Last night, an incredible estrogen-fueled discussion took place at the Ace Hotel in NYC's Flatiron district. Television's funniest gals, Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer of Broad City, interviewed riot grrrl heroines Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss, the members of Sleater-Kinney for NPR Music. And, how was your Ladies Night?
Here are a few things we learned from the evening:
Corin Tucker's son appeared on an episode of Portlandia, the IFC series that Carrie Brownstein co-stars in with Fred Armisen.
Sleater-Kinney's original tour van still exists, and currently resides in Tucker's driveway. It has over 200,000 miles on it.
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Janet Weiss only started playing the drums when she was 22 years old. Ilana Glazer is also a drummer, and Abbi Jacobson tells us she's a very good one.
A tour rule that everyone abides by: "No shitting on the bus."
On one of Sleater-Kinney's first tours in Europe, Tucker lost her passport at 2 a.m. so she stayed stuck in Paris while Weiss and Brownstein continued on, driving the van into Barcelona listening to Oasis.
How has Sleater-Kinney changed over the years? Tucker says the band's music and feminism felt very confrontational in the earlier years, whereas now, a lot of change has made their music feel more inclusive.
Abbi Jacobson admits she's a newer fan of Sleater-Kinney, self-proclaiming that she was more of a "jam band girl" growing up.
Even in the remastering of Sleater-Kinney's albums, the band chose to keep the mistakes or imperfections. Tucker pointed out that in the song "The Day I Went Away," the pop in the "p" remains from Brownstein's original vocals.
Sleater-Kinney's self-titled debut album was recorded in a single night.
Though Sleater-Kinney has been a band for over 20 years, the band is not at all nostalgic for the past, but grateful for the experiences nonetheless. They are happy to "be in the present."
Weiss confessed that she does not own a TV, but uses Brownstein's HBO Go account to watch things on her computer.
Brownstein's current favorite TV shows include The Comeback, Black Mirror, and Broad City (of course). Books that she recommends include Miranda July's The First Bad Man and Kim Gordon's forthcoming memoir Girl in a Band.
Brownstein's current favorite TV shows include The Comeback, Black Mirror, and Broad City (of course). Books that she recommends include Miranda July's The First Bad Man and Kim Gordon's forthcoming memoir Girl in a Band.
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In a question via text, Amy Poehler asked that the Sleater-Kinney song "Little Mouth" be played at her funeral. She also says the band has helped her get through her time in Chicago.
And, finally, here's an amazing thing Brownstein said (only half-jokingly?): "Men will solve feminism and we'll all be fine."
Sleater-Kinney's eighth album No Cities to Love comes out January 20.