By S.L. Berry
The Indianapolis News | June 28, 1991
It opens with a few quiet bars on the piano, followed by the tentative strains of an autoharp and mandolin. The violin doesn’t join in for nearly a minut, and when it does it’s an undercurrent of almost alien sound.
Is this Lisa Germano, the woman whose violin was an integral part of John Mellencamp’s “Lonesome Jubilee” and “Big Daddy” albums?
Written and recorded throughout 1990, “On the Way Down From the Moon Palace” is Germano’s debut as a solo recording artist. Having played and toured with Mellencamp five years—as well as recording and touring with the likes of Bob Seger and Billy Joel—Germano says she had grown gradually disenchanted with her backup/studio musician role.
“I wanted to do something that I controlled, something I did myself. I wanted to be the one making the decisions.”
What she decided to do was make a demo tape she could send to recording companies with the hope of landing a contract. So last year she began writing and recording a few songs. After some false starts, the demo tape was done, and Germano started circulating it.
Though the tape generated interest, it didn’t lead to a contract, so Germano decided to release “Moon Palace” on her own.
“At the end of December, I thought I had a record deal, but it fell through. So I decided to put this out myself. A project isn’t done until it’s pressed. My feeling was, “If I still get a record deal, it’ll be great. But if I don’t, at least I’ve done this for myself.”
What she has done is record a series of quirky, moody tunes that range from solemn to playful—sometimes within the same song. She also intermingled instrumentals with vocals.
“I wanted to use instrumentals to break up things somehow,” says Germano. “I find I’m bored a lot listening to records, even if I love them. I was hoping the instrumentals would give people a break from one song to the next.”
Germano’s voice is whispery and exotic. In some songs, she rushed the words out breathlessly: in others, she murmurs them dreamily. At times she comes closer to reciting the lyrics than singing them.
Following the instrumental title track is “Guessing Game,” ostensibly about Germano’s dealings with the music industry. It’s one of three songs featuring the drumming of Germano’s friend and Mellencamp bandmate Kenny Aronoff. Germano used a drum machine on the other tracks.
The remaining songs run the gamut from the despair of “Blue Monday” to the gypsy-like feeling of “Hanging With a Deadman” to the childlike “Riding My Bike.” While the latter’s melody is simple and happy, the lyrics tell a lurid story of a man exposing himself to a small girl, something that happened to Germano as a child.
Germano doesn’t rely solely on the violin to color her songs. “Moon Palace” also showcases her abilities on guitar, piano, mandolin, and autoharp. And when the violin does make an appearance, it’s more likely to have a Laurie Anderson/”It’s a Beautiful Day” quality than the country-rock sound that entranced Mellencamp fans.
That’s in keeping with the spirit of the project: Germano was determined to control the process, from song ideas through music arrangements, publishing, and production.
Even the recording’s title reflects that determination. In Eskimo mythology, the Moon Palace is a symbol of passive reflective beauty—a place where women are protected and provided for, while being prevented from participating in earthy life.
“The idea of coming down from the Moon Palace was perfect for what I want to do with this project,” she says. “All my life I’ve lived in the shadow of strong men—first my father, then my ex-husband, then John (Mellencamp). The whole point of this project was to make my own decisions and to fail or succeed on my own. I wanted to step out of the shadows and make some light of my own.”
Whether that lights turns into a spotlight doesn’t concern her, says Hermano. She has done what she set out to do—record music she is proud to claim as hers. Now it’s on to other projects, her own and other people’s. Mellencamp called recently to ask if she would be interested in joining his next tour, a two-year commitment beginning sometime next year.
Though she doesn’t play on Mellencamp’s upcoming album, Germano says she would love to tour with him again. But if she does, she adds, it will be as someone who has a new sense of confidence in her own composing and arranging ability.
Featured Image: After working with John Mellencamp and others, violinist Lisa Germano has recorded her first solo album. (Photo: Mike Fender / The Indianapolis News)
