Laura Branigan Fan Information

To answer all of your questions....Laura was born on July 3rd, 1957 in Brewster, New York to the parents of James and Kathleen Branigan. This week's song of the week is "Forever Young" from the HOLD ME album. This is another great example of Laura's fine work. It's a ballad sung with just the right amount of sorrow. I listen to this song a lot, actually. Here's an interesting factoid: Did you know that "Sweet Hello, Sad Goodbye" from the OVER MY HEART album (written by one half of Roxette....Per Gessle) was recorded by ROXETTE first! The song was recorded as the "B Side" to their 1991 single "Spending My Time". I have it on a ROXETTE Rarities Japanese compilation. Their version is pretty good but it doesn't match the sensuality of Laura's. Here's my take on last week's SONG OF THE WEEK: I love Laura's "Deep in the Dark". Of course for those who don't know, it's actually a remake of Falco's "Der Kommissar". The english lyrics were written by Diane Warren. Strangely enough, unlike other songs Diane translated, her lyrics for Laura's version had a totally different story to it then Falco's original. Falco's original told a story about a mad russian police man. Around the same time Laura released her version...an english pop band by the name of AFTER THE FIRE released their rock version (this time their translated version was more closer to the original storyline). Their version (certianly not better) did much, much better in the charts. After that, Laura continued with her success and AFTER THE FIRE's career died (now they are known as a one hit wonder).
Information by John Thomas...Thank You John

