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SFist Interviews Liz Ross
We like to think of Liz Ross' music as sounding like an electric pillow. Her voice lulls you into sweet, poppy melancholy while her guitar sends a current through your spine, but we like how one of her other fans described her voice better: "as the feeling one gets when the sun finally rises after being up all night with horrible insomnia."
Liz is a former member of Hannah, Lessick, Lines In Analog Sound, and Sun of Mercury. She mostly plays a 1962 Gibson LG 1 acoustic, and she has several vintage electric guitars, her favorite of which is a 1965 Mustang.
We met up with Liz at Samovar on Saturday afternoon to hear about her new EP that she recorded with Eric Haller in Berkeley, her recent European tour with Jonah Matranga, and all other things music.
Liz is playing a free show this evening at Adobe Books with Jonah Matranga, so stop by and check them out!
How long have you been playing music?
10 years
Tell us about your new EP.
It's called Receptionist Movement, and it has four songs that grew out of my home recordings in the winter of 2005. It will eventually become a full-length album that I have been recording with Eric Haller in his home studio in Berkeley. My MySpace page has rough mixes of the recent four songs.
Where did you go on your tour?
Berlin, London, Wales, Paris, Geissen, and then back to Berlin.
Who did you tour with?
Jonah Matranga. We've been friends for almost 20 years. He's been in many bands and lately he has been touring as a solo acoustic act. He's got a great following over there and his fans were very gracious. It was great because his fans took the time to listen to my music online before the shows and that felt good.
SFist Leanne, contributing
Photo by Eric Haller
Which was your favorite city on the tour?
Wales. We played at a place called Le Pub, and it was so charming. The vibe was great that night. I’m not sure why but I think the Welsh are so cool.
What is your favorite San Francisco venue to play in?
Great American. I played a couple of weeks ago opening for Jonathan Richman, and it was awesome. Jackson Browne was in the audience, which was kind of cool.
Where is your favorite venue to see a show?
Great American.
What was the best show you've seen this year?
Spoon. I got to watch them from the side of the stage at the Greek Theater in Berkeley.
What was your first concert?
The Police
First album?
X Wild Gift
What are you listening to these days?
Cat Power, Jimmy Cliff The Harder They Come, Calexico, Spoon, Low.
How is Pat Spurgeon doing? (Pat is Rogue Wave's drummer, and he played drums on Liz's new EP.)
Pat’s doing great. His benefit at the Independent in September was amazing. John Vanderslice, Ben Gibbard from Deathcab, Nada Surf, Winechuggers, and Rogue Wave blew the fucking house down. My friend Jim Granato is doing a documentary about Pat’s kidney transplant, and he will be releasing a DVD about the whole process as well as a DVD of the benefit concert some time next year.
What else have you been up to?
I co-produced a film in the summer of 2005 called Revolution Summer. We are just hearing back from festivals so I'll keep you posted. I saw the final cut last week and I am extremely proud of it.
And now, the standard SFist questions
Introduce yourself in one sentence
I am a walking contradiction and I don't like talking about myself.
Occupation
Receptionist and Ad sales for Mesh Magazine and Noise Pop.
Home Town
Los Angeles
How long have you lived in the Bay Area and Where (city, neighborhood etc.) and WHY?
14 years and mostly in the Mission. Why? Because I love it.
Favorite place to spend time online (website/blog/RSS feeds)
Pitchformedia.com, indybay.org, spoontheband.com
Favorite local business
Lost Weekend Video
What I'm currently Reading
Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
Best Deal in San Francisco
Art at Creativity Explored
Favorite mode of transportation
Bicycle
Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
Hard question...I love Pavement but they were from Stockton. The Avengers.
Favorite Bay Area Stereotype, and whether or not you buy into it.
That the Bay Area has a big artist community and yes, I buy into it.
Favorite local hangout
Latin American
SF has the BEST
Light, organic produce, and burritos
You've never lived in SF until
you have walked up the stairs on Telegraph Hill and have seen the wild parrots.
Favorite Bay area politician of past or present
Matt Gonzalez
Now that Mayor Gavin is single, who are you going to set him up with?
I don't think he needs my help.
You can tell someone is a local here IF
They complain about the weather.
SF would be soooo much better if only
People rode their bikes more and it wasn't so expensive. __
Best Burrito
Papalote
Best Restaurant
Herbivore
Best movie scene filmed in or about SF
The film: Revolution Summer, the scene: Chuck Prophet and Lauren Fox talking philosophically about what it means to really let go.
Favorite artist to come out of the bay area
Really hard question...Felix McNee
Favorite author to come out of the bay area
Jack Hirschman
Place you always tell visitors to check out
The Mission
Favorite Bridge in the area
Isn't that obvious?
You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
Go to the Castro Theatre with my sweetie.
I have found/sold/bought the following on craigslist
My job at Mesh.
Tell us a San Francisco Story
It's a ghost story...I had a ghost living in my apartment for about a year. He used to scare me by turning on my stereo in the middle of the night. It would always be loud and he would only do it when there was something heavy or dark in my CD player like Highway To Hell. One night before I went to sleep, I unplugged my stereo to avoid being woken up and as soon as I got into bed, all of the lights in my living room went on. It was scary!
Who would you like to see interviewed in the future: Miles Montalbano—director, editor and write of Revolution Summer