Thursday, February 07, 2008

Sisterhood is Powerful! Well, Sort of....

Just chanced across this lovely 1966 live clip of a pre-American stardom Joni Mitchell (the guest appearances by David Geffen and Elliot Roberts are admittedly irksome, but Joni's really radiant so never mind).



By an odd coincidence (hah!) I also came across an interesting interview with Mitchell in the February issue of MOJO. Among other revelations, she lets it drop that she has not always been universally beloved by her contemporaries of the female persuasion.

She [Janis Joplin] was very competitive with me, very insecure," Mitchell tells interviewer Robert Hilburn. She was the queen of rock 'n' roll one year and then Rolling Stone made me the queen of rock 'n' roll and she hated me after that. I always thought the women of song don't get along, and I don't know why that is. I had a hard time with Laura Nyro also, and Joan Baez would have broken my left leg if she could, or at least that's the way it felt as a person coming out. I never felt that same sense of competition from men.

There's lots more, much of it equally revealing, but alas MOJO doesn't post their articles online so I can't link. If you can find a copy, the issue also comes with a bonus CD of past and present electronica bands; if you're a Gary Numan completist, it could be a hot one!!!!

9 comments:

Sinfonian said...

Joni Mitchell, circa 1966?

I'd hit it™.

steve simels said...

I know the feeling....

BTW -- I didn't know you had trademarked that.

Good for you!!!!
:-)

Mister Pleasant said...

Ah yes, those cheekbones are spectacular. The look is a bit like Nico but without the bad teeth.

I find it a bit disturbing that anyone male or female could feel ill will towards Joni. She always struck me as genuine, gentle, and sincere. I lost track of her after The Hissing of Summer Lawns but those first five or six albums remain on my playlist to this day.

TJWood said...

The clip, I believe, is from Woman of Heart and Mind, a documentary about Joni Mitchell that was aired on public television a few years ago. It may still run occasionally during fundraising weeks for these stations. It is available on DVD and is well worth checking out.

Kid Charlemagne said...

Sigh...

Anonymous said...

I can't warm up to her .. maybe it's a guy thing. Beautiful voice, wonderful songs, but something about her makes me want to smack her. Sounds like she rubbed a few other women the wrong way, too ...

Noam Sane said...

Rowr! Catfight!

I never really cared for folk music, whoever does it, so early Joni doesn't really knock me out. (Joni herself, though....zowie.)

I'm partial to the mid 70s - early 80s stuff, and I'm one of the few who thinks 'Wild Things Run Fast' is really wonderful.

TMink said...

Noam, I like the jazzier stuff the best too. I just needs me some electric guitar most of the time, even if it is played by some of the great jazz players she worked with.

Her concert film with Jaco is so happening. Joni is the stuff.

And I am with Dave, cept I have yet to trademark anything.

Trey

Anonymous said...

I think I hear a little Joan Baez influence in her voice this early in Joni's career.