In all its political angst and pop lust, Sleater-Kinney is one of indie rock’s most prolific bands.
The Pacific Northwest trio – Corin Tucker, Carrie Brownstein and Janet Weiss – has released seven full-length albums on three labels in 10 years. And the consistency with which they’ve rocked over the past decade reveals the group’s deep well of ideas – and also the need for strong women in a world where they are severely underrepresented.
Here are five things you need to know about Sleater-Kinney, courtesy of drummer Janet Weiss. The band plays the Gothic Theatre tonight to support its Sub Pop release “The Woods.”
New songs, new ideas: “We edit ourselves extensively, especially on the last couple records,” Weiss said. “Why make a record if it’s going to do the same thing as the previous ones? I think the three of us had a sense that there was more to say and that we still had some unique original ideas inside of us when we were making the last record. But we weren’t sure what they were when we first started writing.”
Old songs, old ideas: “As far as playing old songs, some don’t fit into the set with the new material,” Weiss said. “And some we get sick of and move out of rotation, like ‘Words and Guitar,’ ‘I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone,’ ‘Little Babies.’ Some of the big hit songs we get sick of, but they usually come back. We just don’t want to play a song because we have to.”
On improvisation: “We started improvising two years ago in our live show,” Weiss said. “Improv is like meditation. And we’re just dabbling in it – it’s not where we live. … It’s when you have the closest connection to your instrument, and the time between you thinking of something to play and actually playing it is so small that it can teach you more about your craft, and it’s where you can really show off your chops, if you’ve got them. It’s good incentive to practice. The better you are at conveying how you feel with your instrument, the better your improvisations will be. It’s why John Coltrane played eight hours a day.”
Touring with (and befriending and learning from) Pearl Jam: “We played with them for over a month. What was interesting was how the relationship between the band and their fans is so similar to the relationship between our band and our fans. The fans could trust the band in a way, and the band could trust the fans in a way.”
Life lessons: “We all still really get along and realize that we’re all in it for the same reasons. Pearl Jam is at a much different level than us, and they’re cultural icons in a way, but they don’t behave that way. They love playing, and they learn how to deal with each other’s idiosyncrasies and use them to the advantage of the band. And I see Sleater-Kinney under the same light. There’s no reason they would have to make another record, but they do because they’re still compelled to make music with those people. And it’s the same way for us.”
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-820-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.
Sleater-Kinney
INDIE ROCK|Gothic Theatre, 8 tonight with Matson Jones| $13-$15|via ticketweb.com and TicketWeb outlets.
