January 4, 2025 • 31 mins
Listen Art Sluts, Teri and Ann share songs, memories and comment on then and now. Art Sluts were a groundbreaking feminist punk performance art band (1983-1986).
This episode, Teri and Ann listen along with you to the KCOU radio interview (Part 1) from 1985 shortly after the release of their first album, For Your Protection.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
So we fucked it.
Because it was there We're Art Sluts
Happy New Year, everyone.
We have a real treat for you today.
Yeah, we're listening to the KCOU interview with all of the art sluts and a DJ that wasBrian Long, who's also a member of the music scene that we were part of.
(00:31):
And it's from 1985, right?
I think it was 1985.
In fact, I think we mentioned that it was three weeks after we recorded our demo.
We were definitely ready to take over the world.
Well, let's take a listen.
All right.
Yes, in tonight's studio are the art sluts.
(00:52):
And I'd like to welcome you to gardening at night.
And if you'd to introduce yourselves, feel free.
Hi, I'm Pam.
I'm Anne.
My name is Sheila.
And you know who that was.
That's Terry.
Alright, well, let's start off with, needless to say, some of stuff you will hear on thisshow might offend you, but so what?
(01:22):
If you don't like it, then you're not living in the real world, is that right guys?
That's right!
Okay, tell me, what's your inspiration?
You guys are totally unique.
mean, definitely the most unique thing that's ever hit mid-Missouri and Columbia, but alsovery unique in terms of the art world and using music as a medium for your message.
(01:42):
We inspire ourselves partially.
know, we like what bands inspire us.
Well, just what artists, what books, what, you know, how to...
Mary Daly inspired me.
Yeah.
Yeah, I would say, well, I know for sure.
Mitch.
David Byrne for sure.
Yeah, Brian Eno.
(02:02):
We did a song book, we put out a song book and our influences were on that book.
It was just sort of put together.
Jerome Wheeler.
And let's see, the Violent Femmes and the B-52s and David Byrne.
Eve Libertane of Crab.
the Cat.
Felix the Cat was on there too.
(02:23):
Laura Anderson.
David Letterman.
Well that was Terry inspired by David Letterman.
What's, wanted to tell us about David Letterman.
Why'd you write it?
Because, I think he's wonderful.
What's so wonderful about David Letterman?
He's so rude.
(02:44):
He's as rude as I want to be, and he gets paid thousands of dollars to be that rude inpublic.
And I think I could handle a job like that, and I'd like to have it.
Alright, well let's hear what you sing about David Letterman.
know that a lot of people have, you know, kind of heroes or superstars in the media and Ihave one too.
(03:06):
I know it's kind of silly but my hero is David Letterman and I wrote this song for him andsomeday he'll hear it and he'll want to marry me.
He will!
Yeah, Terry.
He will!
(03:44):
I watch all the stupid pet tricks I snack on Mr.
Larry's toast sticks And David, I'm in love With the space between your two front teeth Iwant a TV show of my very own I want a laugh at my own jokes I want family
(04:14):
I wanna be like David Letterman Whenever I get depressed about nuclear waste or my lovelife or the government or the imminent apocalypse All I gotta do is turn on the tube
(04:40):
And David, you're there with your perfect smile You keep me from feeling blue I want atalk show of my very own I want a laugh at all my guests I want a band that will tell
(05:00):
stupid jokes I want to be like David Letterman
I remember when you sponsored the Columbia Black Goat Softball team Well I moved toColumbia now I live there well I like the way you humiliate people you're so rude
(05:26):
And the techie fake New York skyline You sit in front of is so cool I want a TV show of myvery own I want to laugh at my own jokes I want fan mail from around the world I want to
(05:48):
be like David Letterman
And you know I like you in Velcro David All those famous people on your show Like LaurieAnderson And David Byrne Steve Weir, Herman Bob Dylan Tom Waits Peter Tosh Alan Ginsburg
Well I just wanna be like them And sit next to you on the show
(06:19):
I want a talk show of my very own And get paid for having fun I want the arts floods towrite me a song I want to be like David David David Letterman I suspect that there's
(06:43):
already a package
that is addressed to the NBC studios in New York, that correct?
Or at least it still should be.
It's a vicious rumor.
It's a vicious rumor.
Yes.
Does David know about it We hope not.
It's actually being hand-delivered.
Oh, hand-delivered, huh?
Which one of you guys is going to get the lucky plane ticket?
No, there's a...
We have a friend that's in New York this week.
(07:04):
In fact, she's in New York right now.
just gonna deliver.
don't let Paul Schaeffer get a hold of it.
He wouldn't know what to Oh, we'd love to give him the score, know.
That's true.
Yeah, I he could do some really neat synthesizer, too.
could probably do nice guys really well, yeah.
