Music

INTERVIEW: Julie Fader At The El Mocambo

by Ciaran Thompson

“I’m glad everyone could come out and listen to some soft rock,” singer/songwriter Julie Fader says in the middle of her set last night at the El Mocambo.  This is Fader’s first show in over a month. She released her debut solo album, Outside In, last September.

For most of the show Fader is true to her word as the songs carry a softer sound despite the various instruments all joining her acoustic guitar. However in the latter half, Fader and her friends burst into an almost bombastic performance of a Wintersleep song.

Despite the time off from performing her music, Fader shows no rust, but said she had a moment earlier that day catching up with another artistic interest of hers.  “I’ve been painting up a storm,” she tells us. “Even today I was painting and it felt strange to switch out of my paint covered clothes to come and perform.”

Focusing on her visual art is something that Fader likes to do over the colder months and in a way finds it similar to how she composes her music.  “I start and when it happens I don’t think about it,” she said. “There’s no premeditated structure to it. I guess maybe I approach song writing the same way, no plan beforehand.”

For Outside In, Fader said producer Graham Walsh from Toronto band Holy Fuck was right by her side almost ever step of the way.

“I wrote the songs and then I would go to him with the songs and then we’d capture them,” she said. “Because he is an integral part of my life in so many ways there was a really trusting relationship as far as him contributing stuff to it.”

With a show lined up next week with her other band, Great Lake Swimmers and a few gigs out west for the Olympics, Fader still has some other art inspired projects in mind.

“Cooking is a huge part of my life. I’d love to be an excellent cook one day, rather than a good cook; I think that’s art for sure,” she said.

For the last song of the set, Fader’s mind didn’t seem too distracted by painting or any cooking project, as she delivered a passionate performance of “Skin and Bones.”