Exclusive interview with Laura Vane (The Vipertones)

When LikeTheSounds favourite producer Callum James Greens (DimerockRecords) gave me the heads up that Laura Vane of The Vipertones fame was back in town and in session with The Streets, a chat with the beautiful girl with the velvet voice beckoned me, and what a fantastic person she is to interview. This is what she told me when I caught up with Laura Vane ...

LikeTheSound's Exclusive interview with Laura Vane (The Vipertones)

Addolorata : Hi Laura, you have just arrived back in the UK, how are you feeling today?

Laura Vane : Hello There! I got back a couple of days ago, time enough to slip back into my English living and I feel fine! Very energised about the work and collaborations I have going at the moment.

Addolorata : You have got a bit of a reputation for loving to talk, I hope I have caught you on a good day? Tell me where you have been abroad recently? What's been happening?

Laura Vane : I do love to talk, that’s right. Hopefully in the right spaces. I just got back from Holland on Monday night. I’ve been there since last Friday evening. The Vipertones had a brilliant gig at a festival in Duurstede on Saturday lunch time, then the following day Phil Martin and I spent all day in the studio working on the second Vipertones album in Dordrecht, before finally doing the Radio 6 NL morning show ‘The Beat’ very early with Diesler, to promote his new album on which I feature twice with ‘Samba Magic’ and ‘Pickpocket’. All in all, it was a fantastic trip with a bunch of wonderful inspiring people.

Addolorata : And you're a girl who also likes her drink too, is that still true? what is your favourite tipple nowadays?

Laura Vane : Aaaahhh, well yesssss… I’m a G&T kinda girl, or red wine. I’ve been hanging back off the booze of late, I think it’s important to have a little time out every now and then. This industry is hell bent on making sure that alcohol is always accessible, and so it’s good to exercise a little bit of self discipline sometimes.

Addolorata : Definitely! Work is underway now for The Vipertones second album, are you excited about how it is sounding so far?

Laura Vane : YES! VERY!

Addolorata : Great, are all the songs written and ready to record or is the song writing still in progress?

Laura Vane : We have a couple already written, but Phil and I spent a few hours recently getting songs straight for me to work to. So I have a whole bunch of ideas for new songs and I’m hoping (personally) that I can get this album written over the next couple of months. The guys have already done a lot of work. Then we shall talk about getting in the studio to put all the tracks down.

Addolorata : Which new track means the most to you and why?

Laura Vane : A new song called ‘Loving Me is Letting Me Love You’ because its about a feeling and a need that I’ve not been able to understand or express before now. The title may change, but the track is 99% there.

Addolorata : I hope you don't change it, it's a classic already with a title like that! I hear you got a bit taken over by Wii Fitness recently, you got 45? have you had time to improve on that at all?

Laura Vane : 45? FORTY-FIVE!!? Wii Fitness can kiss my far less than 45 year old ass! …errr, no I haven’t had the time. BUT, I do love running. I have recently bought a new pair of running shoes and I live by the sea, so I got fitness plans yeah! Balance games and Super hula-hooping doesn’t really suit me as much as Ton from The Vipertones; that dude has some proper hip action when it comes to keeping those little slippery things up!

Addolorata : Haha, how else do you keep fit? Does fitness play an important role in your lifestyle?

Laura Vane : Yes. Varying levels of importance depending on whether I fit into my dresses or not. No, but seriously, I love to run and I also like swimming. Generally I think a good 4/5 hour dance is just as good as any kind of exercise. I’m nearly always mindful of what I eat which helps.

Addolorata : It certainly does. You have given backing vocals to The Streets on 'The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living' and 'Everything Is Borrowed', give us some history on this please?

Laura Vain : It started when I met a dance producer called Mike Millrain (AKA Soul Rebels, Defected Recs) in 2001/2, and he asked if I would do a track with him. Then one afternoon a couple of years later I got a call from him saying that he was now working with Mike Skinner (Streets) in the studio and they needed some backing vocals down urgently. I was free, so I went to the studio for a few hours, met Skinner and left him with a cd and card. Since then we’ve been in touch and touring or working together every few months, on Streets material and we’re talking about writing for other projects occasionally too.

Addolorata : And you was in session with Mike Skinner yesterday, was this for The Streets fifth and final album known as Computers and Blues?

Laura Vane : Correct!

Addolorata : Is your session with Mike Skinner complete now? How many tracks did you work on?

Laura Vane : I think I’ve done roughly 5 or so for this album…

Addolorata : How was mike yesterday? Is he well and on form?

Laura Vane : Ah, well I didn’t see too much of Mike. He was at the dentist!

Addolorata : Ooh, well I hope that went well. How is Computers and Blues sounding so far?

Laura Vane : I don’t know to be honest, I’ve not heard the whole album, so no juicy gossip for you there! … you’ll have to hold tight!

Addolorata : Hahaha, I will be for sure! There are a lot of Streets fans out there eagerly awaiting some news from Mike. Have you got any great or funny moments in session with Mike Skinner you would care to share with us please?

Laura Vane : Mike is a funny and spontaneous bloke, so there are always plenty of moments. Immediately off the top of my head I can recall one very wet and rainy afternoon watching him, Millrain and Ted (Mayhem) running around on the studio roof trying to repair the damage a tree had done when it came down in the middle of the night last year. I know it was a bit dangerous, and I was watching them mostly with a hand over my mouth ready to gasp, but it was also really quite funny too. The weather made the whole situation a strange mix of drama and slapstick.

Addolorata : Ah yeah, I remember Mike tweeting about this last year, I saw a picture of the tree too, it was massive! You recently did a Dubstep song didn't you? what was this for? The Vipertones and new album yeah?

Laura Vane : Nah…not the Vipertones. I think it’s really important to keep up new and fresh collaborations in other genres of music alongside my project with the Vipertones. I really love what we do, but I also need to stretch my legs a little bit and try out ideas in other types music too.

Addolorata : What book are you reading?

Laura Vane : ‘Native Tongue’ by Carl Hiaasen.

Addolorata : Did you buy it yourself or was it a gift? 

Laura Vane : I borrowed it from my Mother’s partner Mike, the last time I visited. I really loved ‘Sick Puppy’ so I’m giving this a go now.

Addolorata : You have spoke about having some pretty random dreams lately, what do you think triggers your dreams? Are they an accumulation of your daily events or something else?

Laura Vane : I have absolutely no idea. They are a mystery to me. I love having an active brain, but I’ve learned not to think that all my dreams hold some important meaning or are trying to show me something. The most irritating ones are when I do all my food shopping, to wake up and find that it still needs to be done. How dull, eh? What next? Dreams about writing a long shopping list and leaving it at home? Even better…yeah…wicked.

Addolorata : I love "Am I dreaming" did you write this? about anyone in particular?

Laura Vane : I did write ‘Am I Dreaming?’ and it’s about someone I met when I was touring, who I knew I couldn’t have. I’ve not seen him since.

Addolorata : It's been great chatting with you Laura,

Laura Vane : Thanks for getting in touch!

Addolorata : leave us with a piece of your wisdom?

Laura Vane : Wisdom? …despite popular belief, not every Brit who enjoys a drink possesses wisdom!. But I will say that if you see something you want, go and get it. Fly with your emotions and live passionately. Don’t pay too much attention to other people, they’re not living your life.


Bookmark Laura Vane on ... 

www.myspace.com/misslauravane

www.myspace.com/lauravaneandthevipertones
http://www.lauravaneandthevipertones.com/


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