4.M.Apn,

00104,.,„

NO MORE KID STUFF from page 85

idea of community and the idea of
— things that are really strong
in my family. I find that's always sort
of a constant search in my music."
That search has led him to his lat-
est album, Breathing Tornadoes (Grand
Royal). The seven years since his first
adolescent recordings with Noise
Addict (with fellow band members
Romy Hoffman, Saul Smith and
Daniel Kohn) and Breathing Tornadoes
r —s. eem like a lifetime.
His earlier records sound like little
more than the work of a talented kid.
Breathing Tornadoes, with its musical
and lyrical nods to Elvis Costello, Van
Morrison and '80s
pop groups like the
Psychedelic Furs and
the Pet Shop Boys,
sounds like the work
of a man.
"I think the way I
used to challenge peo-
ple was more concep-
tual," Lee admits of
his earlier days. "The
idea of having this kid
talking about these
-things was what was
extraordinary. Now, I
think the actual
music is what's going to set the emotion
and the flow."
The album reflects on relationships
and loves lost-and-found. It's taken
seven years of living for him to gather
the kind of experiences that he chron-
icles in songs like "Cigarettes Will Kill
You" and "Finger in the Moon."
Of course, it's his current relation-
ship with actress Claire Danes that's
dragged him into the pages of publi-
cations like People magazine and the
New York Post. Thrust into the public
eye like never before, Lee's become
well acquainted with the paparazzi.
A few months back, one enterpris-
\—ing photographer snapped a picture of
the couple leaving a church. Several

publications subsequently reported
that the two were planning on getting
married — even though they have no
plans to tie the knot anytime soon.
Danes is a busy actress (Polish

Wedding, Les Miserables, Mod Squad

and the upcoming Brokedown Palace)
and a sophomore at Yale University.
Lee is busy making music and touring.
"Lies," Lee says laughing about
the "marriage" story. "This photogra-
pher chased us and we actually went
to hide in a church. Then we thought
he'd gone and as we came out, he
,,
took photos of us. Scumbag.
Lee admits that some songs on
Tornadoes grew out
of his romance with
Danes (particular
the transcontinental
love letter "Birthday
Song"), but he hasn't
changed the way he
writes, simply
because he knows
the public might be
picking apart his
songs for voyeuristic
peeks into their rela-
tionship.
"I think I'm affect-
ed more by the
actual relationship, not to do with
being in public or anything," he says.
"Being in love with someone, keep-
ing a relationship strong and work-
ing at it becomes a huge theme in
your life and a huge source of
thought and consideration.
His relationship with Danes has put
him in the public spotlight in a way he
never really planned on and taught Lee
a few more life lessons than most 20-
year-olds have to learn. Still, when it
comes to music — particularly where
he wants his to go from here — a trace
of the wide-eyed boy jumping off rocks
into the ocean still shines through.
"I want to make music that means
a lot to a lot of people," Lee says. E

Woodstock '99 tuns Friday-Sunda); July 23-25, in Rome, N.Y. Main Stage
Acts scheduled to appear include Aerosmith, Brian Setzer Orchestra, James
Brown, the Chemical Brothers, Elvis Costello, Counting Crows, Dave
Matthews Band, Al Green, Bruce Hornsby, Jewel, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Los
Lobos, Megadeth, Metallica, Alanis Morissette, Red Hot Chili Peppers,
The Roots, Rusted Root, Willie Nelson, Tragically Hip and more.
Performers scheduled for the Emerging Artist Stage include Ben Lee,
Pushmonkey, Beth Hart Band, Sherri Jackson, Full Devil Jacket and more.
Entertainment from the Main Stages will be broadcast live on Pay Per
View ($29.95 per day or $59.95 for three days); call your local cable
provider. Check out festival information, including more details about Pay
Per View and free Web-streamed broadcasts, at www.woodstock.com .
Performances from the Emerging Artist Stage will also be streamed on the
Web; access www.AMP3.com for more information.

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Detroit Jewish News

87

