MICHELLE Shocked will never be the kind of woman that the music industry really, really likes - she is too independent, wilful, and uncommercial for it. She began her career in the mid 1980s as a boyish singer/songwriter who released her debut album, The Texas Campfire Tapes on a small label, unsure of how it would be received but eager to find out.
Ten years litter, she has been through enough industry trials to make even the most resilient of artists retire to the woods. As a last, winning resort against her previous record company, Mercury, Michelle cited the 13th Amendment to the (American) Constitution - the abolishment of slavery - to highlight her plight. She was set free, the label possibly breathing as much a sigh of relief as she did.
Bowed but not out, Shocked started a European tour in Dublin on Sunday night, promoting a new album, Kind Hearted Woman, on a new, minor label, Private Music. If that seems like she has squared the circle, then it's only half right.
Far more self assured on stage than she used to be - and somewhat less "boyish" than heretofore Shocked opened the show with a boisterous blast of New Orleans brass and R&B, a loose style that doesn't suit her as much as she thinks. She was later joined on stage by Fiachna O Brionain and Peter O Toole of the soon to be rejuvenated Hothouse Flowers. The guitar ante was, therefore, upped, and the pace of the show moved in a similar direction. Then came quite harrowing songs of stillbirth and family violence, and Michelle was back on, steadier ground, her often skilful material wrapped in a cloak of broody guitar lines and impassioned, melodic singing.
The remainder of the show reverted to a good time stew of varying styles, only some of which were successful. But then, that's Michelle Shocked for you - always eager to experiment, and never willing to pander to the demands of an easy listening audience.
