The first time I heard Cat Power was on a college radio station in Atlanta. Amidst the usual college station stuff, came this beautiful song, "What Would the Community Think." The music was stark and introspective, combining the low hum of feedback and quite twang of guitars. They lyrics were vivid and raw, brought to life by vocals that seem to scrape and soar at the same time. The whole thing had a subversive quality that comes from being quiet as well as strong and direct. Later, I found out that Cat Power is the work of Chan Marshall, who is sometimes accompanied by musicians Tim Foljahn of Two Dollar Guitar and Steve Shelly of Sonic Youth.

Mark and I saw Chan play alone at the Claremont Lounge, a strip bar on the first floor of a residential hotel in midtown Atlanta. I loved her performance-her awkwardly held guitar, the strength of her voice. The rawness of her guitar playing made me feel that the music was direct from the heart and not cloaked in rehearsal or technique.

When we moved to Michigan, I was really excited to hear that she was playing at the Green Room in Ypsilanti, for the simple fact that I'd get to see her again, as well as the amazing fact that there was someplace for good bands to play in Ypsilanti. It seemed serendipitous that she would be playing just a block away from our apartment. We went out to dinner with our friend Cristina and went to the show afterward.

Sometime during the show, Christina disappeared into a bathroom for a long time. I was just starting to worry about her when she emerged with a wad of toilet paper held to her nose. She'd gotten a nosebleed during the show. I'm not saying that Cat Power caused the nosebleed, but somehow, I felt that her music inspired a kind of bodily response in me as well. Her work evokes a pure energy that makes your throat sore and your heart ache. And the beauty of it all is that she does it without cliches and sentimentality. She is inventive and imaginative with plain language.

I know this sounds like gushing, but it's true! Find out for yourself. "What Would the Community Think" is available on Matador records, and he previous album "Myra Lee" is on Smells Like Records.

Plus, she was really cool when Mark, Cristina and I talked with her after the show in a closed storefront down the street from the Green Room. We had fun. Here is an excerpt from our conversation that night: (L.L.)

Mark: How do you like New York compared to Atlanta?

Chan: Well, I moved to New York to get away from different things about Atlanta. I didn't know anybody in New York. I had my ex-boyfriend and a good friend of mine. My good friend went insane and my ex-boyfriend got fucked up and left two or three weeks after I got there. It was real difficult during those first two years. I didn't know anybody and didn't have any money. But I didn't want to go back to Atlanta and there was nowhere else I wanted to go. I was really naive and, um, now, I uh... I made myself better and love myself! (laughs) I hate the business aspect of New York, but New York's alright--you just have to be really in control of yourself.

Christina: Are you going to stay there?

Chan: No, I'm not going to stay there.

Christina: In between your songs, you keep strumming. It's very stream of consciousness--not: one song, stop, a pause, and another song.

Chan: That's because I can't stand it when people clap. I hate when you have to stop your song and people clap and you have to say "Thank You!" and then you have to start again. You can't really start and stop and start and stop, you have to keep going. Clapping is so weird to me anyway, literally clapping. (Claps.) I don't know.

Cristina: So when you're on stage, what's the kind of feedback you like to get from the audience? Or is performing live not even your favorite thing?

Chan: Well I like it when they're listening. That's really important, when they're very quiet and it's really amazing. Because usually people do not do that kind of thing. (They're usually) drinking, talking, breaking glass, laughing... I was just in Europe -- no one in my family's ever been to Europe and I just went to Europe because Matador sent me for press -- and I went to Hamburg. Before the show I was up for two nights, I hadn't slept. I played this radio show and then I played this other place, this showcase thing where all these people that interviewed me all day were there, and I was really tired. I get up on stage and start playing and this girl starts screaming. Everybody was basically quiet and this girl started imitating the way I sing. And she was screaming in English "You gonna get though?" and she looked just like Courtney Love but with glasses. I was so upset.

M: What were the chances that is was Courtney Love?

C: Small, small. I got to see her up close. She was also at the radio show before that and after I finished playing, and the guy said, "That was Cat Power" in German. She was leaning in to me clapping her hands really loud and screaming "Woo! Yeah!" And I'm like, "Uh huh, OK." The she was at the show right up front. I tried to play, I played two minutes and then stopped. So that's not the kind of show I like, I like when they're quiet.

Cristina: You had a really quiet show tonight.

Chan: Yeah, I wonder why that is. WHY?

Mark: Because they don't serve alcohol in there.

Chan: Yeah!

Linette: When we saw you in Atlanta, people were quiet and paid attention, that is, the people there to see you and not the strippers. I think the way the songs merge together is really organic, it draws you in. I also really appreciated your lack of goofy rock posturing. Like tonight, people were still out in the front part of the coffee shop, and you simply began playing and people streamed in toward you. It wasn't like you had to wait for people to assemble, then come out and play.

C: Thank you. That was a weird show in Atlanta. That place (the Claremont Lounge) is weird. Actually, the year before last, the band Guv'ner and I played there. Charlie (from Guv'ner)--I'm very close friends with them--and I went in and started to load our equipment. I was outside and I'd just used the pay phone. No, I was taking aspirin... no actually I was taking these chamomile pills that calm me down. Anyhow, he came around the corner and his eyes were watering and he looked like he was about to cry. And I said "Charlie! What's wrong?" and he's like, "They're naked women in there." He was so depressed. And I was like, "Oh no, this place is really great!"

Mark: Is that the only topless bar you've ever played?