Get the crack band behind him.
But actually, I have video tapes going up there.
(07:25):
Oh, is it?
Uh-huh.
of you guys performing that song?
Oh, super.
You guys should go down to TV for sure then.
Oh, we'll see.
Oh, you will.
We'll let you know.
Yeah, let us know.
We will let everybody know.
We'll publicize it.
Hey, look, I'm going to hire a plane to fly over and write it in Skywriter.
All right.
Get a Skywriter.
(07:45):
The exhaust trail can say something.
She's going to David Letterman's baby, you know.
Oh, you are?
Yeah.
Well, I know how he'll want me to.
That's good.
We'll to hear that song.
I how can't he?
That's right.
You can see that you understand him so well.
You know, I was remembering also one group we didn't credit that I think was huge wasremember the roaches.
(08:08):
I'm gonna say the roaches and you know why?
Because at the end of David Letterman we were imitating them when we did that three part,four part.
You're right, absolutely.
You know, and I remember also because I played the roaches for David and Mark and they'dnever heard of them before and I'm like, are you kidding?
They were like, because I kept singing, be on your guard, there's jerks on the loose.
(08:32):
And they're like, what's that from?
Cause I sing that when I'm driving because there's assholes driving everywhere, you know?
And they were like, we've never heard of the roads.
And I'm like, come on, Terry and Sophie and Soji.
I need to do another deep dive on that one for sure.
And for a while, Anne, we were also going to put together an acapella blues, like thosedreary old blues from the thirties and forties.
(08:55):
Sheila and I were really into you and Sheila were really into that.
think I was...
Because it was like all the songs about research.
Exactly.
When you're a viper, know, all the coded language around it.
All right, well, let's get to a little more formal part of the interview.
Tell me about the individual components that each of you brought into the band and how youguys, why, how and why you guys have meshed together and formed such good camaraderie.
(09:23):
It just has.
just has.
It was meant to be.
just did.
Well, it's like, I was thinking about this tonight, that a lot of musicians get togetherin a band because they are into music, they're musicians, quote unquote.
And the reason we got together is because similar ideals and a friendship and just a...
(09:45):
undefinable connection between us and so it just makes us real tight.
was just something we started doing for fun.
How long ago?
Three months.
Wow, that's pretty good.
Around the kitchen has happened.
Coffee and lots of funny cigarettes.
(10:05):
Many great things have started that way.
Just ask any jazz musician.
Well, the next song we have lined up on the tape is...
about Sheila.
It's about Sheila.
It's about problem of mine.
She wrote this song because she had to.
That's right.
Because we made her.
They helped me though, you know.
You'll understand after you hear it.
(10:27):
It's called Narcolepsy.
you
(10:57):
it's really hard to hold my head up!
IT'S GETTING BETTER!
(11:37):
Call that police!
(12:12):
You
and it really freaks them out!
So they drive them down the street, they hear someone snoring, and they look at his feet!
(12:43):
I just can't stay awake for very long!
Yeah, no!
(13:10):
So
All right, that was great.
And was yours?
Huh?
That was yours?
Well, you know, it happens.
Just naturally, right?
Let's talk about narcolepsy because I loved in the interview how Sheila really alluded to,you know, the issue with her, you know, seizure disorder and the taboo of illness, which I
(13:38):
think is still kind of with us today.
I love the fact that she was able to, know, in a really punk rock way, able to sort of,you know, it's kind of like saying, fuck you to cancer, you know, it's like, it's like,
she was like, you know, raging against what she was experiencing.
You've had it in there very well when you were like saying, here's all the ways that wewere able to speak authentically about taboo subjects.
(14:05):
Right.
Most of what we were doing was grappling for power by talking directly about things thatwe were told.
we weren't supposed to talk about.
And that goes into your, when you cut your hair.
But also, it's only one of the only ways we have to deal with virulent misogyny is byturning it inside out.
Like, know, hey, sorry, I gotta go to my show, that song, right?
(14:29):
There's also, we're choosing that authenticity is more important, that authenticity andself-acceptance is more important than the horizontal hostility of competing with other
women and other people.
for the top prize of looking good.
(15:05):
and then terry lived across the street and she started hanging out but but we've gottencloser as we've done this i mean it's been a simultaneous process and i was just sort of a
spontaneous reaching out it's like we've got to have pam grabber it was one morning atErnie's you know i was willing just it's not pretty being easy
It's like our friendship grows just like our music does from being able to talk about whatreally happens to us and I realize that's what it started.
(15:33):
We're man, how come nobody ever talks about this stuff?
It's 1985 now, you know, and we still don't talk about those taboo subjects that you weretold not to discuss when you were a child.
Yes, as friends we talked about these things and just as a joke after we had made like tensongs we thought we could just go play.
