SUZANNE VEGA
Something happened that raised my heart’s BPM by about 30 for the rest of the day. After writing Suzanne Vega’s manager and tour manager, I packed up the picnic bag for Shakespeare and included the Kool-Aid pickles I made last week, based on a story and song from John Nemeth. By the way, I’m not sold on the Kool-Aid pickles, but it was fun to try.
It was very exciting to get approval for an interview with Suzanne Vega. We had a River Road Session at Audio Lab Recording studio. Steve Fulton, who opened the show with Lindsey Hunt, was very gracious in lending us a room to record in. He was also awesome in being flexible, helping me trade out mics and amps, setting up last-minute monitors and patching them in. The TM had requested a Fender Deluxe Rever amp, and a Mesa Boogie. The Boogie amp had some dirty channels we fought with a bit on these songs, but Suzanne’s voice sounds as strong and pure as I can ever remember.
Suzanne Vega ran a few errands while we set up our equipment. Later, I asked if they had done anything fun in Boise. The previous night was her birthday, and she said she had dinner at Lucky Fin. She joked that the errands were no fun, just a visit to Walgreen’s.
You can tell Suzanne is still having a blast with her play, “Carson McCullers Talks About Love.”
Here is a song from it.
I had Suzanne sign what I call my “dumpster guitar.” I was helping some friends move years ago, and my friend’s cousin said we should check out the dumpster in the storage unit. He found some speakers and wires for himself, and I noticed a cardboard box oddly shaped like a guitar. I expected it to be empty, but it wasn’t! A cheap guitar was inside, it had burn marks on the body and plastic parts. Over the years, I’ve put some quotes and art nouveau decoupage on it to cover the burns. Suzanne liked one of the women art pieces, I think maybe Mucha? She asked if she could sign on her chest. I said, “I think she would like that,” and she giggled.
Suzanne Vega says she plays a Furch guitar. It’s a custom Czech guitar, and she grinned while telling me, “The inlay is made by a woman.”
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