if you write a song called "chickfactor," we might interview you too

the stevie jackson interview
he's in belle & sebastian, duh!

chickfactor: what's the worst job you've had?
stevie: I've quite enjoyed most of my jobs to a certain degree, I guess the main problem I have is getting up in the morning. well, there was one time I ran a kitchen in a place called bar miro for two weeks, that was a disaster, I had no aesthetic sense of presentation and I generally burned everything as well. I was demoted back to K.P. which made me extremely happy.
cf: what do you read?
stevie: I know I'm 10 years behind everybody else but I'm currently on my 4th tales of the city book and I recently read one called things can only get better by john o farrell which is about being a labour party supporter in the 1980s. tragically hilarious. I used to love steinbeck. tortilla flat was my favourite. I've got to get to monterey one of these days.
cf: what's driving you mad?
stevie: this summer cold that I can't shake. getting older. like the song says "there's music to play, places to go, people to see, everything for you and me." there's so much to do, so little time.
cf: what makes the wrong girl the wrong girl?
stevie: I think the problem could be primarily be with me, I'm generally wrong about most things. if there was a right girl -- maybe I don't deserve her.
cf: tell us about the first song you ever wrote. how old were you? what was it called? sing a few verses for us?
stevie: I was 14 and it was called "get in the car" and it went "get in the car and drive, honey we're moving on. step on the gas let's go honey, we can't be wrong". god even then my songs were peppered with beatle references. it would be another ten years before I attained a driver's license.
cf: what's in your fridge?
stevie: milk, margarine, out-of-date bag of salad -- I'm on a health kick, ehŠcheese, tonic water, bitter lemon, mold, nasty bacteria. I guess it's no mystery why I've got a summer cold.
cf: has belle and sebastian changed at all since becoming a "hot 100" band?
stevie: I've not really seen them collectively since I've heard this. I'm sure it must be a big deal, I mean nobody phoned me or anything to tell that it was a big deal, then I read in a newspaper that it was a big deal -- must be true then. I mean I've not changed, I'm not really in the position to be changed. I don't live in that world. sometimes I wish that I did, but only sometimes.
cf: what kind of drunk are you?
stevie: pretty good I think. I don't think my personality changes or anything. I really enjoy getting drunk -- always have.
cf: what's the best pub in glasgow?
stevie: depends what you're looking for. nice 'n' sleazy if you're into the local music scene and star spotting. it's also got a good juke box and the food is really good. it's a bit like max fish in NYC I suppose. the halt has the best open stage -- that's where I met stuarts murdoch and david.
cf: if I came to glasgow for the day, where would you take me?
stevie: oh there's lots of places, great museums, graveyards, cobbled streets, old buildings. you know we could just walk around and soak it all in. in the evening I could take you to dinner. we could enjoy fine wine and conversation. then I could serenade you with the magnetic fields song of your choice. how does that sound?
cf: how is your solo album coming along? band name yet? release date for debut LP?
stevie: you know, I'm not sure if it's what the world needs right now. another B&S-related album with a sticker saying so on the front. okay, I'll give it a bash -- release date feb 2001. I'm on it. oh yeah it will be called reverberations of the mind by stevie reverb.
cf: who is the biggest comedian in glasgow?
stevie: richard, our drummer, is a very funny guy, a genius at accents and impersonations -- also gary, who is my best friend and the drummer with a group called astrid. he's hilarious, unfortunately usually at my expense.
cf: have you ever sung karaoke? of which performance are you the most proud?
stevie: I've only done it once or twice. I took part recently in a bar in portland, oregon. I had decided on "philadelphia freedom" by elton john when the karaoke DJ guy out of the blue announced the night as being "hard rock wednesday" in a panic I quickly changed my selection to "you aint seen nothing yet" by bachman turner overdrive. the resulting performance could only be described as a triumph. I stuttered the lyric to perfection.
cf: what's your most memorable bowlie weekender moment?
