Sweet 75 Interview



Date unknown

(Unable to get the few questions and answers before this point)

Krist: Their little shed is really cool. I swept their crap.

Yva: That shack is almost fit for human habitation at this point.

Moderator: How did the Sunshine project come about?

Krist: Sunshine Cake is just a fun hobby thing. That's about it.

Moderator: Are there any local bands you're into? Taking any on the road with you?

Yva: I don't if they're from Seattle. I really like a band from Olympus called Modest Mouse. Sky Cries Mary, Hovercraft, Dub Narcotic.

Moderator: What other poets do you like besides Theodore Roethke?

Yva: I like Paola Neruda.

Krist: Theodore Roethke was a poet I was raised with so he has a lot of sentimental value for me...

Yva: E.E. Cummings

Moderator: You guys got your name because of a poem Roethke sold for $75. Is that because you identify with all struggling artists?

Yva: Actually, he sold the poem, it was published, he was paid $75, so he thanked her by publishing a poem that said 'thank you for the sweet 75."

Moderator: Krist, Which song on the album do you enjoy most? Or which song do you enjoy most playing live?

Krist: I feel we've recorded a really diverse record, and each song has its own personality...When I perform, I like to immerse myself in the music, and I just try to get off on the diversity of music. I love them all, like Ozzy Ozbourne loves his fans.

Moderator: Did you guys get to hand out with Herb Alpert?

Yva: No, we weren't blessed with his presence, but he sent us a nice note. But he got to play on our record, which is great.

Krist: We sent the tape out, and he sent the trumpet solo back, so I guess he liked it.

Moderator: Were you always fans of Herb Alpert?

Yva: I've always been a fan of that style of horn-playing. It's always been associated with salsa.

Moderator: Krist,What is harder of the two the bass or the guitar, I would like to start learning one of them, and I am not sure which to start out with.

Krist: I would start out with the guitar. But remember, guitar players are a dime a dozen.

Yva: If you sing, learn how to play bass, because there's a lot of guitar players that sing.

Moderator: What is JAMPAC?

Krist: JAMPAC is my indulging in politics. It just shows, if you assert yourself, that you can make things happen and try to make a change for the better.

Moderator: What specifically have you managed to accomplish with it?

Krist: We asserted ourselves as a music community, and showed legislators that music is positive. Especially if you've sold 300 million records worldwide and pay taxes.

Moderator: You guys surf the internet a lot?

Yva: I do.

Krist: We do somewhat.

Moderator: Did either of you meet at all in High School?

Yva: We didn't go to the same high school. Krist went to the junior high when I was in high school, and by the time he got there I was long gone.

Moderator: Do you know any of the same people?

Yva: Now we do.

Krist: Mike Watt and I had the same teacher. Mr. Tanaka.

Yva: Was that a math teacher?

Krist: Oh my God. A hard ass Japanese teacher.

Yva: Everyone had Mr. Tanaka.

Moderator: Krist,I own horses, I was wondering, since you have a farm now, and goats, do you ride your own horses as well, or do you Yva?

Yva: I used to ride horses.

Krist: Horses are really high maintenance creatures, and goats are low-maintenance creatures. I'm sorry I can't ride my goats, but I still love them just the same. I wish I had time for horses.

Yva: We had a horse when I was little, but it threw my sister and my dad sold it for five bucks.

Moderator: Yva and Krist, do you collaborate on both the lyrics and music?

Yva: Mostly the music. I usually write all the lyrics. We do it together.

Moderator: Yva, what compels you to write your lyrics?

Yva: I guess like anybody who writes, I'm a big poetry fan. I like to put things down in a way that I can sing. Sometimes little things come out long, like dairy life things. Like nothing.

Moderator: Yva, do you like Poe?

Yva: That was always too depressing for me. If I want to be depressed I can do that on my own.

Moderator: Who do you guys think is the best bassist?

Krist: Bass player in the Doors.

Yva: I've seen the little mariachi guys who are pretty good.

Moderator: Yva, have you released other records from previous bands/projects?

Yva: No, I haven't. I used to be in the Venezuelan folk music band, and we used to put our own tapes out and sell them, but it was just on our own.

Moderator: Krist, do you like pancakes?

Krist: Pancakes? I love 'em. They're my weak spot.

Yva: He'll eat his, and then he'll eat yours if there's anything left.

Moderator: Who is your current drummer?

Yva: Adam Wade.

Moderator: Would you team up with Dave and Pat sometime and play some Nirvana songs live?...I mean you played with them a little on the recent Bumbershoot festival.

Krist: No I wouldn't. I'm really into Sweet 75 right now, and I dig playing Nirvana, don't get me wrong. Even if Kurt never died, more than likely I'd be in Sweet 75 today still.

Moderator: Why didn't you perform yourself at the "Help"-CD?

