Plumb Interview: On Blink and Bliss
11-06-2007
by Kevan Breitinger

I am especially grateful to Plumb for our recent conversation because she made the ultimate sacrifice: she graciously gave up the time when her two sons were napping to speak with CMCentral.

CMCentral.com (Kevan Breitinger): Well, I know you have a lot on your plate. From reading on your website, I know you have two small children, a new house you’re building, and a house you’re selling. It made me wonder, are you the kind of person who functions best when you have a lot going on?

Plumb: I think so, I’m more creative under pressure than if I have everything checked off on my to-do list. I don’t write my best songs unless I’m a little stressed.

I’m the same way, chaos inspires me (laughing).

Yeah, me too.

I read that you view your records as diaries of your life, and that’s certainly true in this case, right?

Absolutely. In the first couple of records I was learning how to be a songwriter, as I was signed as a singer who they hoped could write songs. And so the first couple of records I was definitely just learning how to tap into whatever it is that makes you, you. By my third project, Beautiful Lump of Coal, I started to know how to be vulnerable with myself and tell things from a more personal angle, even if the song wasn’t necessarily about me.

So the first few records weren’t necessarily as diary-put-to-music as the ones to follow. They still are an accurate depiction of where I was at, because I didn’t really know what I was doing (laughing), which was sort of evident. There are people that love them, and I’m certainly not flaming those records at all, but I was in the figuring-things-out-stage, and you can tell it on those albums. But yes, in my records I try to make them a true as I can.

That makes a lot of sense to me. Blink comes across as very, very intimate, but you’re saying they were all intimate and personal.

Definitely. The muse of my children behind Blink is something so many people relate to, and there are a lot of parents out there. Although you don’t have to be a parent to appreciate this album; it’s not restricted to that audience alone. This works if you have children, if you know children, if you have nieces or nephews that you babysit. Everyone is aware of the innocence in children, and it is something about this album that everyone can connect to, something slightly different from my other records.

Well, it has a strong sense of wonder, which might look different in everyone’s life, but if you have any sense of wonder, you’re gonna tap into that on this album.

Right, I think so.

I thought as I listened to it, this is a gutsy album, because she may take some heat for this. A lot of listeners don’t like to see their favorite artists grow (laughing). But I thought as gutsy as any rock album; it’s an unveiling of a very private part of your life.

Yeah, it is. But I’ve had such a great response because I feel like my loyal fans see me being very honest and real, uncomfortable or not. My role as a mother is somewhat mysterious to fans because they don’t see me in that role. They see me on stage as the rock chick, even though they know in the back of their heads that I’ve become a mother. But they don’t really know that person, so I’m letting them in on my private life a little bit with this album.

But this is where I’m at, I’m a mother with two tiny little guys still in diapers, take it or leave it. It’s not that I don’t welcome criticism, but so far I’ve not been criticized at all. Which is amazing, and I’ve had some great feedback, so I’m really glad that I decided to do it.

One thing that struck me as being a little different is the emphasis on programming. How hands on are you with that aspect of the album?

Jeremy Bose is someone I’ve used in the programming side of almost every record I’ve made. When I was talking about the sound of this album with my longtime producer and co-writing partner Matt Bronleewe, we both counted on Jeremy Bose. He sometimes works with artists who put him in a box, saying ‘this is what I need for my record.’ He and Matt have both told me that I’m one of the few that they work with who trusts them completely. I really trust them.

I love what Matt does as a producer, as a writer and a person, and I love what Jeremy does as a programmer, so with them I tend to just say. ‘here’s what I wrote, here’s the melody, here’s the lyrics, what do you think?’ Jeremy has been a long time trusted friend in music, so I was able to be very hands off. I would just send him a very stripped down piano/vocal version of the song, and then he’d play for me what he was brewing and ask my thoughts. And I’d comment maybe ‘more of this’ or ‘less of that,’ but I was very trusting of him, and don’t want to take any credit away for what he did because I think it was brilliant. He is open-minded and very humble, easy to work with and completely willing to make me happy, that’s what he wanted to do. But 99% of what he played for me I was tickled pink about.

Plus I was so very pregnant by then (laughing) that sometimes I really didn’t care. Then I’d always go back and say, ‘you know what? Can we re-do that vocal because my attitude was just too pregnant that day.’ (laughing).

That’s very honest and I totally relate to it (laughing). Are you still writing for other artists as well, Plumb?

I am. I have a helper who comes to the house while my boys are asleep, so I’m able to write songs. I’d say between Monday and Friday, there are usually two or three days of song-writing, sometimes with other co-writers, for anything from Christian to pop to country, and sometimes for myself as well. But having just put out the album, there’s that little bit of relief, like, ‘whew, I don’t have to think about myself for a little bit.’ And I get to focus on writing for other artists, which is just as much a part of who I am as a musician.

It’s so ironic, when I started out I saw myself just as a singer, or even as a back-up singer. I didn’t realize that an artist is a completely different level of responsibility and creativity. I’m a singer but I’m also a writer and that is something that has given me great comfort, in knowing that if my voice starts to fade or my knees give out in my older age, I can really still express.

Well, sister, I gotta say, you are SO in a place of blessing, aren’t you?

My husband and I just had a conversation about two days ago about this. I was meeting with some women from my church, and we were talking about the difference between complaining and gossip, because you know how it can all become the same thing sometimes. And I was telling them, ‘I almost don’t feel like I’m allowed to. I have this amazing God who loves me every single day no matter what. I’m married to truly the most amazing person I have ever met. I know there are a lot of great husbands out there, so I don’t want to say he’s the best, but to me he is. And I have these two little boys that are happy and healthy and sweet and gorgeous. I really love my kids too, and I know they’re only 2 and a half and eleven months old, but their dispositions and personalities are so great I actually enjoy them as people. I look forward to knowing them as adults. So you know what? I really am very content.

That’s great to hear, I’m so glad for you. And I appreciate you giving up their nap time to talk today, I know how precious that time is (laughing), so thank you so much, Plumb.

Thank you, Kevan, take care.