Joni Mitchell - Interview - BBC2 'The Late Show', 1994 2/3

[@ikhanic48]

Big ups to Joni. She is a classy, inteligent, very talented, and pretty deep woman. Glad I was around to hear her songs.

[@ALGERNONSENCE]

Intelligence that cuts lke a razor, far reaching insight, emotional integrity, verbally and musically dexterous. Joni is a marvel, I adore the woman!

[@penumbranm]

Joni is an amazing artist. She is so AUTHENTIC. She sings from her soul. I just adore her.

[@MrMac5150]

This lady is so smart and intelligent knowing the changing of our time, forecasting the truth in 1994. I just seen a interview with her at the age of 71, and this lady is still a winner, god I love this lady.

[@MrMac5150]

***** I agree.

[@jfseal38]

A true musical genius and flawless natural beauty. Love you, Joanie!

[@sophiafake-virus2456]

How did we go from the idealistic 60s to this? I know it's the controllers who have pulled it off, it is their fault, but all they have done is bring out the worst in us.

[@doceigen]

An authentic person Joni, ...without people like her I would have no faith at all.

[@gigidayz6936]

Stunning on every level

[@alanlane6419]

a genius in the music world.......

[@sjo49]

A MAN WHO SHARES EVERY FEELING I HAVE FOR THIS WOMEN,SHE SIMPLY BLOWS THE REST AWAY................ PEERLESS, WE WILL NOT SEE THE LIKE OF HER AGAIN...... THANK YOU

[@moz1953]

IMHO the greatest woman to have ever walked the planet

[@captainnice9698]

Like most brilliant people she was ahead of her time. Joni is a "song reporter". Like a news reporter she "reports" what is going on around her only she does it with music. I think the world of this woman, the world truly needs more like her.

[@steveowen7475]

Simply irreplaceable...a voice like no other a women who expressed everything every feeling experienced or about to .....reaches in squeezing your heart and leaves you changed forever

[@ilovemerylstreep73]

she looks soo beautiful

[@sjo49]

So glad you are discovering,40 years on i am still transfixed it never ends, try DON JUANS and the wonderful early album FOR THE ROSES..... just enjoy and bathe in this music for the rest of your life

[@kermit3421]

or the Clouds album...incredible

[@amandaberesford]

I really appreciate her candor. Too few people are willing to confront people as they really are and actually say it outloud for fear of offending others. We seem to want our artists just to tell us how beautiful we are. I find it intersting that what Joni was initially praised for, her honesty, is now ridiculed in some quarters.

[@plp666]

What a great interview. Turbulent Indigo is an absolute classic. Thank you Joni for all you’ve given. There will never be another 💜💜

[@2uconner]

so intelligent and observant ...I have always adored her and always loved her a song bird she is always expressing something real and tangible

[@guitargirl7452]

This is even more relevant now. I love Joni. Seriously, she is one of the best. A truly gifted and enlightened soul. Her back catalogue is astonishing

[@jarodcarnarvon5198]

Love her voice!!! So sad how things changed from the 60s to 1994 and even today....

[@maxfinucane5138]

The most extraordinary and talented artist of the 20th century.

[@StevenParrisWard]

A beautiful mind and a great artist.

[@user-ig7nq7pc7k]

OMG. After watching this again (after a long hiatus) I realized something - you don't interview Joni Mitchell - she interviews herself! And you're just lucky enough to be a by-stander. Ha! : )

[@SapphireAdams1]

Thank you so much for these videos. Joni is so interesting and fascinating, her music is top notch as well. She's so intelligent.

[@dancewomyn1]

Oh this is wonderful, thank you for posting!

[@NeyooxetuseiDreamer]

51 years old here, beautiful

[@JeffmChicago]

Joni's take on older women in the pop industry is spot on. Pop i.e. popular music is relevant to a certain age. Coming of age I'll say. Teens - late Twenties. Because of that music is pigeonholed. But that's because of the money grubbing radio and music corporations having control.

