Fifteen years after Liz Phair's classic Matador debut, "Exile in Guyville," established her as an indie rock icon, the artist says she's ready to "bring that moment back to life."
In her first interview about the imminent re-release of "Guyville," due June 24 on ATO, Phair tells Billboard it "was actually ATO's idea initially, but I did realize that we'd never done the 10th anniversary edition, and it seemed like a good thing to do. I jumped on the idea."
As previously reported, the new edition of "Guyville" includes four previously unreleased audio tracks and a DVD with a documentary about the album's genesis, which Phair says she was particularly excited to work on. "I wanted to ... revisit the scene that happened around 'Guyville' in 1993," she says. "It was also a good way for me to establish my independence."
Phair, who started at Matador and then made three unevenly received albums for Capitol, says she decided on ATO for the re-release of "Guyville" because she "missed being on an indie. I never wanted to go to a major in the first place, but Matador basically sold me to Capitol, and when they divested, I was left there. It has been a long time since I could do what I wanted ... I can honestly say, for the first time in 15 years, I feel creative."
With that, Phair is in the midst of recording a new album for ATO, tentatively set for a fall release. "I have a strong vision that I can't quite articulate yet," she says of the new material, "but I'm hoping it'll be clear on the album."
For an extensive Q&A with Phair, please click here.
Reporting by Cortney Harding, N.Y.
In her first interview about the imminent re-release of "Guyville," due June 24 on ATO, Phair tells Billboard it "was actually ATO's idea initially, but I did realize that we'd never done the 10th anniversary edition, and it seemed like a good thing to do. I jumped on the idea."
As previously reported, the new edition of "Guyville" includes four previously unreleased audio tracks and a DVD with a documentary about the album's genesis, which Phair says she was particularly excited to work on. "I wanted to ... revisit the scene that happened around 'Guyville' in 1993," she says. "It was also a good way for me to establish my independence."
Phair, who started at Matador and then made three unevenly received albums for Capitol, says she decided on ATO for the re-release of "Guyville" because she "missed being on an indie. I never wanted to go to a major in the first place, but Matador basically sold me to Capitol, and when they divested, I was left there. It has been a long time since I could do what I wanted ... I can honestly say, for the first time in 15 years, I feel creative."
With that, Phair is in the midst of recording a new album for ATO, tentatively set for a fall release. "I have a strong vision that I can't quite articulate yet," she says of the new material, "but I'm hoping it'll be clear on the album."
For an extensive Q&A with Phair, please click here.
Reporting by Cortney Harding, N.Y.
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