Sarah Hates Facebook

[Steve]

SARAH Blasko hates Facebook. The face of Australian indie music can't stand the social networking website.

"I just think Facebook is horrible. I really do. I think it's awful," the singer, who turns 33 on Wednesday, says.

On tour in London, the Sydney chanteuse relates a particularly nasty story about a man who murdered his partner after she changed her Facebook status from "in a relationship" to "single".

"I knew that kind of stuff was coming," Sarah muses.

"I think it's kind of creepy. I do think that 'status' thing is weird. And all those little quizzes that people do. It's just creepy. People need to get out and really live."

Blasko, who sometimes looks as if she stepped out of a photograph from a century ago and whose ethereal music also has a timeless quality, is the first to admit she is a bit of a technophobe.

She has a presence on Facebook, but she does not run it. She does write her blog, however, and Twitters from time to time.

"It's pretty silly, but it's kind of like sending out a text message to some people," she says of the latter site.

For the past couple of months, Blasko has been taking her own advice -- getting out and living -- seeing much of northern Europe and the UK while on tour.

Now she is back on Australian shores, about to tour her latest album, As Day Follows Night, which debuted at No.5 on the ARIA charts in July -- her highest chart position so far.

She's excited about performing her third album, which has been well received by critics and fans and is sure to put her in the reckoning in several categories in the ARIA Awards at the end of the year.

She recorded the album in Sweden this year with Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John. She hooked up with the talented producer (who was in the US supporting Depeche Mode during her most recent visit) by writing him a letter.

The album, led by the haunting All I Want and the stomping No Turning Back, stretches Blasko's musical and personal boundaries.

"This record was an interesting one because it really taught me to let go," she says.

"I wanted to make things a lot more simple for myself and not agonise over things so much, try to loosen the reins a bit and just be sincere and honest and not try to hide in any way.

"So I guess that was important to me with this record.

"You write something based on experiences, but it takes on a broader life, a bit of a life of its own after a while because you add all this instrumentation and you take it to Sweden. And it makes it a completely different thing, which is what's exciting about it, because you write these little songs in your room and they can be whatever they want."

The album also explores themes of being alone and breaking up, but Blasko says she does not want to be one to wear her heart on her sleeve.

On her most recent European sojourn, Blasko toured solo, but she says she flirted with different bands, some of which had to learn her songs quickly.

"It's like remixes of your songs," she says. "Everyone plays them differently because everyone comes from different musical backgrounds. It's interesting and terrifying at the same time."

Now she is back in the rehearsal room and preparing for her Australian shows. As for what they'll be like, she is keeping tight-lipped.

"I think they're going to be special shows," she says. "I've got some great people working on the set and costumes. I just want it to be a surprise and a really memorable show.

"This record is really important to me and I feel it deserves something special in a visual way. I want people to feel like they're hearing the songs in a beautiful setting."

Blasko is no stranger to theatre. This year she also added soundtrack composer to her CV, providing the music to Bell Shakespeare Company's production of Hamlet. She also had a small singing role in the production, which she knew well from studying at school and university (it comes as no surprise to learn that Blasko was an English literature major). The experience expanded her musical horizons.

"I think it just made me realise more that simple things were effective," she says.

"For that it was great because it was like I was a servant really. I was fitting in with what someone else was trying to convey and I found that a really enjoyable thing."

Travel is another way to expand horizons -- and Blasko had plenty of adventures in Europe wandering alone through cities such as Copenhagen and Gothenburg, travelling cross-country by train and buying a briefcase with a mysterious past (she writes about it in her blog).

The best way to see a country is on tour, says Blasko, where local friends can recommend places to visit.

"It's fun to be a tourist, but it's a better way to see things when you're touring because it's based around people -- when you're just a traveller you experience things on your own and you don't really have any friends or any inside information."

Failing that, the internet can be a good guide and the indie darling and lover of all things retro found a great website pointing out indie hot spots -- including music venues and places to buy vintage clothes.

"My bag's busting over," she admits.

Perhaps she is not such a technophobe after all.

Sarah Blasko plays the Forum on October 2 (sold out) and 4. Bookings: 132 849.

[Niv]

*agree* facebook is crap. I'm there but only to keep in touch with people I don't see often, and some of my family in England.

[Seventy]

Well i've always said I hate Facebook, but hopefully people who love it will take Sarah's advice and get a life after reading this

[mulder]

I do agree with her, but I can't see anyone closing their facebook just cause Sarah said it's dumb...

I tell people it's dumb, and they don't listen to me!

[toomilk]

haha. this is a funny article.

[P3t3y313]

I also hate the status. Why can't we leave it unknown. I'm kinda a facebook addict as I've been marketing online lately, ugh.

[theseeker]

I think facebook sucks too. I go to facebook to tell mainstream people that they are full of bullshit.

[Steve]

Why do so many people who HATE Facebook go on Facebook. I think they might really love it deep down inside and just can't admit to it.

[Maeshowe]

There is now an official facebook page for Sarah - it's updated now & again, by One Louder I think. I appreciate that Sarah herself doesn't want to be on fb, & she's probably being very sensible, but I do enjoy the updates from artists like Anais Mitchell, Erin McKeown & Dag for Dag, who very obviously do update their own pages. I had no idea Erin McKeown was that obsessed with baseball.

Me? I'm a fb addict. I love it, I hate it, I can't get off it.

[Maeshowe]

Actually, it was through facebook that I discovered Sarah Blasko in the first place, but it's a long story & one that I think I've told on this forum before, so I won't bore you with it now.