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By: B -- 4/25/06
Annette Summersett is a transplanted Midwesterner living in Los Angeles. Born and bred in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Annette moved to LA a few years back to pursue her dream of becoming a musician. A few years (and gigs, and demos) later, Annette’s debut album ‘Solid Earth and Gold’ has been officially released on April 7th.
What’s most interesting about Annette’s new album is that it features three local musicians – Ed Ackerson (Polara), Marc Perlman (The Jayhawks) and Peter Anderson (Iffy and countless others) – as her backing band. This interview, conducted through email, explores Annette’s burgeoning career, adjusting to life in LA, and why she traveled to Minnesota to record her debut.
Section 1: Background
When and how did you get into music?
I've been into music from the first moment I could start singing (or attempting) Christmas songs at age two. My mom was one of those people who was really good at harmony and loved to have family sing-alongs, so with three younger sisters...'Come on get happy'. Then of course as I came into my own, I took to my Dad's music which was 90% Petty, Zeppelin, and any other classic rock artists that played music conducive to driving through the Northwoods in a pickup truck.
Who are your major musical influences? I know you share my love for The Last Waltz….
You know I love that show! Which brings me to my number one influence now: Neil Young. However, I listened to tons of Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt and Tom Petty in my tender years. I also have a deeply embedded love for Faith Hill which springs from my small-town upbringing (aka no escape from country).
When did you start performing in front of people?
I sang a lot in Church. I did a lot of weddings in my teens and there was the occasional country show, etc. There was this great Jamboree (Aura Jamboree) that my sisters and I participated in fairly consistently through our lives, but it wasn't ‘til I got to college and learned the guitar that I really got out there. I remember the good ol' days in Kalamazoo…Wednesday nights at 'The Ground Round', setting up in the corner with my crappy P.A. system, and my two free draft beers that they gave me for playing there and bringing 20 of my college friends ;)
What made you decide to move to Los Angeles?
God opened a door and I walked through. Hmmm…actually it was like that. My friend that I hadn't talked to for a year who had moved to L.A. called me up out of the blue the day after my big plans to move to New York fell through. He said 'I'm about to move into a new apartment, if you tell me by tomorrow, you should just come live out here.' So I said 'Fuck it.' I'd never been out West, it sounded exciting…it was obviously meant to be. So I packed up the Ford Taurus and moved on out.
Section 2: The new album How did you first hear about the Twin Cities music scene?
Most of my initial knowledge of it came from my boyfriend Bob Anderson who is from the Twin Cities. His cabinets are filled with CDs from Minneapolis/Chicago bands who I'd never heard of. His brother, Peter Anderson, an integral part of the Twin Cities music community, helped bring the plan of recording there to fruition.
What made you want to venture up here to record your debut?
The whole idea of working with musicians who were not only amazing but down to earth was inspiring in itself. Getting out of L.A. for a little while was key, too! Ed Ackerson has a great body of work behind him and I got to work with Peter Anderson and Marc Perlman. How awesome is that?
Was the sight of snowplows particularly inspiring?
Oh yeah! It was all I could do to keep from laying down some bonus tracks of Scandinavian folk songs about snow.
Speaking on behalf of all your listeners: thank you for suppressing that temptation. How and when did you meet your backing band members Ackerson (also producer), Perlman and Anderson?
I knew Peter of course because of the family tie; however, I literally met Ed and Marc in person, the first day of rehearsal (there were two days of rehearsal before we started laying down tracks).
Each of those three musicians is respected around the Twin Cities music scene. Any notable observations or stories you think we should know about any of them?
Let's see…Ed and I both agree that MSG is a very bad food preservative. Marc has got to be the most laid back guy I've ever encountered. I love people like that! He wears sunglasses like a true rock star should. I think Cory Hart wrote that song for Marc Perlman. And what can I say about Peter…He's just great to be around. He makes you feel at ease. And of course those guys can rock. Some of the stuff that Ed just pulled out of thin air musically was mind-boggling to me, and Marc and Peter were workhorses, they dedicated their talents 100%.
