Welcome to ESPN.com’s moderated chat room. On Thursday, March 11, rocker Liz Phair dropped by to take your questions on her musical career and the recent selection of her single, Extraordinary, as the theme music for the 2004 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Phair exploded onto the rock scene in 1993 with the release of her 18-song debut Exile in Guyville, which was selected as Album Of The Year by both the Village Voice and Spin, while Rolling Stone tapped Phair as Best New Female Artist.
Phair has released three studio albums since, including her latest, simply titled Liz Phair. The first song on the album, Extraordinary, will serve as the theme music for the 2004 Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
The following is a transcript of Phair’s March 11 chat:
Moderator: (4:57 PM ET)
Hello everyone! Liz Phair will be joining the chat room at 5:30 p.m. ET .. keep using the form below to submit your questions!
Moderator: (5:34 PM ET)
Liz will be with us any second!
Moderator: (5:40 PM ET)
Liz is just finishing the sound check in Minneapolis and will join us any minute .. thanks for your patience.
Liz Phair: (5:44 PM ET)
I am here and ready to go!
Bill Frazier Northfield, IL:
Do you enjoy touring off your newest album more than you did for prior albums? Also, would you ever do a Cubs seventh inning stretch?
Liz Phair: (5:45 PM ET)
I am definitely enjoying this tour. I loved touring off whitechocolatespaceegg though. Those were fun times. I’m more into touring now though. We have a lot of fun and a great crew and band. I don’t have stage fright now either.
Elaine:
Liz, thanks for chatting! I went to some of your early shows and they were some of my best concert experiences ever .. what were some of your memorable concerts that you went to when you were growing up?
Liz Phair: (5:47 PM ET)
Let’s see .. when I was really young I went to The Police .. that was my first real concert. I also loved going to Greatful Dead shows in the summer. The most informative experiences were in college. We had a huge amount of bands come through Oberlin. Every weekend we would watch our friends get up on stage. For every party there were several bands performing. It had a big impact on me.
Portland, OR:
Liz, have you been doing any drawings (art work) since you have become a musician? Thanks, HL.
Liz Phair: (5:48 PM ET)
I just saw a friend from Oberlin who was an art history major also. I haven’t been drawing really until he reinspired me. I have a sketchbook on tour. I went to Mount Rushmore and sketched that! I really really like getting back into that.
Joy (New Haven, CT):
How do you deal when you’re overwhelmed?
Liz Phair: (5:49 PM ET)
I’m learning to feel better and just say to people “I’m at my limit.” People have been good about backing off. It sucks sometimes. My job is like an emergency room. It’s either really slow or really crammed. We try to keep humor as a big part of the tour, laughing a lot.
Eric in St. Paul:
Ever thought of writing a book? I think your career has been very interesting and would be of interest to many .. how would it end?
Liz Phair: (5:50 PM ET)
I want to very badly. I am just having trouble stretchign my form. I’m at the mini-essay length. It’s not something you can just do. When I’m at home I write 3-4 pages each night. I’ve always wanted to make it into a book.
Joe (Anytown USA):
Are your feet ticklish????????????????
Liz Phair: (5:50 PM ET)
(Laughing) I love my feet! I play with them all the time. I hook my fingers through my toes and even do it while I’m driving. I prefer shoes where you can pull your feet out anytime.
Jen Feiger:
Is it true that you are going to be in an episode of American Dreams?
Liz Phair: (5:52 PM ET)
This Sunday! I have to be on stage when it airs. But I’ll get a copy. That was SO much fun. I got my hair done in a big beehive and wore a cute little dress. It was a 1960’s Grande Ole Opry type dress. My favorite part was working witha coreographer. That was really fun. I couldn’t stop.
Liz Phair: (5:52 PM ET)
My boyfriend really appreciated that.
Annie:
Which sport has the sexiest athletes! I’d say baseball .. but hockey players are a close second .
Liz Phair: (5:52 PM ET)
Oooh! Good question .. surfers and snowboarders!
Liz Phair: (5:52 PM ET)
Tennis, also.
Rik (Manhattan Beach):
Liz, if you could collaborate on a song with anyone right now,who would it be? MB ain’t quite as beautiful with you out on tour…
Liz Phair: (5:53 PM ET)
I wanted to hook up with Pherelle for productiona and I’ll bring the country and he can bring the Pherelle.
Michael (WV):
Liz, a few demos and outtakes from your latest record have surfaced online recently. Have you ever considered offering those online to your fans through your web site?
Liz Phair: (5:54 PM ET)
I always wanted to put there are always issues from management. They kind of keep them tight. Almost seems impossible. I have so many extra songs though.
Alan (ex-Evanston):
Who makes the best pizza in Chicago?
Liz Phair: (5:54 PM ET)
(Laughing) There was one I really liked that had a cornmeal crust .. can’t remember the name.
Gene :
After Exile came out, when did you first realize that you were on the national radar? When did you come to grips with how big the album was?
