and as I got older it was a hobby. When I was     20 years old I met a Swedish guy, fell in love and moved to Sweden.     Eventually he broke my heart, I returned to New Zealand miserable     and started writing and performing music.

Ch.L.: What moments in your career stand out in your memory as highlights and achievements which you're proud of?

F.G.: I played at SXSW in Austin, Texas a few years ago and     performed after Kris Kristofferson and before Luke Zimmerman. That     was cool. Also I'm really proud of this new album.

Ch.L.: When you get time off, how do you like to relax?

F.G.: I love to cook.

Ch.L.: What can your fans expect to see when they see you in concert?

F.G.: I'm doing this tour solo so it's a very intimate show. Playing     alone means it's stripped back to the basic song, 1 voice, 1 guitar. It's     a very honest way to hear an album performed.

Ch.L.: Many music fans today get their information about artists via the internet. Do you have your own website and what will fans find there?

F.G.: I have a site and I'm on myspace but I mostly use Facebook and     Twitter. () (). I'm a little bit of a facebook junkie actually.. and when     I'm touring I tweet a lot!

Ch.L.. What message would you like to send your European fans?

F.G.: Can't wait to meet you! Keep an eye out online for my tour     dates because I'm coming back to Germany again in summer.

Christian Lamitschka ( Ch.Lamitschka@t-online.de )
http://www.CountryMusicNewsInternational.com
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