10/21/00

I apologize for my erratic updates. Since the last time I wrote, S-K has gone on three tours (first the US, then Europe, and most recently part of the US again). I think both of the US excursions were great though very different from one another. The May tour was probably the best one we've been on. We felt newly inspired and really connected to each other as well as to the audience. There was no translator needed between the three of us on stage; I felt like we were speaking an identical musical language, one that was visceral and expansive. The crowds were amazing, very giving and responsive.

One of the most inspiring elements of the first US tour was playing every night with the amazing band The Gossip. Rarely have I seen an audience so instantly galvinized and brought to their feet. They have that rare and much sought after element known as chemistry.

I won't go into much detail regarding Europe except to say that I love travelling with Mary Timony and Christina Files. We had many crazy experiences which I documented in the form of a travel journal. This journal will be published in an upcoming issue of Index magazine.

This most recent tour, and the one freshest in my mind, was also a wonderful experience. There is less pressure when you are not touring to promote a specific product (ie. a new record). Months after the release of AHOTBO, we felt like we could step away from those songs and play in a more spontaneous and non-linear style. Janet had been exclusively in charge of making the set list for the last two years, but on this tour we decided to alternate this duty. This resurgence of democratic principles seemed to both dismay and delight the audiences. Those who had become accustomed to the Weissian style of set list were surprised to find modest instead of explosive endings, shorter sets, fewer encores, and for lack of a better word, "jamming". I think in some ways these last series of shows were more about the internal dynamics of the band as opposed to the relationship between band and audience. On the first US tour, I was really conscious of raising my level of performance and being extroverted; I was the vessel through which the music travelled. On the more recent shows, I felt the music itself was the vessel and that I was there to feel it the same as everyone else. This passivity as a performer posited me on a more equal plane with the crowd; I wasn't there to demonstrate but rather to participate. Both of these experiences ("performer" as the objective vs. "listener" as the objective) were greatly rewarding. However, I am aware of how differently they come across to the observer.

In general, I think the live aspect of Sleater-Kinney helps people see the congruencies in our music. Two seemingly disparate songs (ie. something from 'The Hot Rock' vs. something from 'Dig Me Out') can feel unified within a live context. People tend to fear growth and change in artists but a live experience is a way to see how an evolution contains a common thread, a core that is true to the original artistic vision.

I am pleased to announce that Sleater-Kinney is taking some time off. During this break I plan on taking classes in Seattle, writing, reading, exercising, cooking, and seeing films. Mary and I are (slowly) working on a full length Spells record but I am mostly interested in non-musical activities during these coming months. As for S-K, we will slowly begin writing songs but I don't think we'll have another record out until Fall 2002..........

Sadly, there is no band gossip to report. There has been no mountain climbing, no karaoke, no little league coaching, and the one person in the band with the bad habit gave it up for good (bingo can be so addictive). It's true, we've simply been basking in the light cast by our own moral rectitide. Remember, "Go monastic, it's fucking fantastic!!!
xo Carrie

Update #4: March 29, 2000

I want to write this update before the band leaves for England. No, we aren¹t touring there (not until July), in case you were wondering........Spring has arrived and with it a rare compliance by the sun to show its face in a timely manner. Olympia comes alive in the Spring with annual events that bring this small community together. Kite flying is really popular here this time of year. The second week in March marked the 3rd annual kite flying contest, "I'm Not High But My Kite Is" which aims to encourage both craftsmanship and a healthy lifestyle. The staff at Killrockstars entered the contest for the second year in a row, this year asking papercut artist Nikki McClure to make a life size kite of company mascot Jackson the dog. "Jackie Paper" as we called him, taken from the "Puff the Magic Dragon Song", came in second place this year!! We were beat out by two Evergreen Students who, from what I gather, got stoned and did an interpretive dance of a kite.

One thing that constantly plagues Olympians is the fact that we have very little in the way of an exciting past. In order to compensate for our bland history, we have a day called "What if it Had Happened Here?". This day allows people to imagine what it would have been like if real historical events had actually taken place in our very own back yard. Past "What if¹s" have included: "What if the Civil War had happened here?", "What if Waco had happened here" and "What if the 'Bridges of Madison County' had been filmed here?" (a slight variation, I know). This year the theme was "What if Moses Had Parted the Red Sea Here in Olympia?" In order to reenact this event, organizers dumped 500 gallons of red food coloring into Capitol Lake. Since it is a man made lake and capable of drainage, they were able to utilize the already existing hydraulic system to create a rift in the lake¹s center, thus creating the illusion of the red sea parting. Many people tried out for the part of Moses, including K records' own Calvin Johnson, but in the end it went to Joe Preston because he already has a beard.