We figured people would hate us because of the things we were
(15:54):
But it turned out...
It turned out that a lot of people could relate to the things we saying.
A lot of people thought they were valid and it amazed us.
Most of the response that we get is either extremely positive or extremely negative, butthere's no in between.
People either really like it a lot or they can't stand it.
Wasn't that what you guys wanted to do when you started?
(16:17):
We like negative response sometimes.
was really strange not to receive any for so long.
took a long time.
Tell us about your trip to Biscayne Mall.
Well, one Saturday we just planned it and we got off work and...
We all went to Biscayne with an acoustic guitar.
(16:37):
Four wheeling in Bucky!
We went in different doors and met and...
It sounded like we didn't know each other.
And then we started talking to Pam and Pam said to Sheila, can I see your guitar?
And Sheila looked at me and she said, you think I oughta?
And I said, yeah.
So Pam started playing this guitar and she said, what's your favorite group?
And we said, oh, the Artslux.
And she goes, that's mine too.
Which song do you like?
(16:58):
And we were like, oh, we like...
I like that David Letterman song.
yeah.
So we walked into the bookstore and sang.
And there wasn't really a reaction to children, you know.
Like young children came up and they weren't afraid to just come up and stand and stare atus like we were being freaks to sing in a bookstore.
But most of the people just stand there and read their books and kind of looked at us.
(17:19):
And they kicked us out.
But we had a following.
We sang Arts Let's and Nice Girls.
Nice Guys.
It Nice Girls I think.
The Junior Missy fashion store out there and offended a bunch of people.
Yeah.
We got 45 cents in.
was great.
Donation cut though.
You're on your way to huskering the streets of New York City.
(17:39):
It was really funny because the junior high school kids that were there kind of followedus around for a while.
We just sort of slowly made our way out of the mall singing.
Just think of the inspiration you could have created in those junior high school kids.
Well, don't...no, don't.
You never know what we're going to show up next though.
You never can Wait till it gets warm, Columbia.
We'll be everywhere.
(18:00):
Let's hear the next song.
It's called Umbilical You.
And why don't you tell us about it before we jump into it?
Okay, it's a song I wrote about a relationship I had with another woman.
And that's what it's about.
(19:05):
gonna call you
in
(19:53):
Jemima's baby, throw me
Rolled Peeling into a man
(20:24):
fertility is blood
Every 28 days, a pain we share.
Fertility is a voodoo dolly, an oozing aphrodisiac.
(20:53):
Your blue, black hair.
Roll me in your sheets of plenty Shock me with your razor sharp dew Run through me like aloving puddle
(21:20):
Flithering into two.
That was really neat.
It's kind of cryptic, Terry.
It kind sneaks up on you.
Was that the way it originally was written or did it kind of metamorphosize itself intothat?
That's the way I felt about it when I wrote it, but it took me a really long time to getthe music metamorphosed a lot.
(21:48):
It was like one night we'd been working on trying to make it congeal and one night It wasthat piano part I figured out that...
Ah, because you were going to use it for something else and then you decided to use it forthat.
And then were like, yeah, that's perfect.
And then Pam came with the congas and then later on
we put in the bass line and the Nice to have a little flute thing on it.
It's really catchy.
It's neat song.
(22:09):
I want to delve into more of the confrontation bit, which you guys are definitely...
It's really neat, because a lot of bands go out and play, and all they do is want toentertain.
They don't want to make anybody think.
And you guys definitely make people think.
I've never seen you guys, which is really unfortunate.
from the reports of the Blue Note show, there were lot of people who really liked it, anda of people who were really, quote, offended by it.
(22:38):
And I think that...
They They stayed.
We had a group of fraternity guys in the balcony turn their backs during one of our mostintense songs, which is, we're going to play tonight if we get to it, called We Are Not
Equal, turn their backs and start singing a drinking song.
And I didn't hear about it I was performing.
I wasn't aware of it.
someone else told me.
them chanting.
I couldn't hear them.
And the fact that they turned their backs and made such a strong statement, even thoughwas a negative reaction, it was so strong, it was like almost tribal or like you're
(23:06):
getting our territory.
We're going to ignore you or something.
was really weird.
right.
They were making a very strong response.
Well, was another group that was sitting right on the floor to the left of us.
And during the whole time we were there, up until probably about 20 minutes before wefinished, they yelled and screamed at all kinds of things.
(23:26):
And they got one of their friends.
They stayed the whole They made one of their friends five bucks to push him up to dance.
The guy that danced to Contra Sanders.
Really?
They paid him five bucks, John Bentham's total.
me that that would happen.
They paid him five bucks to get up there.
Well, the Takami, you guys creating a crowd, know, the hate and not the hate so much asthe opposition and the love is really kind of neat.
(23:52):
But do you guys want to, you know, do you want to do that further?
