Singer/songwriter/artist/Angeleno Aimee Mann always has a lot on her plate. Whether it’s releasing consistently perfect albums, putting on elaborate variety shows, playing bit parts in films, or even writing a musical (it might happen), Aimee is always on the go. That’s why we’re very grateful that she took the time to speak with Kate from LA Snark about what she’s currently up to, and what we can expect from her in the future.
LA Snark: I know you’re not originally from L.A., so I wanted to know what you like about L.A. and what keeps you here.
Aimee: I’ve probably been here about 14 years, so I’ve been here a long time now. It doesn’t seem that long. I think it took me a long time before I could drive on freeways. It was like years before I could do it. I have a nice house and a lovely husband and friends. I like L.A. I think L.A. in a lot of ways is tough to live in, everything is so spread out that it’s hard to really be able to see your friends frequently and that kind of thing. You do sort of have to really plan stuff out. That’s its big drawback. But I used to live in Boston, and I’m happy to not be digging cars out of the snow.
LA Snark: I read on LAist that you were working on a graphic novel. I’m a librarian, and I’m wondering when I can expect to shelve that.
Aimee: Here’s the problem. I have a few friends who are graphic novelist (Ariel Schrag, Seth, Adrian Tomine, Joe Matt), and so in spending more time with them, I spent a couple of years when I was on tour I did a lot of drawing and my bass player is a really good cartoonist, he’s really great, and he could absolutely be doing graphic novels, but it’s so time intensive and it’s so completely solitary, and I think I got to the point where I thought I’m better at drawing, but it still takes me a while, and I don’t have a smooth line. I don’t have that much facility. You know what I mean? I don’t have that easy line that I really like in cartoons. And then I saw somebody like Adrian who has a great work ethic, who works pretty quickly, and it still takes him eight years to finish a book. I think I’ll have to shelf that idea. I don’t know if it’s possible. I don’t think I have it in me. But what I did do is I started painting and I realized all the drawing I’d done made painting fifty times easier. So that’s obviously more of a hobby that’s not really going to result in something as solid as a book. I haven’t given it up entirely, but it’s definitely on the back burner.
LA Snark: I’ve been following you on Twitter, and we noticed you haven’t updated since last April. What’s up with that?
Aimee: Yeah, I sort of got over Twitter, but I’ve just been talking to my manager about trying to get back into the Twitter thing, because I do enjoy when other people Twitter.
LA Snark: Your Southern California tour is up on the website, but I haven’t seen anything about this year’s Christmas show, is that happening?
Aimee: I don’t think so. Not this year. It’s such a hard show to put together, and it nearly killed me. Just trying to get all the people together and traveling with so many people, and I would do the films beforehand. I couldn’t handle it and do my own touring.
LA Snark: I was at your Christmas show the last two years, so I’m glad I got to see those.
Aimee: I’ll probably do it next year.
LA Snark: If you weren’t writing and playing music, do you have any idea what you’d be doing to make a living?
Aimee: I think I’d probably be a therapist. Something like that.
LA Snark: Are you listening to or reading anything interesting right now?
Aimee: I’m rereading Helter Skelter, because true crime is the perfect road reading. I just got a Kindle for that reason. I’ve been listening to a lot of musicals, because I’m going to try another thing like the graphic novel. I’m going to try to write a musical. I don’t know how that’s going to turn out or if it’s even a thing that will happen or once I really get into it, I don’t know how it would work. The idea is to turn my record The Forgotten Arm into a musical. I’m going to get together with my producer, we’ve been watching musicals, talking about it, making notes, doing research on the idea in general. That’s like way in it’s early stages.
LA Snark: Did you hear about the Octomom musical?
Aimee: Christ. I can’t even imagine. You know, everyone’s writing a musical. Every singer/songwriter is writing a musical too, so it’s almost kind of embarrassing to say.
LA Snark: Okay, last question. I wanted to know if you have any scandalous exclusives you can give me like Aimee thinks “Kanye is a jackass” or “Aimee doesn’t floss regularly”…
Aimee: I do nothing but floss. I’m a constant flosser. I didn’t see the VMAs, but I turned it on for a second, because a friend of mine was playing drums on it, and I turned it on for a second to see if I could see him, and I just thought I am so glad I am not part of this that world. The whole getting dressed up, red carpetty kind of… It’s so crazy, and I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with that. That was my main thought. And I didn’t even see that Kanye West thing. I mean the guy who gets on stage and grabs the mic from people. I mean, that’s his thing now. I do have a lot of inside information on my brother-in-law, none of which I’m going to divulge. That’s about it. I have no gossip for you. All projects that I’ve started and can’t finish. That’s all of my life.
Aimee Mann will appear at the Wiltern on October 16th with opening act Fountains of Wayne. Tickets are available here.
Pick up Aimee’s latest album @#%&! Smilers here
