Joni Mitchell

August 11, 2014
The creative process is a central theme in this new book of conversations with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell. The interviews between Mitchell and Canadian broadcaster, singer and musician Marom span from 1973 to 2012 covering a wide-range of topics, from Mitchell’s childhood and early career to her views on poverty and on relationships, but they always circle back to Mitchell’s music. Reproduced as transcripts, the conversations are interspersed with excerpts from interviews with Mitchell’s contemporaries. After Mitchell recounts how Elliot Roberts became her manager, Roberts’s account of the first time he saw her perform follows. Helpfully, whenever they refer to a specific song, its lyrics are reproduced in full. In some cases, they are included simply because they form a complementary juxtaposition to the subjects being discussed. The interviews are presented in full without any breaks that might interrupt the flow of an organic conversation, which does make it difficult for the reader to find a convenient place to pause or to go back and reread certain sections. The book, which includes photographs and reproductions of Mitchell’s paintings, makes for a compelling narrative of the creative life and is recommended for both Mitchell fans and for music lovers.

Starred review from October 1, 2014

In a captivating introduction, Canadian singer/broadcast journalist/novelist Marom (Sulha) describes first meeting Joni Mitchell and hearing her perform in 1966. It was a profound experience and the author later welcomed the opportunity to interview this future friend and talented songwriter of "Both Sides Now," "Woodstock," and countless others. These interviews (conducted in 1973, 1979, and 2012) form the basis of Marom's book. They are wonderfully revealing, providing an honest portrait of Mitchell, from her life's challenges and the development of a singular musical identity to her career, fame, and accomplishments as a visual artist. Marom is a sensitive interviewer, and Mitchell willingly shares details about her interior world and eclectic creative processes, and she does so with marked eloquence--well-told anecdotes, intriguing insights into the thematic material of her songs, and thoughtful comments on life, people, art, culture, and the music industry. Mitchell's story will resonate on a universal level, just as her timeless music has already done. Song lyrics are generously interspersed throughout, and well-chosen photographs (including those of her fine paintings) enhance this absorbing text. VERDICT This valuable book not only portrays an enduring artist but also reflects several decades of changing societal and musical culture. It will appeal to a wide audience and should be a part of music collections in public or academic libraries. [See Q&A with Marom on p. 88.]--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
Three deep-running interviews with singer-songwriter Mitchell, by singer-journalist Marom. Conducted in 1973, 1979 and 2012, these are more conversations than interviews; Mitchell picks up Marom's questions and turns them about as she fashions an answer. She is as candid here as she is sometimes cryptic in her lyrics: revelatory, nervy, emotionally and existentially raw. She doesn't belabor her romantic relationships (as Rolling Stone was fond of doing) but fills in blanks about her younger days, alone and pregnant and destitute in Toronto, strumming her way to the big stage via a ukulele and weeks of practice. Mitchell is happier, it seems, talking about Nietzsche, Jung and the I Ching or summoning what it is like to be uniquely alive on stage: "One of the things I have had to battle is an almost euphoric feeling....You're up there alone and receiving all this mass adoration, and you're liking it." She bluntly shatters her fantasy-princess stereotype and speaks, without ornament, about a variety of issues. She blazes contempt for the ignorance of our species, speaks up for the role of depression in her art, and considers the discomfiture of affluence and the meaning of work. About her career arc? Q: "What was actually the turning point?" A: "Turning point? I don't see it as a turning point. I see it as a long, very slow gradual spectrum...." In a later interview, she rejects the onstage sublimity she once discerned. "I was never addicted to applause....The measure for me was the art itself." But at any moment she can dive into the miracle of making music: "The great things nearly always come on the edge of an error. What comes after the error is spectacular." The gifted, adventurous musician talks as brilliantly as she writes and sings.

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