Krist: I don't know. I just wrote something for that, for the cause. I applied myself.

Moderator: Yva, Do you go back to Venezuela at all?

Yva: As often as I can, maybe every couple of years, for Christmas. Kinda far.

Moderator: On the album you two switch off on bass and guitar on a few songs, who decided who would play which instrument?

Yva: Whatever a song needs. If a song sounds better when Krist plays guitar, that's the way it is. Some songs like "red dress" I wrote before Sweet 75, so it makes sense that I would play on that song.

Moderator: Do you guys surf the net? Do you go to any Sweet 75 or Nirvana pages?

Krist: I have.

Yva: I have, but there's so many Nirvana pages I don't think I've seen them all.

Moderator: Krist, What do you think about the Nirvana web sites on the Internet? Have you seen the one called "The Internet Nirvana Fan Club"? If so, what did you think about it?

Krist: Carlton Kim has a great one. I can't remember the last time I looked at a Nirvana web site.

Moderator: How do you guys feel about stuff thats available on the internet, like songs, unreleased stuff, just for people to get for free?

Krist: Sound quality is poor. It just depends on the motive of the person of the person doing it. If they're out for profit, they're stealing.

Yva: Others are just fans, and they're trying to have what other people don't have which is just the nature of being a fan.

Moderator: Could you briefly tell me what "La Vida" is about in English...love the song, unfortunately I don't understand a word in it.

Yva: It's like a story of this guy walking around downtown, and he doesn't have a lot of money. It doesn't have a lyrics. It's about how it's hard, but you just have to go on, because it's going to get better.

Krist: That was Sunshine Cake!

Moderator: Krist, I heard that you recently finished a film about Croatian Dreams, and I was wondering if/when that will be released for purchase?

Krist: I don't know if it's ever going to be released. It was only shown once in Seattle, live band accompanying it.

Moderator: What do you like to do in your spare time?

Krist: Relax.

Yva: Read. Garden, play guitar. Yva laughs.

Moderator: If you guys think we're good enough, could our band be your support when you play in Holland?

Krist: Describe your music.

Yva: Can you give a label to your music, please.

Moderator: Krist, any kids yet? On the way?

Krist: No. My niece and nephew were over today. The best was...they left!

Moderator: There's a song on a bootleg that is unknown, and in the chorus "always wrong" is sung...what's the name of that song?

Yva: That song is called "Icky Avocado".

Moderator: How do you feel about the Kiddie Bands out there, like Hanson?

Yva: Well, whatever.

Krist: Just remember the DeFranco family.

Yva: Working is hard for me, and I'm 33. I can't imagine what it's like for a 9-year-old kid.

Krist: Hope their parents find a good investment banker.

Moderator: Why is so little publicity given to the "Home Alive"-album? It's a great album for a good cause.

Krist: It's a great record musically, I think they're a great organization. Those people basically said enough's enough.

Yva: They took something that was bad and made something really positive out of it.

Moderator: With all the tribute albums these days, is there one you guys would ever contribute to?

Krist: Good question. Tiny Tim?

Yva: Totally. I was thinking about it.

Krist: Jim Nabors.

Yva: Andy Williams.

Moderator: Is there a Sweet 75 fan club?

Krist: No, there isn't.

Moderator: Any plans of starting one?

Krist: No plans.

Moderator: What do you think of the current electronic music trend and people saying rock is on a decline?

Krist: All I have to say to that is, if you think rock is in decline, listen to the new Veruca Salt record. Electronica music is cool. It's just like any other genre. There's good stuff, and there's crap. If you think rock is dead...

Yva: Rappers never said that rock was dead. There's been all kinds of music around forever. There's room for everybody.

Krist: Don't follow a trend. Follow your heart.

Yva: I'm waiting for reggae to come big.

Moderator: Do you like Lime Jello?

Krist: Jello contains meat gelatin.

Moderator: Are you both vegetarians?

Yva: That's animal suffering.

Moderator: Do you think pot should be legalized?

Krist: Yes.

Yva: Yes sir. I think so. I don't smoke it, but I think it should.

Krist: I think pot should be legalized, but I think the promotion of party culture is irresponsible. For every Party Man, there's a Spuds MacKenzie.

Moderator: This may be too early to ask, but what do you both see as your musical direction in the future?

Yva: Anything goes.

Krist: Just rocking. Have as much fun as possible. Try to connect with people.

Yva: Totally. Just keep on developing.

Moderator: It must feel good to play in venues where you can look your fans in the eyes again.

Krist: I do. It's not that much different, because when a band rocks, it rocks, and when it doesn't, it doesn't.

Moderator: Do you think Eddie Van Halen is a good guitarist?

Krist: Yes.

Yva: I think he started the beginning of something new.

