Interview

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DEREK BLASBERG: Do you see this dichotomy you have, being both a cute American girl and a tough-as-nails English rocker?

ALISON MOSSHART: That’s a weird question.

BLASBERG: What I mean is, if I saw you in one of your music videos, looking all sullen and broody, I wouldn’t say, “This girl is totally going to be my best friend.”

MOSSHART: Ha! But performing is one thing, and day-to-day stuff—like the way you talk to people—is totally different. If I acted like I did onstage in normal life, everyone would probably hate me.

BLASBERG: How do you get yourself ready for a performance?

MOSSHART: Usually it involves a drink. Maybe vodka with some juice in it.

BLASBERG: What do you wear? No offense, but every time I’ve seen you perform you’ve worn the same leopard-print blouse over an old T-shirt.

MOSSHART: Yeah, I get hooked on things. Mainly that’s because of temperature reasons and movement reasons. T-shirts and really thin shirts are good because I get hot and sweaty when I’m jumping around.

BLASBERG: Ew! You sweat?

MOSSHART: When I’m done playing I look like I’ve just jumped in a pool. It’s really sexy.

BLASBERG: Have you ever fainted onstage?

MOSSHART: Yeah. A couple of times, actually. I did at Lollapalooza, which was outside and about 115 degrees. The stage was black, and we felt like we were melting—the bottoms of my shoes were literally smoking. Another time, when we were in France in this massive auditorium, there were loads of people and absolutely no ventilation. I would look out to the audience, and all I could think was, You are stealing all my oxygen! It got stuck in my head. You guys are stealing my oxygen! And it kept on going around and around, and then I blacked out.

BLASBERG: What does it mean, “black out”? You crumble to the ground? Or you just tip over?

MOSSHART: Crumble right down. My legs just gave out. My muscles felt like jelly, and I couldn’t hold anything or make a fist. I couldn’t stand up. I couldn’t sing or even make noise because it takes too much energy.

BLASBERG: Did people ask for their money back?

MOSSHART: I have gotten a few mean letters. They’ll be like, “The bands after you were fine and blah blah blah . . .” Yeah, they went on at, like, 6 p.m., when the sun was down, asshole. My skin was literally cooking.

BLASBERG: The jeans you’re wearing look familiar.

MOSSHART: Embarrassingly enough, I think these are the exact same jeans I’ve worn on the past two tours.

BLASBERG: And the gold boots?

MOSSHART: I love my gold boots. Hedi Slimane made these, and now I have three pairs of the gold, plus pairs in every other color, in black, in patent. I have a friend [at Dior] who reorders a pair for me whenever mine get tired. I challenge anyone to show me a boot I like better.

BLASBERG: Is it weird for us to talk about what you wear, your style? You’ve been doing music for over a decade and a half, and then we gab about Dior boots and your favorite leopard blouse.

MOSSHART: It’s a little peculiar. But I loved the way the bands I grew up admiring looked and the way they dressed. That was just as inspiring as the other elements. It’s the whole thing: the music, their lives, their style . . .