Interview: Liz MacGowan

We first became aware of Liz MacGowan when she arrived on the area's music scene around three or four years ago with her band The Confessionals. With that band, she and her partner, Shawn Mauck, wrote some of the most intensive, aggressive, gritty, and loud music this town has seen in a long time (the band was known for giving the audience earplugs before each show). After the band broke up, Liz and Shawn began a a new project, Silk Stocking, where they combine a sometimes noisy single guitar with a piano. Liz's piano-playing style hits all the ranges from soft, Chopin-like movements to saloon waltzes to hard, bloody pounding on the keys. Her voice is most often compared to Tom Waits, but we hear some PJ Harvey, Diamanda Galas, and Nick Cave in her lyrical delivery.

Silk Stocking plays tomorrow night at the DoubleWide as part of the Lost Generation Summer Concert Series curated by Mwanza Dover. We suggest you go to this show, grab yourself a whisky, and lock yourself in a spot where you can witness one of the area's best bands and one of the area's most unique performers, who graciously agreed to let us interview her.

Interview with Liz MacGowan

What is your music background? More specifically, how did you get started playing piano? Was it a relative or a band that led you to want to play music? If so, who?

I come from a sort of poor man's background. There was never any money to take music lessons. I found out real quick that you could just play by ear. My mother's family were all country and western, Grand Ole Opry players. I would go round to my aunt's next door everyday and watch them play, then go bang on their instruments.

How did you come about forming Silk Stocking? What lead to the breakup of the Confessionals? Would you and Shawn ever think about having another band that included a bass player and a drummer?

The breakup of the Confessionals came slowly. We had so many different ideals, visions, and members. It became unpleasant. I think Shawn and I started tiring of the basic 4-piece rock thing and playing out and all that. We took some time away from it, then started making home recordings, which eventually led to Silk Stocking. Wanz Dover actually got us out and booked some good shows for us, so thanks Wanz. As far as adding members? Eh, I'm pretty content with things right now, but who knows? Percussion would be nice.

What, in your opinion, constitutes a good song? Even if you like two radically different song styles, what is the one thing that they share in common?

I like songs that are timeless. I want you to tell me something, I want a confession. I don't want your chop skills or how you're wearing your hair these days.

Who are three musicians (living or dead) that you would like to play with and why?

That's a tough question. There's so many...national and local: The Great Tyrant, Jack With One Eye, Mahalia Jackson, Bundle of Joy, the Falcon, Sean Kirkpatrick, Captain Beefheart, Reid Paley, Blind Boys of Alabama, Burnt Sienna Trio...go listen to these people!

You're repeatedly compared to Tom Waits. What are your thoughts about that? In other words, does it bother you that he appears to be the only touchstone you're compared with? Would you like others to notice more influences in your music and voice?

Yeah, this Tom Waits thing is annoying. Comparisions are annoying. But what can you do about it? It seems like a lot of musicians are being compared to him lately. Maybe he's just fashionable right now. I would like for people to see that I've been heavily influenced by gin and the singing homeless guy riding the bus with me everyday. By the way, I hear Waits really likes our stuff...wink, nudge.

Are there plans for a new CD anytime soon? If so, when?

Yes, soon, hopefully by the fall. We're in the final mixing stages.

What advice do you have for bands and artists just starting out in the local music business?

Be prepared to be poor. Play as much as you can. Don't settle on that guy that cancels practice for his girlfriend's cousin's big keg party. Watch out for that.

Bobby Ewing Recommended Nighttime Activities

Ghost of Monkshood, Colour Music, Ben Fleming, and The Freek Out all perform at the Cavern in Dallas. Cover is $6.

From Monument to Masses, This Will Destroy You, Sparrows Swarm and Sing, and In Dot Dat perform at Rubber Gloves in Denton. Cover is $6.