Because the lead singer of 7 Year Bitch is prone to penning such bold songs as "Dead Men Don't Rape," you might expect Selene Vigil to come stomping in, throw herself into a chair and start barking replies to your questions. Instead, the suprisingly dainty Vigil is thoughtful and even a bit shy, completely at odds with the howling presence who prowls the stage during the Seattle quartet's exhilarating, slightly menacing shows. Vigil seems a little bit bruised, having weathered the 1992 death of the band's guitarist Stefanie Sargent as well as the deaths of close friend Mia Zapata of the Gits and Kristen Pfaff of Hole. 7 Year Bitch's sound, however, has never been stronger than on Gato Negro, their major-label debut. Vigil chats in a husky voice, which may have something to do with the steady stream of Dunhill cigarettes that she huffs with frightening gusto.

What's the key to getting along in a band?
You have to be able to be friends and to speak your mind about things. Of course, we get in fights from time to time.
Name the last silly fight you guys got into.
Roisin [Dunne], our guitarist, is superorganized, and it drives me crazy. On the plane the other day, I was storing my luggage, and she walks up: [prissy voice ] "Can you put your luggage on the other side? I have to put the guitars up here." I was like [mutters ] "Do what you gotta do. I stored my luggage. If you want to rearrange it, go ahead, just don't talk to me about it!" [Laughs ] It's stupid little things.
What have you learned about the music business?
People think you're selling out, and they say, "You've changed!" It's like, "Yeah, I've changed. Haven't you?"
Your shows are energetic. Ever think, "I'm not in the damn mood tonight"?
Yeah. You do it anyway. Either it happens or it doesn't. If I'm feeling lackadaisical, I'll just start . . . drinking [laughs ].
What's your favorite drink?
Lately I've been into Black Russians with a shot of Bailey's. Those drinks make you more woozy. If I drink tequila, I get crazy. The other night I was drinking tequila at the Crocodile [Cafe], in Seattle, and someone asked if anyone knew how to do the monster mash. I jumped up on the bar and started doing it. I'm like "I can't."
What have you been listening to lately?
I've been going backwards instead of forward. The Tindersticks — the previous one, not the new one. Nick Drake. Leonard Cohen — I can't believe I'd never listened to him before last summer. Maybe if I had listened to it five years ago, I wouldn't have liked it as much because I was in a different head space.
With those CDs, your head space now doesn't exactly seem cheerful.
No, I guess not. I'm kind of a morbid person. I like music that's soul-searching.
You're morbid, eh? I bet you've been to the Mutter Museum, in Philadelphia?
Yeah! They have all sorts of weird things: an old woman with a horn that was growing out of her head, Siamese twins in formaldehyde. And they have this room filled with things found in people's stomachs.
Do you get strange guy fans?
Sometimes. I just walk away from them. If they're overbearing or want to touch you, it's just weird, you know? "Just let me hug ya!" It freaks me out.
You guys were in a few movies.
I just saw Hype!, a documentary on Seattle music that we were in. It was weird to see it because it looked so dated already and it was only three years ago.
What's a weird food combination that only you like?
I seem to like sardines a hell of a lot more than anybody else. I can just whip open a can and eat 'em all. My favorite way of having them is on saltines with mustard. I'm not kidding. [Dreamily ] The most excellent sandwich to me is sourdough bread with sardines, tomatoes and mayonnaise.
What's the first concert you ever saw?
It was Holloween night, and it was the Commodores. It was excellent — big huge costumes. I was like 15. They were cool.
What's a perfect day in Seattle?
You know what? I look out on the sound, and I can't believe I've lived here for 10 years and never been out on a boat. So I would like to go out on a boat in Seattle. And it would be sunny.
What's the worst pickup line you ever heard?
There have been really bad pickup scenarios, ones that deal with death or a wake. Somebody's coming on, and you're sitting there mourning. I'm like "Goddamn, man. That is tacky and bad and gross."
What's up on the Mia Zapata murder case? Are there any developments?
[Carefully ] It's pretty secretive. I used to be completely 100 percent "I'd kill that motherfucker." And then time has gone by, and it seems like I start to not know. I wouldn't feel right about killing somebody. [Silence ] I don't know. You try to understand, and understanding makes you more confused.
You toured with L7. Tell me something about them that I don't know.
L7 didn't party that much with us on tour. Maybe that's something you don't know. They don't party that much. [Laughs ] They didn't with us.
Kinda demure, eh?
Sweet little things! [Laughs ] They just keep it to themselves.
What's been your least favorite gig?
There was this pathetic show we played at this college. It was practically in a classroom. We drew arrows on the chalkboard like football player positions to tell people who we were. It was weird and sterile and just bad. Afterward the promoter came in and asked if we could pick up the garbage. [Laughs ] We were just looking at each other like "We rock."

Thanks to Jeff and Gord for submitting this article!

Back to the 7 Year Bitch main page