I had a super deep conversation with Mitski a couple of years ago, just before she boarded the rocket ship to Mars, and it has always stuck with me.
She’s such a powerful force, such a bright light — but also so sensitive and aware. It’s a really special mix of humanity and talent that she has so generously shared with the world, and I recall just wanting to shield her from all of what I knew was headed her way at the time.
The thing about the music industry, touring endlessly, and the commodification of one’s innermost self, is that the business model is very rarely centered around taking care of that individual’s human needs — and for anyone even remotely rooted in authenticity, navigating this shit is exhausting.
I blew up my major label deal and the career I had spent decades building back in 2010 and it was the best decision I have ever made. That pivot is ultimately why I decided I liked music again and made it possible for me to come back as my whole self later.
As Mitski the very successful artist deletes social media, hangs up her cowboy hat, and exits the public eye to become Mitski Miyawaki the person again, I hope you will all join me in wishing her well.
These stages are forever yours, darling. They’ll be here if you want them. Now go rest, feel proud, and EAT EVERYTHING.
💜💙
Jun 2, 2011Comments Off on LOGAN LYNN INTERVIEW ON THE ACCIDENTAL BEAR THIS WEEK!
I was interviewed for The Accidental Bear about music, activism and a bunch of other stuff this week. You can check it out on their site HERE (complete with photos of me and my boyfriend) or just keep reading below for the full transcript.
From The Accidental Bear: (6/2/2011)
While hiking through a creek the other day I lifted up a rock and found a gem. Ok, no that’s a story, I just really enjoy analogies. Nonetheless, the gem that was brought to my attention is singer-song-writer-ginger-beard-acitivist Logan Lynn. When I found him, it just happens, he is on a little hiatus, charging up for whatever the future holds.
AB: I read that you are coming back from a break you took to work full-time for LGBTQ equal rights at Portland’s Q Center? Are you back in the swing of things musically?
LL: I’m still on hiatus from playing shows. It’s been a year since I announced I was taking the break and I still feel like I’m in break mode with the touring or whatever. I really just quit doing the parts I was hating. I was surrounded by a bunch of people who I needed to get away from and the only way I could think to do it was to sink the boat. Looking back (and reading the press around this time last year) I probably could have taken a less public, less dramatic approach…but at the time I was fed up with the whole thing. At the end of the day, it worked. I got rid of all the parts that were making me insane and released that last record “I Killed Tomorrow Yesterday” myself. I’ve been making videos and releasing singles on my own schedule without anyone telling me what I need to do musically or how to do it…and without anyone telling me what I should or shouldn’t look like. It’s lovely, actually. I work full-time still with Q Center and am going to keep doing that for now. I’m happy for the 1st time in a really long time so I figure I had better not fuck it all up by changing the course. It’s been hard to turn things down lately, though. I won’t lie and say that there are not parts that I miss. I’ve been working on new songs this whole time, too…so there hasn’t been much of a break with that part at all.
AB: What is going on with the Portland Q Center these days? I see you have an upcoming event on June 17th. “Hip to be Q”
LL: Yeah! That’s the Portland Pride kick-off party I’m throwing for Q Center and is the 2nd edition of my queer concert series there. I’ve been bringing national queer acts into the center for these really intimate shows this year. I like the idea that people can party for a good cause around good queer music. It’s a new kind of activism…the super loud, fun, sparkly kind.
AB: In the last few days there has been numerous report about the two men attacked on the Hawthorn Bridge. What is the buzz around town?
LL: I’m kind-of on the frontline at Q Center in the aftermath of these types of community events and tragedies. People turn to Q Center for support and they look to us for what the collective “we” are supposed to do next. It’s time for people to wake up and help others when they are in need. This is not the kind of thing that should be happening anywhere. These were people we know. I think the very real feeling of “This could happen to me and my boyfriend” spread like wildfire throughout the city and our allies came out in droves for the “Hands Across Hawthorne” event we just threw this past weekend. There were thousands of people there. It was really touching.
AB: Tell me about “Hands Across Hawthorne” Rally Against Violence (2011)? The photographs were powerful.
LL: It was amazing to see the nearly 5,000 people come out to hold hands at the scene of where the attacks had taken place. There were people for miles. It was hard not to cry just at the Read the rest of this entry »
May 4, 2011Comments Off on JUST OUT NEWSWEEKLY INTERVIEWS LOGAN LYNN ABOUT “QUICKLY AS WE PASS” + HIATUSES!
The kids over at Portland Newsweekly Just Out ran a mini-interview with me this week about a whole mess of messy stuff and posted my new video on their site! You can check it out by clicking the current issue cover below or keep reading under that for the transcript…
From Just Out: (4/4/2011)
“Unless you’ve been living under rocks and/or endlessly napping the past few weeks, you’ve probably heard/read about Logan Lynn‘s excellent new video, the visually intriguing (stunning, even) “Quickly As We Pass.” A nostalgic blend of live action people and more two-dimensional, still cut-out counterparts (oh, how art mirrors life) make their way through cityscapes, streets, buildings, living rooms, bedrooms–and even get naked. Fitting for a song that talks about waking up “clothed in our right minds and nothing else.” As usual, Lynn takes the ordinary, the banal, mixes it all up, and turns out five minutes of salacious sensory overload. Like us, you’ll probably have to watch the video a few times before catching everything that’s happening–and even then you’ll be hard-pressed to soak up every bit, every quirk.
Just Out caught up with Logan and talked briefly about retirements and MTV. On his much-discussed hiatus, Lynn, who now helps lead the gay crusade at Q Center, opines: “I think people were always cynical about my motives for going on hiatus–like it was a big publicity stunt a la Cher where I was planning to pop out of a cake in 6 months with a new band and a world tour. I really did take the break because I needed to, and always said I was planning on turning music back into a hobby rather than my job. This is what that looks like. I got rid of the parts (and people) that were making me miserable a year ago and have spent the time since cultivating a personal life and rediscovering the parts which were enjoyable to me.”
On the fruitful video collaboration: “The director, Jeffrey McHale, and I had worked together on my ‘Bottom Your Way To The Top’ video in 2009, so the collaboration was a no-brainer. He’s a visionary.” Regarding wanting our MTV, and altering content a bit for MTV’s audiences: “These days MTV means Logo, VH1, & MTV2, but I have an artist page on MTV.com where I’m sure it will end up as well. They have always been very supportive of me and continue to be. I will say we are having a lot of edits from standards and practices this time around though. Evidently life-size cardboard cutout porn is a no-no for mainstream America. Who knew?”
The video and song, both vintage Logan Lynn–you’ll recognize the first beat and lyrical declaration, “no good deed will go unpunished”–are refreshing returns to electronic-pop form and the visual stylings fans know and love. (Read: there’s no band this time around.) So, dear readers, grab your best headphones and cozy up for awhile with “Quickly As We Pass.” Pay attention to the lyrics. You’ll be surprised by how well Logan Lynn gets you. And although we’re super sad he didn’t pop out of any cakes–we’re glad he’s “back.”
