Archive
The World According to Yoko
from ROCKRGRL Magazine, March/April 1996. For 25 years, Yoko Ono has been making powerful, provocative music. One listen to her 1970 debut, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono, which kicks off with a frenetic electric guitar (courtesy of John Lennon) before Ono’s trademark warbling bursts from the speakers will tell you why she’s been hailed as a visionary as [...]
Nomy Lamm: Get to Nomy
From ROCKRGRL Magazine, Fall 2003. “One of the greatest challenges to my self from the universe is to live within fractured identities. There’s not any specific identity that I can stand 100% firmly inside of, and that gives me a deeper perspective to understand things from.” So says Nomy Lamm, the self-described “Fat-ass bad-ass Jew [...]
Shirley Manson – a 1996 Interview
It’s the voice that first captures you. Lithe and alluring, singer Shirley Manson’s vocal tones impress, even when she’s just complaining about the weather. It’s winter in Madison, Wisconsin and her band, Garbage, is busy sorting out the intricacies of what will be its first, full-on live tour. Considering that Garbage basically features Manson’s gutsy [...]
Gretchen Seager of Mary’s Danish
A 1995 interview from ROCKRGRL Magazine – in fact, the very first cover story. To quote Tin Pan Alley songwriter Neil Sedaka, “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.” This was especially true of LA’s critically-acclaimed band, Mary’s Danish. Co-front singer Gretchen Seager shares her excitement about her new, harder-edged project, Battery Acid. How did you [...]
Chloe Orwell of The Handcuffs – A 2009 Interview
The husband/wife team of Chloe Orwell and Brad Elvis are as well suited to each other as peanut butter and chocolate —and just as yummy. The driving force behind the Chicago pop outfit, The Handcuffs, Orwell and Elvis are partners both onstage and off. Brad writes the songs and plays drums. Chloe sings the songs and plays [...]
A 1997 Interview with Melissa Auf der Maur
Melissa Auf der Maur’s ascent to rock stardom is a strange, ’90s alternative-music variation on the familiar A Star Is Born theme. In 1994, Hole lead singer Courtney Love’s husband, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide; two months later, the band’s bassist, Kristen Pfaff, died of a heroin overdose. The then-22-year-old Auf der Maur instantly found herself facing a [...]
Sarah Jaffe: The Next Big Thing
The Austin Chronicle calls her “a major new talent.” American Songwriter says she “could make even a hardened critic start throwing around terms like ‘the next big thing.’” And Direct Current claims her debut is, “an album of brilliantly understated, finely crafted miracles.” It’s not every day a new singer/songwriter is so universally well-received. But that is exactly the sort [...]
Diane Warren: Songwriter to the Stars
Performers may come and performers may go but great songwriters are forever. Don’t believe me? Name a single performer who is still remembered from Bach, Beethoven or Mozart’s heyday. See? I’m right. Hundreds of years from now, I wager people will still be singing the music of superstar songwriter, Diane Warren, who has had more hits and accolades [...]
Archive: A 1998 Interview with The Donnas
The Donnas’ catchy, “we’re-gonna-have-fun-and-you-cant-stop-us” tunes from their latest CD, American Teenage Rock and Roll Machine , (Lookout! Records) are perfect for a youth culture currently barraged with pre-fab bands that don’t actually play, write, or necessarily even sing their material. With Donna A. on vocals, Donna R. on guitar, Donna F. on bass, and Donna C. on [...]
“Girls Don’t Play Drums”: Exile in Guyville
It was gorgeous. Its silver rims reflected the mid-afternoon light like sunbeams from Heaven. The script spelling “Pearl” across the cherry red kick drum looked like writing from the hand of God. It was the most beautiful drum set I’d ever seen and I was in love. Suddenly, a husky voice from behind interrupted my [...]
