CYNTHIA LAUPER méxico - Cyndi Lauper Interview

"On Capital Radio we present... Rock '89!

A special session for all the young people who are into rock...

On Capital Radio... this is Rock '89"

"Welcome to Rock '89, today we present a very interesting chat with the spectacular Cyndi Lauper. As all of you know, a few days a go Cyndi Lauper, one of american union's best vocalists was in our country in a tour by Monterrey, Guadalajara and México's City. This resulted interesting and in all of the concerts, Cyndi Lauper demonstrated why she is considered as a big star."

"And of course, Rock '89's crew got a very interesting chat with Cyndi Lauper, so, go ahead..."

Radio Speaker: Cyndi Lauper, welcome to México, you have already performed in Monterrey and Guadalajara. What do you think of the public of our México?

Cyndi Lauper: the public... is a lot different. México as a country is very different to anything i had expected. I never knew about the cities. I had a different view of what México was and it's a very interesting country. It's a beautiful country. I'll be back, i'll be back to vacate.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, we know you don't like comparisons but tell us what do you think of Madonna and the biggest stars' return to the stages.

Cyndi Lauper: The comparison thing... Everybody makes comparisons. Before, when I was in Blue Angel they would compared me with Deborah Harry. People need to compare things but I'm a singer and that's what I really do. I've spent years and years as a singer. I think that's the major difference between me and other people. I have idols, better singers like Patti Labelle. I think she's wonderful. It's an inspiration to me. I think everybody has a place and I think certainly what Madonna does is great for her and it works for her but it certainly isn't what I wanna do with my life or my career. And I think there's a place for everybody.

And (regarding the biggest star' return) I think is great all the people I grew up with are still doing it. It's a great inspiration.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, at the Poliedro de Venezuela you made crazy more than twelve fans. What can you tell us about your performances? do you expect something in particular?

Cyndi: I never expect anything from anybody. I thinks that's the fun of it because each time it's something new. In every country, in every town [people^] react differently. It depends on what the people do in that town or what type of place it is, people react differently. Venezuela it wasn't just wild, it was unlike what I've ever seen. It was a little unruly too. México and the other two towns I've been it's been little bit different each night. They're basically a good crowd. I mean, Venezuela is a good crowd. On the third night I was able to actually stand up and then I would walk off. They throw things, they light fires. They burned fires in the audience. I don't think anyone in the whole world they had that and I've sang to the whole world snd i found it it's very different. They don't just use the concerts. Here I think they use the concerts more. I enjoyed both places. I try to enjoy every show that I do. The last show in Caracas I enjoyed, the other I did not. It's very macho there. It's almost funny, you know, you have to laugh. I was seeing girls having fun and there were all these boys with caps. They would pick the programs and light them on fire. That's the wildest thing I ever saw. In México the kids are... they're having a good time and it's a little easier. And yes, people throw things but they throw, you know, their shirts or you know, sometimes.. last night I was thrown a jacket so I gave it back, you know, I wouldn't take it. I threw jewelery sometimes, I don't know, you know it's the moment, that's what a performance is.... ¡¡¡Ay..!!! [Cyndi laughs^]

[In Venezuela^] they had lighters that they just spray and burned fires, burned fires.. !. You get frightened because you wouldn't like, you know, anybody to be in that crowd.

Radio Speaker: OK, Cyndi, now that you've been to several latinamerican countries, what's the opinion you have on your tour in México?

Cyndi: Latinoamérica is a lot different as México, of the picture I had of it, I mean I went to Río, I went to Brasil.. I mean Sao Paulo is very big. I never imagine and it's completily different from what i thought. Starts the audiencies. They're all very different but yet there's something about thet's really the same. It's they're genuine. And it seems to me that no matter where I ever play, whereas Latinamérica, México or China or Hong Kong or Taipei and the most exciting places you can think of the kids still like to go and having a good time. They sing. They're very affectioned and that's one thing they all have in common. In Venezuela, didn't know they could do that...

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, stars are always rounded of a very special superficial glamour. Tell us, do you agree with this image?

Cyndi: Obviously I'm just extremely vain and I live a life of luxury. You can judge by yourself <Cyndi laughs>. I don't know, I don't know what you see. You can't believe everything you watch on tv though, you know. I think that this life that we do here is everything but glamorous. I think it's some of the hardest work I have ever seen. I love it, so it doesn't seem like that. And basically you live and die for your work, you know, everything is for what conditions your voice is in, or what conditions is the sound like, or the record. There's no really time for glamour.

Radio Speaker: Many groups and artists, from the U.S. and England, have been touring by Latinoamérica. What does this tour mean for Cyndi Lauper? Have you been invited before?

Cyndi: For years my record company it's been saying 'when you're gonna come, when you're gonna come' and I actually had the time to do it and I always wanted to see it because other people have done it. Sometimes I feel like an explorer because I see things that other people don't. I'm glad... the idea of going around the world and singing to everybody is pretty amazing to me. I always wanted to make world music from they want. And it's a great thing to be actually doing it. I'll tell you a thing I think is very funny: no matter where I go, they all sing "She Bop".

Radio speaker: Cyndi, what's do you think of the reports that have appeared on several magazines and what do you think of the #1's you've gotten in your career?

