Neglect Avoid interview with Jamie Stewart
"Keep your eyes and ears open.
All you ever need for art is right there"
All you ever need for art is right there"
Jamie Stewart talks about
new Xiu Xiu album OH NO, the plague and life after it,
Jamie's forthcoming memoir series 'Anything That Moves',
live performance and people around him.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAtPsBkhBZ1/?igshid=125catzmwngue
Neglect Avoid: Liz Harris is your old friend and you collaborated with Grouper 15 years ago. How can you describe the difference between your work on 'A Bottle Of Rum' and on 'Creepshow'?
Jamie Stewart: Ooooof 15 years AHHHHH too fast!!!!!
For 'Creepshow' either Liz or I would send half of a song and the other person would respond.
For 'A Bottle Of Rum' I sent her the music, lyrics and an idea for a melody and said: "please do whatever you want" and I love what she did.
Jamie Stewart: Ooooof 15 years AHHHHH too fast!!!!!
For 'Creepshow' either Liz or I would send half of a song and the other person would respond.
For 'A Bottle Of Rum' I sent her the music, lyrics and an idea for a melody and said: "please do whatever you want" and I love what she did.
Neglect Avoid: How long and how well do you know other guest stars of OH NO?
Jamie Stewart: It really depends on the person. Some people are my closest friends, Greg Saunier I have been friends with for 20 years. Some people I know only through music but I would say they are "music friends". We are maybe "professional acquaintances" but certainly on good terms, like with Chelsea Wolfe. I dont know her very well, but I like her very much. We have only met in person one time but say hi now and then online. And some people I am a fan of still have never met in person like Twin Shadow. I love his voice but that is as close we have gotten, so far. After the plague I hope we can get a drink.
Jamie Stewart: It really depends on the person. Some people are my closest friends, Greg Saunier I have been friends with for 20 years. Some people I know only through music but I would say they are "music friends". We are maybe "professional acquaintances" but certainly on good terms, like with Chelsea Wolfe. I dont know her very well, but I like her very much. We have only met in person one time but say hi now and then online. And some people I am a fan of still have never met in person like Twin Shadow. I love his voice but that is as close we have gotten, so far. After the plague I hope we can get a drink.
https://www.facebook.com/xiuxiuforlife/photos/10159020544258446
Neglect Avoid: In your interview for The Line of Best Fit you told Cerys Kenneally that “the guest stars of OH NO reflected the types of people, and many of the very same, who helped remind you that the ratio of beautiful humans to shitty humans is more like 60/40 rather than what you’d always assumed was 1/99”. How has plague affected your relationships with people in general and your personal life in particular?
Jamie Stewart: I never liked people that much as noted. It has made it easier to isolate myself without feeling bad about it. It is the law for now! I may never talk to anyone again! Hurray!
Of course I am nuts though and this is unhealthy. Oh well!
Some relationships have faded and I dont know if they will ever be back. Angela and I are housemates and have gotten to know each other better. She works in public health policy and seeing how much she devotes to her community first hand has made my admiration for her expand tremendously.
Jamie Stewart: I never liked people that much as noted. It has made it easier to isolate myself without feeling bad about it. It is the law for now! I may never talk to anyone again! Hurray!
Of course I am nuts though and this is unhealthy. Oh well!
Some relationships have faded and I dont know if they will ever be back. Angela and I are housemates and have gotten to know each other better. She works in public health policy and seeing how much she devotes to her community first hand has made my admiration for her expand tremendously.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLzWhxvhk5z/?igshid=16qvjy7yvrik2
Neglect Avoid: Speaking about your personal life, by mid-2021 Anything That Moves is going to be released in its limited-edition print version. You told Nadja Sayej in an interview for Forbes that “the plague seemed like a good time to put it out and that you didn't want to wait forever to finish”. Do you feel like keep on writing (I mean memoirs as well as novels)?
Jamie Stewart: We are just putting the finishing touches on the lay out now. It's probably out in the fall. I think I had one book in me. Maybe more haiku books or poems but I never aspired to write a novel. It was more of a curious exploration. As a fan of reading i don't want to turn that into work too deeply.
Jamie Stewart: We are just putting the finishing touches on the lay out now. It's probably out in the fall. I think I had one book in me. Maybe more haiku books or poems but I never aspired to write a novel. It was more of a curious exploration. As a fan of reading i don't want to turn that into work too deeply.
https://m.facebook.com/xiuxiuforlife/photos/these-are-sample-chapters-from-a-memoir-in-progress-of-sexual-misbehavior-abuse-/10158052029153446/
Neglect Avoid: In 2015 as I listened to Merzxiu I found myself under my table in my office with a panic attack (which made me become even more interested in Xiu Xiu after all). Have you ever experienced anything like that about your own or someone else’s music?
