The Next Generation: 
Ella Gill and Tavi Gevinson
by Vicki Ingle   
After hearing a set of music played by 8th graders, Ella and Tavi, I asked Ella how they came to play together and then to play on stage at Val’s Halla Record Store in Oak Park.  Both of these girls are remarkable, as you will see by their responses to the following interview questions.  (Tavi is the internationally-known writer of the Style Rookie blog.  See the Sunday Styles section of the December 27 New York Times.)  - Vicki  

About their musical duo, Ella said: 

“We met in seventh grade (we're now in eighth) and we found out that we both played guitar so we decided to get together and share songs we knew.  We both immediately loved Bob Dylan and learned as many songs by him as we could, but she (Tavi) really introduced me to his music.  We've continued sharing songs by different musicians and writing our own throughout this year.  At the beginning of this summer, I went to talk to Val about possibly playing there and she invited us to play on her anniversary weekend.  Naturally, we practiced almost every day for three weeks and came up with our playlist, which is what you heard.”  

Vicki:  Some people who experienced the folk music era of the 1960s are afraid that acoustic folk music might die out. What do you have to say to these people?
Ella:  Even though these songs aren’t considered “popular” nowadays, there are still recordings, books, communities, and people who continue to pass along the folk tradition. I think Plank Road is a perfect example. I also subscribe to Sing Out magazine. People who really care about our heritage won’t let the roots of American music get lost.
Tavi:  I think a lot of folk music is still very relevant today, and that those with stronger political messages will always have a place in society. The way folk sounds is actually common today in many indie bands-Bob Dylan probably being one of the biggest influences here-but less people tackle topical lyrics. But folk, I think, was never popular the same way other music is, so it will always kind of be an underdog.

V:  Describe your earliest musical memory:
E:  Wow, that’s tough. My dad’s a children’s singer, so I’ve really grown up with music my whole life. I remember my parents playing Pete Seeger CDs. I can also recall hearing Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man,” not liking his voice very much, but loving the song itself. Strange enough, I didn’t listen too much “children’s music” when I was little. I loved The Pretenders.
T:    I liked musicals and show tunes a lot when I was little-I still do-and I think the first thing I saw on a TV was a recording of the play Into the Woods.  When I was little I tried to construct a banjo out of a tambourine and plank of wood and was very proud, even though it wasn't even a banjo.

V:  What made you decide to be a musician?
E:  I never really made the choice. This sounds really overly dramatic, but I feel more like the music chose me.
T:  I have always listened to music a lot but I think eventually I just wanted to make my own.
     

V:  How old were you when you made this decision?
E:  I’ve been singing for a long time, but the first folk song I ever performed was “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream” for my school talent show. I think I decided to sing that in response to the Iraq War. That really got me interested in folk music and the guitar.
T:  I took guitar in 2nd grade but disliked it, and now since the winter of 6th grade I have been on-and-off teaching myself.

V:  Describe what you are doing in music right now.
E:  Well recently, I’ve become focused on learning old American ballads like Barbara Allen and The Banks of the Ohio. For some reason I haven’t been pleased with my songwriting lately so I haven’t been singing original material lately. I recently performed at a local café called the Buzz Café which was very nice. People listened and many of my friends came. As far as getting stage fright, I’ve always been comfortable in front of an audience, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get nervous. The worst part for me is worrying about my voice, you know, whether I’ll be able to hit the high notes well. I’ve learned that the best thing to do is to drink lots of water before and during the show and just to relax.
T:  Very little is original material, probably 1%! I think half of what I play is Bob Dylan, 15% is music of modern bands like The Weepies, 9% is more rock but it sounds somewhat homely and primitive because it's played on acoustic, such as Velvet Underground, and another 25% is more traditional, like I'm a Rambler, I'm a Gambler.  The only place I've played was Val's Halla.  I don't really get too nervous...I'm not as confident in my guitar playing as I am in my singing because I've been singing longer, but I think as long as I don't make eye contact with anyone in the audience or Ella I'm fine.

V:  Who has been supportive of you and your music? How have they helped you? If someone has discouraged you, tell us in what way.
E:  This year I wrote letters to two of my musical idols, Pete Seeger and Joan Baez. I received letters back from both of them, so that was quite amazing. Of course my family and friends (especially Tavi) are great too. I don’t remember anyone being purposefully discouraging, but I think some people my age just aren’t used to talking about the kind of music I like. I’ve learned just not to mention it with some people.
T:  Not really any discouraging, luckily. Ella and I are supportive of each other by listening to each other and just playing together.