Cyndi: Well, I don't rule my life by one magazine and I don't look at it as a short career. I've put it a lot of time and it's a lot more time to go. So, I don't look at it like that. What does it mean?, I don't know, just what I'm doing what I love to do and I always do my best. What people think about it... It's nice that people appreciate it. There are also other artists that aren't known and they're very great, so I guess I'm very fortunate that my work is known and... that's what I think.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, is this show different to the before made?

Cyndi: Oh, of course. I mean, I have a new record. Yeah, it's different. There are things that I kept and there are things that I changed and I think it's different. I have also new players, so it's gonna be different and I'm a bit different that I was when I did that show. It's rock and roll, I'm not gonna do Mozart. This is rock and roll music and basically it's a rock show and that's what I do.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, what do you think of what it said about the 80's rock?

Cyndi: well, what you're saying is the same thing it was said in the 60's, isn't it?. Yes, it's agressive, it's sexual, it's rebelious. It's wonderful. It's a great outlet. People can dance to it, they can sing, they can stand their feets and liberate all their frustations and think... I don't think that's bad, do you?

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, are you a fan of tropical music?, do you like it?, what do you think of Celia Cruz?

Cyndi: Whoa, I've included it in "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" as a tropical rhythm. I've been doing it for years. I love Celia Cruz because to me she's like a rock singer. It seems like it's rock. I'm a passionate woman and I just love passion.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, now, what can you tell us about your daredevil video "I Drove All Night"?

Cyndi: That was not for sex, that was for art. I've been an art student. If I wasn't a singer I'd probably be a painter. I always had this vision of making a performance art. I certainly don't think that I'm like a sex bomb, do you?, c'mon... This image that I made, that I apperared nuding was so that I could make like a live sculpture, so that I could have like a moving sculpture with the projection on me and it doesn't look the same on the sheet, it would have to be on the human body.. And I though it would be interesting if I was singing also. The other thing that I did with the guy in the video was to show a feminine sexuality that wasn't passive, that wasn't the submissive kind of. Women feel that, women feel both things and I just wanted to show the most agressive side of a woman sexuality. And the nude stuff was to me like an art, not to look like, you know, I don't know, Ursula Andrews. My favorite part is when the projection is on my back because it looks like an evening down. It's really wild to me. I just love those kind of visions. And it was my co-direction, it wasn't like 'hey Cyndi, do you wanna drive this?'. I meant not to be offensive, I meant to be artistic.

Radio Speaker: Well, Cyndi, now changing a little of subject, what about your personal life?, in the future, do you plan to marry, do you have a boyfriend?, tell us.

Cyndi: I don't know, I'm not just to good at that stuff. I don't know what I'm planning... I don't wanna plan my life and I never plan my life to what... you know, the standards what you're supposed to have in it. I take every day one day a time. I don't know if I'd be married. I haven't met anyone that actually did that way. I don't know... Even when I played a physic in a movie I don't know what's gonna happen in the future.

Radio Speaker: Do you plan to shot another movie and plan to come back to Venezuela?

Cyndi: In january, actually, january or the beginning of february... I can't remember, it might be the second week in February, they keep moving the dates but I'm doing another one, yeah. I don't wanna talk about it again it's so extended, I know it's great and you know, I'm excited about doing it. I have to know how to drive and have to know how to swim but other than that everything is fine. Venezuela..., I think in one year or two when more people go to Venezuela, they basically haven't had anybody go through there, so i think they have to use the concerts, know them better, you know, what it is, and their behavior change.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, tell us how would you define yourself on the stage and in your private life?

Cyndi: I am who I am and it's not much different... I don't know, I guess you should ask people that are around me... How I am?.. I'm fine.. I don't know.. <Cyndi laughs>. I'm the best I can. I'm trying to be the best kind of person I can be and in the way like everybody else. I don't have a private life while I'm working. I'm really into my work. I really want to do the best I can. There's a lot of music that I have to make yet. Basically that's what I think about it. I like to go to walk and it's kind of rough because people know me down the streets, but basically I'm the same way I always was. I haven't really changed much... and as for my personal life.. that's personal!

Radio Speaker: What do you think of musicians like Sting and Tracy Chapman who fight for human rights?

Cyndi: There are some things that certain people feel driven about, that they wanna fix and get a a bunch of people together but it's not necessary that you have to be a musician. It can be anybody and that's your right as a citizen of the world. It has nothing to do with what you responsability is as a musician. It's what your responsability is as a person...

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, tell us about your experience with the song writers Steinberg and Kelly.

Cyndi: I love them. They're really great. I think they're really talented. They gave me space and that's important because what you expect when you into a team type of thing is to have a space so you could work and the fact that we really did it like a collaboration was the best thing for me... I don't know.. I have a lot of stuff myself that I wanna express and I love to collaborate with people that really like your collaboration. They were a really team to work with them. I'm a good friend of Tom and Billy now and we keep in touch with them and I wanna work with them again. I think the're really talented.

Radio Speaker: Cyndi, thanks for this insteresting interview.

Direction: Luis Cabero
Production: Juan Ramírez
Audio: Raúl Montoya
Radio Speaker: Manuel Rubí

Capital Radio, 1989

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