Kristeen Young’s back with a new record, The Knife Shift, co-produced by her longtime musical collaborator, the legendary Tony Visconti. This time, she’s added a notable new contributor to her recording process, drummer and guitarist Dave Grohl, the one-and-same of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame; also featured are Morrissey’s longtime guitarist/frequent songwriting partner Boz Boorer, guitarist Lou Rossi and Visconti himself.
We caught up with Young this past weekend via email, after her departure from St. Louis a week-and-change back; here for a brief stay, she was back home to work on a music video for the album’s second track, “Pearl of a Girl.” Our digital exchange is primarily about the new record, which is slated for mid-May release, though a few other topics edge in as well.
Let's touch on the obvious first. Dave Grohl is on the record, in a significant way. Tell us of his involvement. How many tracks? On what instruments? How'd he get involved? Etc.
Dave plays drums on every song except the last song (which has no drums), and he played guitar on five songs. Dave guest-hosted the Chelsea Lately show early last year. He sort of musically hit it off with one of the writers-regulars on there (the very excellent comic April Richardson), who gave him a mix tape. One of my songs was on it. He liked it, and looked me up on YouTube. We started emailing. It just so happened that at that time, I needed a drummer for the album I was about to record (as the drummer I had lined-up had suddenly dropped out). I was out of my mind thrilled when Dave agreed to do it. And then when that went so well and felt so good, it all sort of naturally moved to guitar.
Probably, you know him as regular ol' Dave, but were I around him, I'd be constantly thinking, "Uh, this fellow here is the drummer of Nevermind and In Utero." And that's said with no offense to his work with the Foo Fighters. Did you ever catch yourself in-studio, thinking on his background?
Walking in to his studio, it's a little difficult NOT to think about that since there are about 500 platinum and gold records on the wall and pics of Nirvana everywhere. But, I found it comforting. I felt like I wasn't in the wrong place, and I've been in the wrong place a few times to know the difference. We recorded the basic tracks playing together (and I know this is going to sound eye-rolling but) it was one of those moments (you get maybe three of those in life?) where everything just falls into place and feels familiar. And he told me he felt the same way. It was like “Hey I KNOW you,” but in a "home" kind of way. Nothing about fame. We felt like we'd been playing together for years. He called all the musical references in my songs; references or influences that no one ever gets. Most people just go to the first female musician they can think of, but he didn't get blocked by gender. It made me want to cry to just be HEARD like that.
And how's his approach to working with another songwriter's material, in your experience? Will this new working arrangement lead to any future collaborations, shows, etc.?
His approach is to try to play EXACTLY what the writer wants. With the drumming, I didn't say much to him because, as I just stated, it fell naturally into place. Adding guitar was a little more of a conscious process because not all of my music is clear-cut in its style. It's a meshing of styles, and there is already a keyboard there doing things. But, he listened to (lil' ol') me about everything, and it was a fantastic collaborative experience. Since then, I've recorded background vocals on a song, which will be on the upcoming new Foo Fighters record. And yes, we are talking about doing other things, too.
I'm not sitting with lyric sheets, which makes this question necessary. In the past, you've had more than one release with overt, linked, lyrical elements, tying the album together. Is that the case with your newest? Or is this a collection of songs, minus that singular approach?
Most of the songs on this album are about my time growing up in St. Louis and some of my experiences there. “The Answer to All Your Problems is in This Little Bottle,” is a story about a moment one night when I had control of whether a person lived or died and I considered letting him die. “Red,” is about the segregated neighborhoods during my school years and how it felt to visit friends in neighborhoods no one wanted me in, and vice versa. Musically, I went back to the mother, too, the film Urgh! A Music War. (Even the opening song of the album is entitled “This is War.”) I think almost all of my music is based on that whole film; the freedom and diversity of many styles grouped together. That formed me. Also, I just wanted to say one more thing about lyrics on the album. I was making a conscious effort to talk about subjects in a frank and bold way. Not that I haven't in the past, but I'm really tired of people speaking boldly about various issues in real life but when it comes to their music it's the same ol' subjects stated in a whatever way. I think new music is still really interesting. But lyrics, not so much.
You were just recently in St. Louis, shooting a video. Tell us about that process, what song(s) might be involved and the like? For example, who was your crew? And what were their impressions of St. Louis, if not from here?
The video we were shooting was for the song “Pearl of a Girl,” which is about the centuries of religious oppression of women (in particular) and religion's (ALL of the major religions) history of trying to keep women in subservient roles. Unfortunately, it's been a long process. I tried shooting the video at the end of last year, and it didn't turn out well. But I strongly believe in my theme and ideas, so I couldn't throw it all out and move to the next thing. We reshot it all with a different "crew,” which basically consisted of a new shooter (Robert Greenwood), two of my friends from NYC, and the mom of the kid in my video (Daphne Quinn). But, we all had a great adventure. They thought St. Louis was incredibly visually stimulating with gorgeous architecture (just as I had been "selling" it to them!) and that the people were very colorful (as we are, of course).
In an early review (on nylonmag.com), there was a mention of power ballads, which I know struck you. What's your take on that term? And do you, in fact, write them? (And for kicks, what's your favorite '80s/hair metal power ballad?)
The mention of "power ballad" only struck me because (my) song they were reviewing is not a ballad in the least! So, it made me laugh. I don't really have a take on power ballads, in general. I guess it's when the chorus (of a slowish song) suddenly hits hard, like Miley Cyrus' “Wrecking Ball”; and people seem to really like that form. I don't have a favorite ‘80s power ballad. Don't really know them, and what I do know makes me physically ill.
You've worked with the forms of EPs and LPs. This time out, it's an 11-song collection. Why this route for this album? Do you see yourself working in the shorter forms again in the near future? Even to the point of a series of digital-only singles, or equivalent?
I like albums. It's a classic form and I write a lot so they suit me. Don't know what I'll do in the future. I'm kind of impulsive in that manner. I don't know until the moment and an idea hits me and it just feels right. Then I get manic and overly excited and annoying. I think of the form of "album" being comparative to the form of a novel with books. All the talk of the album form dying is ridiculous. Sometimes people write long things, and sometimes they write short things. It's really that simple.
What's your relationship to studio work today, in comparison to when you were starting out? It's a comfortable environment? A stressful one? Does working steady collaboration affect that?
I don't get stressed until it's mixing time. Then it's a fight. Always has been. But, I don't give in as easily now. If f I ever did.
In terms of early feedback, what songs are getting the most love? With a touch of distance from the recording, which are your favorites?
As I'm writing this, people are just now receiving their pre-sales orders and I'm getting very kind messages. They seem to like the whole thing, which is thrilling.
What else is new?
So many things. It has to be new, or we'd be brain dead. Have a new band; presently, we are a trio. We play our first shows (a Wednesday residency at Bowery Electric in NYC) this month. Then we are opening a U.S. Morrissey tour. Then: other tours, other stuff. It's a bit overwhelming, presently. Thanks for asking.
