February 10, 2000

Posted February 10, 2000

Leslie reports that an article in the February 12 issue of Billboard magazine contains a number of "startling revelations." Although the cities weren't mentioned, a 12 city tour is in the works; Joni will perform with local symphony orchestras. And yes, there is a single, by the way -- the title track will be serviced to triple-A, jazz, adult standards, and NPR radio stations on February 15.

Reprise has inked a deal with the TNT network to produce a BSN television special that may recreate the record. In the early stages of lining up an "extensive awareness campaign," they're also negotiating a deal with A&E, and they're talking with VH-1 as well.

BSN is the first of a symphonic trilogy; the second part will be all Joni's songs. "You know," she explained, "it will be stuff like ("Judgement Of The Moon And Stars [Ludwig's Tune]", as she told Wally back in October), from 1972's 'For The Roses.' I had to do it low budget with just one violin player originally, so it would be a thrill to take material and orchestrate it for a big orchestra."

The article says that for now, she'll be concentrating on her painting and has no plans to write any new material: "Not unless something comes along," Joni said. "I'm a painter that got sidetracked. You know, recently I sensed my mortality, and the painting is not fully developed. The music is pretty much fully developed and the (music) game up until recently kind of kicked me out. It kicked me out years ago. It excommunicated me for one reason or other. So seeing the best of your work designated into the obscure department doesn't make you have much hope for culture, you know what I mean?"

The third part of the trilogy will be a Christmas album. Joni calls it "Have Yourself A Dreary Little Christmas." This album will consist of "four of my 'something bad always happens to me on Christmas' songs, four secular Christmas songs, and four carols. I want to make a play out of it."

One very interesting thing I hadn't heard before this interview was that the song Joni found most difficult to take on was "At Last," a signature song for Etta James. "I first heard that song, oddly enough, in a tampon commercial," Joni said. "Every time I'd hear it, I'd run towards the TV and crank it up because just as it was (fading) down in the first verse, she'd hit a couple of notes and all the hair on my arms would stand up and God came in and landed on her for four or five notes. Hardly any singers ever, no matter how good they are, get God to come in."