KOKO London, November 2006 

I rang the doorbell at KOKO in Camden, and it set the tone for the night. Behind me stood Pilgrims all-stars Aida (photography) and Ruth (dictaphone). Together, we were the Tri-fecta of Sound, ready to – somehow – enter the venue and interview our little hearts out. I hadn’t been given a contact phone number, just very cryptic instructions to be at KOKO at 7:00. When no one showed up, we were momentarily stumped – but then, the doorbell solution – maybe we should have been detectives. Someone answered and practically paid us to enter.

“What magazine are you wi...oh, excuse me! Will that be 3 or 6 PBRs?” Gofer #1 asks.

We were led through the empty hall down to the backstage maze. Gofer led us up winding stairs and past empty dressing rooms to a locked door at the end of a dark corridor. She picked the lock with her credit card and kicked it open. Light spilled out, there they were; The Gossip. And the manager. Apparently, there had been some confusion, and no one really knew when interviews were taking place, but this night was being put on by NME and yaknow, hadn’t really been organised very well.

“I am from a legitimate publication,” I declared, swigging my brewski.      “Well, you can interview Beth now or the whole band later. I apologise for this, we didn’t get the interview list until an hour ago," the manager said. Ruth and Aida looked scared, as everyone in the room was cooler than us. I paused, unsure of how to handle this.

"You gotta tell them what you want, girl, if you want to get anywhere in this world!” Beth Ditto encouraged. My face lit up. That’s right! I do!

“So….you want to interview Beth now?” the manager asked.
“Um, as long as it's not inconveniencing anyone...here, i baked you all muffins!”

We went back into the labyrinth and up to the tallest tower, where we sat in a room the size of a small dog. Beth graciously offered us something to drink as we settled on the couch. Thus situated, the interview commenced.

How does she like touring in Britain?

“It’s vigorous, but not as bad as the US. I could tour Britain standing on my head.” Vigorously, I nod in agreement. EASY! Touring Britain upside-down! She’s brilliant AND funny. This is awesome...

Beth Ditto gives me a strange look as I slip into this awkwardly public daydream. Come on, come on, snap back to journalistic integrity! Next question, next question…how 'bout a nice ice-breaker...

“How old am I?” she gives me another odd look. Clever, Ditto, responding to a question with a question. Aida snapped a picture as I wiped perspiration from my face.

“I’m 25, Nathan is 27 and Hannah is 25.”

Despite my bumbling start, Beth Ditto, lead singer of The Gossip answers each question to the best of her ability. The Gossip is a 3-piece group out of Washington, though 66% of the members knew each other from their Arkansas days. Beth has a slight southern accent and a gregarious personality to match. She met Nathan (also known as Braice Paine), lead guitarist back in Arkansas when she was 14 (he was 16 at the time). They both moved away 4 years later, and started their first band, though with a different drummer. What started as a way to pass time grew into a serious project, gaining significant momentum in the past six months.

“Past six months?!” I interject. “But…but you guys have played with a whole roster of impressive talent, from…THE WHITE STRIPES [editors note: cold shower, table Cat, with the White Stripes and any of their affiliates] to the YEAH YEAH YEAHS and like, didn’t FUGAZI produce your album? And GOD HIMSELF ordained that you should spread the gospel of rock to all corners of the world?” She stopped me as I sputtered out of control and fell off the couch.