How long did it take you to complete the album, and how much of that time was spent in Minneapolis?
We recorded the album in 16 days. It was a quick venture, but my budget didn't really allow for all the artistic pondering that can take place if you have the time and money. We all worked super hard and came out with a product that reflected the effort. It definitely wasn't anything close to easy, I tell ya. For me it was a huge learning experience being that it was my first time. After the 16 days, I went back to my true home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, pretty much sleeping, eating, drinking beer and taking sauna. Ed mixed it down, I got it mastered and *POOF* magically an album appeared. Well, not really…it took me a month to get the artwork together for it. Everyone still tells me that I got everything done incredibly fast, so I'll take their word for it.
What are a few themes from Solid Earth and Gold that you hope shine through to the listener?
I hope that it helps them connect to the human condition. A lot of the songs have realizations
happening and that kind of thing happens every day in our lives. Whether big or small, everything is constantly changing. I like to think about the songs reflecting the feeling of acknowledging life; running your hand across it as if it was a piece of solid rock sitting in front of you, really seeing its many textures and colors.
A few of the songs from your album had been previously recorded by you. Did you
update them at all for the album, or did you leave them mostly intact?
We updated them. Ed was great with the process of cutting out the 'fat' as it were. There were a couple lyric changes but nothing crazy. We gave the songs a total makeover: hair, wardrobe, makeup. The songs were still themselves, just a lot hotter.
When can we expect to see you perform in the Twin Cities?
I'm hoping VERY soon!
Any favorite Mpls/St Paul venue?
Any place with Bell's beer, and that covers a lot of ground. I liked hanging at Bryant Lake Bowl.
Section 3: Life in Los Angeles Growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, what were the biggest adjustments about moving to Los Angeles?
It's a friggin' desert. What? I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I'm a daytime bartender in the San Fernando Valley so I've had to adjust to some pretty weird stuff. I finally know what a person on Crystal Meth is like. I had to adjust to the fact that you drive everywhere. You don't rub elbows like you would in say, New York. It's like everyone in LA is in their own 'car.' Not to say that it's all selfishness, it's more like a self-preservation system. That's why spending time in the Midwest is always a breath of fresh air, literally. The weather in LA was very easy to adjust to though. If it's sunny, I'm cool.
Are you always going to live in LA? If not, where do you see yourself living in the future?
Great question B. Actually, I do not see myself living in L.A. down the road. I like California, but I can see myself living in a place like... Minneapolis ;)
Good to hear! We’ll have you hooked on hotdish in no time. Back to LA...what’s worse, the smog or the traffic?
The traffic. Don't ever try to drive back to L.A. from Vegas on a Sunday night.
What is your most ridiculous celebrity story? Everyone seems to have one.
Hmm. David Spade was standing next to me in this group of people one time and was trying to get my attention, but he was too short so I never noticed. Then I felt bad for his embarrassment so I offered to buy him a shot, but he was too drunk. That's all I got for ya.
Section 4: Nonsense
If you could choose one current band to open for, who would it be?
Wilco
One musician to collaborate with?
Bruce Springsteen
Three desert island albums?
Neil Young After the Goldrush; Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits (covers all the
bases); Lifescapes World Flutes, part of the meditation series (I'm serious).
I’ll let that one go. The OC or Laguna Beach?
Neither
I’ll take that to mean The OC. How about this: American Idol or Rock Star?
Rock Star. They wear cooler clothes
If I forced you to sing karaoke with me, would you prefer “ Islands in the Stream” or “Endless Love”?
”Endless Love” for sure. The call-and-answer part would be the pinnacle of the performance: 'my
love, my love, my…’
Oh, it’s on. Next time you’re in town, we’re going straight to Laura’s 1029 to perform. Okay, last question: what person, living or dead, would you most like to avoid sitting next to on an airplane?
Bob Dylan. I would feel so inadequate being that close to such a great mind that I wouldn't be able to go anywhere for the duration of the flight so I would have to deal with those feelings which reflect my insecurity as an artist. Actually…he would be the best and worst to sit by for that reason.
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