LAUREN FIELD: THE WOMAN, THE TROOPER AND THE ARTIST.
In fact I have been accused of being a little indiscreet at times! . Something I'd better learn to curb. If someone asks me a question I am always happy to give an honest answer. My husband says that I am explosive with a rather less than delightful madness once a month for about a week!". Lauren had her moment of glory but she suffered too. She shed tears. She was looking for gigs wherever she could or would get them, even in the sleazy and filthy venues. She dad to pay the bills and the bills were mounting. She does care less about fame. To Lauren, talent has nothing to do with fame. So many famous artists succeeded in life without a talent. And so many talented artists failed and remained obscure and unknown, because luck did not ride in sync with their talent. Lauren told me: "When I was a lot younger the idea of fame seemed very important. Now it is just something that goes with the territory of success in this industry. Obviously I want people to hear my music, and to be liked and respected for the work that I do. Also fame is so devalued nowadays, anyone can have their fifteen minutes of fame by cheating on a quiz show, bedding a footballer, appearing in a reality TV show, it hardly seems like something worth pursuing for its own sake. I want financial security for my self and my family and the luxury of being able to continue doing what I'm doing."
WHAT DOES SHE WRITE ABOUT?
This what Lauren had to say: "I write mainly from experiences in my own life (though not every song is autobiographical) but I think my emotional experiences are common to many other people and do represent life in general. I think that's why I have had such a great reaction to the "Modern Woman" album.
Lauren and her band with special guest and song writing partner Randy Bachman (Bachman Turner Overdrive / The Guess Who).
I was writing about what it is like to hold down a job, raise a family, be a wife, mother, lover and what it's like to get to a point in life where you question where you're at, who you're with and where you are going. Mid-life crisis anyone? Women have read their own stories in my songs some of which are quite candid, lucky my husband hasn't paid much attention to the lyrics! And what does she fear most? Lauren with total candor told me:
WHAT DOES SHE FEAR MOST? WHAT DOES SHE LIKE?
"What I fear most? On stage? Yes! I fear that my clothes will fall off! Don't laugh it has happened. That I will forget all the words to my songs and that I won't have anything witty to say to the audience in between and that I'll have been booked for the wrong venue - a Hell's Angels convention or something - that there'll be a power cut or a flood, that my band don't turn up or turn up plastered or without their instruments or... or.. hang on, there's some men in white coats at the door! " And what does she like most? Hear this. She loves good food. Great sex. As to music, her favorites are Steely Dan, Eagles, The Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Doobie Brothers, The Band, Scissor Sisters. Composers: Elgar, Rachmaninov, Beethoven (She is a romantic at heart!) . Poets and writers: Dylan Thomas, Anne Tyler, John Irving, Colin Bateman. Movie stars: Paul Newman and Marissa Tomei in "My Cousin Vinnie". Favourite countries - UK (it's home after all and not a bad old place really). She loved her visits to the USA. Yes, she loves France. Her sister lives there. Favourite fashion store - Jigsaw. Lovely unusual, hip gear. Comedy: Ardol O'Hanlon, Jackie Mason, Dad's Army, Blackadder.
HER CANDOR AND HUMILITY TOUCHED MY HEART.
Lauren: "On my way up I have played every toilet in the universe."
If Lauren was not a singer, a composer, a musician and lyricist, what would she be doing today? Lauren said: "I rather liked the idea of being a barrister, marching around a courtroom being terribly dramatic.
But I think I probably just wanted to play the part. Acting again. About fifteen years ago, I went through a rough time, work was thin on the ground and I was fed up of being poor and watching my peers become successful in their chosen careers. So I went for a drive to think. And I decided to give it all up and get a proper job. I reasoned that I was an intelligent person who could do any number of other things. At which point I had to pull over because I was sobbing uncontrollably. Then I knew I would just have to get on with it because I could never give it up. Asking her: "Have you ever performed in very small and obscure places? Lauren replied: "Oh goodness yes! On my way up I have played every toilet in the universe. The smells still linger in my nostrils! Broom cupboards for dressing rooms, sticking to carpets laced with alcohol and cigarette butts, postage stamp stages and rowdy audiences. Those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end. Hmm there's a song in there somewhere...I did it out of desperation. I had to pay the bills."
LAUREN PUTS HER CAREER ON HOLD
Lauren stopped her live work for about five years – she now has two children. Gabriel is 10 and India 6. Lauren told me: “I was very immersed in my role of mother to the exclusion of my own career. In fact I think it is fair to say I had no ambition for myself for a few years. That baby, young child stage is so vital. I just had to be with them. I did continue to write and to sing back up for some of the artists who we worked with in our production company. But I guess for a while I didn’t see myself as the artist. You know what? I thought I was passed it. Just too old. That’s probably what brought on the mid-life crisis (for want of a better phrase) and it was a kind of epiphany. I am one of the baby boomers. There are millions of us. I recognised through my writing a natural audience for my work. A huge and appreciative audience who really relate to my experiences. Common experiences. And so a Modern Woman was born.”
LAUREN IS BACK!
Lauren Field has just released her debut solo album – “Modern Woman”. Of the album, she says, “ This is the culmination of years of life experience, determination and a passion for music and singing. A couple of years ago I was working on a project with my partner, Charles Foskett. We were writing songs for a jazz project which was to incorporate new songs and old, seasoned, British jazz stars. When we went to Universal Classics and Jazz with the demos, the MD there said, simply – Do the album with Lauren. And that was it. As luck would have it, I had a mid-life crisis in full swing and songs just poured out of me. This body of work is about me, my emotions, my feelings, going through a time of change and realisation yet it is common to so many people, especially women – it’s everyone’s story. As a session singer I covered a whole range of styles – soul, jazz, blues, the pops – it was a fantastic training ground. It also meant that my writing covered different styles which meant that I could start offering songs to other singers. "
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