Photography by Jim Avignon
Dorothea Tachler, lead singer of the Brooklyn based band My Favourite Things, currently set to release their new album, Fly I will, because I can this July, talks with AHC about her inspirations, musical instincts and why we should never assume things will last forever; leaving expectations at the door, and digging deep into the creative vision at hand. AHC: What has this journey in music, so far, been like for you, the highs and the lows, and what life lessons do you feel you've picked up along the way? Dorothea: This journey in music has accompanied all my life, been my life - the highs are I guess when the musical experience is good, in flow, and I am learning at the same time, musical skills, writing skills, playing together with other amazing musicians. With that, the lows are when that comes to a stop - when everything’s at a good flow, like playing with a band where it feels great, it has a thing of infinity to it, and when I thought, it's always going to be this, and it wasn’t, it was like a low - many compare a band to a relationship, and it's true! So the lesson is, never assume things will last forever - in fact, don’t assume anything, no expectations! Because we never know what awaits us next! AHC: What first drew you to music and what was your early musical environment like growing up? Were there pivotal songs for you then that just floored you the moment you heard them? Dorothea: My parents used to put a lot of music on when I was little, bands like Beatles, Pink Floyd etc but actually more classical music, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, etc and take me to concerts and the opera, which made me want to play instruments. I started playing instruments at age 3, flute, age 5 violin, age 10 piano. A lot of the music floored me, the list would be endless, I remember that it really inspired my imagination, like taking me to another world. AHC: Do you remember the first song that you ever wrote or played? Or that first moment when you picked up a pen and realized that you could create whole worlds just by putting it to paper? Dorothea: Hmm not really… since I started playing as a child, it was probably some children’s songs. I picked up guitar when I was about 15 and my friend showed me how to play some chords, the first song I learned was „Killing me softly“, and Cat Steven’s „Father and Son“. The first song I wrote… was probably something I made as a kid for my dad’s birthday or something, but I wouldn’t really count that. It was maybe around age 18 that I started writing songs, but it took me a while to really go for it and explore it, and let myself express myself. AHC: Which musicians have you learned the most from? Or writers, artists, filmmakers, teachers/mentors etc? Dorothea: Again, the list would be endless. I learned different things from different teachers, band mates, or musicians I admire - technique/skill as a musician, theory as a tool for writing, but after strict and old school French and German teachers, it was almost more important for me personally, to improvise and learn to let go and be free musically, and just express what's inside me, without the rigid frame work of classical music or a specific genre. I love musicians that are free, but it's also important to me that it always sounds beautiful. AHC: What do you think makes for a good song, as you're writing and composing, is there a sudden moment when you know you've found the right mix, that perfect angle of light, so to speak? Dorothea: For me, there’s several ways where this can happen, either when I feel that it’s really expressing what I’m experiencing internally, or when it's grabbing me musically by sounding beautifully, or doing a cool thing… I guess for me it's a good song when I want to keep listening to it myself as I am writing it - usually I start recording it, and listening back on my headphones on the subway etc AHC: Do you consider music to be a type of healing art, even if only partially, an imperfect vehicle through which to translate the taste of a particular feeling, a state of rupture/rapture, hope lost and regained? Does the writing and creating of the song save you in the kinds of ways that it saves us, the listener? Dorothea: Absolutely! Everything that you said! It is healing in the process of writing, especially when it is about a difficult experience - it helps me understand it better, and just to really go through it - because -as I’ve learned - the only way out is through. Music is my helper and companion on that trip, and when I have a song in the end that I’m happy with, this feeling of accomplishment can also be healing. AHC: What are your fondest musical memories? In your house? In your neighborhood or town? On-tour, on-the-road? Dorothea: Yeah, all of it - playing with others, for others, different settings - being in the music, but also making a connection to others with music. Yes, on tour, but also in my hometown, for example when I performed (as a student) with the choir in church, and the acoustics in there were amazing with all that natural reverb from that space - but also playing with others, when it's locking in, and everyone is really „in it“ - just being in that space, the perception of time changes. Lately it has been improvisation that I’m into. It can also be while listening to music/ seeing a concert of other musicians. AHC: When you set out to write a song, how much does 'where the world is' in its current moment, culturally, politically, artistically, otherwise, influence the kinds of stories you set out to tell? Dorothea: Usually not so much, but it depends - the songs I write for My Favourite Things are usually about my personal experiences, but I have other projects that are more in the moment, kind of ambient, a lot improvised - its more transcendental and has no lyrics. I did start writing a political/protest song the other day though. AHC: Do you have any words of advice or encouragement for other musicians and singer-songwriters out there who are just starting out and trying to find their voice and their way in this world? What are the kinds of things that you tell yourself when you begin to have doubts or are struggling with the creative process? Or what kinds of things have others told you that have helped push you past moments of self doubt/creative blocks? Dorothea: Try everything that’s fun or interesting, where you can learn something! when you write, try not to think about what others might think about it - just try to really express what you want to express- in a way that satisfies you. Authenticity is more important than following some fashion (in my opinion) Also: don’t expect anything, like „success“, for example. I mean, what is success? it can be something different for you than for others around you. It's not so easy, but I’ve come to the realization that as long as I care about my music, that’s enough reason for me to continue - sometimes it certainly feels like that is the case, and that’s okay. AHC: My Favourite Things are set to release, Fly I will, because I can this July, could you talk some about this record, how long it took to write and record and what some of the specific muses are for you on this one? Dorothea: It took 3-4 years, only because I didn’t have the luxury (and budget) to only focus on the making of it, but constantly got interrupted by having to make a living! Like on my other records, it's about my life and things that move me, like a diary. The first song is for a friend that passed away I was really close to as a teenager, in fact the one that showed me how to play guitar - It was the only way to talk to her I could think of. But, altogether, I was going through a lot of changes, and also still processing the loss of other people, like my mother. It's also about the process of growth, which never stops, and sometimes is difficult - two steps up, one back down, that’s often how it goes, and sometimes frustrating when it feels like a step back (even though, it sometimes really isn’t.) The recording process was a bit different in this one, my band mates Yoshio (drums) and Yusuke (vibraphone) played on almost every song, and played completely their own parts, whereas on the previous albums, I had written most parts and played a lot of them. However, that was before they were in the band - they are amazing musicians and I dig what they play! Keep up with My Favourite Things Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | Bandcamp | YouTube | Twitter
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