Judith Lam is singer/songwriter, she's an academic, she's crafty, she's an activist, and she has a big heart. Judith released her debut indie album, Blue Sunrise, in the fall of 2002 and by the same time three years later, she hooked up with Cyclone Records for the 2005 compilation disc, Heart of Alberta. Judith did an email interview with me in mid-April.
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Judith is a very creative person, with songwriting at the forefront. The process is about keeping track of all the different ideas coming to her almost as much as it is about the final product. Says Judith, 'I usually start off either with a catch-line, or a riff. I'll constantly write down lines whenever I think of them, or ideas for subject matter (I have a notebook that has plastic envelopes in it so I have little bits of paper and napkins with ideas on them!), and when little riffs or tunes pop into my head, I'll record them as well.'
'It really depends on the song how it evolves - I can start from the lyrics, or I will start with the music, and sometimes both come at the same time. I will usually write a chunk, like a chorus, and then work it through, leave it, and then come back to it. For me, songs are either guitar-based or piano-based, as well. So depending on how I want it to sound, I will choose which instrument I want to be the core of the song, and write with it. So I guess my approach to songwriting is pretty variable. I know some musicians who will be very disciplined and spend a certain number of hours per day just working on writing - for me it is more in little spurts, and it really depends on how I think the song is going.'
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Judith on Cyclone...
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'I was particularly interested because Cyclone takes such a unique approach to promoting indie artists and really gives the artist the best opportunities.'
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Her guitar based Prairie Skies, and her piano based Hey You on the Cyclone comp is the most recent release from this Edmonton native, having taken some time from her musical endeavors to pursue a Mater's degree. Both songs were re-recorded for the disc, Brad Trew, founder/head of Cyclone Records, found Judith and her music on the web, 'I was thrilled and excited about working with him and being a part of Cyclone,' says Judith on the hookup. 'I was particularly interested because Cyclone takes such a unique approach to promoting indie artists and really gives the artist the best opportunities.'
Recording for the project was done over three days in Calgary with Jeff Muller and Brad Trew at Alchemy Studio. Brad stepped in to play drums for Judith, 'my previous band-mates were off doing other things, so I really did need a drummer and a bassist,' she explains. 'Before I went down to record, I sent Brad and Jeff a few different recordings (live and previous studio) of the 2 songs we were going to do and we discussed how they were going to sound. When I went down to record, it was a 3-day process. It was wonderful to work with Brad and Jeff (Jeff did the bass guitar and electric guitar stuff for me, as well as some additional acoustic guitar things) - definitely a rewarding experience.'
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'Brad was there even after he had finished laying down the drums, and was an objective ear for giving feedback about how it was going. All in all, it was a very smooth process - we took time to go over things together, and I felt that I was able to ensure that the songs were sounding the way I wanted them to.'
She also works to ensure the other things that reflect her to turn out the way she wants them to. 'This is definitely important to me because I think that everything contributes to what kind of image I want to portray as a musician,' explains Judith. 'I'm a bit of an administration-freak so a lot of times I know exactly what I want and I'll put in the work to make it happen. I'm also married to a visual artist, so my husband and I will work together to develop how I want things to look.'
I noted earlier that Judith is an activist with a big heart, one of the charities she's involved in International China Concern, I'll let Judith fill you in, 'an organization that works with abandoned children in China. Right now I think this is the one that I'm most passionate about because my sister has been to China with ICC and will be going back there for a year, working specifically with abandoned kids with special needs. It is incredible what the conditions are like for these kids who really have no one - they have no contact with the outside world and many of them don't get the treatment they need. It is horrific enough to imagine so many abandoned children, but the kids with disabilities are even more marginalized. Right now I will be taking all the proceeds from my sales of the Heart of Alberta comp, as well as the juicy d papiers cards, to raise funds to support my sister's one-year term in China.'
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Judith on getting involved...
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'Basically, I try to get involved with as many things as I can because I think it's really important to be aware of poverty and injustice issues, both locally and globally.'
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juicy d papiers, Judith's line of handmade cards, was born two years ago, 'for a few reasons,' says Judith, '1) I love doing crafty stuff and it was a vehicle for that part of my creative self, 2) I wanted to do something extra in addition to my music to support certain organizations that are important to me. I like to think that the different creative abilities I have were given to me for a reason - and that I should use them for the greater good. So I decided to start up juicy d papiers as another medium to communicate with people about social issues.'
Everything she's brining in on the cards and the comp is going towards her sister's trip, Judith on why she's so passionate about ICC, 'social justice is very important to me, and it's an integral part of my music, so there are other charities and causes I have been involved with because of this. The Women's Reintegration Chaplaincy is one that I was very active in - it's a program that helps women leaving federal prison reintegrate into their communities. I planned and headlined benefit concerts from them for 3 years, and also went into the prisons a few times to perform. ECOHH (Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness) is also an important local one for me, and I'll perform at events and take part in campaigns to the government on housing issues.'
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'More globally, my husband and I sponsor 3 children with Compassion Canada, and I've been a child advocate with them - recruiting other sponsors for these many many needy children. Basically, I try to get involved with as many things as I can because I think it's really important to be aware of poverty and injustice issues, both locally and globally.' This is what I was talking about earlier when I said she has a big heart. You see?
And now after an amazing amount of academia [ha! alliterations are the shit], Judith has finished her thesis and is now the proud owner of a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Now that that's out of the way, says Judith, 'I am definitely gearing up for a kind of come-back. After taking some down-time, I am thinking about recording again in the next year or so, so stay tuned.'
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The Playlist
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Judith's Playlist
1. Franz Ferdinand - This Boy
2. Jack Johnson - People Watching
3. Spamalot soundtrack - The Song That Goes Like This
4. Switchfoot - The Shadow Proves the Sunshine
5. Chantal Kreviazuk - Green Apples
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