[@alfching2499]

Pop music is for the young,The great Corporate industry that runs it.knows how to grab gullible kids,Your not so gullible when you get Old.They can’t sell it to you no more

[@inthejcurve7968]

1994 “Los Angeles is kinda failing apart” 2022 “Los Angeles is hopeless degredated cesspit”

[@teddicruise4733]

I lived in LA in the 70s. No freeway traffic. Later, "the crowded ratcage" is how I describe this catastrophic change. Human life becomes cheap when we're crowded together in close quarters. Joni puts it here with such clarity. Civility has given way to chaos and cruelty.

[@Krazede]

such a wonderfully brilliant woman.

[@jellyjukebox]

Wonderful, thank you, I love Joni Mitchell, especially her music.

[@SkeeterNYC]

Great interview. Thanks, man.

[@michaelmattice4986]

The Queen of my heart.

[@tanukiman3855]

I know of no one who thinks of Joni as the “embodiment” of ‘flower power.’ I think that movement, as it were, was more imbued with psychedelia while Joni was folk-rock (and then moving into jazz in an amazing metamorphosis while retaining all of her background influences). Joni is wonderful but I thought that question was facile.

[@caroltapia1343]

A brilliant, truly gifted!!

[@777i2i]

Front row at one of her concerts...great memories

[@Staylogical]

Inaccessible?As in more than 4 chords?After Harvest,Neil Young was pressured to do Harvest 2.He refused.Did an electronic album,then a retro album.Did what pleased him.Joni did the same.They've been close since they were teens in the Toronto scene in the 60"s. Maybe it's a Canadian thing,but both are doing quite well,and neither gives a sawed-off shit what you think about their work.

[@maxwellfan55]

I do, you're right about the first bit otherwise you're inarticulate and wrong.

[@ThiagodMoraes]

I love both of them, they are both all time poets,singer-song-writers, great musicians..Canada gave the world two music legends (out of many they have)..Their career overcome 50 years, so ldamn lucky we have these 2 brilliant stars among us!!

[@ALGERNONSENCE]

In response to the question at 5.24 - 'Is it a challenge that you feel excited by?' Joni - 'No, I don't care'. Fuck yes, artistic integrity through and through. Far as I'm concerned she's never 'sold out'. She's always defined her art on her terms and steered her own ship, not allowing the crass marketplace to dictate to her. Joni is a beacon, and when all the vain, egotistical noize has died away her artistry and integrity of purpose will long remain

[@terrylaguardia6838]

I sense a quasi hostility, a provocative disdain at the least, in these questions. Perhaps driven by the arrogance of one who somehow cannot realize the opportunity she’s missing to be at the very least courteous to this great artist and human being. Joni elegantly taking the high road as always.

[@EddySawaya8637]

Yeah, it's like she is not happy that Joni is providing the answers she is providing and trying to rerout her towards a certain agenda.

[@2uconner]

be introverted and bleed forever how true is that

[@rsu8689]

"Just Ice" or "Get prepared and take his bar exam and then presto! I'm in Just Us ." - Aileen Wuornos

[@candacewilliams7047]

I like her speech, her grammar. She is very articulate.

[@rivardamy]

Hope you enjoy! Thanks!Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell (sung by Amy Rivard)

[@SuperStig23]

Joni, is brilliant both musically & as a social critic, her talent transcends gender, race, cultural background & her personal honesty is so refreshing compared to today's bubble head bimbo singers One often overlooked talent is she is also a monster guitar player for those willing to listen, screaming EVH riffs are not the only way to play great guitar. Roll on Joni, we still need you. !!

[@fuxamatter]

She sounds just like my Aunt Joni from Ridgetown ON, which is weird. She still sounds like a Canadian farm girl even though she's been living stateside for 45(?) years.

[@michaeldonovan4793]

last i heard she moved back to canada...