Do you want to create more of a division or do you eventually want to unite these people?
Oh, I don't think really that there's that much hate.
No, it's more, I think it's division and there's a difference.
It's also just
You know, when you cause people to think about such very intimately real things, it'supsetting to them and they react a lot of different ways and I think that someone that may
(24:17):
have gotten angry at a first performance could maybe adjust to it and come back and enjoyit, kind of progress or something.
Well, the idea is for them to think and the ones who take it home and think and it hitssomething.
Who knows if those frat guys, probably may have thought about it one night before going tobed.
(24:37):
Boom.
I don't know about them.
Some people are pretty damaged.
It's really hard to reach them.
But at any rate, it seems like most people relate very strongly to this.
if you didn't relate to it, there wouldn't be such a heavy positive or negative response.
that was nice.
(24:58):
Or, boy, you're cute.
But it is.
We do try to...
One saying that we've called ourselves is if you think it's funny but it's not.
It's the arts floods.
And it's the whole concept of how our shows are set up with very humorous songs thatpeople open themselves up to and enjoy.
When people laugh it's kind of a form of opening yourself up to what's going on.
(25:18):
And then our second set comes back with serious stuff so you have an audience that is openand attentive.
That's a good idea.
That's an excellent idea.
Do you feel that...
you're alienating a lot of people, then thus they will not come back and ever see youagain.
Does that bug you?
What do you feel about that?
don't feel like we're alienating Because I've talked to people and they've said they'vebeen alienated in that one word, but that's the reaction.
(25:44):
The positive reactions are so strong from the people that like us that it's worth it tolose some audience.
We're not trying to please everybody.
I don't really care if people love our music or not.
That would be my hope.
really, you of course everybody needs approval, but I obviously have a self-approval to bedoing this in public, you know, and so it's not like I really need...
(26:17):
Yeah, the point is to make people think I don't want to become everybody in the world'sbest friend or have everybody like me.
I just want to be myself.
And have that be okay.
The next two songs are called, Lobito and Little Fingers.
is it Lobito?
It's my Lobito killing me.
then My Little Fingers.
(26:39):
How did these songs come about?
They just did.
From thinking about these things.
One of them was just driving along in the car one day.
started singing the song.
Huh, just popped into your head.
Yeah, and I went home and popped on a tape recorder and did it for the tape recorder andit became a song.
Okay, well let's hear them.
(27:01):
My libido is killing me.
It makes me do all kinds of stupid shit.
Like running around past midnight, drooling down my chin, chasing men.
(27:21):
my libido is killing me.
What am I going to do?
I just don't know what am I gonna do It inconveniences me so It's my libido Makes me actcrazy Makes me do dumb things Makes me stand on my head and spin on my nose And then tap
(27:48):
on my toes and run around and go Hey baby what you doing tonight?
Yeah it's my libido And it's killing me
Well, you know Sheila, well the other day after work, know, I just walked into this bar,you know, just to get a drink, to relax a little bit, you know, just drink a beer and, and
you know, I know how you feel about your libido, but I think I got the solution to thisproblem because I was sitting at the bar, ordered a jaw and I pulled out a cigarette.
(28:20):
This guy on my right's already got out his light And I say to myself, shit, not againBaby, what's your name and how old are you?
How long you been in this town and do ya go to school?
Do you get high and would you like to try to get to know me, know me better?
(28:42):
I said
Okay baby so y'all wanna screw?
Well there's just one thing I wanna ask you Ask you're gonna jump on, off and lay yourweary head down Cause I get better satisfaction when there's no one around Just me, me and
my little fingers Me, me and my little fingers Well I fantasize, romanticize, you knowthat no one satisfies
(29:12):
Like me, me and my little fingers Yeah, well was sitting at home I answered the phone, itwas the pretty nice guy that I know He said, tonight's a movie that I really wanna see And
I was wondering if you wanted to go And later that night, after the show We get in hiscar, he says, I'll drive you home
(29:37):
We get there and then he says, I come in?
I'd to know you, know you better.
I said, OK, baby, so y'all want to screw?
Well, that's just one thing I want to ask you.
Ask you're going to jump on, off, and lay your weary head down.
Because I get better satisfaction when there's no one around, just me.
(29:59):
Me and my little fingers.
Me.
Me and my little fingers Well I fantasize, romanticize You know that no one satisfies Likeme Me and my little fingers
(30:20):
Thanks for listening to Art Slutz Radio.
Hey, if you identify with the Art Slutz, explore our herstory at artslutz.net.
That's A-R-T-S-L-U-T-S dot net.
And purchase downloads of our music wherever you stream music.
All contributions and purchases will go to support Planned Parenthood.
(30:45):
Currently, 21 states have limited access to women's health care.
including abortion, and 15 of those have a total ban.
