That's all for today …
William Faure asks:
First of all, thank you for 42 years of your soul-expanding music. I came to the JA party a wee-bit late but, hey, I found your music in a record store in Helena, Montana. I have followed you ever since, loving every album and seeing you in concert four times. What a gift. This new album sounds as fresh as that first album I found in 1976. Is there anything unique to the writing experience and/or its inspiration of this album that you would like to share?
Guardian contributor Yes, my first album was 1972, thank you for finding me in 1976! The uniqueness of this album is that I wrote all of the words first before I wrote any of the music. The other interesting thing about this album is the order of the songs on the album is exactly in the order that I wrote the songs.
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Plantbasedriot asks:
I believe the opening line of Love and Affection to be one of the greatest ever penned. Generally, the lyric in the whole song is nothing short of sublime. Thank you so much for your artistry. Coupled with Down to Zero you have perfectly soundtracked this young man’s forays into life and love.
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IamShe1 asks:
Have you ever strayed from Ovation? Beautiful instruments with amazing mid- and bass- tones. Which models do you play? Some are going to be manufactured in the US again. Any perceived differences over the years, countries of manufacture, or species of wood?
Guardian contributor Ovations are great guitars. I've been playing Ovations since 1975 or so. Great tone, they were being manufactured in America when I started using them - in fact, I was given a special medal from Ovation because I was one of the first people using their guitars, and there was a whole ceremony that the whole factory came to. As I say, I've been using them for all this time, but on this album I decided to play a Martin guitar, and this tour, for the first time since I started using Ovations, will be on a Martin guitar. And it's very different - everything about it is different. An Ovation is something that you hold very close to you. It feels very near to your body whereas a Martin feels quite distant, it's a boxy shape that you feel as if you're playing at arms' length, and it's taken me quite a while to get used to playing it, it's so different! Just felt like a change.
This is the voice I was born with – I've done nothing to it
ethelfrida asks:
I saw you in Leicester many, many years ago. One of the highlights of my student days. How did you get to be such a different voice?
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nutty007 asks:
Having studied for a history degree, do you think history is a kind of mystery? Would that inform any compositions? PS: Me Myself I is super.
Guardian contributor I have never written a song because I did a history degree, but history is very interesting and very important, and everybody, whether they know it or not, is interested in history. Any money you've asked your parents or grandparents at some point what they did when they were young - well, that's history.
ID2883732 asks:
I’ve read you left school at 15 to support your family, working in a tool factory. Was music an escape from all this? Was it perhaps the associated angst that drove your inspiration? What barriers to progressing your music-making did you face, coming from this background?
Guardian contributor I left school at 15, yes I left to help my family, and I worked in the office of the tool factory - not on the factory floor - as a typist and comptometer operator. I started writing when I was 14 because my mother bought a piano and put it in the front room, thought it was a great piece of furniture, but I was born to write so writing wasn't an escape, it was a calling. It was what I was put on this earth to do. I don't know anything about barriers.
On the Sex Pistols and chaos …
NickPJ asks:
I heard that Johnny Rotten is a fan of yours. Are you a fan of his?
Guardian contributor I love the Sex Pistols! I thought the Sex Pistols were great. He brought a passion, whether made up or real, you certainly saw the passion, and it worked. And they got people talking, and I think they got people thinking, maybe we need to make some changes. I think the Sex Pistols were probably necessary to the music business. They were on my label, and the chaos when they were in the A&M offices was unbelievable!
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wetsuitboots asks:
In hindsight, did you know what you were looking for in all your songs of longing, desire and isolation? Was it romantic love or connectedness or what?
Guardian contributor I think the way the songs work is that they are trying to help people to connect to each other and perhaps to explain to each other emotions that they're going through. So all the things you've mentioned are things that people go through - longing, desire, isolation, romance, lost love, found love - and I try in my songs to explain some of those in any way that I can. Also in any way that will make people connect to the songs and to each other.
jkallam asks:
Embarrassed to say that I really only found your music after seeing The Tempest in the wonderful Shakespeare Trilogy. It’s now in my regular rotation. Is there any chance at all that you might do any concerts in America? I would love to see you but in any case thanks so much for all of your contributions!
