Chairman Ralph's Ministry Of Truth

CHAIRMAN RALPH (CR); What's your view of the present-day Slits, since we're essentially dealing with a quorum of the old firm -- two-fourths, Ari and Tessa? As you know, when so many bands reunite, the results are often dubious, at best, embarrassing, at worst...so how does the present band hold up?

ZOE STREET-HOWE (ZSH): Indeed...

Sometimes it works but sometimes when bands reform there's a sense of going backwards, which is confusing and disappointing because what you loved about them was that they were originally so forward-looking! I sort of felt that about John Lydon when he revived the Pistols after PiL.

I also, on the other hand, don't think bands should be expected to stay in stasis, they're working musicians at the end of the day and can't just cryogenically seal themselves and their sound for the sake of a nostalgic audience. They should move forward and should do other things, not necessarily under the title of their original band. It can be done and it tends to be more interesting! It's braver though, too, that's not to be underestimated.

In the case of The Slits now, it's like a different band, really isn't it, to be frank? I saw them live in London last month, they sounded great on stage, very tight. I felt some of the things that inspired me about hearing the early Slits stuff had been replaced by other elements, but it's up to them what they do and where they go. I'm not so into it personally, if I'm being honest, that's my personal taste, but I think it's still fun, there's good stuff happening.

CR: Where do the Slits stand in the framework of contemporary music? Everyone talks about the riot grrl connection, but plenty of less-obvious names have referenced them, too -- Madonna apparently came to their first NY shows, as LOST WOMEN OF ROCK MUSIC details -- so, given that interest from mainstream performers like her, what (in your opinion) is the band's legacy?

ZSH: Riot Grrrl is less talked about here than in America I feel, but it's still very significant in this context, of course. Yes, Madonna did come to some Slits shows apparently, although other than having started wearing ribbons and ripped tutus a la Viv Albertine, I can't really see any other signs of Slits attitude or creativity, and she's so desperately thrusting in her sexuality in a way that the most British punks at least were not, they were more laid back about that, they didn't feel they had to rely on that to get their attention. There are plenty of others who really liked the group (I always think Cyndi Lauper was quite Slitsy, and Bjork of course).

I think their legacy in this context is also an attitude -- a little more free, a little more wild, a lot less obvious when it comes to sexuality, but who has the courage to be like that now, really, in the mainstream?

Sometimes I hear bands who proclaim: “we're like The Slits!” and then sound like early punk-era Slits. Well, in my opinion, if you're really like The Slits, then you would be more original and have your own sound. The Slits were interesting because they weren't like anyone else. And don't patronise the Slits by copying them when they were still developing musically, they worked hard and were getting better all the time, to copy them at a time when they were safely thrashy and easier to imitate is just lazy and affected.

One contemporary band I love is Wetdog, they have a similar spirit to the original group but are very much their own thing. I also love Ida Maria for that free, funny Slitsy attitude.

CR: How do the band see themselves and their contributions, especially -- since -- the playing field for women rock 'n' roll performers seems as uneven as it's ever been? Could a band like the Slits even exist now, given that the industry seems more monolithically set up than ever before to guard against such possibilities?

ZSH: I think they see themselves as running parallel to the mainstream, with little interest in it, as always I guess. I don't know. Now is a better time than ever to do it yourself, punk-stylee though! I think some people get in a habit of having a kind of broken-record negativity about this, which I don't think is too helpful.

Look at the free improvisation scene, it's been going for decades, the mainstream has never bothered it, nor vice versa, and they coexist quite happily, it thrives perfectly well on its own. I think that's a very positive example and I don't think it needs to be all doom and gloom.

CR: One thing that fascinates me is that people constantly compare (and contrast) the Slits against the Raincoats -- because Palmolive drummed for both, obviously -- back then, they were taken as kindred spirits. True, or not true? Why, or why not, in your opinion?

