By: Peter Oberth
For: Shakefire.com
Date: June 30th, 2009
We sat down with the former front woman of punk icons The Distillers to talk about her new band, Spinnerette, her marriage, child and what to expect from her post-The Distillers career.
SHAKEFIRE: Do you think you would have gotten where you are had you not left Australia?
BRODY DALLE: It's hard to say really, I always knew I would leave Australia.
SF: As you were the only remaining original member of The Distillers, why did you decide to disband the name?
BD: For precisely that reason, there were so many incarnations. My favorite incarnation was the last one so I couldn't bear to see another one, Without Andy it seemed pointless.
SF: You and your husband have collaborated on a few songs, any plans for a full project together?
BD: You never know. Right now we're both so busy with our own music, our daughter takes precedence over everything else. Sometimes instead of going to a bar and drink, we'll go to our studio and record covers, super fun and Josh gets to play drums which is what he wishes he did for a living.
SF: Fans of The Distillers were disappointed when the band split. Hearing of your new project, Spinnerette, they may be expecting a similar sound. How do you think they will react to the new record?
BD: I don't know, nothing stays the same. Hasn't history taught us that? How boring life would be.
SF: You came into the music scene right when the digital realm started to change everything. Has it been a difficult run for you, trying to protect your music while still staying current with technology?
BD: Actually my record has been floating around for the last 2 years, it never leaked. I never thought or worried about it, therefore it never happened.
SF: Punk music took a decidedly emo turn in the past decade. How do you feel about the current state of popular music?
BD: I miss the monster a little just because of the familiarity of it all, but I'm excited to step into the future and see where we are going. There's great music that hasn't even been written yet that's going to change the world and peoples lives, somewhere, someone is awaiting their fate. I don't like how dispensable music has become but that goes for a lot of things. I think we are at a real breaking point in humanity, crazy times.
SF: Touring can be difficult as a single person. You are married with a child, how do you think that will effect Spinnerette, your recording of new music and touring?
BD: I really love playing live, but I want to be here for every second of my daughter’s life. Ultimately I would like to be a recording artist, who once in a blue moon goes on tour, like Tom Waits.
SF: Spinnerette has a difficult sound to pigeonhole. How would you describe your genre?
BD: chinese rock, folk doom, gaelic disco.
QUICKIE 10:
BD: Nothing.
2. Twitter or Myspace?
BD: Twitter cos i can see what my friends are doing, thinking and saying.
3. Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS or Digital?
BD: VHS.
4. My gravestone should read...
BD: She was a mother and a fucker and she went far.
5. My guilty pleasure is...
BD: Sleep.
6. Are you superstitious?
BD: I won't walk under a ladder.
7. Ever sniffed magic markers?
BD: Sure.
8. Which color M&M tastes the best?
BD: yellow.
9. Australia or America?
BD: neither.
10. My "list" of 5 people are...
BD: Marilyn Monroe, Robert Anton Wilson, Sam Raimi, Traci Lords, Hannah Hanra.