Jean Yates is an American author of a jewellery design book, called ‘Links‘. She is also a columnist for a jewellery magazine in Australia, and a freelance writer and reviewer.
Jean recently opened an Etsy Shop called "the original Jean Yates" featuring jewellery for regular people, as well as for their Blythe dolls. Jean is so enamoured with Blythe dolls that her next book project is called ‘For the Love of Blythe‘ which she is co-authoring with Cindy Sowers and Fanny Zara. The idea behind the book is to bring together 50 Blythe enthusiasts who are top artists from all over the world who are presently working in teams to customize 7 Blythe dolls. Each person on the team is sharing his or her special expertise in the area of customization or photography. At the end of the process, the 7 dolls will be on display in a hip downtown art gallery in Soho New York and they will appear at a convention for Blythe doll lovers, Blythecon 2013, in Manhattan before the dolls will be auctioned off on eBay entirely for charity.
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| One of Jean's Blythe dolls. |
My mother listened to records all day. She loved musicals such as South Pacific (this was the 1950's), some opera, and some classical music like Peer Gynt, which enthralled me. I have loved Peer Gynt ever since and I can see what is happening
as if I am being shown pictures in a book.
We were less keen on the Opera as kids. We would take the 45 rpm records and sneak them onto our little record player in the playroom, and alter the speed to 78 rpm or 33 rpm, then shine a spotlight on one kid who would then pretend to sing. We would all fall over laughing and could hardly breathe we thought this was so funny!
My father liked World War II marching music and American anthems. However he was often so tired after work that after he came home on went the telly and the news was what he liked. That and "Seahunt" with Lloyd Bridges, because my Dad was a diver. My Mom loved to sing and my dad was a incredible whistler. He rarely sang, except Christmas carols on the way to church at Christmas time, but he rocked the harmonica, as he had had lessons as a kid, along with tap dancing lessons. He was great at tap dancing and playing Oh Susannah! on the harmonica.
What’s the first album you bought?
I bought my watershed album at ten: "Meet the Beatles". Never looked back!
What’s the first concert you went to?
Janis Joplin at Madison Square Garden with a surprise guest Johnny Winter, Wow, what an initiation to concert going! I loved it!!!
What album guarantees to get you dancing or you always put on at a party?
‘Breakout’, a 1983 album by the Pointer Sisters. It has Jump on it. The boys ( Sandy and Jimmy ) and I would dance our heads off to that when they were little. We had a ball!
What’s your ideal dinner party music/background music?
I am a sensitive flower. I like Damien Rice's album ‘O‘.
What album do you always suggest to your friends?
‘Love Over Gold’ by Dire Straits
What’s your favourite recorded music format? Vinyl, CD or download?
CDs--they sound better on our Bose. We have a lot of Vinyl but all of it is so well loved, we never took good care of it as kids you know?
What song would you want played at your funeral and why?
2 songs: 1: Danny Boy, although I am not Irish but what a great, sad song...and 2: "In My Life" by the Beatles because it sums up everything
What album helped you get through your teenage years?
It depends upon my age. I started with all Beatles and Stones, moved on to The Byrds and The Kinks, then listened to ‘Blonde on Blonde’ by Dylan, what a great album, so beautiful.
What album can you always listen to regardless of time or mood?
Bruce Springsteen ‘Live 1975-1985’
What album is your guilty pleasure?
All Country Western, specifically Garth Brooks, and his cover of ‘Shameless’ makes me want to pass out I love it so much. I also confess I love Hall and Oates, ‘Rock N Soul Part One’ is awesome
What album can you not live without?
The Eagles ‘The Very Best of’. I really love ‘Wasted Time‘. Incredibly depressing, but it does do a bit of a turn around at the end so you don't totally feel the need to jump off the roof. Beautiful song and harmony.
What are you listening to now?
A song I never tire of, ‘My Baby Grand‘ by Billy Joel, who wrote it for Ray Charles. They sing it together. It astounds me. I saw Ray Charles live once. What a musician. He sends chills up my spine.
Why did you start dressing up your Blythe dolls as musicians and which is your favourite?
I love my dolls and wanted to express my passion for music through them. Here is my doll Rocky as Cyndi Lauper and my doll Liath as Stevie Nicks. It is just for fun.
What is the most formative musical experience in your life?
I used to get my allowance and walk all the way to the village from my house as a kid and buy 45s. I would go on Friday, as school let out early. I would buy whatever I didn't have and listened to everything. I would draw as I listened.
I had a massive collection of 45s. When I got older I would buy albums, just from whether I liked the covers. That is how I discovered Jimi Hendrix, his first album cover was the most remarkable cover I had ever seen!
How do you and your husband bond over music or do you have wildly different tastes?
Jim is a Beatles fanatic and a Floydian (I call him my Crazy Diamond). We love to talk music. Mostly it is his favourites but that is OK as he has been to a ton of concerts and he totally loves music just as I do. He can play the piano and the guitar and the organ, as well as a number of other instruments.
Admittedly, He doesn't enjoy modern music as much as I do, and my large and rather idiosyncratic collection of songs which are all titled "Crazy", starting with Patsy Cline's version, doesn't do a thing for him, although he did enjoy the Gnarls Barkley video the other night when I showed it to him.
He listened to a great audiobook on the Beatles, as read by Alfred Molina, and could talk of nothing else for ages. I was very interested, and love it when we both like the same Beatles songs. I like the earlier Beatles songs and love ‘The White Album‘.
Jim was hip to Brian Wilson's ‘Pet Sounds’ way before anyone else too. I have been to many concerts with Jim, he is a real blast to go to a concert with. He went to Woodstock when he was 14 or so! At the same time I was at a Canadian concert called Strawberry Fields! 1969 was a great year!
Jim isn't wild about my affinity for Boyz II Men however, but we both adore Clapton, and Derek and the Dominoes. He is more of a Cream fan than I am but a ‘Whiter Shade of Pale’ by The Moody Blues is definitely one we can agree on!
Our only teeny little problem is that he hates it when I sing. It must hurt his ears, like a dog hearing a high pitched sound ! He always tells me to stop immediately. On the other hand he was so influenced by the Beatles as a kid that he tends to sing with a bit of an English accent. I find this pretty funny. :)
I also love gospel music, r & b, and even Big Band music! I am open to all music but my heart belongs to rock and roll.
I want to finish by thanking Jean for the time taken answering my questions and her continued support of my blog.
