Smith Journal – January 2019

085 SMITH JOURNAL

BEN GOLDBERG
When I moved to New York, my first job in
music was working for Ben Goldberg, who
founded Ba Da Bing Records. He turned me
on to a lot of music I hadn’t heard before. I
got on to the New Zealand label Flying Nun
through him, andmorerecentlyBigThief.
He also taught me how to promote myself
before I ever thought I was going to take
music seriously. He’slikeabigbrothertome.

LOW, SECRET NAME
The first time someone encouraged me to
play music was when a friend asked if I would
sing at an open mic with him. The song we
performed was ‘Two-Step’, off Low’s 1999
album Secret Name.Iwasreallyself-conscious
and nervous because I loved Low so much –
their subtle yet underrated harmonies are an
inspiration. Listening to them taught me to
flesh things out very minimally and not go
overboard. They’realsoafamily.LastyearI
had a child with my drummer, so seeing how
they make it work is something I look up to.

DAV ID LY NCH
When I watched the originalTw i n Pe a k sfor
the first time, I got goosebumps. The way
it takes somethingintenseandputsitina
surreal place can really help you examine it.
When I started acting on Netflix’sThe OAin
2016, I mined inspiration from David Lynch
by drawing from a dark place while still being

relatable. After that I was lucky enough to

have a guest role in the newTw i n Pe a k s,

playing myself. It’s not every day that you get

put in a dierent universe and still have to

beyourself.Ithelpsifyoucanstepoutsideof

yourselfalittlebit,evenifyou’resteppinginto

arolethat’saparallelversionofyourself.

DONMIGUELRUIZ,

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS

Afriendgavemethisbookalongtimeago.

I’vehadanxietyinthepastandstruggled

with panic attacks that sometimes get really

crippling. This book teaches you to slow down

your thoughts and gives you helpful mantras.

I’ve used it at shows, at parties, while writing

bymyselfandhavingabadmoment.Ialso

writethemantrasonPost-itNotes;Ihave

them on my refrigerator, in my writing book

andI’lloftenrepeatthemtofriends.It’s

beenastapleinmylifesincemyearly20s.

LISTENING TO

PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS

Ioftenmeetfansandhearabouthowthey

connecttomymusic.They’lltellmeabout

ahardtimeintheirlivesandhowmymusic

helpedthemgetthroughit.Itwasthrough

theseinteractionsthatIrealisedIwanted

tostudytobecomeatherapist.Atfirstit

wasahalf-joke;I’dsay,“I’mnotqualified

tohearthesestories!”ButIwascompelled

toknowwhytheywantedtotalktome.

Now I’m pursuing a psychology degree.

My long-term goal is to be a therapist

by the time I’m 50, when I presumably

won’t be as busy as I am now.

NICK CAVE

His Skeleton Tree album came out when

I was writing my new record. To hear

him speak so freely about what he’d been

through with the death of his son was really

moving. He’s gone to dark places and let

himself be a lover and be romantic, but he’s

never been completely wide open this way.

The instrumentation is just rhythmic beats

and drones, and his parts are almost spoken

word. It’s really beautiful, meditative and

heartbreaking all at the same time.

LEE KRASNER

I came across a book of her art not knowing

much about her. She was married to Jackson

Pollock but got overshadowed by his career.

She stood by him, even through the darkness

of his alcoholism and abuse. She would

constantly tear up her paintings but ended up

taking the parts she tore and reapplying them

onto canvas years later. I connected to her art

because I also take things I’ve written during

hard times and bring them into the context

of who I am now, to make something new. •

Sharon Van Etten’s new album, Remind Me

Tomorrow, is out on January 18, 2019.

my inf luences:

sharon van etten

AS A MUSICIAN, ACTOR AND NOW A THERAPIST-IN-TRAINING,

SHARON VAN ETTEN’S INFLUENCES ARE PLENTY VARIED.

Interviewer Holly Pereira Illustrator Timothy Rodgers