From The Vault :: The Ed Askew Interview

Are you originally from Stamford, CT? What was your youth like growing up, and when did you first begin to have a fascination with music and painting? Was this something that was relevant around your household growing up and were your parents, or close relatives creative?

Yes, I was born in Stamford, CT on the first of December 1940. Growing up was okay. Small street, small city back then. I had a few friends. Otherwise, I kept to myself. I liked to draw. In high school, I belonged to 3 choirs. My father sang when he was young but had almost no interest in my music. There was a connection though. We had an old tiple that had been in our attic for years, and when I was in high school I got strings for it and taught myself to play.

What groups and artists left a huge impression on you early on and did you participate in any groups or outfits prior to venturing into your own creative journey? Tell me about moving to New Haven in 1963 to study painting at the Yale School Of Art. What was that experience like for you?

Yes, I was a student in painting at Yale Art School in New Haven, CT for 3 years. Before that, I had a 4-year scholarship at a small college near my family in Stamford. I also spent a summer in Mexico studying painting. Of course, I loved living on my own. And I had a bunch of friends who were artists. That was nice. I had a great time. And made a lot of art. And I played my tiple for friends sometimes. But I hadn’t made any songs yet. That wouldn’t happen till 1966. I was never involved in the NY folk scene. I knew nothing about that. Except for hearing some records that my roommates bought.

Photo: Athena

After you graduated in 1966, you were drafted, correct? What was that initially feeling like, and what was going through your mind at that time? I understand you later became a teacher at a prep school in CT. I'm sure you’ve wondered about this plenty, but do you think you would still have become an artist even if you weren't drafted? You acquired your Martin tiple during this time too, correct? Tell me about moving to NYC in 1967. What was that experience like for you, especially during that time in America?

I was almost drafted. But thanks to an offer for a teaching job, I never made it to Vietnam, which everyone I knew was opposed to then. I hadn't started having boyfriends yet, so I couldn’t get out of it that way. Though I had a very nice girlfriend that I stayed with in Brooklyn, for a short time. Anyway, I don’t know WHAT would have happened if I’d been drafted. I think I would have started making songs anyway. So I had a teaching job at the end of 1966. In a private co-ed prep school in Connecticut. I wasn’t a very good teacher. I eventually learned that skill much later. Mostly what I did there was write tons of songs, even though the school closed at the end of the semester. So, in 1967, I went to the big city. I didn’t stay long, something about finding a job and place to live. But I’d go around to coffee houses, ones that you have never heard of. But they loved me. Also, someone suggested I might play for Bernard at ESP-Disk’, so I made a tape and took it there and was offered a contract for 2 recordings, they only released one.

How did you initially meet Bernard Stollman of ESP-Disk’? What were your first impressions of him, and can you tell me about writing and recording your acclaimed debut LP ‘Ask The Unicorn’? What was the overall process and approach to creating that album? When and where did recording start and about how long did that particular process take from start to finish?

When I made "Ask The Unicorn", I had moved back to New Haven. Bernard called me up and asked me to come to a studio in NY on a certain day. When I got there, Onno Shultz, the recordist, was waiting for me, and we started recording. I had everything in my head that I wanted to sing and a list of songs for Onno. I think we spent two days recording. I returned to New Haven, where I had acquired my new BF, Carl, and waited for the big release day. I remember me and Carl going to see Bernard and getting records, so there would be some in the local record stores. And a few for myself to give to friends.

I heard that you recorded your second album, but it was never released around that time. Can you tell me about that? Were you playing gigs and pursuing other creative avenues during this time as well? Was there ever talk, or generated interest in releasing the other album from the contract? How have you been during the pandemic? Is there anything you would like to share further with the readers?

I was asked to make the second album, "Little Eyes", about two years later. Onno was asked to produce another album. I had tons of material by then. But I had to get out of my ESP-Disk’ contract. I went to Woodstock to discuss it with Onno. Well, that didn’t happen. Stollman would not release me. And two years later I got to make "Little Eyes". At the time, ESP-Disk’ was going bankrupt and the album was not released until 2002 by DeStijl. Making the album was interesting. It was virtually live in the studio. Once again, it was just me and a guy in a booth. I told him to start the tape and record everything such as the studio sounds, false starts etc. Only "Old Mother Moon" would be done in one take on the piano. On the second day, I had to redo two songs. I remember it taking a while to get the levels right because it needed to sound like a live recording, then, the recordist brought the tape into the studio with a splicer. And we edited the tape right there on the spot, while leaving some sounds between the songs. Recently, I’ve been playing with the Ed Askew Band. We Released 3 LPs for Tin Angle Records. Also, check out bandcamp, where I have stuff from labels, and many home recordings of just myself also. EAB is myself, Jay Pluck, and Tyler Evans and various other friends. Otherwise, Drag City has mostly released older recordings. We have also been playing in NYC, where I live, pretty regularly, until the pandemic hit us all. And then I had a stroke a year ago, so I’ve been dealing with that. Although I have started making new songs, as best I can.

Photo: Kevin Sweeney

The Self Portrait Gospel

THE SELF PORTRAIT GOSPEL IS BOTH AN ONLINE PUBLICATION AND A WEEKLY PODCAST DEDICATED TO SHOWCASING THE DIVERSE CREATIVE APPROACHES AND ATTITUDES OF INSPIRING INDIVIDUALS IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS. OUR MISSION IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE UNIQUE AND UNPARALLELED METHODS THESE ARTISTS BRING TO THEIR LIFE AND WORK. WE ARE COMMITTED TO AN ONGOING QUEST TO SHARE THEIR STORIES IN THE MOST COMPELLING AND AUTHENTIC WAY POSSIBLE.

https://www.theselfportraitgospel.com/
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From The Vault :: The Gary Higgins Interview