What do you think explains your continuing popularity all over the
world?
For anyone, they're well-crafted pop songs. I've worked with the best
songwriters in the world. Also, I think my voice is very distinctive. It
may not be the best, but there is a quality to it that people really respond
to it. Also, I've always had a very good understanding of myself and what
I'm capable of. That's served me very well through the years.
What other characteristics about you are people drawn to?
I've been around since the late 1970s. I came from the Punk scene
in Hollywood and people love how I started and where I came from.
I came from the garage scene in Hollywood, and people adore that.
People respond to that authenticity. There's a big lack of that these days,
not just in music, but in everything.
What is your view of the current proliferation of TV talent shows?
Young people these days don't seem to realise that music used to be
something you developed yourself. You played around the clubs for
years. It didn't just come from talent shows. They have forgotten that
music is about art more than commerce. It's not just about having a
good voice - lots of people have that. It's about something extra. The
musical structures are different now from when I had my hits. There is
still some creativity, but it's not so much about art as it used to be.
Do you despair of the current music scene, then?
No. There are still some artists who are amazing, like Adele. I respond
to her music because it's real and not manufactured by a bunch of guys
in a boardroom who know nothing about music, but everything about
numbers. And look at Ed Sheeran. Like him or not, he is incredibly
talented, and people respond to that. They can see that his music comes
from a real place.
You are touring the UK in the autumn. What do you like about live
performances?
I love performing the songs. I love the feeling of allowing people to
escape from their daily lives for an hour and a half. I'm very blessed that
I can make that happen. The great thing about some of my songs, like
Heaven for instance is that they transcend being just a song and become
a moment or represent an era.
Why has Heaven Is a Place on Earth become such an iconic track?
It's one of those songs that has become something else. It took on a life
of its own. That song was so big and in some parts of the world it took
over the radio. It still means a lot to a lot of people. That really gratifies
me. It makes me happy that I can make people happy.
30 wirrallife.com
Do you ever get bored of singing it?
No. For a start, we play different arrangements of it. But it doesn't
matter that it's repetitive. I don't know how many times I've sung it,
but whenever I see how much people love it, I can't help but love it, too.
On this tour, you're playing the historic London Palladium. Do you
feel nervous about that?
It's such a legendary venue. I'm going to be performing on the same
stage as Judy Garland! London makes me a bit more nervous because I
have lots of friends here. Some venues just give you butterflies. It's good
to be a bit nervous. But I've been performing for so long now that I can
just switch gears and not think about it. Now I can just go on and do it.
It's like riding a bike.
Do you like the UK?
Yes, I love it. We lived in Hampstead for two or three years. I love being
able to walk everywhere in London. The architecture is amazing. I'm not
crazy about the weather, but when it's sunny, there are very few cities
more beautiful than London. The English countryside is wonderful, too.
You live in Thailand now. Why did you move there?
I really like the people, and we live in Bangkok, my favourite city in the
world. It's a crazy, perfect mixture of the first and third worlds. Bangkok
might not be aesthetically pleasing, but the energy is amazing. It's chaos,
but also, it's very chilled-out.
Why is that?
Because there are religious shrines on every street, people are constantly
reminded that there's something greater than them and they revere that.
A sense of calm permeates the city. We live in the busiest part of that
giant city, but you never feel caught up in the same angst and aggression
as in other cities. I've never had a problem or an unpleasant encounter
with a Thai person - but I've had plenty with Westerners!
Why have you lived in so many countries?
I love discovering new cultures. I'm lucky that my husband has gypsy
blood like I do. We tried moving back to the States, but it didn’t work
out. We hadn’t lived there for 25 years and thought it would be like it
used to be, but quickly realised that it had changed so much and for us,
not for the better. Now we like exploring the energy of Asia. We've just
made a big commitment to Thailand, and now we're there pretty much
full time.
Does Thailand cohere with your interest in Buddhism?
Yes. I'm not a practising Buddhist, but I have a spiritual base. That ties
in with my love of yoga. It's all the same thing. The 12 Step Programme,
yoga and Buddhism all fit together very nicely.