As for her own icon, Lavigne still counts her early-stage companion Twain among her influences. “I fucking love Shania,” she says. “She’s super hot.”
Turns out, Lavigne hadn’t heard about Twain’s spouse-shuffling. (In 2008, Twain’s husband and producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange reportedly left Twain in order to marry her assistant and close friend. Then Twain married the woman’s conveniently single ex-husband.) It’s moving how bummed Lavigne seems, particularly by the idea, put forth by one of her assistants, that the couples might have been swinging with each other pre-breakup. “What’s the point in getting married?” the twice-divorced singer asks quietly. One of the assistants attempts to comfort Lavigne, noting that the best friend’s husband is “way hotter.”
I feel compelled to point out that Lange is talented: He produced Twain, of course, and AC/DC and Nickelback, the band fronted by Lavigne’s own ex-husband.
“The real question,” peals Lavigne, perking up, “is who has the bigger dick!”
She describes how she ended up marrying Kroeger. (The story, at least, does not involve his dick.) In 2012, her then-manager, Britney Spears whisperer Larry Rudolph, asked her what she thought about working with him. “He’s had a ton of hit songs. He plays guitar. This could be great,” says Lavigne, recalling her initial reaction. “A month later, I had a 14-carat ring on my finger.” In other words: Lavigne did not marry Kroeger and then start sticking up for him. She collaborated with him on the strength of his oeuvre and then married him. And she defends him still: “Chad’s band has sold, like, over 50 million albums! They’re selling out arenas worldwide!” she says. Plus, he brought a $3,000 bottle of Screaming Eagle wine to their first session. How could Lavigne not think, as she recalls, “Like, I’m in love”?