Interview in German

[Jutta]

Hi all,
There is a nice interview for german fans: http://www.focus.de/kultur/musik/tid-16 ... 53579.html
Chris said that his daughters want him to make a breakfast-CD of all the songs he compose while having breakfast every morning. Not bad idea!
Maybe someone has the time to translate a bit, but I think there is nothing new in the interview. Besides maybe a quarrel Chris had had with Bill Wyman, because he said that Chris`earbook has nothing to do with Blues and didnt understand that Blues is not only made in New Orleans or Chicago but also in Italy.
So long!
Jutta

[elangelo]

There are some other intersting things he said:
1. "Gone Fishing" is a sarcastic song, usually misunderstood as a song of a man who loves fishing.
2. "Nothing to Fear" is really a song about Europe-Islam relationship and has an Arabic theme in the guitar solo (for me, it always was a love song...)
3. CR never donated 25,000 pounds to the Conservative party (phew...).

[Chris]

Hi all,
It's a very good interview. The interviewer did his homework and came well prepared for the meeting. He also asked the right questions. Chris Rea provided some interesting answers. Elangelo already pointed out to the most important of them. Chris was asked which of his songs was the most misunderstood and he said "Gone Fishing" and that's why he is still getting letters from anglers who want to share with him pictures of their biggest catch! Speaking about his new CD being planned for next June (2010) Chris said that he will stop calling it another blues record and will not get into any serious discussion about what is and what isn't blues as he did with Bill Wyman.

[lilybee]

About the Blues portion of the interview, my friend Andrea (in Germany) told me Chris said this:

a new CD about the "bridge between the New Orleans blues and what I call the Florence Mediterranean blues"
He tells about an argument with Bill Wyman who told him after listening to Blue Guitars-Chicago, "Big Bill Broonzy, that is blues,but the rest- no! But I told him people in Italy or in South America get the blues, but it sounds different. But it is the blues. Bill Wyman didn't understand. I will not title the CD "Blues" to not confuse people, but it will be about the connection of the blues of the different nationalities. There will come a DVD with it,containing surreal pictures and films to accompany the music. Just a CD would be boring, I could do that in one week."

Lily

[Tina3]

Hi Everyone,
Hi Jutta
Long time since we heard from you around these parts I hope you are well

I have one request
Reading these posts it is noted that fans can read German.Would anyone be willing to write what Chris said in this interview for those who can't.

Chris was asked which of his songs was the most misunderstood and he said "Gone Fishing" and that's why he is still getting letters from anglers who want to share with him pictures of their biggest catch!

Hi Chris
As this is the misunderstanding with Gone Fishing did Chris say what his meaning for the song was meant to be.I have always known it was not a fishing song but I am very interested to know what he meant from the song.
Tina

[elangelo]

As this is the misunderstanding with Gone Fishing did Chris say what his meaning for the song was meant to be.I have always known it was not a fishing song but I am very interested to know what he meant from the song.
Tina

Hi Tina,
Chris says that he doesn't know anything about fishing and doesn't like it, so the main point of the song is: "If I want to waste my life away, I may as well go fishing".

[Chris]

Hi Tina and all,

Elangelo already explained in English what Chris wanted to say in this interview.

You know, when we translate texts, back and forth (English-German; German-English), from one language to another, we always tend to lose something, just like in the movie with Bill Murray caught in Tokyo with Scarlett Johansson....

