WHEN
AND WHY DID YOU START KITTY MAGIK?
Kitty Magik was conceived during my senior year of high school. It's
been around for five years now. I have always loved writing and music
since I was very young so the conception came really naturally. At the
time I had started thinking about making it I was talking with Jill
Emery (ex-Hole/Mazzy Star) and Jane LeCroy (formerly JaneHohenberger,
a NYC artist). They were creating such interesting music, art, and poetry
that I thought others might take an interest in it as well. It just
made sense to start Kitty Magik and I think it started at the right
time with those ladies.
SEEING
HOW KITTY MAGIK IS MAINLY A ZINE OF INTERVIEWS, HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT'S
GOING TO GO INTO EACH ISSUE? HOW DO YOU USUALLY END UP GETTING TO DO
THE INTERVIEWS YOU DO?
In order for someone to be in Kitty Magik I have to genuinely enjoy
what the artist/band/individual does. At the beginning, the people who
were in Kitty Magik were my friends. As it progressed and I started
to meet all different kinds of people, more and more interviews just
developed naturally. I would just ask people if they would be interested
in doing something and sometimes publicists will set up things for me
but that just started happening recently. I also have some great contributors
in Kitty Magik now so it's been able to expand even more.
WHAT
QUALITIES DO YOU THINK THAT A GOOD INTERVIEWER NEEDS TO POSSESS? WHAT
DO YOU THINK MAKES FOR A GOOD INTERVIEW?
I've never really thought about that before. When I conduct interviews
I try to ask interesting questions and basically have a conversation
with the individual(s) I am speaking with. I think being yourself and
trying to talk about different aspects of the individual(s) makes for
a good interview most of the time.
ARE
MOST OF YOUR INTERVIEWS FACE TO FACE OR THROUGH THE MAIL OR WHAT? WHICH
MEDIUM DO YOU PREFER?
Lately most of my interviews have taken place in person. Sometimes they
are done over the phone or via e-mail. Face to face interviews are the
best. If you can't do it in person, the next best thing is the phone
so there is more of a conversation going on rather than just the question
and answer sort of thing.
WHAT
INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVORITE/LEAST FAVORITE SO FAR? WHAT INTERVIEWS
DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR FUTURE ISSUES OF KITTY MAGIK?
I've pretty much enjoyed talking with all of the people who have been
featured in Kitty Magik so far. Out of the interviews I have conducted
my favorites have been with Evelyn McDonnell, Hollis Queens, Tracy Wilson
and Kathleen Hanna. The types of settings we were in were comfortable
and they were all done in person. It helped that they were all super
nice. The Lisa Carver interview was a fun one too but that was done
over the phone. My least favorite interview was with a member of The
Get Up Kids. As far as the next Kitty Magik goes, Semiautomatic, The
Seconds, and Ex Models are just some of the individuals who will be
featured.
YOU
HAVE INTERVIEWED MAINLY (ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY) FEMALES FOR KITTY MAGIK
AND ALTHOUGH I KNOW YOU HAVE STATED THAT YOUR ZINE WAS/IS NOT INTENDED
TO ONLY BE ABOUT FEMALES AND THEIR PROJECTS, DO YOU FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT
THAT MORE FEMALES GET RECOGNIZED FOR THE THINGS THEY DO? DO YOU FEEL
LIKE MAYBE THEY RECEIVE LESS RECOGNITION COMPARED TO MALES OR ARE THINGS
PRETTY MUCH EQUAL THESE DAYS?
I feel that it is extremely important for females to be recognized for
the things that they create in their communities. I've always been interested
in female-based creations simply because I am a woman and I don't believe
that things are equal today. For the most part, Kitty Magik is a female-based
creation that is interested in talking with men and women who are creating
interesting happenings and are decent individuals (meaning they aren't
full of themselves).
WHAT
DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR KITTY MAGIK? HOW LONG DO YOU THINK YOU WILL
KEEP IT GOING AND DO YOU PLAN ON CONTINUTING TO WRITE EVEN IF YOU WERE
TO QUIT DOING KITTY MAGIK?
Kitty Magik will become a full-size, professionally produced (maga)zine
this fall. I had planned on doing this for a while now and the time
finally seems right. Many friends have been encouraging and helpful
and I know I couldn't do it without them. I can't say how long I will
continue to do Kitty Magik for. I guess until the passion fades. Even
then I will continue to write. That's inevitable.
ARE
YOU INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER PROJECTS BESIDES KITTY MAGIK?
Aside from Kitty Magik I contribute to zines such as Hag Rag, out of
Brooklyn, NY, and Venus, a female-oriented music magazine in Chicago.
I do publicity work for a New York band called Lo-Hi and will be helping
out a good publicist friend of mine with her business soon. I also sell
merchandise occasionally for bands I know. In my spare time I like to
read, write, listen to music, hang out with friends, and go to shows.
WHAT
BANDS ARE YOU INTO LATELY AND WHAT BANDS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THE READERS
OF THIS INTERVIEW CHECK OUT?
Lately I have been listening to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Peaches. Those
are the only "new" things I'm sort of into right now. My taste
in music really varies. Lately I have been listening to The Rolling
Stones and Ike and Tina Turner at least once a day. I also like Al Green,
Ex Models, Madonna, Sonic Youth, the Seconds, Marvin Gaye, Patti Smith,
John Zorn, the Who, Mary J. Blige and the Traveling Wilburies.
YOU
ONCE MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SOME FIXATION WITH DRUMMERS THAT YOU
WERE DEVELOPING. WHAT'S THAT ALL ABOUT?
"Fixation with drummers" - you make it sound like I'm a groupie
out for the drummers of the world. That's so not the case. You see,
my father was a drummer growing up in Hoboken, NJ and he showed me a
few things when I was very young. My interest in music and drumming
totally stems from him. While I don't play the drums I really love to
watch drummers whenever I see a band perform. I find that they are usually
overlooked which is depressing since most of them truly rock their shit
and keep it all in check. Some of my favorite drummers are Tom Surgal,
John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell, Bob Bert, Ginger Baker, Russell Simins,
Ringo Star, Hollis Queens, Charlie Watts, Sara Lund, Jake Fiedler, Martin
Owens, Lori Barbero, Darian Galgano, Pete Moffet, Rachel Carns, Janet
Weiss, Keith Moon, Tobi Vail, Dave Grohl, Dan Peters, Steve Shelley,
Tyler Trent, Hugo Burnham, Tia Sprocket, Patty Schemel, and the dudes
on my James Brown and Ike & Tina records.
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