The article was scheduled to appear in the fifth issue of a national music magazine called Kulture Deluxe. Unfortunately, the mag went under before that happened. 

So, here for the first time ever: 

Carla Bozulich, singer and songwriter for The Geraldine Fibbers, has a voice like honey...that is, if you don't mind being stung. At times it oozes with sultry tenderness, curling around lyrics obliquely personal and intimate, a warm fuzzy thing poised to strike without warning with anger and passion. It is a perfect marriage of extremes, and like any marriage, it produces tension. 

It is this tension that is the foundation of the Fibbers sound. The use of the violin and upright bass sets up expectations about what traditional instruments are supposed to sound like, expectations that are quickly shattered. "When I formed the band," Carla told me in a recent interview, "The violin was a crucial part of the concept. I fought really hard to keep the violin in the band, even though, early on, one of the other band members was saying we shouldn't have it, it's lame, it's not working out, and I was like, 'No, this was part of the original concept.'" Played against a wall of distorted guitar that betrays her Punk background, the instrumentation creates a suspense that underlies and counterpoints the songs' narratives. 

Carla grew up around the L.A. punk scene of the early 80's, and played in a number of bands, most notably Ethyl Meatplow. It wasn't until The Geraldine Fibbers that she was able to unite her various influences in a way that pleased her. 

"Since my earliest memories music has been super-relevant to my entire life," she said. "That's my perspective on living. Even before I ever thought of being a musician. I was raised listening to Jazz, and Top 40 AM radio, like 70's rock, Acid Rock, early Heavy Metal, Alice Cooper... " 

"One day I was listening to... I was at a friend's house and he gave me a tape and said, 'You gotta hear this guy sing,' and I was like, 'Who is it?' and he said it was this guy named George Jones, and I was like, 'Who the Hell's that?' He was, 'Oh my God, you don't know who George Jones is?' (laughter). So he gave me the tape. This was after I'd already been playing in bands, about 10 years ago. I put it on and the first song was "He Stopped Loving Her Today," and it just killed me! It just changed my whole perspective on music. His voice, his delivery, and the words, the subject matter... To me his music just transcends any kind of genre." 

Armed with these divergent influences, and a singular vision, The Geraldine Fibbers were born. Their debut CD, Lost Somewhere Between The Earth And My Home, was released by Virgin Records in 1995 to critical acclaim and disappointing sales. Spin Magazine ranked it 8th on their "Best of '95" year-end list (and more recently Spin named the band as one of the "Top 40 Most Vital Artists"). The Fibbers toured exhaustively, headlining small venues, hitting the second stage at Lollapalooza, opening for acts such as Golden Smog and Joan Osborne, and developing a loyal following. 

But the tensions in the music were echoed in the band. Original guitarist Daniel Keenan left to follow his own projects to be replaced by Nels Cline (of the instrumental band, The Nels Cline Trio). Cline finished out the tour, then officially joined the band before recording the new CD, Butch. 

"Nels has really brought a lot to the band," said Bozulich. "He's a genius. I don't think we tap into his full potential with what he does with us, and he does a fuck of a lot with us. He has more of a free jazz, improvisational background. I feel like I'll be constantly challenged with... not falling into any kind of stagnant rut. That kind of influence is a really healthy thing. When you play every night for months on end it's something you end up fighting. Nels inspires that improvisational feeling, and that's very fulfilling when you pull something like that off." 

More recently, violinist Jessy Greene decided to leave the band (she's currently touring with The Jayhawks). This left, in addition to Bozulich, only bassist Bill Tutton, and drummer Kevin Fitzgerald as original members. It also left a big hole in their plans to tour in support of Butch.

"This is going to be our fourth violin player," Carla lamented. "If I had known Jessie was going to leave before we recorded the album I would have arranged the songs to have less violin... I just want to make sure we get somebody who really understands what we're doing, and sees it for what it is. I've tried really hard to make this project be an experimental violin players wet dream, and I really want to honor whoever plays with us with an important space in our music." 

Since the time of this interview, violinist Leyna Marika P has been recruited as the newest Fibber, and rehearsals have begun. 

When asked about Butch, Carla said, "I'm really proud of it. It's so different, totally from the first album." While there is a definite growth in new directions, the tensions are still present. "A ball of light comes down, and bites me on the ass," the opening lines of "California Tuffy" (the proposed first single), set up the dichotomies in tone and feeling that follow. There are a couple of nods to the bands Country influences, but a hoedown this ain't. "Folks Like Me" has the most traditional sound (even ending with a Johnny Cash-like guitar riff), but lyrically bears little resemblance to a country song. 

"Pet Angel" begins as a sweet two-step love song, "The moon is full, an owl blinks just once/ You offered to dance with me/ You cradled my body in safety an warmth/ A sweet wind blows through the trees," but gradually disintegrates into a more twisted tale. "to you, to you, straight home to you/ Take her to your place on the map/ Give a taste of your love and a taste of your strap/ Give her someone to answer to." The music gradually slides out of the country sound as the lyrics become darker, and provides a genuinely creepy sound, building a sonic tension leading to the story's inevitable conclusion. "You are my sunshine, I pull the drapes shut tight/ It's curtains for you, goodbye/ The cat's in the bag, the bag's in the river/ The river makes me cry/ Your hands, my heart, what's so hard about that?/ Nothing, but I can't be your wife/ I love that boy till Death does us part/ Till the evening I took his life." 

The title track, "Butch," was composed by Cline, with lyrics added by Bozulich, and represents a slight departure from the rest of their work (though not so much so that it seems out of place). We find Carla singing in a higher range here, and the song is her favorite on the album. 

The Geraldine Fibbers continue to grow in new directions, and in spite of some pressure from their label for a "Hit Song," are uncompromising in their desire to explore their own interests. They have high hopes for the new disc, and plan on a major media push, with extensive touring to follow. 

In a world where Alternative has become Top 40, the Fibbers are taking a chance by offering a distinctive vision. Their music may not be for everybody, but it is infectious, and they hope to win over new listeners for their sound. 

Bozulich is not oblivious to the risks, "I mean," she acknowledged, "What we're doing is kind of whacked." 

© 2003 Wayne Wise