Killing Heidi – Interview with Jesse

How’s life?

Great. We’ve been on the road for the Big Day Out tour, which is the big festival here in Australia, and we’ve had some great bands with us. Limp Bizkit is headlining and we also get to play with Coldplay and Queens Of The Stone Age.

I really envy you right now.

How’s that?

Because it’s snowing outside my window I have the feeling it’s quite nice there at the moment.

It’s true. It’s so hot over here and it’s been really hot and sticky doing the show. We did seven shows around the coastline and it’s been really nice. Best of all is the people we’ve got to meet, like PJ Harvey.

What was going through your head when you got to play with these big artists?

I was really stoked. Last year we played on the festival, but on one of the small stages. Now we are on the main stage and it’s made us feel more confident, but playing on the same stage and being recognized for it has been an honor.

Was there ever a time in your past when you thought someday you’d be playing with those bands?

Yeah. Last year. (laughs)

And you are how old now?

Twenty.

Well, I guess there hasn’t been much time for you to dream about it.

(laughs) I know. It’s been sort of crazy, especially since we released the album. [Reflector] has been really well received and actually is one of the fastest selling albums in Australian history. It’s been very exciting. We’ve had so much fun doing tv and radio stuff.

How old were you and your sister when you started? And was it always Killing Heidi?

Yeah, it was always Killing Heidi, just with me and Ella, my sister who is the singer. It was just the two of us in 1996. We started as an acoustic duo, and then when we met the other boys we became a full band.

Were you doing shows that long ago?

Occasionally, but nothing really big.

I couldn’t imagine being that young and going out and performing.

It was more to just kill time at the start because we were so bored. It was all the encouragement we got that got us to follow through.

Did you get that rush initially and thought you’ve got to do this for a living?

Yeah. But really it was because I’ve always enjoyed playing the guitar. I just can’t believe I’m doing it for a job.

What got you into guitar?

My parents always listened to cool records. They encouraged me, but never played themselves.

Since you started in ’95, did you have to grow up fast or was it a hobby for a long time?

For about two years it was a hobby. We did write songs, but everyone thought we were being stupid. At first all our friends thought we were crazy, but we worked on them for two years. We were just lucky enough to find a person to produce it.

Ella is younger than you.

Yeah, she is only eighteen.

How has her life changed since she was still in school when all this happened?

She took it different than me because being the lead singer she gets more focus and magazine covers. (laughs) She handles it pretty well. She is conscious of the fact that everyone is looking at her. She was only thirteen when we started.

Wow!

I know.

Do you ever have that big brother thing come in?

Yes. When we tour I always keep a bit of an eye on her. Well, the other boys do too, but we make sure she isn’t up to too much mischief. (laughs)

Does it help having your sister on the road with you?

I think it plays a part when we perform in that we have a good connection. I think it helps us communicate on stage and writing songs. I think it helps that there has always been great brother-sister, brother-brother, or sister-sister performers throughout history. I think it has to do with the connection.

Does having her on the road keep you in check too?

Yeah, it does. And she tries to keep an eye on me too. (laughs)

So does she keep you from getting out of hand?

Yeah, but now that she is eighteen, and that is the legal drinking age, she is now one of the boys.

Now on to this album. How does the songwriting work?

Well, it’s often between just me and Ella. But when we realized we wanted full arrangements, our producer introduced us to the rest of the boys in the band. In the end we got along so well with them we just mucked around and it was so good. When we knew we were a compatible team we put the group together and it’s been this way ever since.

Is Ella the chief songwriter?

Yeah. She writes basically all the lyrics and melodies. I pretty much write the chord progressions and all the music. Adam (Pedretti on drums) and Warren (Jenkin on bass) write their own parts as well. It’s a bit of a collective, but it starts with me and Ella.

Do you bring stuff to her?

She sometimes comes up with a rough riff, but sometimes I will and we just build on it.

Is there anyone that you’ve styled your playing after?

I don’t have one in particular. I love Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) as a guitar player, but I love Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. I love the new guitar stuff on Queens Of The Stone Age.

Your music has that Smashing Pumpkins feel, you can tone it down, but get revved up really fast.

Yes! We really like that contrast. We like to take people up and down, slow and fast.

Onstage do you get off on solos?

There are some breakdowns, but I’m predominately a rhythm player. I do some leads, but I’m mostly a riff player.

Does she too like the Smashing Pumpkins, because it really feels like that style.

Yeah she does, but she also really likes folk music.

I read she likes Ani Difranco.

Totally.

I’m from her hometown Buffalo.

Really? Wicked.

Yeah. I always find it mind-blowing how popular she is across the country because she seems virtually unknown in lots of the US.

Really? We just saw her play. She is amazing!

Are there plans for coming to America or Europe?

We haven’t done anything in Europe yet, but there are plans for that. We hope to come to America again in two or three weeks. We’ll be there soon. We hope to do some live shows.

You should have tapped some of those bands on the tour about opening for them.

That is a good idea.

PJ. Harvey is opening with U2. You should have tapped her for a gig with them.

I didn’t even know that. If I did, I would have. (laughs)

Is it hard for you to have a normal life in Australia now?

It depends on where we are. We’ve definitely noticed that we are known more and more now. Ella gets a fair amount of recognition, but it’s really fun. It’s great because people seem to really like the music, and that is great to hear.

+ charlie craine