Written by Dean Ferguson from Dance Music Review--1990
"Dressed in a tight leather jacket, boots and black jeans that might as well been painted on, Laura Branigan seems almost feline as she enters the room. Gracefully gliding towards a soft leather couch, Branigan removes the dark glasses that cover her startling blue eyes. She's scanning the Atlantic Records conference room in search of the cassette deck we'd been promised. Moments later the unfinished remix of 'Turn The Beat Around' (from the critically acclaimed new album, Laura Branigan) begins to boom and she's back on her feet, beaming excitedly as she catches the rhythm and begins to dance".
LB: Nobody wanted me to do this song (but) I knew it would work.
DF: In certainly sounds nothing like the original 70's hit. What made you decide to cover such an unlikely song?
LB: I grew up with songs like this and I knew (it had potential) I said to the president of my record company, "Just let me go in and do a mock up to see what you think" so Steve Lindsay and I got all the musicians and back-up singer to come in and do it on spec because nobody officially connected would let me touch it.
DF: I would guess that, that is how you ended up producing your self for the first time on the new album. The rough mix on this track sounds pretty impressive so the experience must've been satisfying, right?
LB: (with a broad grin and a shriek of excitement) I'm ecstatic! This was the first song I'd ever attempted, and I ended up doing two others on the new album besides. I'm very excited about the way (they) came out, especially since dance music in general has come back so strongly these days.
DF: Do you see yourself as a "dance artist"?
LB: I see myself as a singer... I love all the great singers like Gladys (Knight) and Aretha. I say "singer" because I also sing the ballads, which are very, very important to me... but I really love dance music the best (smiles)... and I bet you do, too!!
DF: That goes without saying but I'm curious; how did you become involved with dance music?
LB: When I first started out, the thing that drove me was that I really wanted to touch people's hearts (with) my voice. "Gloria" was my first (hit) and so I came straight out of the clubs. I will never forget those people....(people) still yell out "Gloria, Gloria" or say "Hi Gloria" (laughs) wherever I go and I love it!
DF: "Gloria" was a monster club hit and it, like several of your other early successes, like "Solitaire" and "Self Control," started out as huge European hits in different languages before you recorded and subsequently popularized them in English. How did you find these songs?
LB: I found "Solitaire" on my own in Europe. Jack White (who produced Laura's first few albums) found Gloria," which was a soft, Italian love song with a (lyric line) completely different from the version I recorded. When Jack first brought it to me, it was a little hard to fathom but he changed and (toughened the lyrics and arrangement... and totally American-ized it.
DF: Those first albums that Jack White produced worked very well for you, though since then you've worked with some equally amazing producers, like Harold Faltemeyer and Stock Aitken Waterman. Richard Perry produced several tracks on your new album and his track with American artists is probably more impressive than anyone's. How was he to work with?
LB: Out of everyone I've worked with, he's my favorite. He works so long and hard on a project...(one just wants to say) enough already! (laughs) But he's a perfectionist and with "Moonlight On Water," I think he really nailed it. He's the best in the business.
DF: That's quite a compliment considering the names you've worked with, especially when you'd had so much success with Jack White from the beginning. What was he like to work with?
LB: Well, Jack was, and still is very German... with a whole different mentality regarding the artist (than an American producer would have). You're supposed to sit there and be good, letting him do his work without any (interruption) from you, I was extremely shy in the beginning, afraid to say anything because he's such an intimidating personality (laughs),,, a real chauvinist! But, he had an incredible ear for hits. However, I think I stayed with that European-disco sound for one album too many (and) it played itself out.
DF: How were Stock Aitken Waterman to work with?
LB: To me, as an artist, they were too mechanical... not a lot of fun to work with because I felt, at times, like just another piece of equipment to them. But you have to give them (credit where it's due). There's no denying their hit-making capabilities.... when I first heard the finished "Shattered Glass" track, I knew, as did everyone here in my offices that this song was going to dance right up the charts.
DF: DF: Who does Laura Branigan listen to at home?
LB: Well, like I said earlier, all the great singers. I love Aretha's voice. I also like the new female singers that are out now, like Jane Child and Lisa Stansfield, who's current hit ("All Around The World") reminds me of a Barry White record. Barry is one of my favorites... I love him! And Janet Jackson. Donna Summer has one of my favorite voices... a really beautiful voice and incredible control. (Hers) are great HiNRG productions.
DF: Let's talk about your voice. Reviewers have noted that it seem to have gotten stronger in recent years. True?
LB: When I started out, I had this big voice and I'd always choose big songs... "Gloria" was a very hard song to sing and so was "Solitaire." I would lose my voice (constantly) because all I knew how to do was sing like I was about to die. Now I can sing them at any time of the day without any problem. (Vocal teacher Carlo Menotti) really, really, changed my life. He's given me complete vocal agility and a four octave range.
DF: Voice is obviously paramount to you but how important do you think videos are?
LB: Initially, they weren't important to me. The "Gloria" video is just me, standing on a stage with a mirrored ball spinning overhead. (Laughing) I really looked like a farm girl back then, I used to say, "it's the song, it's the voice" that matter, not the videos, but they're very important to me today. David Kellogg did a great job on "Moonlight" and, of course, William Freidkin directed the "Self Control" video. (Note: Freidkin is noted film director responsible for "The Exorcist," etc)
DF: As I recall, that video created quite a bit of controversy five years ago. In fact, you were featured in People magazine at the time with several other recording artists in one of the first anti-censorship demonstrations. This was way before the censorship controversy exploded into the major music industry battle it is today. As one of the first to speak out against censorship, how do you feel about what's going on today and what motivated you to join the fight so early on?
