Review Fix: You have a new album coming out and “Mother, Mother” isn’t even on your mind anymore, but the song is still a popular one. Even “The Veronica’s” covered it. If you’ve heard it, what do you think of it?

Tracy Bonham: It sounds funny. If I’m going to cover a song, I want to do something different and make it my own. I feel like they didn’t do that. It’s funny because I know the producer that produced that very well and I’m kind of surprised that it happened too. I was really surprised at it.

RF: Don’t get me wrong, the woman that sings the verses sounds good, but the girl screaming sounds like she’s stepping on a cat’s tail. What do you think of the way they broke it up like that?

Bonham: It’s kind of funny because when I hear myself sing the song during those parts that’s what I imagine myself sounding like.

RF: Really? You think so?

Bonham: Oh yes; it’s like blood curdling. Horrible.

RF: I don’t think there’s a lot of people out there that can do that.

Bonham: I had to stop doing that after a while because I shot my voice out.

RF: Well, that brings up an interesting question. How do you think your sound has changed over the years?

Bonham: Well, it’s not as edgy. I’m not wielding a guitar with a rap pedal anymore. I’m playing things that are more subdued. I don’t know if it’s getting older- I don’t know how that works, but the need to prove myself is not as strong, so in that, I think the sound that I make changed. I think I’m freer now. I don’t have to be loud and abrasive. There are so many other sides to me and what I think about music and how I want to express myself. Like I said, I feel much more free now; I can explore soul music now that I’ve listened to my entire life and incorporate all of that stuff [into my music].

RF: You mentioned blues and soul music before, and we know about the classical influences, but what music did you listen to growing up?

Bonham: Stevie Wonder. Number one. I always used to try and sound like him in my bedroom. He has this thing where he holds the last note of a song and the vowels start to change and I would do that over and over until I got it right. Things like that and Aretha Franklin and the Beatles. As far as singing styles, I really got into gospel singing, not because of religion, but just because I love the way the music sounds. I loved Jazz music too when I was younger, especially people like Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald.

RF: You think that multifaceted approach had to play a part in why you play so many instruments?

Bonham: Maybe. I always used to ask myself if I was too scattered and if I was doing too many things. I don’t do any one thing very good; I’m kind of a jack of all trades. But maybe it’s just who I am; I like to do a lot of things. I think it’s fine to kind of realize and understand that that’s OK.

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