Asked about his most misunderstood song Chris Rea said, more or less, the following:

(quote)
"It would probably be "Gone Fishing", because I have never gone fishing. (laugh) I left the impression in this song that I actually do not like and that I don't have any idea about fishing. Therefore, what I wanted to put across was this: If I wanted to waste my life, I could as well go fishing. The song, in this sense, is sarcastic (said Chris.) But many people thought that I enjoy fishing. For years I received photos of people who have caught big fish." (end of quote)

I hope this would help you get the overall sense of his answer. Because that's what counts. The sense. Not the words scattered around like the Autumn leaves....
Take care,
Chris

[Mr_Blues]

About the Blues portion of the interview, my friend Andrea (in Germany) told me Chris said this:

a new CD about the "bridge between the New Orleans blues and what I call the Florence Mediterranean blues"
He tells about an argument with Bill Wyman who told him after listening to Blue Guitars-Chicago, "Big Bill Broonzy, that is blues,but the rest- no! But I told him people in Italy or in South America get the blues, but it sounds different. But it is the blues. Bill Wyman didn't understand. I will not title the CD "Blues" to not confuse people, but it will be about the connection of the blues of the different nationalities. There will come a DVD with it,containing surreal pictures and films to accompany the music. Just a CD would be boring, I could do that in one week."

Lily

Well, Bill Wyman has SOME knowledge about the subject and as much as I would love say other way around and be on Chris´s side, Blue Guitars boxet has moments when the music doesn´t feel as blues to me. In fact there is songs during which I can only think "what was he thinking when he recorded this like that". There is songs that really shouldn´t be added under any cd as they are too much away from the genre. Some sounds pop songs which doesn´t really have that much to do with the blues, musically. This all said, Blue Guitars is still his best work and don´t think he can beat it anymore even though he might have great albums to come.

[Jutta]

Hi Tina and all,
I am well again, thanks. I have got a baby in the meantime and pregnancy was very strenuous. That is why it was so quiet around me in the last months and that is why I have no time for translation at the moment . The little smurf needs all my time. But thanks for all who translate for me.

As to what Mr Blues said, yes, some songs are maybe not so bluesy, but I think the whole earbook shows the roots of blues and all the connections to other genres.

[Tina3]

Hi Jutta,

.
I have got a baby in the meantime and pregnancy was very strenuous

Well what can anyone say except many many congratulations Have you a son or daughter and how old and what did you name him or her. Pregnancy is very hard work I don't know who decided it was or could be easy but in the end it is worth every minute of it. I hope you have many many years of happiness.There will be some tough times but I hope these will be few and far between
Tina

[BLUEHOOD71]

I've got two kids and never felt a thing Sorry ladies just joking.

[Tina3]

Hi Everyone,

I've got two kids and never felt a thing Sorry ladies just joking.

I would love to hear what your partner has to say after all she did the all work up until they were born
Tina

[lilybee]

Congrats Jutta, all this time I thought you were a man...

About your post,

As to what Mr Blues said, yes, some songs are maybe not so bluesy, but I think the whole earbook shows the roots of blues and all the connections to other genres.

I agree with you both, maybe not all the songs are blues per se, but they are in the right genre, and it is obvious Chris did extensive musical research on the subject. As did Bill Wyman on his book "Blues Odyssey"
( http://www.amazon.com/Bill-Wymans-Blues ... 0789480468 )

As for me, B. B. King is as far as I have to go on Blues history....

The Blue Guitars earbook is very unique, and I don't think even Chris himself will try to surpass it.

Lily

[Jutta]

Thanks for congretulations. It is a girl, three weeks old now and called Holly. So far she seems to like Chris Rea too. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of music she will listen to in future

As to the interview, Chris is asked to comment the political situation in Britain. Among other things he critise public health service. His wifes mother had to spend four ours in an emergency room cause there were no catheters.

[Mr_Blues]

Hi Tina and all,
I am well again, thanks. I have got a baby in the meantime and pregnancy was very strenuous. That is why it was so quiet around me in the last months and that is why I have no time for translation at the moment . The little smurf needs all my time. But thanks for all who translate for me.

As to what Mr Blues said, yes, some songs are maybe not so bluesy, but I think the whole earbook shows the roots of blues and all the connections to other genres.

Hello there and all the best for the whole family !!! Congratulations indeed !!!
I got 1 year and 3 months old son and I also have some idea what you got going on at home
And my son is nuts about blues and rock music which he can hear a lot in home
You should see him dancing around whenever good rhytmn starts kicking in