There is very little S-K news to report. We have all been taking a break before all of the touring begins. After I posted that Janet went to karaoke with The Go-Betweens, wherever she went she was bombarded with offers from fans wishing to take her to their favorite karaoke joint. She was even offered a sponsorship from one company that builds portable machines that people rent for parties. (She turned this down). She grew so weary of the karaoke questions that she¹s turned in her mike and has called it quits. People, this is the equivalent of Jordan retiring from basketball. The quality of this great American past time is sure to decrease now that one of its innovators is gone. As for Corin, she used this month off as an opportunity to accomplish one of her life long dreams, scaling the summit of Mt. Ranier. She and a team of ten climbers embarked on a week long trek up the 14,410 foot summit. She describes the experience as "life-changing", so I don¹t really know what to expect, but I imagine her calves look great. (Luckily the album title "Mountains" is already taken, thanks to Mary Timony). As for myself, I used this month to complete the rest of the training hours I needed to become a volunteer fire fighter. Once we return from tour in June, I¹ll be able to join my brave comrades in fighting forest fires. The training was so rigorous and intense that I find myself hyper aware of potential fire hazards. After hearing that some of the clubs we¹re playing may not be up to fire code, we are now insisting that there is an aisle, three feet in width that divides the center of the floor, that can be used as a pathway in the event of the emergency. They will use a barrier to create this path but I¹m told it won¹t be distracting.
Well that is all for now. Take care. xoCarrie

Sleater-Kinney News update #2: 2/9/00

It is a sunny afternoon here in Olympia. Corin is in Georgia and Janet is in Portland starting her first day of recording with The Go-Betweens. I heard that she has already taken them to her favorite karaoke spot. Weird!

As you may have seen on other sections of this site, our tour is being firmed up though some of the venues are still TBA. We'll post the venues once everything is confirmed. Those who are worried that we'll never make it to the lone star state can be rest assured that we'll pull through there by the end of this year. We wanted to try a different route than the one we took last time we traversed the lower forty eight. We are excited to be bringing a band called The Gossip along with us on the entire tour. Aside from them, we'll be joined by Bangs, The Butchies, Sarah Dougher, Holly Golightly, Gene Defcon, Aisler's Set, and Bratmobile in the various regions.

Here in Olympia the new craze is committees! Committees have replaced parties as our favorite pastime. Soon bands won't be bands, they'll be committees. What started this trend? Why Ladyfest, of course. If you're reading this than you're probably Internet savvy and have seen the Ladyfest web page. (www.ladyfest.org) It is shaping up to be a great event.

Non S-K activities for the three of us in the past few weeks (that we're willing to share with all of you): Reading "Angle of Repose" and "The Sound and the Fury", renting the movie "Nashville", trading in an old car for an even older one, seeing a Jem Cohen movie called "Smoke", hearing the magnificent new Lois Maffeo/Brendan Canty CD "The Union Themes", finally meeting Sasa-the KRS web master-who is great, jogging, and last but not least, one of us bought fake leather pants but you'll have to wait for tour to see which one.

I have also been warned by my more Internet loving friends that people have been posting as members of S-K on some of the message boards, and I just want to say that if you didn't read it here, it's probably not from us.

Until next time..... xoCarrie

Sleater-Kinney News Update #1

Sleater-Kinney can hardly wait to get out of town. Now that we have recorded our record, entitled 'All Hands on the Bad One', we are eager to play shows and travel to various parts of the world (US, Europe/UK, Japan, Australia). What shall we do to keep ourselves occupied? Corin is up for some home improvement. She has picked 'honey dew' as the color to grace her bathroom walls and I hear that she has purchased a sewing machine as well. Keep your eye out for some original, home made fashions. Janet has been asked to play drums on the next Go-Betweens record, a true honor. She will record with them in February. Even before that, she will lay down drums on the next Sarah Dougher record, coming out on Mr. Lady in May. [If you want Janet to play drums on your record call 1.800.GOJANET.] And when Janet isn't playing drums? Well, I believe she is setting up a recording studio and recording her friends in Portland. As for me, I have recently inherited a new cat named Lucy, she is 12. Aside from acclimating her to the house and to my other cat, I will be vigorously reading, joining a writer's group, and going to Tumwater Valley, my new favorite hot spot.

Back to music news: We have a song on Jackson's Jukebox, the KRS sampler, it is an out take from 'The Hot Rock' sessions. As for the future, we will post record release shows and tour dates as soon as they are available. I do know that the tour starts in early May and that we head across the top of the US first.
Carrie

photo by Curt Doughty

All Hands on the Bad One
Ballad of a Ladyman
Ironclad
All Hands on the Bad One
Youth Decay
You're No Rock n' Roll Fun
#1 Must Have
The Professional
Was it a Lie?
Male Model
Leave You Behind
Milkshake and Honey
Pompeii
The Swimmer

More:
Factsheet - includes discography + SK's other bands & side projects
Sleater-Kinney Q&A - Carrie answered your questions here
1999 Q&A - read archived questions
THE HOT ROCK Multi-media:
"Burn, Don't Freeze" mp3
"Get Up" Video [56k] [80k]

Also: Cadallaca's OUT WEST CD-EP is available through mailorder NOW!
Listen to "The Trouble With Public Places" mp3.