V:  Do you have a sense of what your peers (friends, classmates etc.) think of what you are doing musically? If so, what is your take on that?
E:  I went to San Francisco over the summer, so when I got back my friends all thought I had been brainwashed by “hippies” or something. No I’m joking, but they probably thought something along those lines. Now, after they’ve seen me perform, I think they get the whole appeal of folk music. I love singing for and with my friends.
T:    I don't really share it with many of my friends! I'm not that confident in it quite yet.

V:  Do your peers know and like any/many songs from the 1960s folk era? If so, how did they find out about them?
E:  Most of them know the classics like “Blowing in The Wind,” but the less common ones are pretty much unknown to people my age, at least in my school. One of my friends (other than Tavi) likes folk music from the 1960’s. I think she learned them the same way I did: her parents played the music when she was little.
T:    Yes, a few people in our grade. I think their parents.

V:  How do you write songs?
E:  I’ve written lots of lyrics, but only the two that I played at the concert with Tavi (“Arabelle” and “Under the Wood”) have melodies. For both of those, I wrote the lyrics first then added tunes later. Sometimes I need help with that part and that’s when I call Tavi. Another songwriter friend of mine just recently told me that the way he writes songs is by thinking of a melody first so I might start trying that to change things up a little.
T:  The melody is always last, just experimenting with chords. When I try to write a song it starts with a story or character that would come out of some tall tale.

V:  Describe how you work together as a duo. What are your practice-sessions like?
E:   We had a lot of fun preparing for this gig. We work really well together because we’re both very independent. When people first meet us, we seem very similar because we know each other so well, but our personalities are very different and I think that’s one of the reasons we get along so well. As far as choosing songs to perform, we each made a list of about ten to fifteen songs we considered possible options. Then we made the final list. That was the hardest part because besides Bob Dylan, we listen to different music. One of the great things about working with Tavi is that she’s really fantastic at interpreting songs and changing how they sound. That’s how we came to do the Velvet Underground song at the end.
T:  We'll sort of say "I learned/wrote a new song!" and play it for the other, and we'll decide if it should be one we both play or just one of us, and try to figure out a way for both of us to play it where it will add to the quality of the song. Sometimes they're better when you don't change them and it's just one person playing and singing. We both make sure we practice and are in good shape, though.

V:  Both “Arabelle” and “Exiled Town” have elements that are most likely beyond your own personal experience at this point in your life. Do you agree and do you have any thoughts to share about that?
E:  To me, one of the fun things about writing songs is that you get to take the roles of other people who may or may not exist into your own hands. You’re absolutely right. I’ve never experienced anything like the character Arabelle has. Strangely enough, before I wrote that song, I was reading a story about a pirate whose name was Arabella and I thought that name had so much character in it that I started creating this character in my mind (I obviously changed the name to Arabelle). In the song she is a sort of pirate. Arabelle travels around and is notorious in her hometown. People could be ashamed of her or proud of her. A song like that leaves the listeners to create the rest of the story.
T:  Exiled Town I never gave a title so I don't really know what to call it! That works, though.  I think Exiled Town was just about telling a story, and if there's any type of underlying theme it probably is beyond my personal experience and over my head as well.

V:  What do you see yourself doing, as a musician, when you are 17 years old? When you are 22?
E:  I hope to continue learning new songs. If I still enjoy singing folk music at 17, that would be great and if not, I’m sure I’ll be into another genre. I would like to start taking guitar lessons soon because I’m self-taught. So, maybe at 17 I will be an excellent guitar player.
Hopefully I’ll still be making music at 22. I’d like to live in a big city and perform there. I’ve always wanted to do something political like singing at a march for something I believe in so maybe I’ll be doing that. It would be amazing.
T:  I have no clue! Hopefully I will always make music, somehow.

V:  Who are your musical heroes and why?
E:  Pete Seeger because of his fantastic work for America and because he wrote some of my favorite songs (Where Have All the Flowers Gone and If I Had A Hammer - he’s also an extremely talented singer and banjo player); Joan Baez because of her courage and bravery in fighting for what she believes.  She was my inspiration for singing “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream;” Ella Fitzgerald because of her beautiful voice (I was named after her); Bob Dylan because of his amazing songwriting; Woody Guthrie because he wrote political songs which everyone can sing (these songs are classic American songs now); all the unknown people who wrote the beautiful American ballads that I am learning now.
T:  Bob Dylan because his range was so broad and he was confident in what he did. And, Joan Baez and Pete Seeger because they wanted to help people and used music as an outlet for doing so. Cat Power because she is so unashamedly honest and passionate, and you can hear it in her lyrics and just her voice when she sings. I think there are many more but I can't place them right now...

