Vanessa Carlton Is Like BFF With Stevie Nicks

kater | October 26, 2007 1:45 am
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Vanessa Carlton, of mobile piano fame, recently put out a new album on The Inc., formerly known as Murder Inc., and in a desperate ploy to get people to care about That Girl Who Sings That Song With The Video Where She Rides The Piano, label head Irv Gotti has trapped and domesticated Stevie Nicks, somehow convincing her that Vanessa Carlton is worth her time and effort. In an interview Carlton talks about the new album, that dude from Third Eye Blind, and the great and powerful Nicks.

“I decided to crack out of the shell,” Carlton said during a phone interview with LiveDaily. “I look at it as cracking an egg. I’ve reminded people of this traveling piano and then shattered it in order to start anew and open a new chapter. I’ve gone through so many changes and evolutionary changes since that first video. It’s a coming-of-age thing.”

Good to know that Vanessa herself is as tired of that video as everyone else is.

In the past few years, I was touring with Stevie [Nicks]. I sing about her in the song, as well. She helped me get through the transition of finding a new family and all those moments at night when you doubt yourself. You wonder if you’re ever going to release another record or what’s going to happen to you in this crazy music industry. I was able to really lean on her, as well.

I’m curious as to whether this was a matter of Vanessa obsessively basking in Stevie’s murky glow, or if Stevie Nicks is just really bored these days. Either way, I’m glad these ladies have found each other.

You may know that Vanessa used to date Stephan Jenkins, pouty lead singer of Buzz Ballad band Third Eye Blind. What you may not know is that these two are the new Buckingham-Nicks:

We are working partners. We’re unconditionally working partners. We produced nine songs. We worked whether we were together or not. This was our child. This is our great offspring. Nothing was going to kind of get in the way of it being great. The intensity between us, if anything, I think helped things along. Stevie [Nicks] did come in the studio a couple times and noted that it was similar to Fleetwood Mac [laughs]. Politics, you know. Stephan and I will always respect each other. I think he’s a brilliant songwriter and producer. I’m so proud of our child.

Stevie Nicks done lost her mind, not that it phases Vanessa Carlton:

She is my mentor. I actually just left her today. We were in Chicago rehearsing. She is an extraordinary woman. She’s such a good person. I know she’s Stevie Nicks and she’s so magical on so many levels and larger than life. But she’s this earthy, amazing person at the end of the day. She’s such a good woman. I look up to her. Touring with her was just the best. Being near Stevie is such a gift. She keeps giving to me. She was a big part of this record. She sequenced the album. She sang on the record. She was there right from the beginning, when I didn’t have a new deal yet and I didn’t have the record written. She helped me through every step. Every stage of this record, Stevie was involved and there by my side. Stevie was encouraging me to move forward and take the next step. As scary as it is, you have to take the next step.

Watch out, Vanessa! When Stevie encourages you to take “the next step” it probably involves enough chiffon to drape an elephant and an insatiable cocaine habit. Are you sure you’re ready for that? On second though, maybe she’ll need it to nurse her through the inevitably tepid album sales and mishandled marketing campaign.

LiveDaily Interview: Vanessa Carlton [Live Daily]