stevie: if I'm honest I'd have to say playing the show. it was the biggest crowd we had ever played to and it just felt right. playing the who song was a gas. during the week-end a lot of people came up to me and said what a great time they were having which was wonderful. I had a great time too, I really did. I think maybe the most inspired aspect of the festival was the fact that the music was all at night. the afternoons were spent down the beach or in the pub. people really had an opportunity to hang out with each rather than being subjected to wall-to-wall music.
cf did you go to the other one this year? was it (as much) fun?
stevie: I didn't go.
cf: describe three recent musical revelations you've had.
stevie: worked on a string arrangement with chris and mick on a tune called "don't leave the light on baby" and discovered there is no mystery to writing string arrangements. also the other night I got up on stage and belted out "day tripper" backed by a few friends. I really enjoyed singing in a rock & roll style -- I didn't know I could do it. I've always, by nature, been something of a crooner. musical revelations? oh yeah, the musical works of dion dimucci.
cf: what men's fashion accessory can you not live without?
stevie: my guitar.
cf: what bit of studio trickery are you most proud of having mastered?
stevie: play, reverse, forward, locate.
cf: if you could produce any artist/band's record, who would it be?
stevie: B&S. I'd work them into the ground, the blighters.
cf: in the stevie jackson story, what actor would play you?
stevie: you're behind the times, it already exists; it's called "the wrong girl video." I played myself but I should have got that wee guy who starred in the small faces. I can't remember his name but he's a good-looking wee guy.
cf: what is the most irritating part of being in such an exalted and worshipped band?
stevie: exalted and worshipped? if that is the case then how could I not feel happy about it? I guess the only thing that is irritating is that I never see it. I guess you have to be out there playing shows to experience any kind of reaction or effect that the group has had. living and working in glasgow, life goes on.
cf: where do you write songs? how many do you have in your arsenal?
stevie: I don't really write songs actually, well not in the sense that I would describe myself as a songwriter or anything like that, now and again they come out of the air when I have a really strong feeling or sensation, usually confusion or sadness. I'll tinker about on a piano if I find myself in the same room as one. I don't know. I don't want to sound self-deprecating or anything it's just that I'm not sure if that's where my talents lie. I love to sing and I guess, because I need something to sing, I'll stick at it and try and get better. I mean it's hard. I'm in the same group as stuart and he really has a talent for it, standards are high, you know. oh yeah, I don't have too many in my arsenal. "get in the car" and a couple of others.
cf: what's your most thrilling new york city memory?
stevie: being shown around brooklyn by a gorgeous girl from texas and playing our first shows. I'd never been to america before and I couldn't believe that we had filled a hall twice. it still blows my mind.
cf: why do you and sarah like athens, georgia, so much?
stevie: you'd have to ask sarah herself, why she likes it, I'm not sure if I should say. as for me, oh christ I love everywhere, I love to travel. it was my first time in the south. the journey down was great, all the truck stops and front porches, all the y'alls. my god people actually talked like that, it was fantastic. you know I'm from scotland, and to be in a beautiful sunny climate in late october was amazing. one thing about athens though. the presence of R.E.M. is everywhere. it was a bit weird. you'd find yourself eating in michael's vegetarian restaurant, buying records in mike's old record shop, playing shows in venues belonging to peter's ex-wife. they would come into the conversation of the inhabitants endlessly. eg. "hey do you guys want to go swimming in a quarry, it's about an hours drive away. you know michael wrote 'nightswimming' about it." arrrrrgh.
cf: if your flat is on fire and you can only grab one item on the way out, what's it going to be?
stevie: my girlfriend if she was there or, you guessed it, my guitar. actually does a 1000 vinyl record collection count as an item? I might attempt to grab that.
cf: what makes you really angry?
