MM: This is definitely my favorite part of live radio: Mary Chapin Carpenter joining me on the phone. Hello, Mary Chapin.
MCC: Good morning.
MM: How are you doing?
MCC: I'm great, thanks.
MM: Boy, are we hearing some wonderful things about your show at Harborlights last night.
MCC: Well, we had a wonderful time.
MM: Oh, excellent.
MCC: It was a fabulous audience and the weather was cooperating. It was great.
MM: It was a nice night and that's the nice thing about Harborlights, you're right on the water there.
MCC: Yeah.
MM: Great place for a concert.
MCC: Yeah.
MM: So now the first thing I gotta ask you about, because I am an Austin Powers freak. I heard all about this Austin Powers influence your show has. Tell us about that.
MCC: Well, we've got a lava lamp out on the stage in his honor and we like to play his theme song, BBC Heaven, and I try to remind everyone to floss and...
MM: So how did you become fascinated with the movie?
MCC: I don't know, it's just one of those movies that kind of became a standard on the bus. And now it's kind of like we have Austin Powers film festivals where we're so sick we even stop the tape and do the bits before the tape plays.
MM: Oh no, you're obsessed.
MCC: Yeah, but it's a gas.
MM: That's pretty good. I tell you I can't hear that song by Alabama, "Dancin' Shaggin' on the Boulevard," I can't hear that any more without thinking about Austin Powers.
MCC: Oh for God's sake. Well, we're pretty sick, I must admit.
MM: Well, hey, whatever gets you through.
MCC: Exactly.
MM: What can we expect from your show tonight at the Cape Cod Melody Tent?
MCC: Oh, well, gosh, people have asked me that. I want to say more music, that's all. We're just going to be playing and having fun. I mean, this year, this summer, I didn't have a record out such that I had to tour to promote it. I just wanted to play to play because that's what I am, I'm a musician and that's what I love to do. So I'm just playing songs from all different records and I've got a couple of new songs as well.
MM: Fantastic. Now I understand you bring your dogs on stage as well during the show sometimes.
MCC: Well, one of them is a stage hog. He's a total star. He was in his element last night and it's nice. But tonight is one of those round stages that turns.
MM: Oh right.
MCC: So I think it might be a little dicey for him trying to get up there so he might not make an appearance tonight. But usually he likes to just come out and take bows. I kid you not. I mean, I just can't stop laughing when he comes out because he's just fearless and he just trots out and just kind of stands there and looks at the audience kind of like, "Well, what are you guys doing here?"
MM: A lot of pets would be scared in that situation, I think.
MCC: Well, I know. I have... his brother, my other golden, is very timid and he doesn't like to come out so he just stays backstage holding a towel in his mouth for when I come off. Mary Ann, if you could see it. I'm not kidding you. It's the funniest thing, it's unreal. Reilly, the stage hog, he just started coming out on stage a couple of years ago and we would have to lock him in the production office, I kid you not, in order to, like, prevent him from going on stage. Sometimes he escapes and just trots out.
MM: Right in the middle of a set or something.
MCC: Yes.
MM: Oh my gosh. They're golden retrievers, you said?
MCC: Yeah.
MM: And their names are Reilly and...?
MCC: Reilly and Cal.
MM: Oh wow. They'll get a big round of applause tonight if they make it out. So when can we expect you to head back into the studio for a new album?
MCC: Well, it takes me about 12 years to write one song so...
MM: That's not true.
MCC: Like I said, I might have a record coming out this fall and if it comes out, it's going to be a collection of hits and outside songs and then it'll have a couple of new songs on it but as far as a brand new studio album, that might be a while.
MM: Ok but we'll be looking forward to it, Mary.
MCC: Ok.
MM: Mary Chapin, when it happens.
MCC: Ok.
MM: I was getting confused about your name but it's actually Mary Chapin is your first name.
MCC: Right. It's like Mary Beth or Mary Ann.
MM: Or Mary Ann. There you go. So just tell me real quick, when you are at home, when you don't have to write songs and you don't have other things you need to do. What do you do when you're going to kick back and relax, do you watch TV, what do you do?
MCC: God, you know, it's really sad. I can't think of what I do.
MM: You don't know!
MCC: I get home and what do I do? I guess I, well, I like to ride my bike and I like to take the boys out... you know we go on great walks and runs every day and I hang out with my friends and I go see my dad who lives in DC or I go to Virginia where my mom lives and one of my sisters lives, and sometimes I travel for fun.
MM: Mmm hmmm.
MCC: And I like to write, I mean, and I make jokes about how long it takes me to write a song and that's the truth, it does take a while but I love to write just to write not because I want to put out a new record or something.
MM: Uh-huh.
MCC: I don't think of it as work. I write because that's what makes me happy so I do a lot of that. I like to kind of putter around. I'm really boring. I have, you know,...I'm just a very dull gray kind of color.
MM: I don't believe that for a minute.
MCC: It's true. It's very true. Well, I sit around and watch Austin Powers. What does that tell you? That's sad.
MM: I think that's really cool because that's what I do.
MCC: Well good. Ok then, we're peas in a pod.
MM: I think we are. Mary Chapin, before I let you go, I want to remind folks that you're going to be at the Cape Cod Melody Tent tonight for another big show. And what we do when we talk to folks like you, we run down a list of favorites. Favorite movie?
MCC: Well, I have to say Austin Powers.
MM: See, we've already got that covered. Food?
MCC: God darn it. Well, can I add a caveat to this?
MM: Yes, you may.
MCC: Well, you know, if I'm where I am now, my favorite food is lobster.
MM: Ok.
MCC: But if I was in New Orleans I'd say musselettas [sp?] or something.
MM: Uh huh.
MCC: It's like a regional thing.
MM: Ok, that sounds good. Have you tried our clam chowder?
MCC: I have. It's wonderful.
MM: Ok, well, there you go. There's another one for you.
MCC: There you go.
MM: Favorite TV show?
MCC: Larry Sanders.
MM: Excellent choice. Favorite book?
MCC: "Charms for the Easy Life" by Kaye Gibbons.
MM: Favorite place to travel?
MCC: Ireland.
MM: All right. Fantastic. That's our list.
MCC: Ok.
MM: Mary Chapin, it was just a pleasure talking to you.
MCC: You too, Mary Ann.
MM: And we're going to go ahead and throw on "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" because that happens to be my personal favorite.
MCC: There you go.
MM: Thanks for chatting with us and good luck with the show tonight.
MCC: Ok, well, see you soon.
MM: Bye.
MCC: Bye.
Thanks to Sarah Lemaire for listening, typing and providing this interview :-)