ZSH: The Slits used to get quite irritated by this from what I've been told, it goes back to that lumping people together thing again. They were totally different, even if they were simpatico in their manifesto. I really adore the Raincoats, as people and musically, but again I think it's easy and lazy to pin them together for the rest of time just because they're women, they're post-punk, they both had Palmolive in the group. Their output was very different and we do both groups a disservice if we don't take the time to appreciate that.

CR: How has the band's music held up against the other stuff (postpunk and otherwise), to which it's often compared?

ZSH: I think it holds up great, it's very individual, I don't tend to compare it to be honest, I think it stands up in its own right, as does the output of PiL, Wire, Gang Of Four, Blurt, Pop Group, Glaxo Babies. Similar era, similar ethos, totally different groups. I don't think the Slits' music is even comparable to the Raincoats', they are totally different even if they shared a similar stance, and gender, (and Palmolive! If the Raincoats were the same as the Slits Palmolive possibly wouldn't have joined!)

CR: I've already talked to Viv about this, as you've seen, but -- what was the key catalyst in getting her to play again, after so long? How she does view her contributions to the band's music?

Did you manage to track down the bygone members (Kate Korus, Suzy Gutsy)? How do they view it all now? Are they still creative, or working at some horrible Barclays branch in suburban Luton?

ZSH: Well, I don't generally regard it as something for me to say, but as you ask! Viv has often said elsewhere at least, and to me, that it was our meeting for the book which initially helped sparked things off, which is very flattering and exciting for me. Ari had contacted me (we were in email contact) as I'd said I'd managed to get hold of Viv thanks to Tessa putting me in touch with former Slits manager Christine Robertson.

This was quite important as apart from anything else she had not talked about The Slits since she'd put her guitar down in '81/82 time, it was obviously just good timing. Ari said to send good wishes and basically say that if she wanted to play with them again that would be great, something to that effect, and told me to pass that on.

I didn't know how Viv would react, but we got on very well and we started talking about the possibility of what it would be like if she did get back into it. I'm sure there were other elements that came into play too. I then told her I was going to be meeting up with Tessa to go to Mick Jones' Carbon Casino gig night in Ladbroke Grove and she said she'd come too, and so there was a little reunion! Cutting a long story short Viv also ended up reconnecting with her old guitar mentor Keith Levene, and others, and ultimately played a couple of gigs with The Slits.

Viv decided to concentrate on her own stuff, which I played on frequently live (lots of little instruments, singing, etc.) and also played on her record, which my husband Dylan played amazing drums on and produced. It was great fun, we also recorded a session with Mick Jones after I did a reading at his Rock and Roll Public Library exhibition over the summer, at which Viv played some solo songs. The book sparked off lots of exciting happenings all round, I think, life certainly seemed to start really blossoming in many ways, for me at least. Viv also connected me with Keith, who has become a really lovely inspiring friend, and also Budgie (the drummer as opposed to your wife!)

It was a fantastic couple of years of connecting, healing, having fun, learning, opening up creatively and also undergoing A LOT OF STRESS! But it was all worth it. Working with The Slits and on this book catapulted me into fast forward in a brilliant way and I'm honoured to have been able to do this, and that they were up for being involved, I think we made something really special. I will always appreciate their support. Tessa, I must say was also absolutely amazing in her support all the way through.

You'd have to ask her how Viv views her own contributions to the Slits' music, I don't want to speak for others too much but if you were to ask my opinion I would say all of the Slits, individually, made their significant contributions: Viv's diary-entry style, very personal, quite literal lyrics, those eccentric melodies and guitar stylings, and quite driven creative ambition for a start. She wrote a lot of the songs, a lot were Palmolive's too, of course.

I spoke, and still speak, to Kate Korus (Corris), she's an absolutely great person, I love her guitar work in the Modettes. No one seemed to know where to find Suzy, but a fan who read the book approached me recently to say she is working as a security guard at the British Museum!