KELLEY DEAL

I interviewed Kelley over the phone from the home she shared with Kim at the time. It was shortly after the European tour where they supported Nirvana and I don't think studio time had been booked for The Last Splash recordings at this time.

GEOFF: How did you get on with the Breeders' gigs?

KELLEY: Great. They were really exciting. Most of them were sold out. That was neat.

GEOFF: You seemed very nervous at the Dublin show.

KELLEY: I was petrified! I was scared shitless, but it got better.

GEOFF: I noticed at the Belfast one that you added an original solo to When I Was a Painter.

KELLEY: Um, no. I don't think so. I think it was right. Who knows what I played.

GEOFF: Will you be playing all the lead guitar parts on the new album?

KELLEY: Yes.

GEOFF: Have you done much lead guitar practice yet?

KELLEY: Yeah. I'm sure I could probably practise more of course. It depends on the song, you know, different songs need different leads. I don't like to go as fast as possible "just because", so it's not like I have to worry about that. I just have to think of cool things and what's appropriate for the song.

GEOFF: Maybe you can't play fast anyway? [I was joking]

KELLEY: I probably could. I don't know, you'll find out.

GEOFF: The new album will be recorded in the Autumn. Will it be recorded in America or the UK?

KELLEY: We haven't decided. It wont be done in New York, Dayton or London - that's where I know it's not going to be done.

GEOFF: Do you hate those places?

KELLEY: No. Kim doesn't like to go back to the same place.

GEOFF: Didn't you do a session for BBC radio when you were over in June/

KELLEY: Yeah. That was fun, that was really weird.

GEOFF: Wasn't it a surprise session?

KELLEY: No. We scheduled it along with the tour dates.

GEOFF: I hadn't heard about it until a few days afterwards. A lot of people probably missed it.

KELLEY: It wasn't meant to be a surprise.

GEOFF: It's the BBC's fault for not announcing it then?

KELLEY: That's right! [laughs]

GEOFF: I'll have to get a petition together!

KELLEY: [laughs some more]

GEOFF: What songs did you do?

KELLEY: We did Safari, Don't Call Home, Limehouse and Do You Love Me Now and... one other one. Which was it? I forget.

GEOFF: Was it a new song?

KELLEY: Yeah it was! No Aloha.

GEOFF: Who sings that one?

KELLEY: Kimmy.

GEOFF: Will you be doing any singing on the new album?

KELLEY: Probably a little I imagine. I don't know.

GEOFF: Did you write any of the songs for it?

KELLEY: Um, Do You Love Me Now we [Kim and her] did together.

GEOFF: I heard that you helped to write a song that originally became Fortunately Gone.

KELLEY: I don't think it was that one. I think it was Limehouse.

GEOFF: Are you bitter that you didn't get a co-writing credit on it?

KELLEY: Oh no. Because it ended up being totally different.

GEOFF: Do you think you'll ever get a female drummer in the band?

KELLEY: Um, probably... probably not.

GEOFF: I suppose you would think it was too cute anyway?

KELLEY: [laughs] No. Especially in Dayton, you don't see a lot of female drummers, the important thing is that it's a good drummer first, and then it's wat ever sex it is after that. They're not falling off trees.

GEOFF: Have you any idea what the album is going to be called yet?

KELLEY: No. I don't know yet.

GEOFF: I heard a rumour it was going to be called Tuber.

KELLEY: I haven't heard that rumour [laughs].

GEOFF: Are there any rumours you want to start about The Breeders?

KELLEY: I don't know. [disappears and talks to Kim for simply ages, finally coming back she says] Make one up on your own, I'm sure it will be better than anything we can make up.

GEOFF: I wouldn't want to get sued over it.

KELLEY: Oh you won't be [laughs]. If it's a bad one, or a queer one then we'll sue ya.

GEOFF: Do you miss living on the farm?

KELLEY: Yeah, I do. I miss living on the farm.

GEOFF: But you don't miss doing the work on it?

KELLEY: That's right.

GEOFF: Did you have to do more chores than Kim?

KELLEY: Not more. We have our own stuff we had to do like gather eggs, milk cows, feed the horses and chickens and stuff.

GEOFF: In America does beer taste better out of the bottle or a can?

KELLEY: Bottle. My favourite now is Rolling Rock.

GEOFF: I've tried it and I hate it.

KELLEY: NO!!! It's really good for the Summer, it's refreshing.

GEOFF: American beer must be the same as Guinness in that it is made better in it's home country.

KELLEY: that's it, yeah. I think you're right about that actually.

[When I told her that I had half a bottle of Bushmills Whiskey waiting for her if I had been able to interview her when she was on tour here that last time, she seemed genuinely sad that she had missed it. We promised each other that when she's next over that we'll have whiskey comparisons - she'll try to convert me to American whiskey and I'll try to convert her to Irish.]

GEOFF: What's your favourite American whiskey?

KELLEY: Probably Jack Daniels.

GEOFF: So bourbon's best then?

KELLEY: Bourbon is definitely best. Definitely bourbon!

Reprinted from Rock a My Soul #3

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