Krist: I'm better than Eddie Van Halen.

Yva: Me too. Would you like me better if I was Eddie Van Halen.

Moderator: What are the size of your shoes Krist?

Krist: 13, sometimes 14.

Moderator: Is there anywhere you guys refuse to tour?

Yva: We ain't gonna play Sun City.

Moderator: Any word on a multimedia release of any kind?

Krist: That's a commitment...we're really concentarting on music right now.

Yva: I think if it was a little more affordable to the fans, it would be different, but I think what you get now with a CD-ROM isn't anything that you haven't seen before.

Moderator: I was sad when I found out William S. Burroughs died, were you a fan of his?

Krist: I like his stuff. I wasn't like a big fan or anything, but I read a few of his books and thought they were good.

Yva: I think I was too culturally detached from the Beat Generation.

Moderator: Krist, I'd say this album feels like starting over or did you think the Nirvana fans would be into this too?

Krist: Of course it's like starting over, but musically I feel it's sophisticated as it's a continuation for me. This band is a real collaboration, and I'm greatful to anybody who can appreciate our music. It doesn't have to be a certain kind of fan or person or anything. I think there's a little bit of something for everybody on this record.

Moderator: Krist...do you still play barefoot sometimes?

Krist: No. I stopped doing that after I got tired of stepping on filthy urinals with cut-up feet.

Moderator: Have you been asked to play any radio X-Mas shows?

Krist: No. We've been told that our music doesn't fit any format.

Yva: Might confuse the listeners.

Krist: Because radio people *know* what's good for people.

Yva: And besides, they can only have so many women singers at the same time.

Moderator: Were you always interested in Latin musical touches?

Krist: I've always been interested in *music*, and if I felt a connection with music, i.e. if it turned me on, then that's all I really needed. I've been discovering a lot of great music from the *other* America.

Yva: (laughs) It was named after Amerigo Vespucci, that Latino guy.

Moderator: Will you guys do any covers?

Yva: Sure, maybe. I was thinking of that one song, "I Need You" by Eurythmics.

Krist: Good one!

Moderator: Do you guys still listen to Led and stuff like that?

Yva: Totally. Don't want to forget how to play that Rock N' Roll. Somebody's got to carry the torch.

Krist: Somebody's got to carry the lantern, the hermit.

Moderator: Speaking of woem singers, have you heard of, or like, Hammerbox, or Goodness(same singer)?

Yva: Oh my God, I love her.

Krist: We want to share the same rehearsal space. We rehearse in the same building, but we want to share the same room.

Moderator: Do either of you have perfect pitch?

Yva: Oh, no, not me, that's for sure.

Krist: I was never really into baseball.

Yva: I can throw pretty fast, though. I'm way more butch than Krist.

Moderator: Yva, going back to an earlier answer, Cummings and Neruda are pretty romantic poets (Roethke in a tragic way) are you a romantic person?

Yva: Oh, totally, love hate and dogs, that's my life. And cats.

Moderator: Who do you guys think has the best voice in music...past or present?

Krist: Mark Lannigan.

Yva: I have to say Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. You know, Joe Cocker. And the guy from the Jesus Christ Superstar.

Krist: I like Bjork.

Yva: Oh, I love Bjork. And you have to love the Indigo Girls, too.

Krist: I feel compelled to assert myself. It's part of my scam to run for governor someday.

Moderator: How did you meet Peter Buck?

Krist: We all live in Seattle, and this is a close music community. We just, Peter and I met each other about 7 years ago. I'd stay at his house in Athens.

Moderator: Krist, is "Jealousy" a Stiff Woodies song?

Krist: Oh, no. Stiff Woody didn't play songs, they played noise.

Yva: What's Stiff Woody?

Krist: This band from Aberdeen that I was in. For one night!

Moderator: After your elected governor, any word on a duet album with Sonny Bono?

Krist: He's gonna be Sonny and I'll be Cher, because I'm taller.

Yva: I was Sonny a couple of years ago for a Halloween party. I was pretty convincing.

Moderator: Krist, Is there anybody special in your life now?

Krist: My wife Shelly. And of course myself.

Yva: Just look at yourself in the mirror every day.

Krist: Damn I'm good.

Moderator: Krist, are you going to play in Croatia next year?

Krist: We'd like to play anywhere that'll have us. We look forward to playing in Europe.

Moderator: Okay, we should wind it down now. Anything else you guys want to tell your fans?

Yva: We love you all!

Krist: We love you all. Keep on rocking in the free world.

Yva: And wear sensible shoes. The only thing I really want to know is, where are the lesbians?

Moderator: Okay, see you guys.

Thanks go out to Jim, for logging this chat, Myself(Dave) for transcribing and HTML-izing, and touching it up with pictures and such, and Onno for having a place to put it.