Guardian contributor Thank you for enjoying the Tempest, I loved writing the music to such a wonderful play, and the cast were brilliant in their performances every night. I've been touring America since 1972! Have toured after every album - this is my 21st album - and I will be on tour in America at the end of this month, May.
Jamie Shepherd asks:
Any tips for writing music?
Guardian contributor You can start with the words, the music, the piano, the guitar, a riff - that's it, just as long as you start - and finish - that's the main thing. Don't start and stop halfway!
ID594164 asks:
I saw you perform at Manchester University in 1975 in support of Nils Lofgren. I bought you a drink afterwards, and you gave me your Nils badge, which I still have. Do you still drink lemonade?
Guardian contributor I have drunk lemonade since 1975, funnily enough. And very nice it is too. Nils is great, he's another great guitarist.
tmwjackson asks:
I saw you on your last tour at Marlowe theatre in Canterbury. I think you made me laugh more than anyone I have seen there, with the exception of Stewart Lee. Have you ever considered standup? You should.
Guardian contributor No I have never considered doing stand up because that's gonna be a hard job! However, having said that, I do enjoy a joke onstage and comedy is one of my favourite things to watch and relax to. I watch everything - I like Family Guy, Last Leg, Taskmaster I'm enjoying at the minute, Would I Lie to You, Mickey Flanagan, James Acaster, he's really good; Victoria Coren Mitchell, Dawn French, Victoria Wood, absolutely, Ricky Gervais - yeah, I'm going there! Michael Macintyre - I saw him once somewhere and I went up to him and I said, "Michael Macintyre!" and then I walked away. And he looked at me like, "Who is this complete nutter..."
Stephen Adams asks:
My wife remembers seeing you in Swaziland … I wonder if, with all your travels, you remember this tiny kingdom? You were with Eric Clapton … the god himself.
Guardian contributor Yes, Swaziland, I remember very well - meeting King Mswati III and performing the King's Trust concert for him and being made to feel incredibly welcome in Swaziland. That was a great lineup, actually, as you say, with Eric Clapton as well.
Nomsa Zindela asks:
I am the wife Stephen says saw you in Swaziland. My friend and I knew the song Willow back to front. We could sing tirelessly at crazy, buzzy parties at varsity. We love you and marvel at your talent.
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DonkeyBoyy asks:
Your music was really important to me in my late teens. Now 48, I played Willow at my baby daughter’s naming-day ceremony in November. It seemed to express better than I could how I want my relationship with her to be –unconditional love, protection and strength. I’m not sure I can think of another artist who has expressed such huge emotions without a trace of sentimentality. So thank you.
Guardian contributor Thank you so much for playing Willow at your daughter's naming ceremony. That's one of the biggest compliments as a songwriter, to have people want to connect so strongly with my music and to use it as part of their family.
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The sentiMentalist asks:
My serendipitous discovery of your incredible music only happened a few years ago with The Weakness in Me. I was so blown away by your voice and the subtle way you convey the powerful emotions that I immediately purchased the album The Very Best of Joan Armatrading. It was all I played for several weeks. I don’t understand how I missed you in the 1980s and 90s, (I have a good excuse for the 70s: I wasn’t alive then) but I have since made up for those lost decades.
Willow is the most beautiful and sincere expression of unconditional love. More Than One Kind of Love is another favourite of mine. Your authenticity and the effortlessness with which you invoke emotions in your listener are what I admire most about your musicianship. And you achieve this sans vocal gymnastics …
What’s your reaction when you hear covers of your songs? Do you cringe? I know I do, lol. (Although having said that, Melissa Etheridge is not bad.)I still listen to you virtually every day and look forward to enjoying Not Too Far Away.
