Interview Marianne FaithFull
Marianne Faithfull
works the sixties look
Yours Faithfully
Marianne Faithfull has recently released her new album Easy Come, Easy Go. We talk to
the 60s siren about her music, her reputation and The Rolling Stones. WoRdS: Andy Welch
eing an icon of the 1960s entitles you to More followed, but it was infamy rather than
B
certain things - and calling in some of the straight forward fame that seemed to follow Marianne.
most credible names in music to help you In 1965, she gave birth to Nicholas, her son with
out on your latest album is one of them. influential artist and collector John Dunbar. Not long
Smoking indoors is the other, as one poor after, she left him for Jagger and the pair began a
individual found out when he tried to reprimand turbulent five-year relationship.
Marianne Faithfull for sparking up in the office block of During that time, Marianne fell headlong into the
her press agent. “Has someone been smoking in here?” drug addiction that saw her lose custody of her son.
he asks, but Marianne mishears and thinks he’s asking Her career went into an almost terminal decline and
to join her for a fag. She beckons him in, but he’s not she wound up homeless on the streets of London. As
impressed. “You’re not supposed to smoke in here,” he she admits, she’s lucky to have come through intact.
continues. “I know, darling,” comes the steely response. Today, she’s 62 but could easily pass for 10 years
Speechless, the jobsworth retreats and Marianne younger. There are crow’s feet, and a voice ravaged by
Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones,
continues talking about her forthcoming album, Easy hedonism, but there’s still something special about
and actress Marianne Faithfull, on their way
to Marlborough Street Court on a charge of
Come, Easy Go. her.
possessing cannabis.
This 18-song strong collection of covers recorded in Easy Come, Easy Go is her 22
nd
album, but aside from
ten days in New York is a deeply personal album, with her best-known hits of the mid-60s and 1979 career-
the songs carefully chosen to reflect on her wild past best album Broken English, many UK music fans are
and broken heart. Opener Down From Dover, originally unaware of most of her output. But self-awareness is
recorded by Dolly Parton, contains the line “I can’t not something Marianne has a problem with.
believe he’s been using” while her take on Smokey “I think people know my little girl self and the
Robinson’s O O Baby boasts the telling lyric “Mistakes, records I put out then. I meet a lot of people who say
I’ve made a few”. On Merle Haggard’s Sing Me Back ‘What are you doing now?’ and I try to say ‘I never
Home she purrs “My guitar-playing friend, make my actually stopped’. I was coming back to Ireland [she
It wouldn’t be nice.
memories come alive,” a direct nod to Keith Richards, divides her time between Dublin and Paris] from New
who guests on the track. “He really is very nice,” she York, and there were two nice ladies in the airport,”
If I was blind drunk
says of old friend Richards. “Really incredible. He’s not she says, smiling. “They saw me and started pointing,
always pissed. He’s very bright and really very sane,” and one of them said to the other ‘Oh look. Didn’t she
or high now, it’d just
she adds affectionately. used to be Marianne Faithfull?’ I don’t care! But it’s
The Rolling Stones guitarist isn’t the only big very weird how I can go from doing incredible things
be embarrassing.
name to make an appearance on Easy Come, Easy in New York or wherever else I go, and then to no
Go. There are guest spots from Rufus Wainwright, one knowing me in the UK. I think this album could sideline in acting. She appeared in Sofia Coppola’s
Jarvis Cocker, Chan ‘Cat Power’ Marshall, Nick Cave, change things.” Marie Antoinette, and received a European Film Award
Teddy Thompson, Antony Hegarty and Sean Lennon. Marianne, the daughter of a college professor who nomination for her starring role in 2007’s Irina Palm.
“They’re all great friends of Hal’s [producer Hal had been a high-ranking army man and spy during the She says her increased workload has come about
Willner] as well as friends of mine. I know most of their Second World War and an Austro-Hungarian Baroness, because of her recent health scare. She was diagnosed
parents,” Marianne explains. “I’ve known Rufus’ mum says people in Britain have never forgiven her running with breast cancer in 2006, although now, with a gym
Kate McGarrigle [who also appears with sister Anna off with Mick Jagger, or for what happened at Keith regime, acupuncture and massages, has never felt
on The Flandyke Shore] for a long time, and I know Richards’ house, Redlands. better. “They found a little lump in my breast and it
Teddy’s parents [Richard and Linda Thompson of During a 1966 drug raid on the property she was was cut out. It all happened so fast. I got to the bit
Fairport Convention] “I’m great friends with Yoko and found naked, wrapped in a fur rug. The police found where I thought ‘My God, I hope I’m not going to
I of course knew John too.” The casual way in which a stash of drugs belonging to Marianne, although die’ and the next minute I was in hospital having my
Marianne throws names into the conversation is a boyfriend Mick took the blame for them. “It was all operation and the next I was OK. It took a while to get
reminder of her place in music history. a hell of a long time ago,” she says. “It’s about time over it, physically,” she says, before adding a reflective
The former convent schoolgirl first found fame people got over it, including me!” Cigarettes are now final thought. “No one should deny their past. I’m
in 1964 when, after seeing her at a party and being her only vice. “I haven’t done drugs for years,” she certainly not ashamed of mine. I think some of it was a
taken in by her beauty, Rolling Stones manager says. “I think it’s very off-putting when I see or hear waste of my time, but I don’t do regrets. It’s just better
Andrew Loog Oldham insisted he, Mick Jagger and of a woman my age still taking drugs. It wouldn’t now to be healthy and to get things done.”
L
Keith Richards would write songs for her. Their first be nice. If I was blind drunk or high now, it’d just be
composition for her, As Tears Go By, became an instant embarrassing.” Marianne Faithful’s new album Easy Come, Easy Go is on
classic. As well as music, Marianne has developed a release now.
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