Magazine Articles > The Face Interview

ANNIE LENNOX: Oh, I'm relieved, I thought you were going to be somebody else.
EVP: Who?
I can't say.
Are you usually so apprehensive before interviews?
Shattered- before not after. These things are always crammed into my generally pretty busy schedule; we've already done two videos this week ("Sexcrime: 1984" and the follow-up "Julia") another photo session and a few interviews.
How do you decide what to wear for a photo session?
Ha - it's strange! Today I was going to dress up in a pink evening gown but I felt quite dismal so I put on my big black coat to reflect my mood. I had a picture in my mind; I wanted it dark with all the light on my face which oddly enough is exactly what Steve (as she insists on calling photographer Mike Laye) wanted. It's often a dilemma for me to know what to put on; so often clothes are the statement but ultimately they're secondary. Even if a subject isn't a snazzy dresser, if they've got a strong interesting personality they'll be great to photograph.
I couldn't help hearing that you just bought a new house.
Which one?
There's a house in Switzerland and a flat in Maida Vale I'm going after. Oh, I'm such a big property tycoon, my mansions . . . no. I'm not going to retreat from the world but I do need a quiet place. I certainly don't intend to become a recluse; I'd go mad. But I'm a nil-minus nightclubber. Clubbing to me is not light relief, it gives me pain - pain from the smoke, pain from the noise, pain from all the posing, it's a human meat market. When I leave a nightclub I feel bereft of all human intelligence, though when I was youn- ger I always gave my father a good reason for going out. 'Oh I've got to do this, it's OK really and my friend's going and I won't come in any later than half past eleven on the dot!'
You were an only child, were your parents over-protective?
Rather...
Is that why a nice flute-playing daughter of Aberdeen leaves home?
Well, I think that was something to do with it. But I wanted to be a music student desperate- ly. I considered the Glasgow Academy of Music too provincial for me and really wanted to go to the Royal College but they didn't let me in. Actually, here's an interesting bit of sexual discrimination for you. I was told that the one remaining place on the performers course was down to me and this boy and they said, 'Wouldn't you rather become a teacher, we think it's more realistic, your being a girl?', and I said 'No, I don't want to be a teacher, I want to play thefllite.' The boy got the place and I went to the Royal Academy in London.
Did this awaken the radical feminist in you?
No. I just wanted to be a better flute player.
Did you become one?
No. At that point I decided it wasn't worth being a flute player. Ha.
When did you discover your voice?
Well, I've always sang. I did as a child though there was never a time when I thought singing will be my vocation - I don't like the word 'career' because it's not a job for me, it's necessary. I sing for my stability and happi- ness, for expression.
Can white girls sing the Blues?
Well. . . as a matter of fact, I was amazed when Sam from Sam & Dave got up on stage with us in L.A. during "Wrap It Up" - we hadn't rehearsed but I knew he was going to >>>