December '99

November 24, 1999:  SWITCH (Japan mag)

December issue with Fiona on the cover plus 15 large pictures with a lengthy interview.

Some translated comments from Daiga in Japan:

**"When she was a child, she was a gymnast because she was small, flexible and had some physical strength. But when a female trainer who had long nails held Fi's feet, the nails hurt her so much then she fell down.....

**When she was a child, her sister Amber was a fanatic fan of Madonna and listening to her all day long, but she preferred Cyndi Lauper.

**Recently, when she was on her way home (in LA) from the shopping, she met a coyote. She was alone, so she left all the shopping bags and ran away... "I was really scared!!"

She also talks about how much she loves Paul and his "Boogie Nights".

"I want everyone to know that he (Paul) made this film listening to my album (TIDAL). I'm so happy and proud."

"(First) I didn't want to tell the whole world that I love Paul. I just wanted to tell Paul. But because I love Paul so much, I wanted the whole world to know that this song (I KNOW) is Paul's. I don't know if he wants to though. But anyway I do. I want everyone to know. To know that the one I love is Paul."

November 24, 1999:  Japan Releases

The single "Fast As You Can" and album When The Pawn were released in Japan, November 20th!  As you know and feverishly searched to no avail, Fast As You Can, wasn't released as a commercial single here in the US as first mentioned.  It was only released to radio stations.  

However, "Fast As You Can" was released as a single in Japan with the following tracks:

1. Fast As You Can (radio edit)

2. Limp  *new

3. Fast As You Can (album version)

As noted below, the Japanese When The Pawn has 12 tracks (2 bonus) -- listed  in the same order as here, with track #11: "Across The Universe" and track #12: "Never Is A Promise"

Here's an online store with these Japanese imports!

SRCS 2179


SRCS 2180

November 23, 1999:  drDrew - Q & A with Fi

Tomorrow, Wednesday NOVEMBER 24th, an interview with drDrew and Fiona will be featured at DrDrew.com.  Fiona had stopped by and sounds off on staying true to herself.  Check it out and of course it'll be added here too. (thank you Colleen!)

UPDATE (11.24.99):  Just added drDrew's Q &A with Fiona in the Interviews section.  Dead rumors? No anorexia, backlash, turning 22 and other things  covered.

November 23, 1999:  Live Webcast for Twisted 6 - Chicago Q101 Show!

Great news for all Fiona fans because - 1st: this show has been  sold out, and 2nd: many of us don't live near there.  So, the best next thing is a LIVE WEBCAST!

From Q101.com:

• "Beginning at 5pm on Saturday, December 4 you can come here and watch the bands perform live, direct from Twisted 6, on this wonderful thing called a computer.
  
  We will be broadcasting the show using the Windows Media Player, so if you don't have one, you can prepare yourself by going here and downloading one. Of course they're free, and so is the webcast."
  

RollingStone.com will also have this LIVE WEBCAST starting at 6:30!

Scheduled to perform in Q101's Twisted 6:
(Saturday - DECEMBER 4)

Bush
 Fiona Apple
 Oasis
 Foo Fighters
 Filter
 Moby
 Run DMC
 & Blink 182 

November 22, 1999:  Talk about busy!

According to KROQ (and a few faithful Southern California listeners), Fiona is scheduled to appear at their 10th annual Almost Acoustic Christmas on December 11 at the pond in Anaheim.  This will be the third time Fiona performs at the benefit, including 1996 and 1997!  They must really like her!  Also appearing will be Tori Amos, Beck, Bush, Foo-Fighters, and Oasis among others.  (Wow!  We just might hop a plane to L.A.!)

You thought your holiday season was busy!  Fiona tapes some shows on the first two days of December, makes a stopover in Chicago for Q101's Jingle ball on December 4, then flies to L.A. for the premiere of "Magnolia" on December 8, the highly regarded and much anticipated movie written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, and then performs at KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas on December 11!  Anyone want to help us cover all these events?  Email us at BigKamuela@aol.com and we'll enlist your much needed help!

November 20, 1999:  Fiona international

A couple of interesting tidbits for Fiona fans abroad in different countries and for those of us here who purchase imports.

JAPAN

1. CROSSBEAT - Japanese mag:  Fiona is on the cover of their Dec/99 issue with new pictures and a brand-new interview.  There's also some write-up on their Nov/99 issue with Beck on the cover.  
   