stevie: oh the usual evils. sometimes I think we're living in the dark ages. I don't know if you've heard about any of the clause 28 stuff that's been going on in this country. it has to be seen to be believed. the press have behaved despicably, getting behind a fucking rightwing millionaire businessman who is on a crusade to protect children being taught homosexuality, as if you could teach someone their sexuality. I don't know the kind of effect this has been having on kids at school who think they might be or know that they are gay. being a kid is hard enough at the best of times, I was a kid once and I know it was hard for me. the whole deal has been handled with a complete lack of sensitivity. children need love and they need to be told that everything is alright, christ don't we all?
cf: how are you or your band/members unfairly or wrongly portrayed in the press or by your fans? do you guys just laff it off or does it piss you off?
stevie: I personally ignore it. I will say that with one exception, you couldn't imagine a group of less twee individuals.
cf: what are you addicted to?
stevie: caffeine.
cf: whose lyrics completely knock you out?
stevie: bob dylan, robert burns.
cf: what are your favorite websites? do you look at that stuff?
stevie: I never surf the net ever. I've just about mastered the art of emailing.
cf: is your family musical? did you get music lessons early on?
stevie: I've never had a music lesson in my life which is incredibly stupid of me. it is my intention to rectify this as soon as possible. no one else in my family ever played an instrument but it was still a musical family to grow up in. there was always lots of parties which always ended up with people standing around singing. you know, scottish songs, irish songs, pop songs -- carole king, james taylor, stuff like that. once I became the family musician I was expected to perform and back up everyone else. my mum's favourite song was "positively 4th street" by bob dylan. she always insisted I play it and she would snarl along with dylan's most vicious lyrics. I always thought she was exorcising all her frustrations at work.
cf: what is your most positive trait?
stevie: I like people and try and get on with everyone.
cf: what character from a book or film do you identify with most?
stevie: I honestly can't think of one. I always identify myself with the narrators in certain songs more than anything else. I mean there's maybe characters in books and movies that I'd aspire to be like, you know like sam spade blowing cigarette smoke into the gaudy little gunman's face- ha I know what you're thinking -- bullied at school right? well not quite. oh wait a minute, I just thought of one but it's not good. there were certain aspects of the main character in high fidelity (the book -- I've yet to see the movie). that really scared me -- it was a bit close for comfort, I mean all his favourite movies were nearly the same as mine -- gangster movies. the character is a bit of a tragic sort. I'd hate to end up like him by the time I reach my mid-thirties but maybe it's sadly inevitable.
cf: what is the best part of being a pop star? (yes, you are one.)
stevie: no I'm not gail, believe me. I wouldn't lie to you. I never get recognised, I never get asked for my autograph. I don't think even the fans are all that interested in individuals in the group apart from maybe stuart and isobel. it's funny, I ended up on the cover on one of our records quite recently and my face was everywhere -- postered all over town. I'm surrounded by three beauties in a charlie's angels­like pose, it's quite impressive, I was impressed myself. I thought Œgod I wish my life was like that' but it's not. the best thing about doing what I do is that I am paid for it and in that I feel truly blessed.
cf: who is your idol?
stevie: the young and beautiful keith richards.
cf: what are your top 5 records of all time.
stevie: I mean this really is the hardest question in the world. I'll give you a couple off the top of my head "don't try to take the 5th" by the pointer sisters. great song in a kind of jackson 5 mode. a statement of love and anger but expressed in the language of the american constitution -- "you refuse to answer my questions on the grounds in which it might incriminate ya, but I'm just trying to make you see that I want to emancipate ya" I love the lyrical conceit, a conceit we borrowed wholesale for "legal man" for anyone interested in that kind of thing. "I believe in miracles" by the jackson sisters. one of my favourite tunes for dancing. "monkey man" by the rolling stones. best sounding rock & roll record ever? probably. weird structure -- for the time anyway. "silver star" by frankie valli and the four seasons. a record my mum and dad had when I was growing up. a lot of '70s valli is amazing in my opinion. there's also "the night," "who loves you pretty baby," "late december 63," "grease is the word" -- what a singer. "it won't be long" the beatles. this gets me every time. I mean every time. CF