#147 – I’m A Loser with Hilarie Sidney (musician/songwriter, The High Water Marks, ex-Apples in Stereo)

Even after conquering the world and experiencing the highest highs celebrity had maybe ever known, by summer 1964 John found himself at odds with the public persona he’d been living with. After a journalist told him he felt John was more revealing in his offbeat poetry and prose than in his music, and with a little help from their new friend Bob Dylan and the party supplies he turned them on to, John began looking inward more than he had previously on the band’s 4th lp, Beatles for Sale. The album’s 2nd track, “I’m A Loser,” sees Lennon embracing his trademark wordplay and wit, alternating the idea of a loser as both someone who isn’t cool and confident (at least not as he pretends to be) with someone who’s lost something, or someone. It’s an important song in John’s songwriting journey, as the track has that trademark early Beatle excitement, with a first taste of introspection that he begins to master on albums like Help! and Rubber Soul. Another clue to the new direction. 

Joining us this week is songwriter and musician Hilarie Sidney of The High Water Marks (and formerly of Apples In Stereo). We talk about being born into a Beatles family, life in Norway, hamburger snobs, and the similarities between the Beatles’ Apple Corps. and Elephant 6 Recording Collective, which she helped found in the late 80s/early 90s, which gave rise to such indie bands as Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, and her own Apples In Stereo among others. We also talk about her current band The High Water Marks, their new album Proclaimer of Things which came out Feb 4th, and is a fun blast of 60s influenced indie pop rock. This episode features samples of the tracks “Jenny” and “Proclaimer of Things.” Pick up a copy of the album at their Bandcamp page https://thehighwatermarks.bandcamp.com, and be sure to follow along on Facebook!