[@crankyhapachick4718]

Love listening to her speak. I hear the pleasant accent and live for her ‘you know’. 🌸

[@juandominguez9167]

Que divina Mujer Joni Mitchell

[@lastoftheki]

i also find it interesting that the interviewer tried to rush her past her statement, as if it were too honest...cities like LA and NY are just as she described, and even worse in some parts of those cities...but you can still find the courtesy she described of the 60's in less populated places...just goes to show you that the problem is not overpopulation of the world, but of the cities...and being confined...if we spread out then we act more civil...

[@SooziinCa]

Seriously, she's right "we didn't lock our doors @ night" back then. Didn't need to.

[@darinjames3313]

Sweet, Beautiful, Brilliant Joni.....She thought times were gettin difficult back then.....(With the Silly People)....i reckon its the ole snow ball effect....we need more JONIS

[@underthetornado]

The woman interviewing Joni just doesn't get Joni's music, or Joni. Not that I know her personally right? But Joni is deep and inter woven. A musical genius by far. She keeps trying to put Joni in a nutshell And you can't! Lol

[@clearfield2009]

She is brilliant.

[@cosmicmauve]

@CDCANDIES interesting, because I thought that her background was simply Nordic. Her real name is Anderson (not sure on the spelling) and that is of Swedish/Danish/or Norwegian descent, just look at those cheekbones and the blond hair (when she was young). Although could be on her mother's side that there's some native somewhere. Would be cool if you could find the quote. I definitely know she identifies with Native because she grew up around those kids, and kids absorb everything.

[@CDCANDIES]

@pinkvela yes, she has actually stated that she is of some Indian/Native American extraction-sorry don't have direct qoute/book/or article though......

[@SmoothCinnamonX]

The Arts & Artist Channel Well, she is confirmed Saami, the Indians of Northern Scandinavia, last remaining indigenous people of Europe. I too feel she has some First Nations heritage. Her facial structure is exquisite and to me gives Native.

[@cawiseguy]

Joni is even cooler than she usually is! Play On! Turbulent Indigo is a damn good album, and ranks with her best. Maybe better. I was amazed how accessible it was then and still is now. Which means the subjects she focuses on in the songs has not changed.

[@michaeljattwood]

@amandaberesford Exactly right - why is candor / honesty so rare? IMHO Joni and Richard Thompson are THE two best musical poets of a generation and beyond...

[@bweb6]

She's so right about the attitude to driving "Nobody is going to get ahead of me attitude"

[@artinmey]

@ALGERNONSENCE I was going to comment but you said it all Oh, she also has the voice of an angel

[@cmc9611]

Truly the most beautiful and the most dignified woman of the '60's and '70's music scene.

[@Westlake72]

Tracey MacLeod is terrified - don't blame her!

[@bronsted123]

We love joni

[@rkrw576]

She has such interesting observations.

[@nadiazayman779]

I can believe that Joni was a bird in her last life!

[@crankyhapachick4718]

I can believe this too, for the times she’s said that birds came to her to die. They must see it also. 🌸

[@ALGERNONSENCE]

@artinmey and baward : ) thanks peeps.

[@coolsweetgroovy]

Joni reminds me so much of the still fabulous Diane Rovell

[@cosmicmauve]

@mprat001 I am from Quebec, Canada, which is mostly French speaking, however I am Anglo. From my own observations and because of what I've read from her background; I would like to venture to say that there is a bit of a Native quality to her speech pattern. Natives tend to speak a bit like their back teeth are touching, and sometimes I see this when Joni speaks. Of course this is all my own speculation, but I'd be curious to hear what she would think about that.

[@MrMulrine83]

isn't the shortest song she wrote - Smokin' (Empty, Try Another)??

[@baward]

Again, you're welcome - for all the positive comments from others as well.

[@poeticjournalism]

@grai oh your opinion on her dip in musical quality is not what bothers me, I actually agree with you for the most part, but saying that it's a total fact and saying it with such bitterness and petulance as if artists were supposed to appeal to you forever and ever and didn't just do this music thing for themselves is what bothers me. I'm just saying.

