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Lisa
& Girl Friday @ CBGBs in New York
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If
you haven’t heard of Lisa Jackson & Girl Friday you have
been sleeping for the past year. The band exploded onto the NYC
underground scene about a year ago, and since then has taken their
music on the road attracting fan bases in Minneapolis, Chicago,
Wisconsin and most recently Boston and Philadelphia. Lisa and the
band, Girl Friday, was at CBGBs rock club, were they performed to
celebrate the completion of their newest CD: “I Am A.O.K.”
Like in every review
I have written about them, the band was tight and engaging as
their fans sang along. One thing that’s consistent in every show
is that their fans are always smiling. Afterward I caught up with
her backstage.
Brie:
So,
here we are again. deja Vue, another strong show, another packed
house, how many more times can I keep telling the readers how
great you & the band are? (Laughing)
Lisa:
As
many times as you like (chuckle)
B:
I interviewed you last year for TG Community News and we discussed
you as a person, as well as you as a performer, what’s changed
since then?
LISA:
Lisa Jackson is no longer the “performer” people see on stage,
it is also the person I am. (Steve) and Lisa are now merged,
I am the sum of them.
B:
Tonight was your CD release party, and I was surprised when I
arrived and there was such a small crowd. But, by the time you
took the stage it was probably the largest crowd I have seen you
draw to date. What was your impression?
LISA:
Well,
this is the first gig we have done here where it was “our”
show. In other words, we weren’t part of something else, like in
the past we always performed on a bill with other bands as part of
some larger show, like HOMOCORPS.
Tonight, we were the only draw and I was so nervous when I got
here and the crowd was so small. Then when I came on stage and it
was packed – I felt so great!
B:
Speaking of the crowd, there aren’t a lot of TGs in the crowd,
you seem to draw mostly from the mainstream, some gay some
straight, how do you account for that?
LISA:
I think a lot
of it has to do with the music; its just fun. Its not threatening
to anyone. Even though my lyrics quite often deal with trans
issues, I think it’s in a positive way and people relate from a
basic freedom of expression mindset. Also because my band is
totally straight, there is an energy that makes us more
androgynous, and its about who we are collectively, and again
about the music, not the lifestyle.
B:
During the show you referenced the vandal that smashed your guitar
at a past show, how did it effect you? Does an act of hate like
this ever make you think about quitting, or toning down the Lisa
Jackson persona?
LISA:
You know we had a great show that night here at CBGBs. The crowd
was really with us and we (the band and I) really had a good time.
Then I come to the dressing room and find my guitar missing and
smashed in the back ally. First off, that guitar cost me $1000.
Secondly, its my art, its part of me. I just can’t imagine how
someone could be such an asshole. Maybe they are insecure,
immature … I don’t know, it just really made me mad … and
sad.
B:
Is this the guitar (pointing to a glass case with guitar pieces in
it)?
LISA:
Yeah, my band members collected the broken pieces and had this
made for me, sort of like a shrine I guess. I thought that was
really sweet of them, it touched me.
B:
What did you think about that?
LISA:
It was very serious, they (the band) came to a turning point I
think, they felt my pain and as band mates, and friends,
solidified our relationship; they wanted to help me get past it
and were so supportive. They came to me and said they didn’t
want me to pay them for the next several shows. In their mind what
happened to me, happened to all of us. When they presented the
guitar pieces in the case, I felt very loved and connected to
them, it was like a symbol of our new relationship and marked the
beginning of a new chapter.
B:
Are you happy with your record?
LISA:
I am, it’s the best recording so far, and I’m proud of the
work we’ve done. The album is called “ I’m
A.O.K.” and features 9 songs. It will be
commercially mass produced and ready for sale hopefully in August.
B:
I noticed that ever since the Qwere
Music Fest (summer 2002) you no
longer use breast forms, you do a flat-chested look. What’s that
about?
LISA:
I had all this stuff - nails, tits, so much make-up, I think I
went through a process of shedding a lot of that “stuff” that
maybe I was hiding behind. I have found what I am comfortable
with. So now, sometimes I feel like mascara and a skirt, sometimes
I dress up and get totally done - it’s about how I feel that
day.
B:
People think that its easy, if you have a little talent, to get
out there as a band, but there’s really much more to it behind
the scenes isn’t there?
LISA:
Sure, it’s a grind. You can’t do this unless you love your
art. I’m a product
that I have to invest my money into, constantly honing it, trying
to make it better. By the time I pay for recording, travel and not
making money while we rehearse,
I’ve lost money – (laughing) then I have to take time
off to work (as a carpenter) to pay for it all, then do it all
again. I am definitely paying my membership dues. That’s why its
so helpful when the community comes out to see us, it helps
finance our efforts.
B:
So what’s next for Lisa Jackson & Girl Friday?
LISA:
We’re performing at the Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Film
Festival, then doing a gig in P-Town. Then it’s time for a
break, I have to make some money, and shop for a record deal. I feel that we are ready to go to
the next level.
B:
I wish you all the best, and will continue to be a fan
Lisa:
Thanks so much
Copyright 2003 - All Rights Reserved