Liz Phair: (5:56 PM ET)
I honestly never quite caught up to that. When the millenium lists came out and I was on it, it really hit home that it was an important record. I was just unprepared for the attention. I was racked with shame. The photo shoots were traumatizing. I took some time off to deal with it. It wasn’t until the millineum lists that I really knew. When this new album came out and people got pissed, the importance of that album hit home again.
Josh Raney:
You are so hot! Is there such a thing as male groupies? Do they exist?
Liz Phair: (5:57 PM ET)
Yeah. They are usually 45 and greying and looking for a wife.
Briar, Burrito, IL:
When you write a song, what comes first? The lyrics or the music?
Liz Phair: (5:57 PM ET)
For me usually both at the same time. But you can do it any number of ways. You can be creative and shake it up a bit. But it comes at the same time for me.
Rasha:
Liz, Esquire magazine just came out with a list of top 10 cities that rock .. Pittsburgh was number 1. Thoughts?
Liz Phair: (5:58 PM ET)
I have no idea! But that would just further the thought that cities in the most pain rock the hardest.
Rick Davidson (San Diego):
Liz, how much input do you have into your video, album covers, etc. Do you come up with many of the concepts, designs or do you have artists pitch ideas and you pick your favorite?
Liz Phair: (5:59 PM ET)
I have a lot to do with it. We all arrive at the same conclusion about this latest album cover. It depends with videos. I directed a lot of the early ones.
Christa, Philadelphia:
Beatles v Stones?
Liz Phair: (6:00 PM ET)
Stones.
Bart (Chicago, IL):
Always wanted to tell you that your lyrics to “Soap Star Joe” just about accurately described all my friends in the early ’90s. Keep up the good work. As a former Wicker Park resident myself, I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask, “Cubs or Sox?”
Liz Phair: (6:01 PM ET)
(Laughing) That’s so wrong .. too senstive .. I will say I prefer to see a game at Wrigley.
Liz Phair: (6:01 PM ET)
From a box!
Jason (NYC):
First, how’d you get better looking with age and a child. Second, how is your indie-alterna-rock fan base dealing with not only the commercial success of “Liz Phair” but the commercialization of it due to “Extraordinary” becoming a theme song?
Liz Phair: (6:02 PM ET)
I think it’s half and half. Half are put off by it and half, like me, are just going with it. It’s proper for my age. It’s not something I would recommend for the young and novice. But it’s appropraite for my veteran status.
Joy, New Haven, CT:
Do you have a favorite article of clothing in your closet (or suit case) right now?
Liz Phair: (6:03 PM ET)
Oooh! Yes! I have these white canval old-school belts from the 80s .. boy scout belts have those seat belt locks .. those are the sh** .. love them. Also lime green Von Dutch booties.
Julia (New Mexico):
I heard you are trying to get an acting career on the side…how’s that going?
Liz Phair: (6:04 PM ET)
No, not really. I have an acting manager and agent because I love the film world. But I laugh with my manager .. they’ll ask me if I can do a 4-week shoot and I want like 5 minutes, 10 lines .. my agent will end up saying things like “My client will do no more than 10 lines!” I want to be like Lyle Lovett.
Joe (Boston):
My son has show and tell in his kindergarten class next week. He wants to know if he can bring you and show you off!
Liz Phair: (6:05 PM ET)
(Laughing) Sure, why not!
Ernie, San Pedro, CA:
Ever been in a fist fight?
Liz Phair: (6:07 PM ET)
No! But I love to spar! I’m always looking for someone to pretend fight with me. Patrick Parks who is touring with us is a black belt.. we were in a bar in Boise I think .. no, it was Spokane, and he was fighting me and Sarah, his drummer. Real fists were flying and everyone else in the bar had no idea what was going on.
Brandon Las Vegas: Liz, your still the queen. How long do you think you’ll continue to make music?
Liz Phair: (6:07 PM ET)
My whole life. I don’t know if I will keep to the busy schedule of a current artist though. I’ve always written songs and always will.
Cameron (Vegas, baby, VEGAS):
Liz–LOVE YOU & music too… all of it from “exile” to latest LP. (Yep a carry over fan.) Fav songs are “Perfect World” and “Flower.” Keep rockin! But hey, when can we expect a DVD of a live show? Also will you ever release a live album–you know you are the best LIVE.
Liz Phair: (6:08 PM ET)
Cameron, I need some personal assistance .. you’re hired!
Liz Phair: (6:08 PM ET)
I would do the Guyville remix but I can’t find the tapes .. they are lost .. ALERT!!! Someone find them.
Stacey (Charlotte, N.C.):
Do you have a favorite lyric from any of your albums? A lyric you are really proud of?
Liz Phair: (6:12 PM ET)
Hmm.. “favorite” usually isn’t in my vocabulary .. Top 10 questions, favorites, etc. .. all that stuff drives me nuts. I’m a gatherer not a hunter!
I have to get ready for the show tonight .. thanks for the questions .. I hope you guys enjoy the shows! Take care!
