Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann on ‘Lost in Space' tour, new musical
Known for her witty, personal lyrics and clear, melodic voice, she's playing the hits from her fourth studio album, released back in 2002. That means fans at her 21+ shows might be hearing these songs — which the elder millennials among us might remember from 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' — for the very first time.
We caught up with Aimee to check in on the tour, her life in LA and what's inspiring her latest work.
You're celebrating the 22 1/2 year anniversary of your album 'Lost In Space' with an East Coast tour (playing the Grand Ballroom at Canoe Place Inn in Hampton Bays June 12). Why this album and why now?
We were a little slow off the mark. We wanted to do the 20th anniversary thing but for a variety of reasons it took longer. Obviously I like all my records, but I feel like this one has just such an interesting sound and really creates a mood.
Your catalogue cuts across genres — from the hit 'Voices Carry' with the new wave band 'Til Tuesday to 'Save Me' the breakout 90s ear worm from the Oscar-nominated 'Magnolia' soundtrack. Your album 'Mental Illness' even won the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Folk Album. Are you still evolving as an artist?
The first band I was in was this really unlistenable kind of art rock, punk, new wave band — one of those bands where you say to yourself, 'Let's do everything weird.' Which is super fun, but not necessarily fun for the listener. 'Til Tuesday was a reaction against that. I wanted to play music that was more melodic. I think it takes a lot of practice at songwriting to figure out what you like and what you're good at. It's a lot of experimentation and over time you realize, 'Oh, this is the kind of thing I'm really good at, or 'This is the kind of thing I like to do.' And acoustic guitar-based pop with a little folk flavor is my favorite place to park.
Left to right: Robert Holmes and Aimee Mann, both of the group 'Til Tuesday perform onstage at Liberty State Park, Jersey City in 1985.
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But there's also this writerly quality to your songs that I think defines you. Do you agree?
I like that description. That's a fun way to think of myself. But no, I haven't really thought of it that way. I just know that words are very important, and it's fun to try to get better at writing lyrics and to be more exact in your language.
You're based in LA with your husband Michael Penn. Do you have plans for your time in New York when you aren't on stage?
I have really good friends in Brooklyn that I stay with when I go to New York. So it kind of feels like I have my neighborhood coffee place. But I never lived in New York; I was in Boston for 15 years. On this tour, it's hard to say. It might be in and out, but it all sort of depends. I'll let karma decide. Wherever the tour bus goes, that's where I'll go.
Mann performs as part of 'The Aimee Mann And Ted Leo Christmas Show' at City Winery last November in NYC.
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Are you working on new music?
I'm writing songs for a new record. I'm not sure exactly what I want it to sound like yet, but I have a record called 'The Forgotten Arm,' [2005] and I've been playing a lot of songs from that so I'm kind of interested in returning to that sound. I'm also developing a musical based on those songs. That record was written about drug addiction and the musical is about two people who are together, and one is a drug addict. It's the dynamic of that relationship. I think we'll do a workshop presentation at Joe's Pub sometime this fall.
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