Talking about your abortion experience, voting and donating to support abortion rightswill make a difference.
(31:05):
I hate to leave you
It's just my music, baby
you
So we fucked it.
Because it was there We're Art Sluts
Happy New Year, everyone.
We have a real treat for you today.
Yeah, we're listening to the KCOU interview with all of the art sluts and a DJ that wasBrian Long, who's also a member of the music scene that we were part of.
(00:31):
And it's from 1985, right?
I think it was 1985.
In fact, I think we mentioned that it was three weeks after we recorded our demo.
We were definitely ready to take over the world.
Well, let's take a listen.
All right.
Yes, in tonight's studio are the art sluts.
(00:52):
And I'd like to welcome you to gardening at night.
And if you'd to introduce yourselves, feel free.
Hi, I'm Pam.
I'm Anne.
My name is Sheila.
And you know who that was.
That's Terry.
Alright, well, let's start off with, needless to say, some of stuff you will hear on thisshow might offend you, but so what?
(01:22):
If you don't like it, then you're not living in the real world, is that right guys?
That's right!
Okay, tell me, what's your inspiration?
You guys are totally unique.
mean, definitely the most unique thing that's ever hit mid-Missouri and Columbia, but alsovery unique in terms of the art world and using music as a medium for your message.
(01:42):
We inspire ourselves partially.
know, we like what bands inspire us.
Well, just what artists, what books, what, you know, how to...
Mary Daly inspired me.
Yeah.
Yeah, I would say, well, I know for sure.
Mitch.
David Byrne for sure.
Yeah, Brian Eno.
(02:02):
We did a song book, we put out a song book and our influences were on that book.
It was just sort of put together.
Jerome Wheeler.
And let's see, the Violent Femmes and the B-52s and David Byrne.
Eve Libertane of Crab.
the Cat.
Felix the Cat was on there too.
(02:23):
Laura Anderson.
David Letterman.
Well that was Terry inspired by David Letterman.
What's, wanted to tell us about David Letterman.
Why'd you write it?
Because, I think he's wonderful.
What's so wonderful about David Letterman?
He's so rude.
(02:44):
He's as rude as I want to be, and he gets paid thousands of dollars to be that rude inpublic.
And I think I could handle a job like that, and I'd like to have it.
Alright, well let's hear what you sing about David Letterman.
know that a lot of people have, you know, kind of heroes or superstars in the media and Ihave one too.
(03:06):
I know it's kind of silly but my hero is David Letterman and I wrote this song for him andsomeday he'll hear it and he'll want to marry me.
He will!
Yeah, Terry.
He will!
(03:44):
I watch all the stupid pet tricks I snack on Mr.
Larry's toast sticks And David, I'm in love With the space between your two front teeth Iwant a TV show of my very own I want a laugh at my own jokes I want family
(04:14):
I wanna be like David Letterman Whenever I get depressed about nuclear waste or my lovelife or the government or the imminent apocalypse All I gotta do is turn on the tube
(04:40):
And David, you're there with your perfect smile You keep me from feeling blue I want atalk show of my very own I want a laugh at all my guests I want a band that will tell
(05:00):
stupid jokes I want to be like David Letterman
I remember when you sponsored the Columbia Black Goat Softball team Well I moved toColumbia now I live there well I like the way you humiliate people you're so rude
(05:26):
And the techie fake New York skyline You sit in front of is so cool I want a TV show of myvery own I want to laugh at my own jokes I want fan mail from around the world I want to
(05:48):
be like David Letterman
And you know I like you in Velcro David All those famous people on your show Like LaurieAnderson And David Byrne Steve Weir, Herman Bob Dylan Tom Waits Peter Tosh Alan Ginsburg
Well I just wanna be like them And sit next to you on the show
(06:19):
I want a talk show of my very own And get paid for having fun I want the arts floods towrite me a song I want to be like David David David Letterman I suspect that there's
(06:43):
already a package
that is addressed to the NBC studios in New York, that correct?
Or at least it still should be.
It's a vicious rumor.
It's a vicious rumor.
Yes.
Does David know about it We hope not.
It's actually being hand-delivered.
Oh, hand-delivered, huh?
Which one of you guys is going to get the lucky plane ticket?
No, there's a...
We have a friend that's in New York this week.
(07:04):
In fact, she's in New York right now.
just gonna deliver.
don't let Paul Schaeffer get a hold of it.
He wouldn't know what to Oh, we'd love to give him the score, know.
That's true.
Yeah, I he could do some really neat synthesizer, too.
could probably do nice guys really well, yeah.
Get the crack band behind him.
But actually, I have video tapes going up there.
(07:25):
Oh, is it?
Uh-huh.
of you guys performing that song?
Oh, super.
