inMusic chats with The Pretty Reckless

Music Editor: Catherine Main

Readers Beware: Please don’t believe everything you read in the gossip magazines and blogs.  Walking into this interview, I was expecting to find a sulky, moody Taylor Momsen who would likely give me abrupt answers and be uncomfortable.  But I found the exact opposite, she was sweet, charismatic, funny and overall charming.  When I met them, the band had just returned back to the tour bus after performing at Vans Warped Tour (rocking out I might add), followed by an overwhelming crowd at a CD signing at their tent.  They were impressed with the fans, happy to be doing what they loved and showed me that they were made for life on the road.

inMusic: How has Warped Tour been so far?

Taylor Momsen:  It’s been awesome, really no complaints.

iM: Are there any necessities you bring out on the road with you?

Jamie Perkins : Lots of DVD’s and my laptop

TM: Toilet paper is a necessity (laugh)

iM: Do you prefer smaller gigs or large festivals?

TM: It really depends, I like any place that there are fans that want to hear the band.  The audience is a huge part, whether it’s outside or in a club, it really comes down to the audience.  So far Toronto, Warped audience has been the best so far.  They were really into it, and it’s by far the best show we have played.

iM: How would you describe your audience?

Ben Phillips:  We don’t know yet. 

TM: The audience at Warped Tour is very diverse, but our specific audience we’re not sure. 

iM: Taylor, How do you feel about getting compared to Courtney Love?

TM: I really don’t think about it or feel anything about it.  She’s cool.  I think it could be a lot worse.  She’s in a rock band, so that is something. 

iM: I read in another interview that you noted her as one of your inspirations.

TM: Never did.  That was press.  That is a misconception.  I noted Nirvana.  I have not noted her.

iM: You have a background in acting (Gossip Girl) and modelling, do you think that has helped boost or hurt your music career?

TM: It’s allowed me to do other things.  The only thing I can say about it is there is a bit of a built in Gossip Girl audience, whether they like it or not, they will at least give it a chance and check it out.  The only thing I hope is the people that can’t stand Gossip Girl will still give it a shot also, not prejudge it because of the show or because of the way I look or something.  I hope they give the music a shot and let it speak for itself.  The records coming out in August, it’s called ‘Light Me Up.”  I’ve been talking about it so much, there’s only so much I can talk about my music without people actually knowing what you’re talking about. 

BP: It’s hard to talk about music at all. 

TM: I make it, I don’t know how to talk about it.

iM: Do you have your own favourite song on the album?

TM: I like the whole record.  Each song has its own thing.  We each have our favourite parts to play live that are fun like ‘Century Gone’ is really fun to play live because we really lock into a groove and I really like playing ‘My Medicine.’  But I love the whole record, it’s our baby.

iM: What’s your favourite band you have ever seen live?

TM: I haven’t seen that many live bands, honestly.  I’ve seen live concert DVD’s and on TV.  We have Led Zeppelin DVD’s on rotation all the time.  The first rock band I saw live was the White Stripes, that was totally impactful because it was so loud.  It was a big thing for me.  I saw Aerosmith, they were F%$King awesome.  I would totally want to tour with Aerosmith. 

BP: You saw AC/DC, you wanted to tour with them as well

TM: Yes, I totally want to tour with AC/DC.  Should we switch this into who we want to tour with conversation? (laugh)  We want to tour with Alice in Chains and Soundgarden.

Jamie Perkins: I have to say one of the best band I’ve ever seen live was Jane’s Addiction.

TM: We want to tour with Jane’s Addiction (laugh).  Should we name all the rock band now that are still touring? (laugh)

Mark Damon: One of the best bands I’ve ever seen live was a band called International Noise Conspiracy from Scandanavia.  They were an amazing live band. 

BP: What a downer that was (laugh). Stone Temple Pilots is a great live band, we’d love to tour with STP.

TM: I’d love to tour with STP, that would be dope (laugh)

BP:  Green Day and Muse

IM: Taylor, I know you’re a huge Led Zeppelin fan, would you ever cover one of their songs?

TM: Yes, absolutely, we’re actually working on ‘Black Dog’ right now.  We’re thinking of covering a couple of them. 

BP: We’re trying to cover Black Dog.  (Ben looks a Jamie)

TM: We’re trying to. (Taylor stares at Jamie)

JP: John Bonham is my hero and I don’t want to disrespect him and I always had this weird thing about that one track

TM: And we both want to cover ‘Black Dog’ so bad (laugh) (Taylor looks over at Jamie)

iM: Taylor, You have said in other interviews that music saved your life, can you elaborate?

TM:  I think music can save anyone, (not literally as in dying) but music is so powerful that it really has a way to make you feel like nothing else can.  It gets inside your head and your soul and you can’t get it out.  It’s really kept me going through everything because it’s been an interesting life so far.  It’s kept me alive.  I think it’s an escape.

IM: This is directed to the other members of the band, what is something that we should know about Taylor but we don’t yet

TM: I swear to God, if you say anything. (laugh)

MD: She’s actually really sweet. 

BP: She’s very shy and private

JP: She’s a very nice person

TM: That’s the best you F%^&ing got, that I’m just nice (laugh) F$%^ you guys (laugh).  You couldn’t say something cool?

JP: Hmm, well the truth is...she likes pickles

TM: I love pickles.  I work all the time, that’s something most people don’t know about me. 

BP: She works almost 24 hours a day, every day. 

MD:  She loves her dog very much. 

iM: Do you take the dog on the road with you?

TM: Not yet. 

iM: When you go online, what websites do you look at?

Ben: Taylor and I don’t have a computer.   Mark and Jamie are the two computer rounded ones.

TM: You soon realize once you start getting photographed every day and you have the internet, you just want to type in the bad names but then you don’t just want to look at it anymore. 

iM: Is there one particular venue or festival that you aspire to playing?

JP: I would love to play anywhere in Italy myself. 

BP:  Wembley Stadium

TM: Yea, Wembley Stadium. Period, that would be awesome

BP: Madison Square Gardens

TM: Yea, how about both.

iM: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

TM: Definitely, that was awesome!  Anytime!