On Demand
Nothing Compares 2 Her
Thursday, July 05, 2007
She tore up a picture of Pope John Paul II in 1992 and, some years later, was ordained as Mother Bernadette Marie by a breakaway Catholic sect. Now Sinead O’Connor returns to religion on a new double CD called “Theology.” The iconoclast singer-songwriter joins us for a discussion of music and faith and plays live in studio.
- About this program
- Staff Bios »
- Contact Us »
- Latest Episode
- Internship
- Tapes and Transcripts
- Show Archive »
Features & Series
Podcast
Stay up to date.
Subscribe to the Podcast
See Tori Amos Live!
Join us Tuesday, Dec. 9 at The Greene Space
Singer and pianist Tori Amos joins us to talk about reworking and reinventing seasonal carols on her new holiday album. And, she performs for a live audience in The Greene Space! Click the link for ticket info.
More
Comments
Refresh
Not her website
SOUNDCHECK SAYS: We fixed the link. Thanks!
While I think Sinead is perfectly justified in redirecting the conversation towards her music, her comments regarding religion, theology and the connections to her music (made to the host at the beginnning of the show) were snide and dismissive and took focus off of her musicianship.
Sinead's consistent dismissive responses to the questions is offensive. Her attempts to redirect are annoying as well. I'm close to listening to something else...
Why is the guest being so rude? I'm serious, is it an act? Is it part of some shtick that she thinks makes her endearing? My guess is she'll say; "I don't care what people think of me". She should, I don't even know who she is and now I'm not interested. Your guest should be told that it's nice to be nice. Plus she just swore...
I can't not believe my ears. Is this how Sinead promotes a record? Poor John having to put up with such a pompous attitude. She won't be getting my money.
Sinead O'Conner named her albumn "Theology" yet when asked questions regarding issues of faith and their impact on the record, she is rude and dismissive. If she doesn't want to talk about these issues, maybe she should have named the albumn something else. In all honesty she is no longer a very popular or relavant artist. She should be thrilled that a show such as Soundcheck is willing to put her on the air.
Holy Smokes! She's awful.
I was excited to listen to the Sinead O'Connor interview...until she actually started talking. I'm not even clear why she would agree to come onto talk radio when she is so utterly obnoxious about answering insightful and relevant questions. Sinead O'Connor? No thanks!
What is going on? It's okay to not want to answer a question because you don't feel comfortable answering it (which is still lame, but acceptable), but it is NOT okay to call legitimate questions stupid because you want to deflect from the fact that you feel uncomfortable. I can't believe how high on her horse Sinead is.
that was brutal. poor john. i can give you a 2 word review of her attitude and new record as said best in the movie spinal tap "shit sandwich". you think curtis mayfield is rolling in his grave that a white girl covered that song.
Can anyome say self important, miserable, closed minded b--ch?
what a difficult interview. Is this just her personality or is this her reaction to all of her fame and notoriety? I felt bad for John listening to this, however, he was graceful.
Wow. I used to be such a Sinead O'Connoer fan. I loved her 1st album it really marked a whole young, rebellious and depressed era in my life and was so inspirational. Yet seems that she hasn't really grown up. Perhaps someone twisted her arm to promote this album? As a black mother with children the experience has actually taught me to be more tolerant of others whether I agree with them or not. But, to call a question "stupid" is really arrogant and dimissive. If O'Connor wants to promote a message (or even her album) she's going to have to deal with her issues in a more mature way and leave her chip in the bag.
Sinead O'Connor is hostile. John Schaefer is a professional. It was a waste time to try to converse with her. He handled her immature, arrogant behavior very well.
Please do not bring her back on the program. She acts as if she is doing us all a favor by gracing us with her presence. What an unpleasant individual.
O'Conner is a publicity mess! Not only does she appear to have no substance behind her controversial image she mumbled all of her responses.
Makes Jessye Norman look friendly and gracious
i too will be saving my money for a musician that has some couth - what a rude person!
Her record company will love to get this feed back! It's called "Rubyworks" and here are the email addresses:
roger@rubyworks.com
nmuckian@rubyworks.com
tara@rubyworks.com
yes indeed. good job john!
i think sinead is sincerely messed up --. there was no mention of her album faith and courage, which was her best. she is still searching, and although this latest religious hodgepodge fog soup is really making for some less interesting music, i am willing to wait until she moves onto the next thing...im glad she's not a polished interview, groomed to death, with a slick PR machine.
What a rude, hostile, narcissist. I felt so bad for John while listening to that interview. He's a real pro and did a great job. It seemed like Sinead O'Connor didn't want to do the interview at all. If that's the case she should have just cancelled! She was snotty and the answers she did give were lame. Not to mention, her voice didn't sound all that greaat. She needs to work on her pipes and her attitude. I wonder how many WNYC listeners she just turned off after this interview. I know I'm one of them.
I felt so bad for you during the interview. While I like Sinead O'Connor I felt that her attitude was a put off. John Schaeffer is such a nice guy I don't understand why she had to be so hostile when you were promoting her album.
I heard it as an interview with someone who has a long history of lowest-common-denominator questions. Even John brought up old controversies. I agree it was awkward but to say you won't buy her album because she was rude seems besides the point.
It's not easy to defend Sinead but the reason she was on the show (one hopes)is the outstanding music she produced, albeit quite some time ago. However, one need only look at the website headline above to see that notoriety had some part to play. Assuming that NYCT did do it's homework, then one has to question the questioning, which presumably is prepared in advance; the host did state that a track had been listened to. (Compare to the questions prepared for the following act).