You guys should go down to TV for sure then.
Oh, we'll see.
Oh, you will.
We'll let you know.
Yeah, let us know.
We will let everybody know.
We'll publicize it.
Hey, look, I'm going to hire a plane to fly over and write it in Skywriter.
All right.
Get a Skywriter.
(07:45):
The exhaust trail can say something.
She's going to David Letterman's baby, you know.
Oh, you are?
Yeah.
Well, I know how he'll want me to.
That's good.
We'll to hear that song.
I how can't he?
That's right.
You can see that you understand him so well.
You know, I was remembering also one group we didn't credit that I think was huge wasremember the roaches.
(08:08):
I'm gonna say the roaches and you know why?
Because at the end of David Letterman we were imitating them when we did that three part,four part.
You're right, absolutely.
You know, and I remember also because I played the roaches for David and Mark and they'dnever heard of them before and I'm like, are you kidding?
They were like, because I kept singing, be on your guard, there's jerks on the loose.
(08:32):
And they're like, what's that from?
Cause I sing that when I'm driving because there's assholes driving everywhere, you know?
And they were like, we've never heard of the roads.
And I'm like, come on, Terry and Sophie and Soji.
I need to do another deep dive on that one for sure.
And for a while, Anne, we were also going to put together an acapella blues, like thosedreary old blues from the thirties and forties.
(08:55):
Sheila and I were really into you and Sheila were really into that.
think I was...
Because it was like all the songs about research.
Exactly.
When you're a viper, know, all the coded language around it.
All right, well, let's get to a little more formal part of the interview.
Tell me about the individual components that each of you brought into the band and how youguys, why, how and why you guys have meshed together and formed such good camaraderie.
(09:23):
It just has.
just has.
It was meant to be.
just did.
Well, it's like, I was thinking about this tonight, that a lot of musicians get togetherin a band because they are into music, they're musicians, quote unquote.
And the reason we got together is because similar ideals and a friendship and just a...
(09:45):
undefinable connection between us and so it just makes us real tight.
was just something we started doing for fun.
How long ago?
Three months.
Wow, that's pretty good.
Around the kitchen has happened.
Coffee and lots of funny cigarettes.
(10:05):
Many great things have started that way.
Just ask any jazz musician.
Well, the next song we have lined up on the tape is...
about Sheila.
It's about Sheila.
It's about problem of mine.
She wrote this song because she had to.
That's right.
Because we made her.
They helped me though, you know.
You'll understand after you hear it.
(10:27):
It's called Narcolepsy.
you
(10:57):
it's really hard to hold my head up!
IT'S GETTING BETTER!
(11:37):
Call that police!
(12:12):
You
and it really freaks them out!
So they drive them down the street, they hear someone snoring, and they look at his feet!
(12:43):
I just can't stay awake for very long!
Yeah, no!
(13:10):
So
All right, that was great.
And was yours?
Huh?
That was yours?
Well, you know, it happens.
Just naturally, right?
Let's talk about narcolepsy because I loved in the interview how Sheila really alluded to,you know, the issue with her, you know, seizure disorder and the taboo of illness, which I
(13:38):
think is still kind of with us today.
I love the fact that she was able to, know, in a really punk rock way, able to sort of,you know, it's kind of like saying, fuck you to cancer, you know, it's like, it's like,
she was like, you know, raging against what she was experiencing.
You've had it in there very well when you were like saying, here's all the ways that wewere able to speak authentically about taboo subjects.
(14:05):
Right.
Most of what we were doing was grappling for power by talking directly about things thatwe were told.
we weren't supposed to talk about.
And that goes into your, when you cut your hair.
But also, it's only one of the only ways we have to deal with virulent misogyny is byturning it inside out.
Like, know, hey, sorry, I gotta go to my show, that song, right?
(14:29):
There's also, we're choosing that authenticity is more important, that authenticity andself-acceptance is more important than the horizontal hostility of competing with other
women and other people.
for the top prize of looking good.
(15:05):
and then terry lived across the street and she started hanging out but but we've gottencloser as we've done this i mean it's been a simultaneous process and i was just sort of a
spontaneous reaching out it's like we've got to have pam grabber it was one morning atErnie's you know i was willing just it's not pretty being easy
It's like our friendship grows just like our music does from being able to talk about whatreally happens to us and I realize that's what it started.
(15:33):
We're man, how come nobody ever talks about this stuff?
It's 1985 now, you know, and we still don't talk about those taboo subjects that you weretold not to discuss when you were a child.
Yes, as friends we talked about these things and just as a joke after we had made like tensongs we thought we could just go play.
We figured people would hate us because of the things we were
(15:54):
But it turned out...
It turned out that a lot of people could relate to the things we saying.
A lot of people thought they were valid and it amazed us.