[@MacEoin]

How do you reach that conclusion? It is the interviewer's job to challenge the interviewee, giving her the chance to say what she thinks. Correcting the interviewer and defending herself is the ideal way for JM to get across her opinions.

[@nosnayack]

if i were joni the last thing I would do is answer any fan letters. Joni like John lennon spoke for so many and too many crazys thinking she wrote this song for them. It is a different kind of celebrity who feels that kind of gratitude for their fans. Joni is too real and never courted fandom. it just doesn't jibe with her need for privacy.but she tells the greatest stories!

[@jkhkjhj]

this can't be in 1994.? it's much earlier?

[@thewestshow7]

nope, turbulent indigo days... so eloquent, right?

[@sealisa1398]

In all ways a stunning creature

[@apoena-allnitemusic7203]

For me she was always a feminist song writter, cause she live her life not caring about things the limit what woman can or can't do or be. I loved how she brings a usefull definition right away. "I'm no man hater"

[@terrylaguardia6838]

I agree she never cared for the supposed limit on what women can or should do, which makes her a feminist in the true sense of the word. To think of feminists as being man-haters reflects the prejudice against them that was dominant in her youth and still is.

[@apoena-allnitemusic7203]

@@terrylaguardia6838 she most definitely didn't defined feminism as man hating. She just said that was what some of those women actually were. She was a feminist her self.

[@terrylaguardia6838]

@@apoena-allnitemusic7203 she says she’s not a feminist. But I hope I’m wrong.

[@EddySawaya8637]

​@terrylaguardia6838 why do you guys want to force your agenda onto her? Even today she says she is not a feminist. If she was a supporter of the movement, it would be much easier for her to say she was. Prejudice exists for a reason. And yes there are plenty of feminists who hate men, treat men with condescension, and go in large groups to the street waving signs like: all men are pigs, we will respect you when you respect us etc... Joni on the other hand spent her career surrounded by great men of music and poets who respected her talent, so how could she relate to that? That doesn't mean she is against women, but radicalism is always off putting.

[@mckendrick4046]

@amandaberesford Word up. Well said, Amanda.

[@wendileona]

Amazing. I first heard Sex Kills about 3-4 years ago while driving IN LA and felt the song, without ever seeing this or any other interview describing it, was about Los Angeles. Its still relevant. Sex Kills should be Los Angeles' official city song. Some may say, oh why are you complaining about traffic and drivers you liberal! Granted, its almost everywhere, but Los Angeles does have this annihilistic culture it produces that does spread out. She does blame this, she's a poetic observer.

[@baward]

You're welcome! :-)

[@baward]

@ALGERNONSENCE I'd agree with all that! :-)

[@vaughnsalem]

I'm a man ,but i can feel like she does ,there is a rudeness to people these days,not like the 60s or 70s

[@shucksful]

I think this is Joanie’s daughter interviewing her....no, I’m just kidding...but, I think her daughter looks similar

[@caveatemp]

I hate hearing the story behind Sunny Sunday. It was so much more poignant in a Castanedian sense before.

[@michaelbrin9984]

Very Intelligent woman !

[@andreareinhardt6834]

Both of them - the reporter= journalist also

[@MrBartolozzi1]

What I would do for her intelligence. I can read as many books, read as much poetry, try and be as culturally nourished...but it doesn't happen.

[@folkmusicgirl]

@MrBartolozzi1 Yes, Joni is very intelligence, a great musician, songwriter and speaker. But don't short change yourself or compare your self (your intelligence.) If you read books, poetry and are culturally nourished - you do have intelligence - perhaps in a different way. You have insight to many things by reading books, poetry, etc. You are probably more intelligent then you think.

[@baward]

@amandaberesford or how beautiful THEY think THEY are! :-)

[@folkmusicgirl]

It's late and I am very tired. I meant to say, "Yes, Joni is very intelligent (not intelligence)l

[@Deliquescentinsight]

The lady interviewing Joni seems to be rather wooden, following a scripted sequence of questions, no doubt posed to Ms Mitchell on many occasions, and it serves mostly to demonstrate the patience and forbearance of Joni Mitchell in dealing with the tedious vapid nature of the music press.

