This or that…
WITH SINGER-SONGWRITER MARGARET GLASPY.
Childhood or adulthood? Both! I’m a child at heart, so I suppose I’d lean in that direction, but I love having the freedom that comes with adulthood. As a child, I always wanted to talk to and spend time with adults; as I get older, I treasure spending time with children.
Beer or wine? I don’t drink, but I like the taste and smell of beer. That said, I prefer an ice-cold kombucha or anything packed with ginger. I’ve also become a little bit coffee-obsessed in the past six months or so. We make espresso at home at about 3pm every day with some kind of treat (most recently I made a Spanish coffee cake).
Songs that make you dance or songs that make you cry? Songs that make me dance. I’d choose “Pass That Dutch” by Missy Elliott, “Use Me” by Bill Withers and “Lost Ones” by Lauryn Hill.
Being in a band or going solo? I’ve always been a solo artist and have never been the best team player. Although, a woman can change. I have friends who’ve been in bands for years, and it seems like it can be really rewarding to cultivate a bond with a musical family over time. It’s hard for me, because I like things to sound a certain way and I don’t enjoy compromising.
Friendship or love? You need friendship in love and there is love in friendship. Without both, they start to lack on their own. I feel so lucky to have such a close friendship with my partner and all my friends feel like my loved ones.
Strings or brass instruments? Wild question! I’d say that I gravitate more toward strings. I’ve been playing and writing with string instruments all my life and it’s definitely my comfort zone. I started playing the fiddle when I was in the third grade, and everyone in my family played the guitar. I was surrounded by strings.
Summer or winter? I’d say summer! I love being able to have a garden and be outside in the warmer weather. New York is incredibly humid and uncomfortable, but there’s something comforting and reliable about it. Also, I’d rather there be moisture than just dry heat.
Emotions or math? You’ve gotta have both. I get so literal and analytical about details, and without the emotional content of life, it’d be a pretty boring ride. When I released my record Emotions and Math, I was asked to explain the title time and time again. I always found different angles that made sense, but one was understanding that we do the math in order to get love. We schedule our lives so we can see our loved ones; we make money so we can feed our families. They are interdependent, the emotional and the analytical.
A book or a movie? Book! I just read Sweet Days of Discipline by Fleur Jaeggy and it was wonderful. I highly recommend it. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee is also incredible and I recently finished Deep River by Karl Marlantes, too.
Music – job or way of life? It’s a way of life. I just love spending my time making things and songs end up falling in that category. If I’m able to stay at home and read and write and sing and play and cook, I’m the happiest clam. Right now, I’m writing a new song every day and it’s the most satisfying process.