On Radiohead:TMS: The Thom Yorke solo album is great. It’s very much like Thom is pressing the button over here, I’m pressing the button over there.
Joan: I know, he’s just nuts.
TMS: He’s nuts but it’s fantastic.
Joan: He’s amazing. It is great but come on, give me something to hold onto!
TMS: Yeah… he was waiting to make this album for a while…
Joan: I’m sure!
TMS: So he could just go nuts a little bit.
Joan: Just do it. He’s incredible.
TMS: He’s incredible. Also, 9 songs on that album and each song is 4 minutes or less (actually 5 minutes or less). Short album.
Joan: That’s great, that’s considerate.
TMS: Especially when he’s bleeping and blopping…
Joan: Yeah yeah yeah.
TMS: I’ve seen them (Radiohead) [many many] times.
Joan: I’ve seen them a lot too. I remember seeing them on ‘The Bends’ tour and that was really exciting.
TMS: Me too. To this day ‘The Bends’ is my favorite one.
Joan: [mouths and hums guitar riff to ‘Just’] They so fucking rock on that record. Really rock. Totally not themselves yet and I’m fine with them being aware, you can’t help it, but it was nice…
TMS: Each album has pushed the boundaries a little bit but also completely expanded their sound. It’s interesting in concert to hear a song fom ‘The Bends’ next to a song…
Joan: ‘Pyramid Song’!
TMS: Which I love!
Joan: Oh, god. One of the best!
TMS: That song’s one of my favorites.
Joan: Me too!
TMS: My favorite is ‘Street Spirit’ and then ‘Pyramid Song’.
Joan: How does that go? I don’t know the names.
TMS: ‘Street Spirit’ is the final song on ‘The Bends’ and he [Thom] keeps saying ‘Fade out again’.
Joan: Oh my god, that song! That song is so amazing.
TMS: I have a lyric from that song tattooed on my back.
Joan: You do?
TMS: I’m kinda hardcore Radiohead.
Joan: Dude, I’m with it!
On CBGB closing + First Concerts:
TMS: What was your first concert? Do you remember what it was?
Joan: Oh yeah. I had 2 first concerts. I have my first big concert when I was 14, I saw Adam and the Ants at Radio City.
TMS: Oh, that’s a good one!
Joan: Oh yeah. But then my first club show, and this is not a lie, was Black Flag in ’86. And it was amazing. Adam and the Ants, it was fabulous and make-up and Adam Ant was going to be future ex-husband, etc. but then when I saw Black Flag… it was so much energy. And it was right there, in a room half this size. It blew my mind more than anything ever. So, yeah.
TMS: Has a good place in your heart that show. What are your thoughts on CBGB closing?
Joan: Oh, I don’t care.
TMS: It’s enough already! It’s kinda like, let it…
Joan: Rest.
TMS: Yeah.
Joan: When CBGB t-shirts started showing up in Urban Outfitters like 5 years ago or whatever, I was just like, this is gross. The whole thing is done. I’m glad I got to play there 10 years ago. You know what was great about the place? They had a great sound system. But I haven’t wanted to piss in that bathroom in really quite a long time!
On Influences + Al Green’s church + Morrissey:
TMS: Ok, so you listened to Black Flag, is there anyone else that was either influential to you or had an impact on you in any way, in your teenage years, for example.
Joan: Yes. There is. [laughter] A lot of bands.
TMS: Is it more so that punk sound?
Joan: It’s a lot of music, really. I was listening to Joni Mitchell and The Smiths.
TMS: I’m a massive Smiths fan.
Joan: Yeah, and The Birthday Party and X. Huge for me.
TMS: I honestly, have never heard any of X’s music. I know, I need to catch up.
Joan: They’re great. Amazing. I really love Bad Brains. I saw them play a number of times.
TMS: So it kinda runs the gamut.
Joan: It does! I like to think I was listening to good music. There’s a lot of great music in the 80s. There’s always great music. I’ve also never stopped listening to Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young and Bob Dylan. Sly & The Family Stone. In my early 20s I got really into soul music. Listening to a lot of Al Green, Johnnny Hathaway, all those great R & B type singers.
TMS: Have you seen any of them nowadays?
Joan: I’ve actually been to Al Green’s church, like 3 times, he does preach and he sings.
TMS: How was that?
Joan: It was amazing. What was real about it is that he definitely lives what he’s preaching. It’s not like he’s putting it on. The guy is going through torture! He’s feeling. That’s always interesting, someone feeling in public for your benefit.
TMS: Cool, where was that again?
Joan: It’s in Memphis.
TMS: I saw Morrissey at the Apollo when he did a stint of shows there about 2 years ago.
Joan: Morrissey, yeah yeah, I opened for him once, with Black Beetle.
TMS: Oh really? Did you chat with Morrissey?
Joan: Are you kidding? I don’t think his band had ever met him!
TMS: [Laughter]
Joan: You couldn’t get anywhere near him, I didn’t try.
TMS: I kinda figured but I figured I’d ask.
Joan: I didn’t try but I was told, everyone was told you couldn’t talk to him. I didn’t see him until he got on the stage. It was an amazing show, it was during his quote-unquote ‘Fat Elvis’ period where he was wearing all black leather. I really like his new record too, where he’s holding the violiln.
TMS: Me too!
Joan: He’s amazing, he’s unstoppable.
TMS: I agree. Definitely one of my favorite artists of all time. Thank you for meeting with me!
Joan: Oh, it was my pleasure! It was great talking to you.
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