Sleater-Kinney
Members of Sleater-Kinney answer fans’ questions about song lyrics, pregnancy, and gay rights. Compiled from www.sleater-kinney.com.
Q: I was listening to “All Hands On The Bad One” this afternoon, listening for songs to attempt on the guitar when the CD hit “Was It A Lie?” I was wondering, though, if the accident described in the song actually happened, was it a news story or something that one of you saw and felt inspired to write the song as a result? It’s a truly beautiful song.
Corin Tucker: “This song was based on a news story I heard about. A woman was killed in a train yard in Germany and a tourist just happened to capture it on video. The tape eventually became an entertainment piece in the U.S., playing as a loop in a bar. The story just stayed with me, and I turned it into a metaphor for how images of women suffering can become entertainment in our culture. I’m glad you like the song.”
Q: I’m writing this because I’m pregnant, and wondering what your advice is for getting through these 40 long weeks.
Corin Tucker: “I think reading helped me, I read every Harry Potter book while I was pregnant and loved the escapism!”
Q: I’ve always been puzzled at the stark contrast between Carrie’s vocal style on “One Beat” versus those on previous albums. How did you find the new voice (or did it find you)?
Carrie Brownstein: “I try to use my voice as an instrument based on what the song needs and based on the song’s intent. On the next record, I want to sing in a way that makes people vomit or makes them scratch until they bleed.”
Q: If you could go on tour with anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and why?
Janet Weiss: “Jimi Hendrix. Obviously.”
Q: Is there a certain set of albums you listen to after or before a show?
Janet Weiss: “On most nights, what gets me psyched and ready to play is usually our opening bands. We have no rituals, other than some light warming up, to which we adhere. We’re looking forward to our East Coast dates with the unstoppable hometown heroes, the Thermals.”
Q: I’ve recently felt really rotten about all the anti-gay statements being made from Americans. What could I do that could positively impact the gay community?
Corin Tucker: “Here in Portland, we have witnessed a historic gay civil rights movement in the form of gay marriage. Basic Rights of Oregon, a gay civil rights group, pressured the city council to issue same sex marriage licenses, and they legally found they were bound to do so. So far over 1,000 gay couples have been married here, despite the fact that anti-gay protesters harassed them as they waited in line for their licenses. It was a beautiful thing to see so many gay faces simply lining up for one of their basic civil rights – I think it put a very positive image for the world to see.”
Q: Every time I listen to your song “Buy Her Candy” it makes me cry. A lot of people around me find that weird ‘cause I am a 15-year-old male. I just find it horrible that because I am a male that I am not allowed to show emotion, and I am afraid that I will turn out like one of these people. Have you ever been moved by a song to cry?
Corin Tucker: “There are many times in my life when a song has made me cry. Sometimes it is classical music, or a lyric that resonates with my own experiences or the experiences of someone close to me. It’s better to feel and to express emotion and be honest with yourself than to be closed off from everything. It is also more brave to cry and to let yourself actually feel things than it is to hide from your feelings.”