Most of the response that we get is either extremely positive or extremely negative, butthere's no in between.
People either really like it a lot or they can't stand it.
Wasn't that what you guys wanted to do when you started?
(16:17):
We like negative response sometimes.
was really strange not to receive any for so long.
took a long time.
Tell us about your trip to Biscayne Mall.
Well, one Saturday we just planned it and we got off work and...
We all went to Biscayne with an acoustic guitar.
(16:37):
Four wheeling in Bucky!
We went in different doors and met and...
It sounded like we didn't know each other.
And then we started talking to Pam and Pam said to Sheila, can I see your guitar?
And Sheila looked at me and she said, you think I oughta?
And I said, yeah.
So Pam started playing this guitar and she said, what's your favorite group?
And we said, oh, the Artslux.
And she goes, that's mine too.
Which song do you like?
(16:58):
And we were like, oh, we like...
I like that David Letterman song.
yeah.
So we walked into the bookstore and sang.
And there wasn't really a reaction to children, you know.
Like young children came up and they weren't afraid to just come up and stand and stare atus like we were being freaks to sing in a bookstore.
But most of the people just stand there and read their books and kind of looked at us.
(17:19):
And they kicked us out.
But we had a following.
We sang Arts Let's and Nice Girls.
Nice Guys.
It Nice Girls I think.
The Junior Missy fashion store out there and offended a bunch of people.
Yeah.
We got 45 cents in.
was great.
Donation cut though.
You're on your way to huskering the streets of New York City.
(17:39):
It was really funny because the junior high school kids that were there kind of followedus around for a while.
We just sort of slowly made our way out of the mall singing.
Just think of the inspiration you could have created in those junior high school kids.
Well, don't...no, don't.
You never know what we're going to show up next though.
You never can Wait till it gets warm, Columbia.
We'll be everywhere.
(18:00):
Let's hear the next song.
It's called Umbilical You.
And why don't you tell us about it before we jump into it?
Okay, it's a song I wrote about a relationship I had with another woman.
And that's what it's about.
(19:05):
gonna call you
in
(19:53):
Jemima's baby, throw me
Rolled Peeling into a man
(20:24):
fertility is blood
Every 28 days, a pain we share.
Fertility is a voodoo dolly, an oozing aphrodisiac.
(20:53):
Your blue, black hair.
Roll me in your sheets of plenty Shock me with your razor sharp dew Run through me like aloving puddle
(21:20):
Flithering into two.
That was really neat.
It's kind of cryptic, Terry.
It kind sneaks up on you.
Was that the way it originally was written or did it kind of metamorphosize itself intothat?
That's the way I felt about it when I wrote it, but it took me a really long time to getthe music metamorphosed a lot.
(21:48):
It was like one night we'd been working on trying to make it congeal and one night It wasthat piano part I figured out that...
Ah, because you were going to use it for something else and then you decided to use it forthat.
And then were like, yeah, that's perfect.
And then Pam came with the congas and then later on
we put in the bass line and the Nice to have a little flute thing on it.
It's really catchy.
It's neat song.
(22:09):
I want to delve into more of the confrontation bit, which you guys are definitely...
It's really neat, because a lot of bands go out and play, and all they do is want toentertain.
They don't want to make anybody think.
And you guys definitely make people think.
I've never seen you guys, which is really unfortunate.
from the reports of the Blue Note show, there were lot of people who really liked it, anda of people who were really, quote, offended by it.
(22:38):
And I think that...
They They stayed.
We had a group of fraternity guys in the balcony turn their backs during one of our mostintense songs, which is, we're going to play tonight if we get to it, called We Are Not
Equal, turn their backs and start singing a drinking song.
And I didn't hear about it I was performing.
I wasn't aware of it.
someone else told me.
them chanting.
I couldn't hear them.
And the fact that they turned their backs and made such a strong statement, even thoughwas a negative reaction, it was so strong, it was like almost tribal or like you're
(23:06):
getting our territory.
We're going to ignore you or something.
was really weird.
right.
They were making a very strong response.
Well, was another group that was sitting right on the floor to the left of us.
And during the whole time we were there, up until probably about 20 minutes before wefinished, they yelled and screamed at all kinds of things.
(23:26):
And they got one of their friends.
They stayed the whole They made one of their friends five bucks to push him up to dance.
The guy that danced to Contra Sanders.
Really?
They paid him five bucks, John Bentham's total.
me that that would happen.
They paid him five bucks to get up there.
Well, the Takami, you guys creating a crowd, know, the hate and not the hate so much asthe opposition and the love is really kind of neat.
(23:52):
But do you guys want to, you know, do you want to do that further?
Do you want to create more of a division or do you eventually want to unite these people?
Oh, I don't think really that there's that much hate.
No, it's more, I think it's division and there's a difference.
