[ K a t e . C e b e r a n o : t h i n k . a b o u t . i t ]
[ t e x t . o n l y . v e r s i o n ]
by John Chalmers
Passionate, talented, natural, sassy and earthy. To the point, no bullshit but lots of fun. Bright, determined strong willed yet sympathetic and able to communicate on any level. With a recent and more personal pop album on the shelves, Australian singer, Kate Ceberano, talks with a candidness and honesty that an artist's vanity might sometimes prevent.
'It's been a surprising experience after nine or ten years of charting singles,' says Kate of her album "Pash", over a cigarette and vodka at the Kent Town Hotel. 'And "Pash" the album was a pet project for me. I wanted to do something that was more my ilk and more original from the point of view of my own writing. So to see it doing well is a thrill.'
Well, it's cool, it's poppy, it's fresh, says I, and you've finally taken the plunge on the writing side of things. 'Yeah, I guess it's a mix of all things I liked to listen to most as a kid,' says Kate. I loved a lot of the early English 60s music, it was real strong, Lulu and so on. Nothing wet. These were women who were singing from the working class and they were really brazen. In addition to that you've got Chrissie Hynde and Blondie -- strong women. The only reason they made pop so interesting to me was that they were women singing it and that gave it credibility.'
Well you've come a long way from when I first saw you as a young pop starlet in I'm Talking, ten or more years ago.
'Yeah, well that's a lot like the stuff on "Pash". I'm Talking were going through the same thing because one of the things they thought was exciting -- and at the time disco was being slammed -- was bringing disco back in as pop art. We were purposely naive and we enjoyed it and wanted to make it seem really goofy. And I guess "Pash" is extremely goofy, and I love that.'
Discussion turns to public perceptions of Kate, and a record company press release that implies she's a bit of a giggly airbag -- she's definitely not. 'I'm with you on that,' says Kate. 'I actually seek out writers to do my press releases now!'
I mention Kate's performance on "Recovery" (ABC National Television) and that Dylan Lewis was pretty fair to her.
'He was surprisingly subdued,' she agrees. 'I was expecting the worst because he's also a local musician in Melbourne . . . And the thing that I felt good about afterwards was that we consolidated each other's respect, because we both work as musicians, yet we're in this public position where you're obliged to promote yourself but at the same time you're trying to be a songwriter and musician. It seems like a conflict of interest but if you maintain an intentionally pop-oriented image of yourself then actually it's kinda chic. The audience were great too.'
This shows Kate's typical street savvy. For not only does obvious vocal ability and presence speak for itself, but her naturalness has always made others feel comfortable with her, whether in the same room or through the confines of TV and radio. She speaks her mind, yet she's utterly approachable.
'Well that's what gives me self satisfaction from life; I've lived a decent life. And though a lot has changed over the past couple of years because of my marriage to Lee [young, Bondi-based film writer/director] -- and he knows a side of me that's more eccentric than you'd ever imagine -- both he and my mother [a central and hands-on figure in Kate's life to this day] both said they'd be very disappointed if I didn't commit my inner thoughts to this album after all these years. So people could hear where I'm coming from and decide for themselves, but not be dictated to by a radio station or a publicity machine
'It's taken me this long to find the courage to do that,' Kate confesses. 'Getting married has helped. Like satiating that need to be admired by hitting on people; that energy has stopped. That's why Deborah Harry [Blondie] was so cool. She had no other agenda than to be a good singer!
'So I think I've finally found the meaning of this. Suddenly it dawns on me that people who have been on the fringe of my musical career, like the Paul Kellys and Neil Finns -- who I've ached to have conversations with but thought "they wouldn't be interested in talking to me" -- are in fact just out there doin' it and don't have time to sit down and have a conversation.'
But surely, Kate's review/artists TV show of five years ago showed there was more than light pop going on in her head.
'Yeah, well if I could write down what to avoid in a career -- which would be an invaluable insight for emerging artists -- and ask of themselves earlier on so they wouldn't have to waste years trying to find it, I'd do it today.
"Pash" is out through Mushroom. Kate's Pash Tour will be moving to South East Asia in late 1998. For all the latest tour news visit her web site at http://www.kateceberano.com.au.