Ask Pixie Anything
[RMR is once again welcoming 11 into the studio. Unfortunately due to a scheduling conflict the only two members who could make it are Mike and El Wheeler. El told me I could ask her anything, nothing was off limits. We decided to take advantage of that and ask some tough questions.]
RMR: Is 11 as a band, done?
EW: I really don't know know where this stuff comes from, but once it starts it's like the Paul is Dead rumour all over again. Only the conspiracy theorists hold on to that one. No, 11 is not done.
RMR: Ok, but as a band, you guys haven't put anything out for two years. It's 1978. I know that live albums and best of albums are supposed to hold fans over, but you guys have a real following. They are hungry for more 11.
EW: [she laughs] I guess my solo album didn't quite cut it?
RMR: It's always going to be great to hear you sing, but it's not 11… you know?
EW: And the rest of the band appreciates all the fans… ok, I wasn't going to tell anybody this but consider this an exclusive. We are working on something. It's not going to be like anything you've heard before… and it's not going to be released this year, or next year. That's all I can say about that.
RMR: Ok you said I could ask you anything, so I'm going to ask you something fans have wanted to know since Mike arrived on the scene.
EW: Oh, here it comes, out with it, I already know what it is. [she laughs]
RMR: How and where did you and Mike meet.
[El explains]
RMR: So Mike what did you think of her?
MW: She called me an idiot, I thought she was full of herself. I had no idea who the band was or who she was. And she wasn't very happy about that.
[El is looking down, avoiding my eyes. She looks at Mike]
EW: I'm sorry Mike
MW: It's ok Pixie
EW: [looks at me] I'm not that person anymore… all thanks to Mike. I was awful in those days. Fame can do that… at least it did to me.
RMR: I've interviewed enough ego's. I know exactly what you mean. Ok, moving on. I'm going to name some bands and people and I want to get your take on them. Don't hold back.
EW: Never!
RMR: Ok, Bee Gees
EW: I get that they are talented, they've been around since the sixties, kudos that they managed to find a niche in the disco era. But I don't like any of their disco music.
RMR: You covered their To Love Somebody on your Pixie album. You did a great version too. Ok, you've probably heard by now that Keith Moon of The Who just died of an overdose. What do you think of them?
EW: The Who? I can take or leave their music. I like some stuff... Baba O'Riley. Of course. Boris the Spider? Please. As for Moon... anybody who can play a drum kit with two broken ankles like he did one show has drive. He over-indulged [she fakes a bored yawn] and he od'd. I never met him, but I heard he was a bit of an asshole, Moon the Cruel. Whatever, that hotel problem solved itself.
RMR: Ouch!
EW: I'm tired of hearing about rock stars dying of an overdose. Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison . Seriously? Those guys had that little will power? Bullshit, they got caught up in the lifestyle. And don't tell me it was stress. I was stressed out early on. I found a lot of it came from record companies. We removed that stress. Now we have fun in the studio, on stage, and in interviews.
RMR: Yes, I have heard that Pop Music Magazine tape. Ok, don't need to ask you about disco… how long do you think it will last?
EW: [rolls her eyes] if I could push a big red button right now and end disco forever, I'd lean on it for two hours straight just to make sure.
RMR: I hear KISS is going to be releasing a disco album
EW: HA! Told you Mike. 11 will not release a disco album. Other bands can do what they want. Some of our music can be danced to but that wasn't the intention of any of the early songs.
RMR: Just out of curiosity what do you think of KISS? Let's get right into the lightning round.
EW: Guilty pleasure. They are underrated musicians because of the makeup. At the beginning of their career they used to like opening for any band. I'm guessing you've been to at least one of their shows. Can you imagine any band that has to follow that act?
RMR: David Bowie?
EW: For me he tends to be all over the map with his style. I can't find anything consistent to hold on to. Genius aside, some of his music is not accessible to everybody. Fame is so not Life On Mars. I don't care if John Lennon helped him write Fame or not. And the new single Heroes is great, but the rest of the album has too much of Brian Eno's influence. Don't like it at all. Just my opinion of course.
RMR: Traffic?
EW: Traffic is more to Mike's tastes, but I like Stevie Winwood in Blind Faith. His vocals in Sea of Joy make me want to cover it and sing it just the way he does.
RMR: You sound almost wistful when you talk about older music. You miss that style don't you?
EW: It was hard. Mike and I have talked about it. I came to the realization that music is changing, and no amount of temper tantrums are going to bring it back. The Partridge Family's I Think I Love You or The Bay City Rollers Saturday Night are pure pop gold. Pop music itself is changing. I guess it's inevitable I sure hope it's not changing into disco though.
RMR: Even heavier music has changed. Ian Gillan left Deep Purple, so did Blackmore. Ozzy left Black Sabbath.
EW: I will publicly make fun of those guys if they put out a disco album.
RMR: Ok toughest music related question of the night El. Do you like any disco?
EW: [she grins] I like Boney M's Nightflight to Venus. Song is disco but it's good pop. The rest of the album has a mix of disco and pop songs. I know they are big in Germany, they are just getting started here. The disco angle was probably strategic.
RMR: Have you been keeping an eye out on the UK music scene?
EW: The Clash is interesting. I don't really like the vocals, but the music is raw, White Riot and Tommy Gun are kind of gritty. It will be interesting to see if their music crosses over to this country.
RMR: Not every UK band crosses over. Marc Bolan couldn't make a go of it here, even though all four of the Beatles said they were the next big thing. Cliff Richard was huge over there, not so much here.
EW: There's no accounting for taste is there? I'm not into Cliff Richard, but the song, Bolan's The Slider? Come on people! Anything off that album. Mike really expanded my musical interest and knowledge. He exposed me to bands I'd never heard of, some were even pop bands. Slik for example, I had never heard of them, but Forever and Ever. [she puts her hand to her heart] I love that song.
RMR: I guess we should probably wrap this up. But you and the whole band have an open ended invitation to this syndicated show. And the Rock Music Radio producers really want to thank you for allowing us to ask you anything. This has been a lot of fun.
EW: Thanks for letting me rant. Maybe next time we'll let Mike talk more [she turns to wink at him]
- Rock Music Radio [syndicated radio show]