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In 1993, an unknown Chicagoan, Liz Phair, released her lo-fi Matador debut, Exile in Guyville, instantly cementing a place in indie-rock history. The albums since haven’t met the same reception; The New York Times called her fourth release, Liz Phair, “career suicide.” But in advance of Phair’s sixth album this fall, Guyville will be reissued on Tuesday 24; the same day, the Winnetka native will perform her first album in a sold-out show at the Vic.
Time Out Chicago: Do you ever feel burdened by your early success with Guyville?
Liz Phair: I used to feel that, and I do feel like so many people have expectations about it that are personal. It’s such an important record in a lot of people’s minds.
TOC: A lot of fans and critics have been disappointed in your work since that album. Do you share that sense of disappointment at all?
Liz Phair: Sometimes, but mostly not. Like, the Liz Phair record I feel very happy with. The last record was a bit of—a couple songs I really like, but a couple I don’t. I let people like what they like and don’t like what they don’t like.
TOC: Some say, “Phair had something with Guyville and then she let it go.” What do you do with that?
Liz Phair: It’s in the past; there’s not much you can do. I really enjoy making music, I love creating, and so I just keep going ahead making the best stuff I can.
TOC: What about the criticism that what made you musically distinctive gave way to a desire to make hits?
Liz Phair: Um, gosh, you’re cantankerous. [Laughs] Like, does it really bother you that people hate you? I mean, no really, does it really bother you that people hate you? [Laughs] Like, honestly, I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about this stuff. It doesn’t feel great, it’s not fun, but at the same time, like, am I really gonna go out and fight all those battles?
TOC: Well, my question wasn’t really how do you feel about people hating you. It’s: What do you think about that criticism of your music?
Liz Phair: Of course the style changed, and definitely Guy was special because it was unself-conscious in a way that I can never really be again. Maybe I’m not understanding what you’re asking.
TOC: Your music took a turn to pop—
Liz Phair: Because my life keeps taking turns. Of course it went pop, and now if you heard what I was doing on the next record it’s gone dirty again, kinda grungey and underproduced.
TOC: An overt sexuality has been key to your songs and image. Does having an 11-year-old son change that?
Liz Phair: It can’t now ’cause I’ve already said all the dirty things. [Laughs] It’s gonna be weird if he listens to that. But I am human and he’s gonna have to deal with that at some point. I’m not going to lead my artistic life because of some social mores, you know?
TOC: He hasn’t listened to Guyville yet?
Liz Phair: No, he literally just the other day, it was very cute, he hooked into music for the first time. He saw a commercial for “Viva La Vida”? The Coldplay song? And he loved it. He flipped. He’s never really been that into music. He doesn’t like when I play guitar.
TOC: In the documentary you directed about Guyville, I couldn’t help but notice the huge bong in the scenes with Nash Kato.
Liz Phair: How funny is that? You want to know the truth? And this is hilarious. I never got stoned. Like, it completely looks like I did—and I would’ve—but I was so worried that I was gonna fuck up the cameras that that whole documentary was shot sober.
TOC: It just happened to be on his table?
Liz Phair: We were in someone else’s apartment. And I’m like, “Oh my God, there’s a huge bong here.” And he’s like, “Really? Bring it out.”
TOC: Do you still smoke weed?
Liz Phair: I rarely, rarely do, but it’s not that I would not if the right circumstance presented itself.
TOC: What’s the right circumstance?
Liz Phair: Probably when I don’t have any work to do and my son’s at his dad’s—or maybe a Dave Matthews show.
TOC: You know, when I told a friend I was doing this interview he said, “Ask her why she sold out.”
Liz Phair: [Laughs] Ask him why he’s a walking cliché. I don’t think “sold out” is even, like, in my book of lingo. Like, I don’t even think that word reflects reality in our society today. It seems, like, very seven years ago.
TOC: You must know that people ask that about you.
Liz Phair: “Sell out” implies there’s a definitive line between what you should do and shouldn’t do. I find that very limited.
Phair performs at the Vic Tuesday 24, the same day Guyville is reissued.
kathy
Fri, Jun 27, at 04:54pm
Lame, seething and bitter is no way to go through life, son. Not much of a Phair fan, but even I can see how desperate of an attempt this is to weild "journalism" for personal vendetta. Why isn't this guy fired already?
Molly
Thu, Jun 26, at 12:36pm
This is why I don't subscribe to Time Out anymore. Negative, snotty hipsters who wield a very limited and often offensive viewpoint. Well played, Liz--classy and dignified!
Joe Bobco
Thu, Jun 26, at 08:54am
Wow . . . Novid Parsi is the most clueless asshat ever.
NYC-Sharon
Wed, Jun 25, at 09:14pm
Novid, I'm really glad that Ms. Phair demonstrated her radio-friendly tune-smithing skills and has significant airplay now. That way, she can support herself, and record more songs of any kind she wants. What is wrong with that? If she were one of those teeny boppers, you'd be praising their maturity and sophistication at crafting the perfect pop song. Ms. Phair can craft the perfect pop song and craft interesting, unexpected and surprising tunes. She does it all. Love that Musicmaster.
