By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
June 18, 2004
It’s not often a New York band will admit Chicago might be just as cool — if not cooler — than the Big Apple, but Suffrajett took it one step further by relocating to Wrigleyville six months ago. Of course, it may have helped that guitarist Jason Chasko already was familiar with the city, having worked with Liz Phair in the past. When singer/violinist Simi (that’s right, just Simi) got a look at their new digs, she says her jaw hit the floor.
“There’s just so much room,” she says. “It’s incredible.”
On a sunny day, Simi chatted on her patio about the band (which also includes bassist Kevin Roberts and new drummer Danny Severson), her worst job and her obsession with Bill Kurtis and “The Lord of the Rings.”
Suffrajett currently is on tour promoting its self-titled album.
HERE’S WHAT ELSE SIMI HAD TO SAY:
People you’d most like to meet: David Chappelle is my idol. And that guy from “Cold Case Files,” Bill Kurtis. He’s one of my favorite people. I would love to meet him.
Tell us a secret: We’re all obsessed with A&E. My bass player is obsessed with the History Channel. He would watch it all day and night if he could. We’re kind of nerds a little bit.
Bands that matter: Led Zeppelin, the Stooges, Blondie.
Coolest singer: Deborah Harry. She’s a total New Yorker and so cool. She’s such a bad ass!
Worst job you ever had: I had to slice meat at this deli and then make deliveries to these old ladies. They would get deliveries of cigarettes and maybe some meat. You can get anything delivered in New York.
Best thing about moving to Chicago from New York: We were broke in New York because everything was so expensive there. Now, we have a nice place in Wrigleyville. I’m sitting on a patio right now. That would’ve been the entire apartment in New York.
Worst thing about living in Wrigleyville: It’s a little overwhelming when people are kind of like meatheads. During certain times of the day, you can hear the roar of people, but it’s very America. We had a different view of the area, too, because we moved in the winter when everything was really dead. It’s kind of changed. It’s nice.
What you did to while away the winter: I just pretty much wrote songs and went out and got wasted and stuff. We’d run out and drink and meet people. It was fun.
Favorite clubs: I love the clubs [in Chicago]. I like it all — the Empty Bottle, Metro, Double Door.
Cubs, Sox, Mets or Yankees?: I love sports but I’m not a sports fan. I appreciate them but I get really upset when I watch games because someone’s got to lose.
Your sport: I ran track as a kid. The 400-meter dash was hard and intense. I used to skateboard, too, but I got all scraped up. I sprained my ankles and foot twice. Now I play music and rock out onstage.
Last good movie you saw: “Lost in Translation” was amazing. It was so sweet. I also love the “Lord of the Rings” movies. I got obsessed with them. I never read the books as a kid and didn’t see the first one when it came out. But I saw the second one and then had to see them all. I did that with “Twin Peaks.” My friends and I rented the whole series and watched it over one weekend.
Your David Duchovny connection: I waited on his wife [Téa Leoni] once. She ordered a Drambuie on the rocks. She seemed so classy and sweet!
On being a musician: We all know how rare it is for someone to really make it happen in this business. But there’s no alternative for us. It’s not easy, but it just feels like this is what we’re supposed to be doing. Some people are skeptical when I say I’m in a band, but you just have to keep the faith. It’s not that I chose to be a musician so much as it chose me.
