20:26

“I like space in my music. I make a lot of effort to create atmospheres. I want the instruments to tell the story as much as the lyrics do. Every note you sing has to be important. Every note you play on the guitar has to mean something. I don’t want my music full of crap. I’m like that in life: I don’t natter on, nah-nah-nah. I’m quite quiet. I just say something when I have something to say, and my music’s like that as well.” - Anna Calvi

#anna calvi #gif #quote

05:36

“I just think that your intention just has to be true. It needs to be about your art and not about anything else. Not about kind of wanting to be known or be famous, or even being successful. I don’t really know what success is. I don’t want to be successful in the way of people coming up to me and going ‘oh you’re Anna Calvi’. That’s not success. It’s like making music that feels like it’s really a part of you and that you’ve managed to express something really honest. That’s success.” - Anna Calvi

#anna calvi #interview #you are too flawless #quote #gif

17:31"I love spacey music and felt very strongly that every note on my album should be able to justify itself. I’d like life to be like that. All those people who talk and talk and talk! There’s too much overload." — Anna Calvi

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01:29"I met Mally in the toilets of a venue about 10 years ago. I was playing bass in the band and she was playing the same night, drumming in another band and I saw her soundcheck. She had a cowboy hat on and she was doing a drum solo, which you don’t usually see, especially in soundchecks. And I was just like this girl is so cool, so I went up to her in the toilets and I was like “oh you’re really good”. She looked really cool and she was wearing this cowboy hat and she asked me what kind of music I liked and I wanted to impress her and I thought she looks like the kind of girl who likes PJ Harvey. So even though at that point I think I hadn’t even got one of her albums I was like “yeah I like PJ Harvey, and um er…” like that. But I was a bit scared of her, because she kind of has this kind of scary stare and then we arranged to meet up and have a jam, but I was slightly scared that she was gonna murder me. I got my dad to drive me there and he waited and then I gave him the okay and he drove off. And she didn’t try and kill me and we’re still friends." — Anna Calvi (on meeting Mally Harpaz)

#anna calvi #mally harpaz #quote #omg bury me this is too funny

21:38

After half an hour with Calvi, I feel as if I’ve barely scratched the surface. I ask how her best friends would describe her.

“I think they think I’m a good listener,” she decides.

Would you prefer to listen than talk?

“Yeah.”

And do you give good advice?

“I think people make the mistake of thinking they have to give advice.” She smiles. “Just to listen… sometimes that’s what is most important.” 

(x)

#anna calvi #i can't make gifs until my computer is working properly again #nylon #so stick with me haha #quote

17:50"I hate people who are fake. I never wanted to be like that." — Anna Calvi

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01:32

Before our photoshoot, Calvi’s management dictated that: “We absolutely must stick to no nudity. Partial or otherwise. No bare arms and legs. No skirts or dresses.” But it hasn’t always been like this. She bared all but a cigarette and a headpiece for Lagerfeld, and she used to wear dresses on stage all the time. So why the strict dress code now? “A couple of weeks ago I had a bad experience at a photoshoot,” says Calvi. “They made me wear clothes that you feel stupid in and I said ‘fuck this’.” - Anna Calvi - Timeout HK (x)

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07:48"Yeah I know (laughs), I used to hit it against the wall when I was angry and frustrated, I’m much nicer to it these days, I feel bad about it now.

" — Anna Calvi, on ‘What happened to your Telecaster (guitar)?’

#anna calvi #fender telecaster #guitar #quote

17:10

Anna Calvi at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

The sound is excellent here and you feel like you’re somewhere with a very rich heritage. You can’t beat a sweaty club for great atmosphere, but different venues are good for different things and this is one for people who really want to listen.

#anna calvi #royal festival hall #photoshoot #quote