Rachael
Tue, Jun 24, at 07:34pm
Wow, this is the most ridiculous Q&A I've ever read. Fire him! What a waste of time for us and Liz.
Gina G
Tue, Jun 24, at 04:40pm
It's a shame that TimeOut wasted part of its yearly budget to pay somone for eight different ways of asking Liz Phair about "selling out" when a similar aproach could have easily and more cheaply been obtained from an 8th grade blogger. A senior writer's inability to prepare for this interview reflects even more poorly on a publication that can't seem to get its editorial act together. The only beauty of this piece is that Liz maintains her poise and shows what a true professional really is.
KDM
Tue, Jun 24, at 12:53pm
Wow. When did journalism become about a personal bashing vendetta against this poor girl? This is simply the worst interview I have ever read. Kudos to Phair for being able to laugh it off and remain tactful.
Cat
Mon, Jun 23, at 09:09pm
So.. after reading Parsi's interview, I've learned that he thinks Liz Phair sucks.. and that's about it. Were you hoping for a Barbara Walters moment; she'd break into tears and Really opening up?! Timeout - was there no one else to do the interview?? Thanks Parsi for seriously phoning it in.
Julie
Mon, Jun 23, at 02:40pm
Time Out Chicago should be embarassed that Novid Parsi is employeed by them. This was one of the worst interviews I've ever read. SO negatiave--not one positive question for a Chicago native who has a large fan base in Chicago. He should be thanking his lucky stars Liz actually stayed for this interview. She should have walked out.
Angela
Sun, Jun 22, at 01:49am
Here's a better questions: Hey Liz, What's your favorite color?
Shannon
Sat, Jun 21, at 06:59pm
Maybe if he had asked her just one more time - she would have broken down screaming and told him she's a sellout .... and then he could have actually asked her a real question. Lame.
Laurie
Sat, Jun 21, at 02:51am
This interview is appalling.
James
Fri, Jun 20, at 06:02pm
This guy is such a bad journalist. If he even qualifys under the title. Time-out should fire him for having no understanding of how to conduct an interview that is worth two cents. I have read better things in high school rags.
Simone
Fri, Jun 20, at 04:49pm
This interviewer is unbelievably redundant and unprofessional.
denny
Fri, Jun 20, at 03:12pm
interesting interview!
James
Fri, Jun 20, at 03:08pm
Novid, do you feel our sense of disappoinment in your interviewing skills? Well, my question wasn
Mark Bromann
Fri, Jun 20, at 01:42am
Who sold out ? Sheryl Crow sure as hell sold out with "Soak up the Sun" but Liz Phair puts out great original stuff over and over, and also blew everybody away before a baseball game (Chicago- White Sox playoffs in Oct.'05) with some awesome vocals. anyway, she's got the goods- good lyrics & good sound, Exile is definitely not her only artistic high.
Eric Burris
Thu, Jun 19, at 06:11pm
Repetitively, I agree with the comments about repetitive questions. Also "do you stills moke weed" is about as ridiculous a question as I have seen. Too bad. This could have been interesting with someone else asking the questions.
TC
Thu, Jun 19, at 04:10pm
Awful interview. Could have been worthwhile had you done some actual research. Resorting to "My friend said to ask you..." is high school journalism, especially when you've already called her a sell-out FIVE TIMES in the interview. Embarrassing.
Michael
Thu, Jun 19, at 01:44pm
Instead of using the really weak, transparent and passive-aggressive "people say..." "critics say..." or "my friend says..." just get real close to your interviewee, say "I think your music blows," and take whatever lumps you get in return. (BTW, TimeOut, it's REALLY bad Web coding to make the Return key submit a form like this. Pls fix ASAP.)
Michael
Thu, Jun 19, at 01:40pm
Sigh...attention journalists: this is not journalism. It's Geraldo.
K
Thu, Jun 19, at 01:38pm
Bad interview--how many times are you going to ask the same basic question?
Patricia Browne
Thu, Jun 19, at 01:34pm
I totally agree with danny's comments. The interviewer is the one selling out to cheap interviewing tactics and nasty headline grabbing statements. The article could focus on what type of musical direction Liz Phair is going in now rather than lamenting and carrying on about some past pop tunes.
danny
Thu, Jun 19, at 12:23pm
This interview is really offensive in my opinion. It's one thing to ask Liz why her music has changed direction over the years, or perhaps how she feels about her last albums compared with her earlier ones, but to belabor the point seems petty, and I view this interview as more of an attack than a conversation. 8 questions out of the 14 are about Liz selling out, or Liz's lack of critical success; that seems excessive. It's too bad the interviewer couldn't conduct a more well-rounded interview.
Yesterday
Wed, Jun 18, at 06:58pm
Isn't there already one Deborah Solomon? And, no, that is not a compliment. Yawn.
