By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
December 31, 2000
What happened with you and Louise Post and the demise of Veruca Salt? We heard all sorts of rumors about a weird love rectangle involving you two, [your ex-boyfriend] Blake Smith [of Figdish] and Gavin Rossdale [of Bush].
There was none of that. I think when women are involved, people want it to be a cat fight. Unfortunately, the story is much less glamorous and much more mundane. It really was just a parting of ways. Louise and I had been in a band together for six years. That’s longer than any relationship I’ve had. And I’ve never held down any job for that long. It was magical and amazing, but it just kind of lost some of the magic at the end.
So are you and Louise friends, or at least friendly?
We’re friendly, not friends, although I can definitely foresee us being friends again after enough time has gone by. When you’ve been joined at the hip for six years, you kind of have to go cold turkey. Otherwise you’ll run back into each other’s arms and repeat the problems. Both of us made a concerted effort to let the wounds heal.
Your album came out at the same time the new Veruca Salt record did. Did you feel at all bad that your album kind of overshadowed hers?
No, because I know her very well and know that she made the record she wanted to and is very proud of it. That’s all that really matters. … There are a lot of fans out there who love Veruca Salt and play it to death. She made a great record and no one can make her feel bad about that. She’s very, very talented.
Are you ashamed about your fascination with Scott ”Chachi” Baio?
No! That was when I was younger. I really did have a massive crush on him when I was 8 or 9.
What was your reaction when Jay Leno brought him out to surprise you on the ”Tonight Show”?
Not to snub Scott, because I loved him when he was younger, but meeting your childhood idols isn’t the greatest idea. But come on. If I had met him when I was 8 or 9, I would’ve lost my mind. Actually, I’ve only written two fan letters in my life. One was to Scott, who never wrote me back. And the other was to Audrey Hepburn, who also never wrote me back.
And you drew these because … ?
I just thought she would like it. I thought they made the letter pretty.
On to fashion. What has been your best find?
I love vintage shops. I love the fashion in Japan. All the girls look so amazing. They do things so effortlessly that American girls can’t pull off, although I try. I just got this awesome long tutu at a flea market in Australia. I might wear it on stage when I sing ”New Year’s Eve” since the song is about doing whatever you want to do. Or I might hang it up on stage, put a light bulb in the middle and use it as a lantern.
When’s your buddy [actress] Lili Taylor going to sing with you? She was really good with those folk songs in the movie “Dogfight.”
Lili is one of my closest friends and always will be. She’s somebody that I turn to and cherish. When we were in high school, we used to always talk about being in bands together, but that didn’t work out ’cause of her movie career. She has a great voice. She says she wants to sing on my record though and play her accordion, so we’ll see.
Speaking of working with friends, will your boyfriend [Stacy Jones, formerly of Veruca Salt and Letters to Cleo] be touring with you?
No. He’ll be doing promotions for his own album. It would be complicated being in a band with your boyfriend, but at the same time, it’d obviously be so nice, too. We’re going to be apart for a while ’cause he’ll be doing his thing and I’ll be on the road with my album. I’ve been in three long distance relationships and they’re hard. But this is a good one. We’ve been together almost 3 years now.
This kind of puts the whole Scott Baio thing in perspective, huh?
[Laughs.] Yes, it certainly does.
