January/February 2011
Q&A: On The Road Again. “I spend about six months of the year on the road, which is pretty tough as I’ve two kids aged five and seven.”
On the road again ... Sarah McQuaid
You seem to be on tour permanently. How do you manage it?
I spend about six months of the year on the road, which is pretty tough as I’ve two kids aged five and seven. Luckily my wonderful husband is able to look after them while I’m away, and we talk on Skype every day – I wouldn’t be able to cope without Skype! I also try to be home when the kids have their school holidays. I’ve a great manager who does all the driving and looks after all the logistics, so I’m free to concentrate on staying healthy and giving the best performance I can.
Novelist, journalist, songwriter and musician: where are you most at home?
To be honest I haven’t done any novel writing or journalism in the past four years, although I would like to get back to that novel someday. I’m really happy at the moment just focusing on writing songs and on touring. I do find that songs evolve and change when I play them live. During the nine-week tour I’ve just finished, one of my new songs acquired an additional verse and another was laid to one side as I’ve decided it needs a complete revision.
You were born in Spain, raised in Chicago, have dual Irish and American citizenship and now live in Cornwall. Where are you really at home?
I’ve only been in Cornwall for three-and-a-half years, but the depth of the roots I’ve put down here in that short time astonishes me. I love the landscape and the general ‘ethos’ of the place, if it’s okay to use that term. I’ve made some really, really close friends here and found some wonderful people to work with – including the aforementioned manager, Martin Stansbury, and also my friend Zoë, with whom I co-wrote the ten songs that we released under the band name Mama as the album Crow Coyote Buffalo.
You’ve a new album planned. What’s the focus: Irish or American? What makes the decision for you?
I’ve been doing a lot more songwriting in recent months, both on my own and in co-writing sessions with Gerry O’Beirne among others. I think these new original songs are going to be the main focus this time round, as I’ve been playing them in my live set and they’ve been getting a really strong response. Unfortunately, because of all my touring I’m not going to get a chance to go into the studio and record them until June. I wish it could be sooner, but maybe I’ll write a few more in the meantime!