It's also just
You know, when you cause people to think about such very intimately real things, it'supsetting to them and they react a lot of different ways and I think that someone that may
(24:17):
have gotten angry at a first performance could maybe adjust to it and come back and enjoyit, kind of progress or something.
Well, the idea is for them to think and the ones who take it home and think and it hitssomething.
Who knows if those frat guys, probably may have thought about it one night before going tobed.
(24:37):
Boom.
I don't know about them.
Some people are pretty damaged.
It's really hard to reach them.
But at any rate, it seems like most people relate very strongly to this.
if you didn't relate to it, there wouldn't be such a heavy positive or negative response.
that was nice.
(24:58):
Or, boy, you're cute.
But it is.
We do try to...
One saying that we've called ourselves is if you think it's funny but it's not.
It's the arts floods.
And it's the whole concept of how our shows are set up with very humorous songs thatpeople open themselves up to and enjoy.
When people laugh it's kind of a form of opening yourself up to what's going on.
(25:18):
And then our second set comes back with serious stuff so you have an audience that is openand attentive.
That's a good idea.
That's an excellent idea.
Do you feel that...
you're alienating a lot of people, then thus they will not come back and ever see youagain.
Does that bug you?
What do you feel about that?
don't feel like we're alienating Because I've talked to people and they've said they'vebeen alienated in that one word, but that's the reaction.
(25:44):
The positive reactions are so strong from the people that like us that it's worth it tolose some audience.
We're not trying to please everybody.
I don't really care if people love our music or not.
That would be my hope.
really, you of course everybody needs approval, but I obviously have a self-approval to bedoing this in public, you know, and so it's not like I really need...
(26:17):
Yeah, the point is to make people think I don't want to become everybody in the world'sbest friend or have everybody like me.
I just want to be myself.
And have that be okay.
The next two songs are called, Lobito and Little Fingers.
is it Lobito?
It's my Lobito killing me.
then My Little Fingers.
(26:39):
How did these songs come about?
They just did.
From thinking about these things.
One of them was just driving along in the car one day.
started singing the song.
Huh, just popped into your head.
Yeah, and I went home and popped on a tape recorder and did it for the tape recorder andit became a song.
Okay, well let's hear them.
(27:01):
My libido is killing me.
It makes me do all kinds of stupid shit.
Like running around past midnight, drooling down my chin, chasing men.
(27:21):
my libido is killing me.
What am I going to do?
I just don't know what am I gonna do It inconveniences me so It's my libido Makes me actcrazy Makes me do dumb things Makes me stand on my head and spin on my nose And then tap
(27:48):
on my toes and run around and go Hey baby what you doing tonight?
Yeah it's my libido And it's killing me
Well, you know Sheila, well the other day after work, know, I just walked into this bar,you know, just to get a drink, to relax a little bit, you know, just drink a beer and, and
you know, I know how you feel about your libido, but I think I got the solution to thisproblem because I was sitting at the bar, ordered a jaw and I pulled out a cigarette.
(28:20):
This guy on my right's already got out his light And I say to myself, shit, not againBaby, what's your name and how old are you?
How long you been in this town and do ya go to school?
Do you get high and would you like to try to get to know me, know me better?
(28:42):
I said
Okay baby so y'all wanna screw?
Well there's just one thing I wanna ask you Ask you're gonna jump on, off and lay yourweary head down Cause I get better satisfaction when there's no one around Just me, me and
my little fingers Me, me and my little fingers Well I fantasize, romanticize, you knowthat no one satisfies
(29:12):
Like me, me and my little fingers Yeah, well was sitting at home I answered the phone, itwas the pretty nice guy that I know He said, tonight's a movie that I really wanna see And
I was wondering if you wanted to go And later that night, after the show We get in hiscar, he says, I'll drive you home
(29:37):
We get there and then he says, I come in?
I'd to know you, know you better.
I said, OK, baby, so y'all want to screw?
Well, that's just one thing I want to ask you.
Ask you're going to jump on, off, and lay your weary head down.
Because I get better satisfaction when there's no one around, just me.
(29:59):
Me and my little fingers.
Me.
Me and my little fingers Well I fantasize, romanticize You know that no one satisfies Likeme Me and my little fingers
(30:20):
Thanks for listening to Art Slutz Radio.
Hey, if you identify with the Art Slutz, explore our herstory at artslutz.net.
That's A-R-T-S-L-U-T-S dot net.
And purchase downloads of our music wherever you stream music.
All contributions and purchases will go to support Planned Parenthood.
(30:45):
Currently, 21 states have limited access to women's health care.
including abortion, and 15 of those have a total ban.
Talking about your abortion experience, voting and donating to support abortion rightswill make a difference.
(31:05):
I hate to leave you
It's just my music, baby
you
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