Talking to Kristeen Young About Her Controversial "Late Late Show" Appearance

Last week, Kristeen Young performed on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, an already solid gig made more notable by the fact that she was joined by half of Nirvana. Along with her touring bassist Megan X. Thomas, Young took to the stage with guitarist Pat Smear and drummer Dave Grohl, both members of the Foo Fighters, and the latter her drummer and guitarist on the recently released album The Knife Shift. The four performed the track “Pearl of a Girl,” the emphasis cut from the new record.

What followed was a storm of controversy within conservative Christian websites, where Young’s performance was denounced as anti-Christian and advocating violence. On the site wnd.com, writer Drew Zahn took aim at Young: “The second verse takes her feminist raging even further, taking a shot at Christianity by suggesting ‘the Virgin’—a reference to the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ—have preempted the religion by ending her pregnancy: ‘They’ve needed to have the law so they can legally bind us. They’ve needed to have the church so they can morally ground us. They’ve needed most of the dough, they must be so scared of us. So their stories are of ghosts; I only wish the Virgin would’ve had an abortion.’”

If the stories themselves have an edge, the comments sections have been even more virulent, with many critics focusing on the satanic elements that they’re picking up on in her words and music. This is translating to YouTube as well, where the show’s official upload of the performance drew this response from YouTuber The AntiSatan: “She's a witch, a part of a coven that directly acknowledges and serves Satan. She would be nothing if she didn't use demons to succeed. Even the name of the song [Pearl of a Girl] has satanic meaning. MASHAF REŠ (The Black Book) of the Yezidiz, ancient Satan worshipers that still exist in Iraq, makes reference to a pearl: ‘In the beginning Satan created the White Pearl out of his most precious essence.’” (While this comment may seem to run here for shock value, it’s actually very much in line with quite a number of anonymous online reactions to the performance.)

The St. Louis native followed the Late Late Show appearance with a short California tour, featuring herself, Thomas and longtime drummer (and fellow St. Louis expat) Jeff White. We sent her a variety of questions through email, which were answered via her phone in short bursts over three days, from vans and hotel rooms. The following is Young’s first interview on the topic.

To start, can you give (sorry, just one more time!) the 101-version of how you came to play this particular late-night show with these particular additional musicians?

After the new album was finished, Dave and I discussed playing some shows together. But I wanted to save that for only special shows. So when The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson expressed interest, I thought it would be a perfect occasion. I was lucky to meet Pat Smear earlier this year, and even luckier that he said “yes” to playing guitar on the show. My goal has always been to play piano how Pat Smear plays guitar, so you can imagine how intense the explosion in my brain was.

For those of us who've never appeared on network TV, what type of rehearsals are involved in the day or two prior to show night? What's the evening of the show, itself like in terms of... well, everything? Nice green room? Autographs gotten and received? What's the vibe?

We had two very short rehearsals prior. The evening of the show...before the show...seemed casual and social. But I locked myself in a little dressing room because…well...who knows...that’s just how I am. After the show, people quickly scatter, and you wonder if you still exist or if anything exists, and of course we all know the answer is 'no'…and then you wish you could become a light switch on the wall.

Any interaction with the host himself? What's Craig Ferguson like, if you had a decent chance to chat? How about the whole staff and operation?

The only interaction with the host was right after we played. He seemed very excited and said it was like seeing The Damned in the late ’70s...which is the most alluring thing you can say to a girl. We were told by the staff that he hardly ever gets excited about anything. So that's exciting.

Your selection of "Pearl of a Girl." What went into that song being the one picked for airplay?

I chose “Pearl of a Girl” because it’s the single...whatever that means...and because I like that the song has various musical styles clashing within it. Also... I think the lyrics are direct, and a subject not often discussed in a song on television.

Looking back on it (and I'm curious if you've watched it via YouTube, etc.), what's your take on your performance and that of your band? Simply: how do you feel about that one-night, one-take, one-bushel-of-pressure performance?

I never watch myself if I don't have to. So, no, haven't watched it. I like what people are saying about it, though. I knew that I didn't want it to be a super robotic, choreographed, bland perfection sort of thing...like most things seem to be right now. I wanted it to smack people in the face. I wanted it to be loose and crazed...like a real band that could make you feel something...and maybe it would all fall apart...and maybe your mom, your boss, and a good amount of your friends will hate it. That sounds like fun to me.

Curious to me is how you began to hear of the backlash to the song's lyrics. Were they sent to you by a friend or publicist? What was your reaction, both initially and as you thought about it all?

Various people sent me links. I thought it was funny and ridiculous…followed by somewhat sad. Maybe a lot sad.  I'm also happy that the lyrics sparked any kind of feeling and discussion. I think lyrics rarely do that anymore, so that's nice...The very day this all started I also was approached, at a venue, by an angry bartender who said people were put off by my posters because they thought the posters sexualized domestic abuse. So, I was somewhat tempted to start a drug habit that day.

While not asking for an explanation of your lyrics, per se, what's your comeback to a lot of these comments, via the various websites? Particularly the notion that you are anti-Christian?

I haven't answered any of the comments, and the only comment I made was when I posted the links. I said, "I'm not anti-Christian. I'm not anti-religion. I'm pro non-oppression." I'd like to mention that the song addresses two other religions besides Christianity...but some people can only see themselves and their own interests.

You've written about and discussed the role of Christianity in your youth. Does this experience in any way confirm or refute your lifelong feelings about Christians and Christianity? Or do you view the most-vehement recent comments to be those of outliers?

It's strange. It's difficult for me to wrap my head around it. I don't understand the line of thinking. I am surprised in general, as I think many of us are, by the sheer seemingly endless amount of people who want to hurt others or who want to abuse. Of course I've always known people like this…I just never knew there were so many. But, specifically, in this case, it makes me think that many people have had horrific experiences with religion when they were young…that religion was used against them in a vile way. I know what that's like. I think the reaction can't be subtle. You head for the extreme…one way or another. They are saying these disgusting things to me, but really it's a howl from bowels at life, and at all those powerful adults when they were only small children, and at themselves for not being able to fight it sufficiently. (Addendum: here, I was speaking on a more local kind of level...and not a historical or global level...which everyone knows has been volatile because of religion.)

For more on Young, see our expansive interview about “The Knife Shift” here.