I’m having a very rough period day. It’s the second day of my period. I can’t even get out of bed!
Gossip has recently shot to fame. You have been naked on magazine covers, been voted as the coolest person by NME music magazine. Five years ago would you have imagined all of this?
No not at all. I think even three years ago. A year ago I would have laughed at it!
Do you enjoy touring?
I do enjoy touring, but I really need breaks. I’m a home body to the max. I don’t love travelling and living out of my suitcase. I feel lucky to be able to move around but it’s also hard.
Can you tell me a little about the song ‘Standing in the Way of Control’ on your latest album?
It’s really about my best friend. People really want it to be an anthem for gay marriage and in a way it was, but it was one of the many things going on at the time. It was a song I wrote for my best friend. He was in Olympia and I was in Portland and he called me and he was really upset about the Bush administration. At that time we had this strange, instinctive fear inside of us.
There is much made of you being controversial because you are not ashamed of your weight or your sexuality. Do you set out to be controversial?
I think I’m just really who I am. I think controversy is really funny. You know that song by Prince, ‘Controversy’? It’s a nice word to say, controversy. I just think it’s a joke. It’s funny to make people feel uncomfortable because you are questioning them. There are people in the world that should be questioned and doubted. I think that I’ve made more friends with it than anything else. I think it’s good to challenge mainstream ideals.
Do you think it’s easier for strong women to succeed in the music industry on their own terms nowadays?
Definitely not. I don’t think so at all. I feel like I compromise a lot more than I want to. I mean down to like why you won’t play this party for Nike to why you won’t fly somewhere two weeks earlier than you said you would.
Tell me about your coming out in Arkansas.
Coming out was an interesting part of my life. I think I came out to my mom when I was 15 because I had such a heartbreaking crush on a girl that I knew. But I also had a high-school boyfriend for three years and the whole time it was really hard because I just knew I was gay. At the same time I had friends who were coming out of the closet and telling their parents and friends and it was really hard for me because I really wanted that too but I just didn’t know what to do.
Are you swamped by groupies when you tour?
No! We have a really tight team. We are like the nerds. There are a whole group of people that we travel with who are just the nerdiest people.
Describe your ideal weekend.
Me and my sweetie laying around and eating really amazing food and then going for a really nice walk.
What’s next for you and Gossip?
I personally have a million projects going on. We have a record that we are writing which is due for release in 2008. Things are just up for change and things are totally switching around. Everything is working out really well.
What can we expect from your Australian tour? Any full frontal flashing?
There might be! I’m really excited. There will be a lot of sweat.
For details of Gossip’s national tour in December, visit www.myspace.com/gossipband.
Hi Beth, how’s your day going?
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