2. When The Pawn - Japanese import album: Released this week and worldwide today, NOVEMBER 20th! You can buy it online or check your local store import section (priced about $29.95).  Great buy because it has 2 extra tracks -- "Across The Universe" and a live version of "Never Is A Promise." Also, this import has 2 liner cards with Fiona's thoughts on each of the new songs.

NETHERLANDS
Out since NOVEMBER 4th!  Buy it!

UNITED KINGDOM & ISRAEL
Tentatively NOVEMBER 23rd!  Check your local stores.

AUSTRALIA & BRAZIL
Tentatively FEBRUARY 2000!  Yes, a long wait (if you can, buy it online). This date coincides with Fiona's US Tour starting in February 2000!

 

Click under for:

 Entire performance in Real Video 
2.5mb  4min 23 sec

 Stills

November 19, 1999:  The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Fiona performed "Fast As You Can" on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno.  She was great as usual, smiling and giving it her all!  We have the entire clip for you in Real Video.  Don't forget that she will appear soon on the Late Show with David Letterman and the Rosie O'Donnell Show!

Fiona #1 on Billboard Internet Sales Chart!  When The Pawn debuts on the top of the list for Internet Sales!  It just goes to show that Fiona has a large following online, and that all of your online pre-orders counted to this total! 

November 17, 1999:  When The Pawn hits Billboard!

Fiona debuts on the Billboard charts at #13!!!

When The Pawn was released NOVEMBER 9th and in one week has sold 103,000 units!! Her Grammy-winning Tidal debut opened at #157 in September 1996, peaked at #15 in September 1997 and spent 91 weeks in the top 200, reaching triple platinum!  

We couldn't be more excited for Fiona and this album deservedly should be at the top of music today!  It's a brilliant album from beginning to end and (for once) the united opinion of critics and fans is that this album is the best and should not be missed!  Keep spreading the word -- tell everyone you know to go get their copy in stores right now! 

Later today, look on our main page for details on how to win the ULTIMATE FIONA GIVEAWAY for 3 lucky fans!  Don't miss it!!! (check main page)

November 15, 1999:  Fiona Updates:

According to a Sony representative, Fiona will be on the cover of, you guessed it, SPIN.  It will be the FEBRUARY 2000 issue on sale JANUARY 11th at newsstands everywhere!  Make sure to run out and get it!

UPCOMING TV/Performances:
Jot it down in your calendars -

If you have the album, buy another for a friend, if you don't have it yet, buy it!  For those of you who love it, tell all your friends about this great album.  The world deserves to hear it!  Speaking of which, wouldn't it make a great stocking stuffer?  It's already wrapped in festive holiday colors!  :)

November 14, 1999:  Jay Leno, David Letterman, Radio concerts, Articles/Review/Interviews

DON'T FORGET:   Fiona's rescheduled appearance for Jay Leno will be this Friday, NOVEMBER 19th!  Check your local listings for exact time in your area.  Updated news on the David Letterman performance.  The show will be taped Thursday, December 2 for airing on either the 2nd or the 3rd.  We'll let you know as soon as we find out what day it will air.  

Fiona is also scheduled to appear on The Twisted 6 Millennium Show sponsored by Chicago's Q101 FM.  The show is Saturday, December 4 at the Allstate Arena.  There is the possibility that she will be participating at more radio station sponsored year end concerts.  We'll let you know as soon as we find out when they are confirmed.

Also, keep up-to-date with the rave reviews of  When The Pawn from all major press, and new interviews!  All in the Articles/Interviews/Reviews section.

Click under for:

 Entire interview in Real Video  

MTV interview transcript

November 13, 1999:  MTV News 1515 - interview with Chris Connelly:

MTV News 1515 aired their interview with Fiona on Friday.  The interview was taped on October 28, 1999, a day before she taped her performance for Spankin' Live Music.  They spoke about the misconceptions in the public about her and how she's happy now.  Here's the last question (a good one):

CC:  "Has it been a happy time or a kind of a unsettling, troubling time the last few years?"

Fiona:  (smiling)  "It's been a happy time."

CC:  "Why is that?"