LB: Even though it was my biggest video, MTV wouldn't play "Self Control." Now, if you compare that video to, say even some commercials on TV today, the controversy was ridiculous. It was unreasonable. I mean, I don't think it's right to let just anything go out over the air but the whole thing's gone way too far. I don't think warning stickers are a good idea. I've never heard an album that is so bizarre or sexual that it would have to be censored. Come on, since the beginning of time songs have been about love and sex (note: here Branigan bursts into song) like, "fish do it, birds do it...." so, to me it's all a little ridiculous. If anything, this controversy might (inspire) new artists to go farther in search of shock value so (the censorship advocates) could end up defeating their own purposes in the long run. Censorship has gotten way out of hand, no matter what pop music's critics have to say.
DF: Speaking of critics. the reviews for your new album have been almost unanimously positive, with gratuitous praise from even the usually caustic national press, which hasn't always been kind to your work in the past. Do you feel that you've been treated fairly by the press during your career?
LB: While it's true that these (current reviews) are my best ever, I also think that this is my best album (to date). I feel that musically, I'm finally where I always wanted to be and that is something that you grow into. You can't run before you walk. It took me five albums to get here and I'm happy about it. As for some of the (early album) reviews, I've never had a critic say anything that I thought was so totally wrong, or off the mark that I took it personally. They're usually fair
DF: Recently I saw an old, American Bandstand clip with you on it singing "Gloria" (upon hearing this, Branigan gasps and then starts laughing heartily, knowing exactly the clip from 1981 that I'm referring to)... and you've lost a lot of weight since then.
LB....(laughing) I know. I looked like I was right off the farm back then, drinkin' a lot of milk! I was pret-ty chub-by!
DF: Well, you look great now. How did you do it?
LB: I think I just matured. Growing up in a healthy, athletic family with four brothers and a sister, we just always ate very well.
DF: So you're from a large family. were you a musical bunch or are you the only one?
LB: Well of course, my brother Billy (note; Billy Branigan records for Polygram.)... he's really talented a great songwriter, and both of my parents have beautiful voices. My grandmother had one on the world's truly great voices. She studied with an Austrian operatic coach who wanted to take her back to Austria with him to train but she was only 13 at the time, her parents wouldn't allow it. (She had the kind of voice) that could just make you cry.
DF: So, obviously the Branigan gene pool is rich. Did your grandmother live to see you become the success you are today?
LB: By the time it happened, she was (close to the end) and not really aware. That was sad because I loved her. I really miss her.
DF: I am curious as to how an album is put together. Since you don't write much of your own material, how do you come up with the songs themselves? Do you pick them?
LB: When word gets out that I'm about to start an album project, songs start coming in from everywhere. My office goes through hundreds and so does the record company. Richard (Perry) listened to several hundred before we went in. To get the ten songs for this album, we listened to over 2,000 songs.
DF: How are the singles then selected from an album?
LB: It's a joint decision between my manager, myself and the record company. This time, though I'm hell-bent on releasing "Turn The Beat Around" because I believe in it... I really believe in this album and I want to take it as far as it can go.
LB: (Very enthusiastically) I start a national tour in June!
DF: It must be nice to start the tour for this album with a hit ("Moonlight On Water," already in the HiNRG top ten) under your belt. Speaking of your current hit, it's a cover version of Kevin Raliegh's minor chart hit from last year. How do you feel about the recent Laura Branigan remakes that were hits form artists like Cher and Michael Bolton?
LB: It was flattering to me. I grew up watching Cher and to think that she would want to sing one of my songs someday was unbelievably great. I used to watch her, wishing I could look like her, and to me (Cher's cover of "I Found Someone") is almost identical to mine, including that note that I hold at the end which is not written into the original song... well, it means that she's actually listened to my songs and you have to be flattered by something like that. With Michael Bolton, I would've done exactly the same if I were he. He did a great job on it and, really, I think that "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" is a classic song that will be covered many, many times. That song is a standard now that will live forever... but (note: her blue eyes are twinkling brightly here) I had it first!
DF... Laura Branigan can claim many firsts. She was the first major artist to publicly campaign against censorship as well as the first post-disco American to popularize the early eighties European dance sound that led to that continents biggest musical invasion since the Beatles. Her first hits paved the way for many successful pop. New wave and HiNRG artists throughout the last decade and she's still a leader in contemporary dance music. Who else would've dared remaking the decidedly dated "Turn The Beat Around" into a contemporary 90's dance track, especially with so many resounding NO votes emanating from her own camp? Just when you think you've got her all figured out musically, she comes up with a fresh new album and sound that's sure to influence her contemporaries for years to come. Let's hope that she continues to break new ground for us in the decade ahead. High energy dance music is her musical first love and we must return the compliment.
Information By Stephen Morris...Thank You Stephen

Being a LB fan myself since her debut in `82. I did want to add this tidbit of info in case you wanted to include it in your site. Laura Branigan also made a TV appearance on the late 70's early 80's show CHiPs. To my best knowledge it was a 1982 episode. entitled Foxtrap, featuring Laura (Sarah in the episode) as the lead singer of a struggling up and coming all female band called the Cadillac Foxes, that get sold down the river by an unscrupulous manager. Their big song is "Gloria" Also notable about the episode is an appearance by Robert Hegyes as "Sweets" of Welcome Back Kotter fame who played the character Epstein. As campy as CHiPs was most of the time, Laura turns a very fine acting performance. Personally I think if the right acting gigs were lined up for her she would/could have been as great an actress as she is a singer.
Information By Ken...Thank You Ken

"Show Me Heaven" was written and performed by Maria McKee for the "DAYS OF THUNDER" soundtrack in 1988. Laura's is a remake. Maria's version was a massive hit in the UK but was never released as a single in the UK.
Information By John Thomas...Thank You John

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