Guardian contributor Yes, Melissa Etheridge did The Weakness in Me, fantastic job she did of that, and I've seen her sing it live here in the UK and absolutely enjoyed it. On your serious note, it's my pleasure to have been able to make music that you enjoy so much, and thank you for listening every day. And I hope you enjoy the new album, Not Too Far Away.
IamShe1 asks:
Are there must haves [when you’re in] the States? One of the Original Ray’s Pizza, Brooklyn cheesecake, Charleston grits? Moon pies?
Heard you’re not a fan of eggplant.
Guardian contributor Hot spicy shrimp at Vincent's in New York - lovely! Followed by New York cheesecake - laaaahvely!
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PlainJoeSmith asks:
I love a good story song and always wondered about the background to Opportunity. Any advice for planning a good heist?
Guardian contributor I got Opportunity because I read, in the paper, that this guy had done a robbery and he dropped his wallet. And his wallet had all his details in, his address, everything, and that's where I got the story of Opportunity from.
'Every artist wants a hit'
Tunabeche asks:
I have loved your music for too long to count. I saw you in Boulder and in Orlando on your solo tour. My question is how after so many years you have never, in my opinion sold out and just gone for a hit, but continued to make thoughtful music, when did you decide that was your path?
Guardian contributor Every artist wants a hit. I'm no exception and I'm happy to say I have had hits! But I think what you mean, or what you might mean, is why didn't I change my music to suit what was the current flavour musically at any given time. I just want to write the songs that I want to write and hope that people will enjoy those without having to, as you say, sell out - become something I don't feel I can live up to or cope with! I'm much happier just being myself and writing the music that I love.
25aubrey asks:
Of all the concerts you’ve performed which one resonates with you the most?
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IamShe1 asks:
This tour will be all acoustic. Ever consider acoustic bass? After all of these years playing guitar, are your hands suffering at all?
Guardian contributor I play the bass, as you probably know, on different albums, and of course I'm playing bass on this album. I do have an acoustic bass. Has playing guitar affected my hands - yeah, yeah you get aches and it can affect your wrists. I remember one time I was on stage and I went to play a chord and I screamed out into the mic, it was so painful! And I had to leave the stage and go and put ice on it, and then come back once it'd calmed down. I don't know what happened but that was not nice.
NiceButSarky asks:
I saw you play in 1985, when I was a student, and again in 2015. You seemed to have become a lot chattier! Have you become more comfortable on stage, and do you have any tips for nervous performers?
Guardian contributor You're absolutely right, I have become more chatty. When I started out I was one of the shiest people I think I'd ever known. I'm surprised I went on stage to perform but I did, and over the years I've really appreciated how people have been good to me, allowed me to get better in front of them! Over the years, I've been more at ease with looking up at the audience and talking to them and enjoying their response to me and I always try to inject humour into the shows. Tips for nervous performers - don't get nervous! I could take my own advice though...!
IamShe1 asks:
You’ve played enormous venues. Even Giants Stadium! With the tragic events of Manchester and Vegas, how do you think the live music experience has changed?
Guardian contributor Live music hasn't changed - it's live. That's it! Live music is still, I think, one of the things that gives people the most pleasure, you can't beat sitting in a hall with a bunch of people that you don't know, listening to somebody that you know, or feel you know very well, and everybody enjoying the experience in pretty much the same way. That is, really connecting with the artist, listening to the songs, singing along to the songs with one voice, and just enjoying the experience of others loving something that you love. For an artist, it's a great way to connect with the audience.
And an answer to the eternal webchat question …
DWFan1 asks:
What’s your favourite Pixar film?
Guardian contributor When they brought out their little lamp film - Luxo Jr. It's a proper little person, with emotion, very animated, great walk! I think that introduction to them was absolutely fantastic, and it was a big, big talking point when that came out. Then of course you'd move on to all the usual - Toy Story etc.
