Interviews with Musicians

Later I'll talk about the Badaboom Gramaphone interview with Ben Goldberg...

It has to be someone I'm already interested in. The best one I can think of is a Chan Marshall interview from Index mag 1998 (just after Moon Pix) Talking about Australia experiences and boogie boarding... Amy Kellner: Boogie board?
Chan Marshall: Totally. I can't surf, but the waves are so big there. [notices a girl walking by] Her hair looks so good. White hair. I've seen her before, I think I saw her on Broadway the other day. It's like Patricia Arquette, Grace Kelly, sort of. I like that she's got underarm hair too. I've been growing mine.
AK: I don't shave.
CM: [points to armpits] One skunk, two skunks! Skunky.
AK: It's not skanky!!
CM: Skunky. Skanky is much different. It has to do with like, manipulating your growing as you're walking.
AK: WHAT?!?!?!?
CM: I don't know what I'm talking about. Chan is cuh-razee!! I want to interview Rosie Thomas!!!

shit I got lost in all those breaks, chan didn't call herself crazy or want to interview RT, that was me.

I like the idea that Chan said she was nuts better. ;-)

As much as I have mixed feelings about Steve Albini...this interview with him in Gourmandizer is probably one of the best interviews I've ever read. Probably because Gourmandizer was (still is? is it still around?) a food zine. Asking musicians questions having nothing to do with music can sometimes yield fantastic results.

I actually prefer reading interviews with label owners, journalists (hah!) and non-musicians. Hence the reason I do the label interviews for an online mag. Interviewed Chan actually. She's very sweet.

I've never actually heard this. For some strange reason this isn't up on NPR's Fresh Air archive. Anyway, even transcribed this is really funny (especially if you know who Terry Gross is). (Thanks to Aquarius Records.) Terry Gross interviews Gene Simmons

TG : Now, clothes that you've worn on stage. You wear fishnets
GS : No, fire your research person, no fish nets
TG : I was sure I'd seen you in them, but I trust you
GS : Don't ever do that, I'm a man
TG : Let's get to the studded codpiece -- Do you have a sense of humor about that
GS : No it holds in my manhood, otherwise it would be too much for you to take. You'd have to put the book down and confront life. The notion is if you're going to welcome me with open arms you also have to welcome me with open legs
TG : That's a really obnoxious thing to say
GS : No it's not, why should I say something behind your back that I can't tell you to your face
TG : Has it come to this? Is this the only way you can talk to a woman, with that schtick
GS : Let me ask you something, why is it schtick when all women have ever wanted since we crawled out of caves is, "why can't a man just tell me the truth and speak to me plainly". So if I do that, you can't have it both ways.
TG : So you really have no sense of humor about this do you
GS : I'm laughing all the way
TG : Yea to the bank
GS : Of course, don't I sound like a happy guy
TG : Not really to be honest with you
GS : I was going to suggest you get outside of the musty place where you can count the dust particles falling around you and get out into the world and see what everybody else is doing.
TG : Having sex with you?
GS : Well if you chose but you'd have to stand in line
TG : Ok well we might as well get to this since you keep bringing this up
GS : I didn't, you did
TG : You write that you've had 4600 sexual liasions
GS : You're supposed to say so far
TG : So far. To you this will be asking the obvious but why have you wanted so many encounters
GS : M-a-n, the notion is plain
TG : I'd like to think the personality you presented on our show today is a persona that you've affected as a member of Kiss, but that you're not nearly as obnoxious when you're at home or with friends
GS : Fair enough, and I'd like to think that the boring lady who's talking to me now is a lot sexier and more interesting than the one's who's doing NPR, studious and reserved.

Paul Morley's ASK is still pretty much the bible of pop interviewing for me.

I second Tom's answer. Otherwise I'd never think of reading interviews with Wham (most of George Michael's answers are "What the hell are you going on about?"), Meatloaf, Iron Maiden, or Phil Collins. And I'm pretty sure the priceless Duran Duran interview has been mentioned more than a couple times 'round these parts.

I have been waiting for someone to say something obnoxious to Terry Gross, that was funny.

That Gene Simmons interview is greatness.

In Badaboom Gramaphone editor Ben Goldberg interviewed musician Ben Goldberg (New Klezmer trio.) It what such a fantastic interview – the only topic of conversation was what it was like to go through life named Ben Goldberg! They talked about nicknames, insecurities surrounding the name, common ways they were teased as kids, which one was the “real” Ben Goldberg, how your name influences the way you think about yourself, etc.. Very entertaining and thought provoking, and music was only mentioned because it happened to be one Ben Goldberg’s job. After reading this interview, I knew I had to pick up the Goldberg Variations, and I did.

I usually like interviews that are just two people talking about music. Not so much talk about influence or the particulars of the musician’s life. The Ben Goldberg piece was different because he wasn’t really famous, so it was just two people having an interesting conversation.

What’s this Paul Morley thing?

Interesting sidenote on the Gene Simmons thing. According to Fresh Air's website "Simmons declined to give permission for this Web site to offer audio of his interview, or sell tapes or transcripts of it."

Too bad. I actually like the Invisible Jukebox things in The Wire, especially if the musician(s) are relaxed and having. The Stock Hausan & Walkman (is this right name, eh) one is really fun (it's on Wire's website in unedited form).

^ask^ - agree with Tom, the booksd in tha TOON library. invisible jukebox - why do they play em records related to their schtick - musos more amusing,revealing and evun more analytik when confronted with stuff they arent supposedly influenced by

The Paul Morley thing is an anthology of his interviews from the NME. It was published in 1986 and it's not all that easy to come by these days.

...so if anybody wants to sell me a copy, email me.

Nicole: try here.

Terry Gross acts uptight but she's a lot less boring than Gene Simmons.

I don't know about less boring, but Terry Gross is definitely more stupid than Gene Simmons. Unless it's all an act and she just knows her audience really well.

Greatest interview ever? The Husker Du interview from Hard Times #1. The interviewer starts by asking Grant and Greg their favorite color, intending to get a loose, funny interview, and the Huskers end up weirding them out to the point where you can just see the interviewers backing slowly out the door in the end. A scan is here.

http://www.kissfaq.com/news/0202.html

There's a streaming media version of the Gene/Terry interview in four pieces at the site above under Feb 10th. From descriptions, I thought it'd be more vitriolic. Gene starts off strong sounding like an absolute cockfarmer, Terry tries to be nice for a couple of minutes, then pretty much goes with it. Favorite bit: Gene says "who wants to be in a rock'n'roll band? Not me! I want to be a rock'n'roll BRAND" and says something about "watch out Disney". Well, duh, I always thought you guys were about the art! Classic.

The "Ask Ellery Eskelin" forum at the JazzCorner website is a very interesting read if you have any interest in Eskelin's work or the process of making jazz in general. For the past few weeks, Ellery's been on his European tour and hasn't been posting, but the archives go back to last August.

Try this link.

That Albini interview reminds me of one he did with David Quantick for the NME. He spent most of the interview complaining about cucumber sandwiches, or more specificallt the English use of cucumbers. I think Henry Rollins also had a problem with cucumber sandwiches too.

That Nardwuar fella makes an interesting interview. The transcripts definitely don't make it though, you need audio. Is he like that ALL the time??