Jamie Stewart: Hahahaha I am sure Masami would be happy to hear this. [Then Jamie describes his experience on listening to music while being high, but I can's spare you the details in accordance with Russian law]
Jamie Stewart: Hahahaha I am sure Masami would be happy to hear this. [Then Jamie describes his experience on listening to music while being high, but I can's spare you the details in accordance with Russian law]
https://kingfisherbluez.bandcamp.com/album/merzxiu
Neglect Avoid: Almost every one of us went through our personal hell in 2020, and we seem to stay in this Inferno or at least in some kind of Limbo. What have you lost during the plague?
Jamie Stewart: Confidence and money.
Jamie Stewart: Confidence and money.
Neglect Avoid: As well as for other concerts all over the world, Xiu Xiu shows 2020 in Russia were postponed. If the miracle happens in 2021 and you arrive, what will your performance be like?
Jamie Stewart: It is hard to say. The music industry had its ass beaten by the plague badly. If there is any money it will be a new four band with EXCELLENT players, I am looking forward to getting that line up going. My old friend David Kendrck who played drums with Sparks will be joining up. He played in OH NO too. If there is no money then a solo show but a dense and broad one, not just guitar and singing like the last one. We will see! I miss playing in Russia very much.
Jamie Stewart: It is hard to say. The music industry had its ass beaten by the plague badly. If there is any money it will be a new four band with EXCELLENT players, I am looking forward to getting that line up going. My old friend David Kendrck who played drums with Sparks will be joining up. He played in OH NO too. If there is no money then a solo show but a dense and broad one, not just guitar and singing like the last one. We will see! I miss playing in Russia very much.
Neglect Avoid: How do you imagine live shows as plague and its restrictions are over? Do you think there’ll be room for online shows? And how do you feel about online performance?
Jamie Stewart: I assume once the plague is really over they will be the same as they were but who knows?
I am not into online shows. We tried a couple but they don't great and feel odd. Some bands are great at them though. Not us.
Jamie Stewart: I assume once the plague is really over they will be the same as they were but who knows?
I am not into online shows. We tried a couple but they don't great and feel odd. Some bands are great at them though. Not us.
Neglect Avoid: You performed in Russia several times. Do you remember anything about these shows? Did you find any difference between American, European and Russian fans?
Jamie Stewart: We played there for the first time in 2004. And almost every year since. I am not saying this to be nice but Russian shows are absolutely our best audiences. The kindest, most generous and cutest!
There is no over arching difference or similarity between places and shows, it is never predictable.
Jamie Stewart: We played there for the first time in 2004. And almost every year since. I am not saying this to be nice but Russian shows are absolutely our best audiences. The kindest, most generous and cutest!
There is no over arching difference or similarity between places and shows, it is never predictable.
Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of Twin Peaks in Moscow | 9.10.2015 | photo by Neglect Avoid
Neglect Avoid: Last spring you announced a cover song “contest”. What made you choose 'Sex Dwarf' by Soft Cell among any other suggestions? Are you going to make covers for some other songs that were suggested then?
Jamie Stewart: We are doing a music subscription at xiuxiu69.bandcamp.com where we do a new cover every month and other music too. 'Sex Dwarf' is so sleazy and over the top. Being sleazy and over the top are appealing to me hahaha.
Jamie Stewart: We are doing a music subscription at xiuxiu69.bandcamp.com where we do a new cover every month and other music too. 'Sex Dwarf' is so sleazy and over the top. Being sleazy and over the top are appealing to me hahaha.
Neglect Avoid: You told Nick Hanover in an interview for ovrld.com that “the songs were always about something specific, and very frequently quoting people”. Is there any of this quoting in OH NO?
Jamie Stewart: There is always quoting. Overheard real conversations are the best lyrics. I don't think this will ever be on a record but I once saw a young mother sweetly holding a tiny baby on the bus and she had "Kill A Bitch" tattooed on her neck. Keep your eyes and ears open. All you ever need for art is right there.
Jamie Stewart: There is always quoting. Overheard real conversations are the best lyrics. I don't think this will ever be on a record but I once saw a young mother sweetly holding a tiny baby on the bus and she had "Kill A Bitch" tattooed on her neck. Keep your eyes and ears open. All you ever need for art is right there.
Neglect Avoid: And finally, to what and to whom do you say OH NO – in your new album and generally in your life?
Jamie Stewart: The mirror!!!!!!!
Jamie Stewart: The mirror!!!!!!!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHtNM9yBw_n/?igshid=1tttpifxeafbn