ID7131546 asks:
I saw you in Eastbourne on your last solo tour, and have tickets to see you in London this time around. Interested in your thoughts of the state of the music industry – the rise of streaming, YouTube and use of social media; the fall of physical album/single sales; and the growing number of festivals. Do you think it’s easier or harder today for young musicians to become successful? Any new artists you’re listening to?
I don't think the music business is in a totally sorry state. It's just different. And one of the good things about iTunes and Spotify and all the other things is that if somebody wants to just buy a single song, they can do that. In the olden days, they couldn't. And I think in its strange way, it allows people to discover music, so they could buy a Joan Armatrading song and then go and buy a Justin Bieber song, and then go and buy a Post Malone song, and then go and buy a Lady Gaga song.
I think Post Malone is who I like the most at the minute, who I tend to talk about the most at the moment. I love his lyrics, he writes really good lyrics - they come across as meaningful, they're saying something. I love his tunes as well, like his voice, he's got attitude.
I think it's probably just as hard as it ever was for any musician to become successful, and successful in that big way. I did once say that you couldn't become totally successful just because you've had a billion views on YouTube or whatever, and I still hold to that. I think it's possible to be successful to a point, but until a label, if you wanna give it the name label - until somebody else who knows about marketing and getting you to that wider public who will actually buy this thing that you're selling, you can't do it on your own. I could be completely wrong, but that's what I think - you still need people who are experts in certain fields to push you to the heights you'd like to go to.
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pconl asks:
You don’t get enough mention for your excellent blues guitar playing. Which guitar players influenced you when it comes to that?
Influenced is a funny old word. I'm very conscious of all music and very conscious of people who are really good at playing music, great guitar players, so I listen to things not in a 'listen to imitate' way, but 'just to appreciate' way. Because of this, I kind of pick up on how things should be and sound. And then try and just be myself.
I love Robert Johnson, absolutely love Muddy Waters, who in fact I decided to adopt as my father. I love Mark Knopfler, and for a long, long time, having been replaced by Mark Knopfler, Lesley West was my favourite guitarist.
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IamShe1 asks:
You’re self-taught. Did you have to relearn “proper” chord positions? What happened to your dad’s guitar?
Yes, I am completely self-taught - whatever I play I just muddle through, make the best of it, hope it sounds good. My father had a guitar that he never wanted me to play, which he hid, and when we moved, it stayed hidden, so I have no idea where it is. This is when I got my first guitar, which my mother swapped for two old prams. The guitar cost £3 - we swapped the two prams, and I still have that guitar. It doesn't have a brand, nothing!
'I was in the studio in Montreaux and Queen were in the one next to me'
Sondek asks:
How did you come to add backing vocals on Queen’s A Kind of Magic album in Montreaux? I believe you are their only vocal guest ever!
I was in the Townhouse studio making The Key album and Queen were in the next studio to me, and Roger Taylor came over and asked me if I would just walk over to his studio and say these words on the song, which I did, and then after I'd finished, the next thing I knew was Roger walking in with a MASSIVE bunch of flowers!
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SaskiaN asks:
I understand you won’t be doing any more “world tours” but do you think you might come out to Australia (particularly Melbourne) again?
I will never retire and I will never stop writing songs but what I want to do is not tour as extensively as I have to date. Last tour was 235 concerts; this tour is two months. People think that two months is a long time, but for me it's peanuts!
Joan is with us now – follow along
Post your questions for Joan Armatrading
From the wistful Love and Affection to the barnstorming Drop the Pilot, Joan Armatrading has cut through tastes and trends to become the kind of musician who strikes a chord with everyone.
Her voice, always yearning for intimacy and honesty, is equally resistant to easy definition. She rarely opens up about her personal life, preferring to let her music do the talking. But to mark the release this month of Not Too Far Away, her 19th studio album, she’ll be answering your questions in a live webchat from 4pm BST on Tuesday 15 May.
Post them in the comments below, and then follow her answers here on the day.
Thank you very much for your questions that you've put to me - very interesting (some boring!) - it was a very nice way to spend the afternoon talking to you.