V:  What are your top five favorite songs right now?
E:  Well some of the music I listen to is a lot different from the music I play so I’ll give you my top five in both.   
Top Five Songs for Listening (not in order): Back on the Chain Gang by The Pretenders (rock); Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez (rock by a folk artist); God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday (jazz); Simple Twist of Fate by Bob Dylan (rock); Willie Moore by Joan Baez (folk).
 Top Five Songs to Play/Sing (Not in order): Don’t Think Twice it’s Alright by Bob Dylan (folk); Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotton (folk); Barbara Allen by unknown (folk); Banks of the Ohio by unknown (folk); Pony by Tom Waits (not sure about genre).
T:  In no particular order:
I don't really know how to classify many of these by genre, however..

Little Trouble Girl-Sonic Youth feat Kim Deal
Army Dreamers-Kate Bush 
These Days-Nico 
To Sleepyhead-Passion Pit

V:   What else would you like to say about yourself?
E:  Well I started playing guitar over the summer after sixth grade, which was the summer of 2008. So that’s relatively new to me. I’ve also been taking dance lessons since I was three and am still doing that. I also love doing pen and ink drawings.
T:  I like to read and watch movies and collect magazines. I make a lot of collages and zines for my friends and like to get dressed.

V:  In closing, is there anything else you’d like to share with people?
E:  Well to the people reading Plank Road (newsletter), I’d like to say thanks for keeping the folk music tradition alive. And to the people everywhere I’d like to remind everyone to speak out because that’s the only way to get anything done.

Arabelle 
By Ella Gill

Notorious as a pirate with her golden treasure
and her worldly possessions surely looted from a far away land
with her shawls and scarves wrapped up around her
now you see her and your shadows in the band

Her haunted black eyes seem to shift with unease
and her tangled hair flies and blows in a daring storm
and she turns to you, she's holding a note in her hand
you see her coal eyes as to amber they warm...

Arabelle, you've returned to this lonely town
I thought you wanted to roam the world as a whole
but you're chained to your lover who mistreated you
you who told us no one could keep you 
and your freedom, nobody stole

Wrapped up in the hazes of memories past
she's walking up next to you, her only true love
one lost soul has found another in time
like receiving a message from a passenger dove  

You ask what she's learned from her many travels at sea
she smiles her mysterious flicker and takes your wrist
she says she'll tell you just what your fortune may be 
if you'll take her in the morning to the ocean she's missed

Arabelle, why have you returned to this lonely town
if only to sail to another country of gold
you tell tales of treasure worth only stone
I know better than to leave you alone
in a few weeks the tales will be nothing to you
and all the goods you've purchased will be sold

Hair blowing eye's shifting smile flickering in the light
like a candle she's given you a wary light to cast and blow away
she takes one of her rings and hands it to you with promise 
you ask if it will bring you luck, she simply says...it may...

On the night she returned, no full moon shone
even though the calendar predicted it, fate can take anything over
her eyes lifted up to the sky, she of course said nothing
and she teary eyed, hands you a four leafed clover

Arabelle, I remember the day you left from this lonely town
your mother did weep and your father stood at the water's edge
and your lover who mistreated you shouted into the open
as you and your memory faded away

We saw you raise one hand, a final farewell
return to us someday, our delightful and mysterious
treasure to hold...
Arabelle.

Exiled Town (working title)
By Tavi Gevinson

The backwash of an ancient dream
Washed out shades of fluorescent blues
Scattered maps on the pavement fly
A carousel humming out of tune

Like a day at the shopping plaza, silhouettes of nothing
Sun high and bright, day still as night
Bruised peaches sitting in stained buckets
Yellowing paint, still wet out of fright

Chorus:
Exiled town is a place for the air to be generous
Exiled town is staying quite put
Ghost people float like tumbleweeds
Grey blacktop and melting soot

And Queen Charlotte Turpentine, with her purple eyes
Ranting on her soapbox, tapestry bag at side
Skeleton key hung round her neck
Guitar case filled with goods once pried

And Sandy Woodrow, with his sole-less shoes and thick nails
Thicker than his senses but thickest is his spout
He brings stories of his past and the children gather to hear
Their mothers listen in with hope and doubt
(Chorus)
The psychic, she likes to look at the stars at night
The psychic, she claims the town won't change
It's the way it is, she says, her pet lizard on her shoulder
Her eyes sag, her makeup smells, she's 26, she claims