Carolyn Mark
 It
ain’t easy being overworked and under appreciated.
But that seems to be the way things seem to be for Victoria,
B.C.’s Carolyn Mark. While a small part of Canada
is aware of her quirky, foot-stompin’ showmanship
these past few years, she has toiled more quietly than
she should be really, and, to be honest, the press has
been neglectful of this.
In fact, I’m guilty of this a little bit myself.
The interview for this story was actually done in April
of last year. In what has been a recurring trend around
here, I accidentally taped over most of the interview,
but I found snippets here and there over what was the
Breaking Laces interview.
But before I go on, let me tell you a story. About
10 years ago, Chart magazine assigned me to write a
story on Mark’s previous band, The Vinaigrettes.
We were supposed to meet up around 1 p.m. one afternoon
at Big Bad John’s, a faux-country bar in Victoria,
the kind of place with lots of crap on the walls, where
you eat peanuts out of beer mugs and drop the shells
on the floor and hear the same worn-out cassette of
old Johnny Horton and George Jones songs played over
and over. It’s both authentically country and
a little bit kitschy. Kinda like Mark herself.
“I think I’ll just have an orange juice,”
mumbled a bleary-eyed Carolyn Mark when she arrived
-- late. “I was here till closing last night,”
“Carolyn, it’s Tuesday.”
Another time I was standing at an intersection in the
Fernwood section of Victoria waiting for the light to
change when I heard someone shout my name. When I turned
to look, it was Mark in her ancient rundown blue van
and before I could react, she blasted me in the face
with a super soaker and stepped on the gas, shrieking
with laughter.
This is Carolyn Mark. The person who drinks all night
and shows up to interviews hung over and amuses herself
doing drive-by’s with her super soaker is the
same person who can command an audience, no matter what
the size, with charisma and the force of her personality.
Her music seems effortless, like playing before an audience
is the most natural thing in the world for her.
And audiences really respond. Last year, when she was
in Toronto working with Neko Case on her live album,
the half-hour she spent on stage opening the show –
alone – turned a jaded crowd into fans with her
infectious songs and self-effacing sense of humour,
and looking like she’s truly enjoying herself
on stage.
“That’s not working,” she said of
playing shows. “All the other stuff, the driving,
this (interviews) is the work. Playing is the easy part.”
Carolyn Mark is one of the new trifecta of emerging
women country artists. What’s interesting is that
the three artists, Mark, Neko Case, and Kelly Hogan
all have this supportive sister-like relationship, where,
really, each of them could take the spotlight on their
own. I’ve always thought that each of them bring
their own talent to the table. Neko Case, although she’s
the most well known of the three, she doesn’t
always look comfortable on stage; she plays with her
hair, hides behind her microphone, and seems most comfortable
when she closes her eyes to sing.
Kelly Hogan is the misunderstood tough broad with the
soulful voice. Mark, though, is the born entertainer.
In another time she might have been on Hee-Haw or blowing
the roof off of barn dances. I’ve always thought
she should host her own CBC variety show.
But for now, she’s back on the road, this time
with Lederhosen
Lucil, on the Stopping and Shopping Tour
to support her 2004 release The Pros and Cons of Collaboration.
The tour kicks off on March 1 in Toronto.
But count on it, that elusive success may closer than
she thinks. Maybe her backup vocals on the Neko Case
CD caused some to see what she can do for herself. Maybe
her latest CD made its way into the hearts of more than
the diehard music fan. Maybe it’s just finally
her time because there seems to be a fair bit buzz surrounding
her on this latest tour.
“This is what I want,” she told me. “And
I don’t think I’m asking too much. When
I come to town I want it to be an event. Like when Neko
comes to town, everyone knows and it’s this big
thing.”
-- Keith Powell
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