Chan: Um. Well, I used to go there before they had bands. I sort of fell in love with this love with this girl just because she was so amazingly beautiful. Very dreamy ocean eyes, the most beautiful blue eyes. I would go with this friend of mine, we would go and have drinks and watch her dance. Then I'd tip her fives, and she'd come over and talk and we became friends. I used to go there all the time and blah blah blah... I've never been in love with a woman but I'm saying that I had a crush on a woman. Anyway, I really like the place a lot, but I don't think I'll play any other strip club.

Mark: Did you set that show up, did you call them and ask them to play?

Chan: Well, the woman who books shows there is a friend of mine. I've gone to a lot of really great shows there. My first show was there in '91 with Magic Bone. It's a place I like.

Linette: I think it's so different than other strip bars. When I first moved to Atlanta I was shocked that there was a strip bar on every corner. There's as many strip bars as there are Waffle Houses. It's so strange. The strippers at other places aren't like they are at the Claremont. I like that the women there have bellies, they seem a lot more real and genuine. And therefore, I don't object to it as much. I like it, I'm really glad that it exists.

Chan: I am too. I like it too. They're naked women but still... They're harder working in some ways, and they're all real.

Linette: There's something amazing that that area has not become really gentrified. You would think that everyone would want to live in the Claremont hotel.
Chan: GG Allin used to live there.

Mark: GG Allin used to live here in Ann Arbor too.

Chan: You know Steve Shelly from Sonic Youth? He's from here.

Mark: We've given you a bunch of praise, but let me just say one thing--that was the worst Daniel Johnston cover I've ever heard (She didn't really cover "Speeding Motorcycle," she just did one second of it between songs.) Do you like him or not?

Chan: Uh, yeah. Actually I'm not familiar with him at all but I like that song. I like the cover that I heard on the Yo La Tengo record that he plays on.

Cristina: There's another interesting thing about your performing there's clearly this dichotomy. You're obviously this very shy and reserved person but all of a sudden this voice comes belting out.

Mark: Schizophrenia's funny that way.

Chan: Oh, I wouldn't know about that... Oh I wouldn't know about that. Oh I wouldn't know about that...

(Laughter. We buy and are given records. We give her Crimewave.)

Mark: How's the recording business? Are you making a good living at it?

Chan: Well, I signed a publishing deal with Matador. I feel confident working with them. It's helped me out. I haven't worked in the last year and a year before that I worked for two months. My rent's very cheap and I kinda got by by playing shows and stuff. I'm a loser. Now that I have money I can, I don't know, spend it.

Mark: What on?

Chan: Food! Food, period.

Mark: Like Elvis. You can get enormous.

Chan: Maybe I'll write better songs. 'Cause I'll move. I'll have money to leave New York.

Mark: Where are you going to move to? If you could live anywhere where would you go?

Chan: Um... Bali. No, no, no--Silver City, New Mexico, or the Olympic Peninsula. Ypsilanti, is it Yip-si-lanti or Ip-sil-anti?

Mark: Neither. Is there going to be another record?

Chan: I have to do another one. I have the songs. I probably write a song a month. I don't have any time to play my guitar, it drives me insane. That's why I hate New York. The telephone rings and you have to meet your friends and stuff.

Mark: When did you start playing guitar?

Chan: 1991. Since I don't ever get to play it, I don't really know how to play. It's sort of like "the guitar" not like a part of me.

Mark: So is that how you got carpal tunnel? Or did you just say that? (She'd mentioned this onstage.)

Chan: I don't know what that is, I just feel like my wrist is coming apart. This is a joke (points to the bandage on her wrist.) This is not the real thing. I think it's from playing guitar. My wrist feels like it's coming apart from my arm and my... I feel like I'm having deja vu. An I'm going to mention a lavender card and a yellow card?

Mark: Yeah, the lavender card!

Chan: Ok, alright, wrong time, wrong people. I always have pain because I hold my guitar like this because I don't know how to hold my guitar. So there's a pain here, here, here and here. And her and all through here. And all in here. (Pointing).

Mark: Are you afraid to learn how to play? Because I don't know how to play and I play anyway. I kinda don't want to learn.

Chan: Right. You're gonna learn their technique. That's why I never learned from other people, because I was afraid that they were going to make me play the way they played. I'm not trying to be mean, but they were all guys and I knew what kinds of bands they were in, and I knew how they played guitar. And it's not that I don't respect or like the way they played, but you know. I don't want to play like them.

Cristina: You have a definite style.

Chan: Nooooo. No, no.

Linette: Did you write before you started writing songs?

Chan: When I was little you mean? Yes. Little stories. Little shitty shits...

Mark: Can we have your address so that we can send you this next issue with the interview in it?

Chan: Sure, do you have a pen? (She begins to write, then pauses.) You know, should I be giving you my home address?

Mark: I'm not going to do anything bad, I swear. I'm not going to print it. I'm nice. We've been to Moe Tucker's house and she's OK.

Chan: Really? Wow! (She finishes writing her address.)

Linette: She has a really cool place, it's corn flower blue and it's in the country. There are ducks.

Chan: That's what I want... How about my phone number, should I give you that?

Mark: Yeah, I gave you ours, didn't I?

Chan: OK.

Mark: We're famous, too.

Chan: Alright... (She finishes writing and hands back the paper.) I'm scared.

-- Crimewave USA, $3 from PO Box 980301, Ypsilanti MI 48198.