It's not difficult to bait Sinead as we have all witnessed over the years, but the name of the program is Soundcheck.
Why not buy her album? Because she has soured her own image and I'd rather give my money and my endorsement to someone who is not so blatantly obnoxious and narcissistic.
It's a great album. You're welcome to stick to your nice, uncontroversial artists.
Sinead as always stirs controversy; I would have hoped an interview more focussed on the music, less on the headline.
from one irish woman to another- Sinead put down the bottle. You sound hung over. What a crank.
It's not much of an advertisement for "Jah" (or whomever) that one of his (and oddly, she does seem to think of this transcendent power as a daddy) disciples should lack any hint of a sense of humor or grace, and seem so sullen and earthbound. Her singing was striking, but the material very much the same, dependent for its effect on her being right up against the microphone, like late night FM used to be. Once that effect wears off, there might not be much left. But I wish her well, since she is obviously so wounded and needs healing. But I wouldn't want to be in the same room with her.
While I refuse to call her a bitch outload, it was all I could think about snideaid o'crotchity listening to John put up with her self indulgent, pompous attitude. The personality was never there, now her voice is gone. Farwell into oblivion where you ultimately placed your almighty rightous self. What a pleasant welcome to see all the other not so positive comments. Everyone seems to have the same regard (disregard)for this not cool performer.
I suppose it might be the G_d thing to excuse her because of a psychiatric problem. This is what happens when the patient forgets the medication.
Schaefer deserves an award - I would have given her the boot, tell her to f.-off.
I have to say two things that no one else has mentioned. first, there was that train-wreck element that does NOT allow you to turn off your radio. I simply couldn't wait to hear what was going to come out of her mouth next! She really seemed sort of crazy. AND I kept wondering if John would betray any irritation with her (astonishingly NO! - wow.) Second, and most (self) important - I loved the monologue about how her new CD rails against a post-9/11 world in which anger and bitterness divide people and religion is used as a reason to make war. omg. As far as i can tell, her hallmarks are anger, bitterness and a tendency to divide people with religion. i mean, it was just KILLING me!!! I've mentioned it to everyone i've seen since. I kept thinking her name should be Sinead O'Contraire!
The headline and description for this show was up before the interview. It is a clear indication of what could be expected. A self-fulfilling prophecy perhaps.
Mr. Schaefer is a true professional, and I'm impressed that he hung on through that brutal interview with Sinead O'Connoer. Artists are, often, not easy or pleasant people in person, and without his interview I would not have had the chance to hear her beautiful music. Thank-you, Mr. Schaefer, and keep up the good work.
The good news is that there is only ONE
John Schaefer in this music Radio business but there are plenty new down to earth female singers who are simply cool & I would say they are in rage & "mellowed" when they should be. I have never bought any CD from Sinead O'Connor from day one. And I was right! Money & Fame are the two tests that certain artists cannot pass.
In John Schaefer & SOUNDCHECK we trust.
Cheers.
Hamid.
www.videopix.co.uk
http://videopix.zenfolio.com
She was set up very cleverly by John Schaeffer. And most of you bought into his pretense of conducting a serious and respectful interview. He baited her, and she got hostile. End of story.
He was snide in his introduction and set the tone of being dismissive of her music. And of course she was upset. In fact, I don't know why Sinead didn't walk out!
Listen to this other interview, and you can see a very different Sinead O'Connor.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12108441&ft=1&f=1040
Give her a break! She was having a bad day, and he was asking stupid questions. Like anyone posting hasn't had a bad day at work. He annoyed me more than her attitude. He wasn't trying to connect to her at all. He had his question which he should have thrown away at the very beginning and tried to connect on a different level. Horrible interview but the interviewer was worse in my opinion.
Stupid questions!
Beautiful performances and great songs.
The interviewer was ill prepared to talk about her current music, almost as if he hadn't actually listened to it and was going off of notes. Also, his agenda was to conduct a Barbara Walters personal insight type of interview about the past, yet he seemed rather unsupportive of her as a person. Not exactly a winning strategy.
Sinead prefered to speak about music relevant to the here and now, rather than rehash controversy of 20 years ago. Seems appropriate since she is there to promote new music and tour, not defend herself.
If there is one thing about Sinead that is consistent throughout her time on earth thus far, it is that she is a person who will speak her mind. I rather appreciate her attempts to redirect the topics to a more relevant theme and tone.
It sounds like most of the people who have posted responses here are blind fans of John Schaeffer.
It was clear to me that his attitude was smug and condescending, and he was trying to bait Ms. O'Connor. His agenda was to reinforce the popular "crackpot" image of her, in order to get ratings.
Yes, it's obvious that Sinead O'Connor, for good reason, was not enjoying herself during this interview. I admire her for hanging in there despite the fact that the interviewer clearly had no respect for her.
Please keep in mind that Sinead has taken a lot of crap from the American media. She may get overly defensive sometimes but I understand her wanting to keep the focus on her music. We all have our moments where we don't handle a situation in the best way. I refuse to be as unforgiving as the media. I will always respect her for being courageous and true to herself. I love her unconditionally and always will.
Sinead's talent needs no explaining.
John did not respect her, therefore, she did not respect him.
Performance, as always, was amazing and awe inspiring!
I saw her at Davies Music hall. She was amazing!! That voice and passion hasn't dwindled at all. I'm not afraid of her personality, ideas or comments. I love her music. That IS what it's all about.
with that introduction no wonder her back was up. sinead is misunderstood. i adore her she is amazing.
Leave a Comment
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Back to EpisodeEmail addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. WNYC reserves the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the WNYC.org Comment Guidelines before posting.