Fiona:  "You know, I took all that time working the last time to kind of figure out, to make my own place in the world.  And then now once I had my own place, and I kind of knew what I did with my life, I knew what I did for a living, and I have that knowledge about myself, then it was like, it was great to kind of settle down for awhile and make friends, now that I was an actual person, you know?"

She also speaks about working with Paul Thomas Anderson and how great it is because she can have creative input to the videos and the crew is made up of their friends.  

November 9, 1999:  Go get the album!

Today is the day!  Go to your local record store and buy the album.  Hell, go buy 3 of them, you know you can use them, buy one for a friend . . .   Last night there we saw a good number of people wait until midnight to pick up the new album!   Little side note:  The sticker on the album says "Featuring "Fast as You Can" and "Limp,"" so you think the next single will be "Limp?"

Again, we added interviews, reviews and articles in our Articles and Reviews section.  It includes a great interview with Fiona by the Los Angeles Times.  

Watch Fiona tonight on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.   She'll be performing live with her band! 

Also, go look at the newly revamped official Fiona site at Fiona-Apple.com!  

November 7, 1999:  Only 2 more days!

We've added a load of reviews for When the Pawn in our Articles and Reviews section, go check them out!  Also, if you really can't wait, we've added all of the information regarding the new album to be released on Tuesday - NOVEMBER 9th - to a new section called When the Pawn.  (don't look if you don't want a spoiler)

Don't forget to buy the album and then watch her on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Tuesday night! 

An interview with Chris Connelly will air on MTV News 1515 this Friday at 7:30 pm EST (check your local listings).  The long wait is almost over . . . 

November 2, 1999:  Album reviews

We've added 2 brand-new album reviews from Time (Nov 8/99) and Spin  (Dec/99) magazines.  They're pretty good appreciating Fiona's new effort.

Be sure to tune in WEDNESDAY @ 11:00 PM EST (other areas be sure to check your local listings as they vary) to MTV's Spankin' New - Fiona Live!  Don't miss it!  If you haven't read our review of the taping check below.

November 1, 1999:  November 8, Newsweek  (check our Articles section for the full article) 

In the November 8, 1999 issue of Newsweek in an article titled "Happily Ever Apple,"  Jeff Giles writes a really good article interviewing Fiona.  Fiona looks back at Tidal, making the video "Criminal," the infamous MTV speech (which critics love to harp upon) and how she looks at life now and being much happier with her best friend -- Paul.  It's one of the best articles we've read, and it really portrays her for who she is.  Here are some excerpts:

"When the Pawn is the follow-up to Apple's triple-platinum debut, Tidal. It's an intensely felt piece of work shot through with the singer's most primal influences: jazz, the Beatles and Joan Armatrading. In her lyrics, Apple is a young woman who feels so vulnerable that she can't help but warn everybody away... For all the self-doubt, Apple's songs are full of humor and feistiness. By the end of Pawn, you get the feeling her head is mostly on straight. She's met a man she loves—in real life, that would be Paul Thomas Anderson, who directed "Boogie Nights"—and she's told everybody else to get the hell out of her house. The final track, "I Know," is a piano ballad that calls John Lennon's "Imagine" to mind in the opening bars. Apple is fiercely proud of the new album, and knows how much more mature it is than her debut. Early in the interview, I tell her I'm having a hard time listening to Tidal now. She smiles and says, "Don't."

            

Apple took sniping and criticism hard. "I mean, it hurts," she says. "I don't know what kind of gene I'm missing—but, goddam, it's cruel."...  These days, Apple seems contented and grounded, though she's still a world-class worrier.  After touring for Tidal, Apple decompressed. She spent her days writing the songs on When the Pawn— the album's full title is a 90-word poem that she's already gotten grief for—and visiting the set of Anderson's forthcoming movie, "Magnolia." "Paul and I are best friends," she says. "I would never have had a best friend had it not been for him. And I'm so much happier in day-to-day life. I have a nice house now. I have a place to sit down and play piano. It actually might make it harder, because now I have a place to miss when I go out on the road."...  "I will be shocked and appalled if I get s--t after this album, because this is solid to me." What happens if everyone loves the album? Apple stops short. "I will be really happy," she says. She will? "Yes." She laughs. "I'm not determined to be upset.""

Fiona's MTV Live on WEDNESDAY @ 11:00 PM, EST repeats THURSDAY @ 1:30 AM EST!  Mark your calendars.