Sponsored By
Kami gives safe life up to join family business
As one Thompson leaves town, Rachael Clegg catches up with another, Kami, about rock and roll legacies and the lure of music.
KAMI THOMPSON is no rock and roll rebel. Daughter of folk stars Richard and Linda Thompson, and sister to singer-songwriter Teddy Thompson, courting the rock and roll circuit is like running the family business.
"Rebellion for me would have lay in banking," she said in a recent interview.
But two years ago, after years of resisting her musical fate, she succumbed. The lure of music triumphed. "I wish I could have gone to law school and been really clever," she laughs, "but music's something we all share."
"I always played songs in my bedroom so I must have been into the idea of doing it as a career."
"I read classics at UCL in London – I wasn't the most studious attendee but I loved it. I managed to get through but I always wanted to do what I am doing now. It's a funny thing to admit you what want to do but I was late 22 or 23 when I started to take it seriously."
Before committing to her music she worked in an actors' agency. "It was like 'am I going to give up my sense of security and boring routine and throw it all cautiously to the wind? It is really scary."
Now Kami is touring the UK ahead of the release of her debut album, Love Lies, which was recorded in New York last year. "It seems like it's been a long slog. Hopefully I'll get it out this year."
And her heritage can be heard on Little Boy Blue, on which Richard guests. But with or without the backing one of Britain's most revered guitarists, Kami's songs stand up equally when it's just her and an acoustic guitar.
Little Boy Blue's a solid number with a compact structure with magnificent phrasing and cryptic subject matter – the listener never learns who Little Boy Blue is.
Kami's friends and fellow musicians on the album also share rock and roll parentage. Among her guests/friends are Sean Lennon, son of John, and Martha Wainwright, daughter of American folk/blues musician Loudon Wainwright III and Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate McGarrigle.
"Martha does a lovely 'tick tock' on the album – it's a special Martha thing." says Kami, who also sang backing vocals on Wainwright's track Jesus and Mary.
There's no awkwardness when Kami talks about her father's legacy as one Fairport Convention's original and most successful members.
"It would be devastating for me not to be up to scratch – I can't be crap," although she admits: "My parents are really revered but I think it's more difficult for Sean, for example, because he's like Jesus' son."
Despite her musical background, however, there little music in the house when she was growing up. "I grew up going to a normal school and, apart from the odd festival, mum wasn't really doing much music."
But did her father teach her how to play guitar? "God no," she laughs. "I did ask him for a lesson last summer though. I think my father and I share a tendency for grim chord patterns."
Kami modestly describes her songwriting as mere coincidence. "I'll churn stuff out and put a band to it and hope for the best. It's a happy coincidence but I have more and more interest why more evangelised songs are more interesting.
"I'm more interested in the craft because when you're out on the road you're listening to other people's music."
On this tour, Kami will play solo. "I quite like it. There are different things about playing solo and playing with a band.
"With a band there's energy on stage and similarly, when you're playing solo you get a connection with the crowd."
Of her family connections Kami jokes: "It's a folk tradition to keep it in the family but Teddy and I are like the bastard children."
"I love performing with Teddy, though we don't seem to be in the same town that much."
Indeed, just as Teddy leaves town, Kami joins the stage, this time at the Boardwalk, Snig Hill, on February 11.
What do you think? Add your comments below.
MORE:
Local News
Local Sport
Arts Guide
Listings Guide
Restaurant Guide
Letters.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
