BORN IN Hungary and raised in the United States, Eszter Balint grew up in her father's theater and appeared from a very early age in the Squat Theatre Productions. She has also acted in a number of films. She was the young cousin Eva in Jim Jarmusch's Stranger Than Paradise (1984) and Steve Buscemi's wife in his 1996 debut as a director, Trees Lounge. 1999 saw the release of Eszter's first album 'Flicker'. Strangely enough, the record was available in France about six months before its American release date. Eszter has also collaborated on a number of projects including the 'Great Jewish Music By...' collection (she covered Serge Gainsbourg's 'Un poison violent, c'est ça l'amour' in French and Marc Bolan's 'Mambo Sun'). She was also involved in an album by French artist Jean-Louis Murat, 'Mustango' together with many other American artists (such as Marc Ribot and members from Calexico and Elysian Fields).

In July 1999, Eszter was kind enough to answer a few questions for Electric Light via e-mail. As we are writing this, 'Flicker' is about to be released in the United States. Be sure not to miss it.
(Information about Eszter and 'Flicker' is available on the Scratchie Records website).

How long have you been playing music? Did you start recently or is it something you have always done?

I was involved with music in some form or another most of my life, with some breaks, from when I was a little kid and studied classical violin. However I never thought of being a so-called pop (type) musician until about 5-6 years ago. At the time I was studying classical singing and realizing it probably wasn't going to go anywhere. I hooked up with a (French) guitarist and we started a band.

Being known as an actress, did you find it more difficult to gain credibility as a musician, to prove you could do something else?

Well I don't know yet. It's not as if I have world-wide credibility as a musician, at this point. But amongst friends or people I work with it's not really a concern: no matter how they'd perceive the idea at first, it doesn't take long for them to figure out that I have quite extensive knowledge but more importantly pretty genuine aspirations regarding music.

Many bands and artists from New York say it's getting more and more difficult for them to live and play in that town. Have you been affected by this yourself? How would you explain this situation?

I only moved back two years ago (from L.A.) and when I was living here in the past I wasn't trying to do this so I'm not sure how it compares.. But no question; it's extremely difficult. On every level. This city is very expensive to live in which may have a lot to do with it. There are also a million bands and a lot going on every night, and quite a bit of cynicism, as a result. It makes it difficult to build up a following, so that you can actually start making money when you play. Which, in turn, makes it hard to keep a band, as musicians need to make a living too. The great thing is there are wonderful musicians, the unfortunate thing is they are extremely busy so it's very difficult to keep them committed to your project particularly if you can't afford to pay them very much. And since there is a tight-knit circle which I'm sort of part of, even if you were to discover someone young and new, within minutes word may be out on them and they are no longer available just for you. Understandable, of course, but difficult to maneuver none the less. Sorry my answer is such a ramble, but this is a very loaded question, and as you can see, there are a myriad reasons, inter-related, why it is in fact quite a struggle.

Having grown up among artists, did you ever feel the urge to do something else for a living, something that belonged to you only?

On one hand I was cursed with the artist legacy. (or blessed, depending on which day you ask me.) On the other hand, being a musician, in particular, is something that truly does belong to me, there was no fate, luck, family influence, etc. involved in making this choice - and I think this was important to me on some level.

Italian actress Asia Argento (daughter of director Dario Argento) says that in her family, if you were not an artist you were considered a loser or a freak. Did you ever feel this kind of pressure yourself?

Not exactly. When I was a kid, and even as a young adult, I was very influenced by my father's artistic ways. Maybe there was even some sort of self-imposed, invisible pressure. But no one would have judged me if I had decided to become a lawyer. Well, I don't know. Maybe he would have looked down on me but probably wouldn't have said anything. It's sort of irrelevant now - at the risk of sounding like artists who take themselves a bit seriously, there hasn't really been a choice in this matter for many many years, maybe forever. It's just bigger than me and it can often be a pain in the ass way of life so I might consider changing it if I felt I had an option.

To what extent did your experience of stage acting prepare you to performing your music live? Do you have a different perception of the audience when you act and when you play?

