FEATURE
fulfilled. I needed to be
mother. I love the culture, the
expressing myself in some
sense of humour, the intelligence.
way. So, I started taking guitar
I enjoy being part of that world.
lessons and immediately started
Although I have to admit I don’t always
writing, which was a surprise! I wasn’t
understand the references, things you
planning on that! But that’s how it
have to have grown up with. That is
started.”
one of the alienating things about
Now Kate is firmly rooted in the UK,
moving to a country you haven’t grown
having lived in London for 15 years.
up in. You’re never going to completely
She initially made the move when she
feel like you get it!”
married a Brit. “I moved to London
Since, starting her musical journey
because I met my husband Andy
Kate has played at various festivals and
Hobsbawm. He was in New York for a
concerts across the USA, London and
while, then he had to move back to
Paris: “I really enjoyed playing the Penn
England. So, I said ‘ok I’ll move back
Festival here, several years ago. It was
with you no problem,’ and then
this gorgeous day, big stage, beautiful
realised I was in for this massive
field I remember that being great. She
culture shock! But I’ve come out the
also recalls: “we did a gig in Paris that
other end of it. I feel very much at
at a blues club, that was really nice.
home here.”
The Parisian audience, were so
As a proud Brit, I had to know what
appreciative and attentive. It was
her favourite thing was about our fine
almost like they’d gone to the cinema
land! “There are a lot of
and were sitting there. I
"I said ‘ ok
things in terms of my life.
I ’ ll
felt very listened to so
Growing up in Manhattan, move back
with
that was really nice.”
I didn’t realise until I left,
Although some
you no problem,
it’s such a crazy place to
’ musicians, make a
live. It’s very claustrop-
conscious effort to start
and then
hobic and the space is
writing their own songs,
realised I was
restricted, the energy,
in
it was never really a
you have to go into battle
decision for Kate: “It’s
for this massive
every time you go into
more like I just started
the Subway! There’s an
writing songs because I
culture shock!"
aggression that’s omni-
enjoyed it. I think I was
present. I couldn’t have imagined living
influenced and inspired by people I
anywhere else until I moved to
was playing. I was learning to play
England and then it was like ‘oh! There
these songs really for the first time, but
is another way to live!’ It’s really nice,
as I was learning, this other bit of my
people are really polite, not that they
brain was more interested in writing
can’t be in New York, but they can also
something and so I don’t feel like I went
be incredibly aggressive. I really enjoy
down the musician route where people
this relative peace. It’s going to sound
get really good at playing the guitar,
strange but I live in London and I
learn all different techniques and lust
speak to people who are like ‘I’ve got
over different guitars that they wish
to get out of this city!’ I’m like ‘really?’ I
they had. I never became that sort of
don’t feel that! I feel like I live in the
musician. I play guitar as well as I do!
country, I’ve got trees, a garden access
Which is ok, it’s enough for me to
to all these parks and to me that is just
perform. I do the rhythm, Andy does
amazing. So, that’s what I’m feeling
the lead, but I saw it as a way to
about England. I also love England
explore song writing.”
culturally. I grew up with an
Ellis’ music is difficult to pigeon
English mother so I would visit
hole and pin down to a specific
England and my grand-
genre. That’s not a bad thing,