[@terrylaguardia6838]

Yes the arrogance of those who think an interviewer must be predatorily challenging and compete for the spotlight instead of pitching questions that bring out what the interviewee finds most inspiring and crucial to say about her art. I sense a quasi hostility, or provocative disdain in her questions. Joni elegantly taking the high road as always.

[@jonlongstandup]

4.51 - worst disguised fake laugh in the history of interviews. Joni goes over the head of this women.

[@davidhigginbotham5451]

She's great. The counter-culture SUCKS.

[@grai]

Joni never dealt with the fact that her later stuff just WASN'T THAT GOOD she always blamed the industry, men, L A , the fans, ageism, etc. Justice......Just ICE ....oh please

[@grai]

@northernmuse9 you obviously have the isight of a fence post - underneath her "statement of fact" is a huge irrational inability to face the REAL facts that she didnt sell records because the records weren't very good do you really think that genius level music would not be bought or listened to because it came from a woman over 30?? Ridiculous

[@grai]

@poeticjournalism is it a fact that after Don Juan's reckless Daughter she sold practically no records? Yes it is!!! why? because after that her music was lame even to avid fans like me the statistics are facts she got far too up herself and became inaccessible and totally self indulgent and STLL blames her lack of sales on the sexist record industry

[@grai]

@poeticjournalism considering my comments are meant with "bitterness and petulance" is your opinion too not fact - so youre guilty of what you are accusing me of!! An opinion doesnt have to be a fact in order for someone to be entitled to express it - I may be uncomfortable that you think that but I can't accuse you of stating it as a fact You are UNCOMFORTABLE with my opinion that Joni Mitchell needs to get over herself and that her work after 1979 has all been awful but thats different

[@grai]

no I don't agree - she became self-indulgent and inaccessible and lost her audience then blamed everyone else as for your comment "if you don't like it don't comment" - follow your own logic and you'll see that is very silly - if YOU don't like my comment don't comment - see? Nonsense

[@elijahbarns6453]

Artists like Joni (& Lennon, Prince, Zappa etc) do not write 'for an audience' - they wouldn't know how. Joni has been 'self indulgent' from day one & you either love it or hate it. And what does 'inaccessible' mean, in this context? How is it I can love the first seven albums and most of what followed? Surely it's the listener's fault if they don't 'get it'? I write fiction. People say "Who's it aimed at?" The answer is ... I have no idea. You can't be happy creating any kind of decent art without pleasing yourself.

[@EddySawaya8637]

While I personally always preferred her more melodic albums up until Court and Spark, I can't help but respect artists like Joni who follow their own artistic intuition and disregard the possible consequences of not being able to target a larger audience. She's not a sellout.

[@grai]

@@EddySawaya8637 I think this"exploring as an artist and not selling out" is just bullshit If Joni Mitchell could have gone on selling fantastic music she would have done All artists burn out and become less able to meet the standards of their earlier work and there's no shame in that Especially with someone like her whose first eight albums are masterpieces imo What irritates me is Joni blaming everyone and everything when the reality was her later stuff just wasn't as good

[@grai]

@@elijahbarns6453 but if you could constantly write best sellers and maintain your artistic integrity you would But you're just not a good enough writer and that's fine Just face facts

[@barnsy8935]

@@grai How did this turn out to be a personal attack on me? You haven't even read my books you trolling arsehole, so how do you know anything about my writing or my sales come to that? And what is it that you have achieved in your life? Go on, something you're well known for... something I can reply to and tell you you're not very good at it anyway. Dick. And a small, shrivelled one at that.

[@dugdoll3295]

Me too Joni , a Textile merchant in India in a last life. Got time to share a coffee day. 🚬🫦 Cigarette’s allowed