 |
 |
Bitch says her new solo album has a personal ‘element of a journal’ that distinguishes it from her duo work in Bitch and Animal.
|
|
|
| | |
|
| |
| |
|
|
| | |
HOME > SOVO SCENE > FEATURE
By: GREGG SHAPIRO
COMMENTS |
| 
When out performer Bitch, formerly of the duo Bitch and Animal, sings, “Dare me to rise/and I’ll rise,” in the song “Rise” on her first solo album, “Make This Break This,” listeners immediately believe that she means business.
The song, which delivers a set of blows to the Bush dynasty and the war in Iraq, is the political centerpiece of a powerful set of songs. Bitch, who can add actress to her long list of accomplishments with her appearance in John Cameron Mitchell’s most recent movie, “Shortbus,” appears at Red Light Cafe on March 6 to promote the album.
She recently sat down to discuss her career.
First, let us congratulate you on your appearance in “Shortbus.” What was the experience like for you?
It was definitely more than just filming something. For a couple of years there, we were all getting together and having these kinds of salons. We would get together and play games, or have dinners and stuff like that, so it was a real feeling of community building, which was so great.
… I feel like I kind of became part of a new family in a sort of way. It was super inspiring.
Plus, you got to play music in it, too.
Yeah, yeah. John was a real leader in that way. I feel like he was really good at figuring out people’s strengths.
The whole movie was about that. He was working with these actors who he wanted to work with, but didn’t necessarily know where it was going, that kind of thing. As we would all get to know each other, it became clear as far as who should be doing what kind of thing.
During some opening performances for Atlanta’s Amy Ray, you were going by ‘Capital b.’ Were you having an Artist Formerly Known as Bitch moment?
(Laughs) Yeah! (Sings) Identity crisis!
Now I’m back full circle. I was starting to tread in these other worlds. I was having this issue as far as, for example, the Associated Press interviewed me about “Shortbus,” but they absolutely wouldn’t let me be interviewed if I insisted on being called Bitch. This kind of stuff, so my friends have been calling me ‘Capital b’ for a long time. In a way, it kind of developed out of necessity.
… But I think I was just trying something new to see how it felt, and I liked it. There are definitely going to be times where you see me appearing as Capital b, but you know I think my main thing is always going to be Bitch.
How is this solo disc distinctive from a Bitch and Animal album?
Definitely there is an element of a journal on this record that I feel like is less present in my work with Animal. …
There is a personal element that comes out, that’s a little more raw than what I’ve done in the past. There’s a bit of a fuller sound happening on the record. There is something that sounds more backed-up to me.
When Animal and I are in the studio, there is an element of, “Let’s just look at each other and let it spill out” kind of thing. Whereas this was a more methodical, longer meditation.
Does it feel good to use the gay cable channel Logo as a tool of visibility?
Oh, yeah, definitely. Funnily enough, I’ve never even seen Logo. I’ve definitely felt a wave of it, just the certain visibility. My friend (lesbian hip-hop artist) God-des has had a lot of visibility because of them, and just them being at all of the events and honoring this part of our community. I’ve definitely felt another level of visibility because of it.
| 
