By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
June 29, 1998
The upcoming feature film “The Avengers” may be set in England, but the film’s soundtrack has a strong Chicago vibe, thanks to Veruca Salt’s Louise Post, Yum-Yum’s Chris Holmes and Brian Liesegang, a former member of Filter and Nine Inch Nails.
The Chicago-based trio collaborated on “Solve My Problems Today.” And University of Chicago alums Holmes and Liesegang worked with Sinead O’Connor on “Summer’s End,” another cut from the soundtrack.
The Atlantic Records release will be in stores Aug. 4.
Liesegang and Holmes hooked up with O’Connor after a producer who was impressed with the duo’s demo tapes did a little musical matchmaking.
“Sinead is very quiet and has long hair now,” Liesegang said of the formerly bald Irish singer. “She chain smokes and then gets in front of the mike and just releases the most impressive voice. It’s pretty amazing. (Chris) and I may be writing some songs for her new record.”
Liesegang also is negotiating two more deals with Atlantic. Besides his solo album, he and Holmes are recording songs for their band Ashtar Command.
“I find that when I’m doing a bunch of things at once, more stuff tends to happen,” Liesegang said from his Lincoln Park apartment. “Chris and I have been writing and producing material (for Ashtar Command). Louise is penciled in to be vocalist.”
Liesegang and Post, who went through a public breakup with Foo Fighters’ frontman Dave Grohl, have been romantically involved since working together on “The Avengers” soundtrack back in March.
“I met her through Chris,” said Liesegang. “She was going to sign on to Ashtar and we just started hanging out together in London (where they recorded the soundtrack). It all took off from there.”
Though a spokesman for Geffen Records wouldn’t confirm details about a new Veruca Salt album, Liesegang said Post is hard at work on it now. It would be the first without co-founding member Nina Gordon, who last was heard singing backup on Smashing Pumpkins’ guitarist James Iha’s solo debut, “Let It Come Down.”
“A lot of people thought that Veruca Salt broke up after Nina quit, but Louise is still in the band,” Liesegang said. “We’ve written some stuff together (for it), but she’s got a ton of material she’s already written. I may produce the album with her. We’re not that far along on the project yet at this point.”