As a result of the early theater experience, I feel pretty comfortable standing on stage, and being looked at. But there is a separate anxiety that's associated with the actual singing (which is new, and my own, as I said earlier). I used to be nervous as hell about that, but it's gotten much easier. Altogether it's a very exciting love-hate thing. Fear, especially fear of missing the moment, not being entirely in it and to give all that you want to give, and at the same time absolute exhilaration.

One interesting thing about 'Flicker' is that nobody seems to be able to describe it in a few words, as if it contained too many different elements to be defined in one sentence only. Do you think you could give it a try and describe it very briefly?

Ouch. Isn't that you guys' job? (reviewers and listeners) Seriously, I don't want to. I'm superstitious, a bit, about getting too analytical about your own work. My job is to just do what I like. I know that I am inspired by lots of different sounds, and kinds of music, and would hate to be limited to one specific genre. Beyond that I just have to have faith that my singing and my lyrics will make the whole thing cohesive.

'Flicker' sounds a bit like a musical collage, but a very coherent one at the same time. Does it reflect the music you listen to?

I think so. The music I listen to is my religion. Not any one specific thing, and I may even change my mind about some piece of music from one day to the next. But just that I listen, and am able to be inspired, or influenced, or feel that one particular lyric or melody or sound mirrors things in my own head, and vice versa. This is really the most important piece of the puzzle behind making music myself.

What kind of music do you listen to? Could you name your favorite artists/bands/records ever?

Ever? That's a tough one. The Beatles, Dylan of course. But there are so many, and sometimes it's my mood or a musical period I'm going through. Ultimately, corny as it sounds, good songs are really what last. But there isn't a mathematical equation for what that is. Jimi Hendrix is one of the best ever, I'd say, even though I hardly listen to him these days. But if I'll hear it somewhere, I'll still ask: where the hell is that sound coming from? And almost anything with a classic country sound, for some reason, speaks to me. Even if it has corny lyrics. Something about those incredibly simple melodies... Kurt Cobain wrote really amazing songs - but I didn't even realize that until I heard the unplugged record, because that post punk huge rock grunge sound didn't appeal to me right away. When 'Mellow Gold' first came out, I just thought it was the most inspiring album in ages. Lately I've been listening to some PJ Harvey, Bjork, but yesterday I also put on (and sang along to) Gillian Welch, who I love to listen to at home even though I wouldn't consider her one of the best, ever. Does this give you an idea? Oh yeah, Bernard Herman. Speaking of him, Bartok. And Mozart. And James Brown. Lightening Hopkins. Otis Redding. One always sounds like an ass, listing off one's favorite artists...

Are there any artists or bands you would like to work with?

I can't think of one specific one, but if the opportunity arose, I'd know. Try me if you want. Oh yeah, I'd like to do something with Marc Ribot again. I don't feel that the work we did on my album took full advantage - but I've always admired him as a musician and the way he plays really makes me listen. I'd like to explore/exploit that terrain again.

How did you get involved in the 'Great Jewish Music by Serge Gainsbourg' project? (a tribute album - in French - by New York musicians) What did you know of Gainsbourg's music before?

It was originally supposed to be Ribot's track. JD Foster was producing it and he suggested me and Ribot said sure. So I came into the studio. I had actually wanted to do a cover of Gainsbourg way before this project, for something of my own, (the song about Brigitte Bardot, forgot what it's called) but then it just became too trendy.

Where does your inspiration generally come from?

I think I already answered this question, unprompted. See above. But again: listening, listening, listening. Just the joy of letting music in. Did I mention listening?

What do you regard as your greatest achievement so far?

God knows. My album? Being able to get up on stage and sing? Just having survived, with a fairly sane head on my shoulders, everything I'd lived through when I was young? I don't really sit around and think about my great achievements.

What are your projects for the near future?

Pay the rent. Try to find a way to get on the road. Try to make another album. And then pay the rent. 'Flicker' is finally coming out in the States (Sept.) so we'll see what that brings. My project is always exactly the same, though it takes different forms: to attempt to execute my dreams, while also trying to survive. It's an enormous struggle and an enormous privilege, as a way of existence.
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Many thanks to Eszter for patiently answering my endless list of questions.

Read an article about Eszter Balint here.