He’s their man

By Walter J. Lyng

The following Q&A is drawn from a phone interview I conducted with British singers Charley, 31, and Hattie Webb, 28, collectively known as the Webb Sisters. Since 2008 they have toured with Leonard Cohen, acting as back up singers for the music icon. Currently on a brief hiatus from the tour, they are performing their own shows in select cities. They will perform in Montreal at Club Soda on April 3.

The Suburban: So … at the risk of sounding awkward, could I ask that when you guys speak you identify who’s speaking?

Hattie: I know we sound relatively similar, so it can be confusing.

Charley: We did some interviews last week and I had nearly lost my voice, so … I sounded very husky.

Hattie: Charlie was basically a man … So it was easy to tell the difference … but Charlie’s a woman today (laughs).

Suburban: I’ll specify that.

Charley: I don’t make a habit of changing sexes, it’s just one of Hattie’s observations.

Suburban: How long do you figure you’ll continue touring with Leonard Cohen?

Charley: It’s been a surprise all the way. He hadn’t been on tour for 14-15 years and I think it was a total unknown for everybody. After the first month we did in the eastern part of Canada, there was a realization and a confirmation that A, he was enjoying it and that B, people wanted to come. Leonard is still enjoying playing and there are territories we haven’t been to that he would like to go to.

Suburban: Do you have any specific memories from the Montreal Jazz Festival performance two years ago?

Hattie: I remember in the green room before the gig we were all having a drink, and Leonard makes an amazing whiskey and soda and he went to pour out one for himself and, as always, offered to pour me one. And he accidentally picked up a can of Guinness instead of a can of soda and poured Guinness in our whiskies … (laughs).

Charley: He gave us a tour, by accident, [of Montreal] … The way Leonard interacts with people is similar to how he tells his songs. You don’t feel overcome that you’re being instructed something, you just realize at the end of it that you’ve absorbed loads of information.

Suburban: Has working with Leonard Cohen helped your own creative process?

Charley: The combination of listening to that soundtrack as we travel and the sights and smells and colours of the new places — it can’t help but have a big influence on how we’re writing.

Suburban: I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask this … Certainly Leonard Cohen is known for his reputation as a ladies’ man and you must have been teased by some friends when you started this tour. How have you dealt with that?

Hattie: Actually, I think our dad said something like ‘Not my daughters!’ (laughs).

Charley: Honestly, people make jokes, it’s true, and Leonard really does have an amazing twinkle in his eye and that’s un-missable.  You see it with any woman that approaches Leonard. Some of my school friends came to the show in London and were giddy and slightly embarrassing after the show.

Hattie: Were you going to ask us if one of us got together with Leonard?

Suburban: Uh … well … I wasn’t going to but since you brought it up … (nervous laugh).

Hattie: Well, you’ve certainly come close enough, so, shoot.

Suburban: So, which one of you got together with Leonard?
(Both laugh)

Charley: Neither.

Suburban: Like you’d tell me anyway.

For more information, visit www.thewebbsisters.com.