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No doubt donning her trademark American indian-style headband, Juliette Lewis spoke to Linda on the phone while on the road during her European tour. | "I'm like a medium. The music just passes through me and it's electric, I can't help but get turned on." | | Juliette Lewis on her visceral live performances |
The Hollywood filmstar has starred in films such as Natural Born Killers and Cape Fear, and is appearing alongside Jennifer Aniston in a film next year. But now she is focused on her music career, promoting her barn-storming second album Four On The Floor. A version of the interview was broadcast on The Session, BBC Radio Berkshire's new music show (Sundays 7pm to 8pm) but you can listen to the full interview below and read excerpts from the interview.
How her life as a rock chick compares to working in film: "There's a lot more movement! (laughs) Meaning you're always on a bus. Food is a little hard to come by, I kind of equate us with a pack of stray dogs cos we're always like "where d'you get that, where d'you get that". "The kind of movies I've done have been really intense and not really luxurious so actually all my work in my film life have prepared me quite well for life on the road."
On why an Oscar-nominated Hollywood filmstar has chosen a new career in music: "Out of necessity really. I got known in the movies and I got successful but I was only utilising five per cent of this little creative fire that I have. I was always meant to do music, I just got a little complacent. I was scared really so finally, as I was aproaching 30, I thought 'I've got to do this, it's now or never'. But music was always something I was going to do and now I'm making up for lost time. "I'm even thinking about the next record which I want to release in the next year, I want to release a live DVD. As a band The Licks we have a lot to prove, I think this record Four On The Floor is really solid and I'm hungry as hell and have a lot to say."
On her celebrity status giving her the advantage over other new bands: "I'm not in a position to complain because we get a lot of opportunities that a lot of other bands don't but it's all what you do with those opportunities. "With that said we're also judged ten times harder than any other band, so that just means we just have to be ten times better! "For The Licks it's all about the live show and nobody can argue about our live show and that's what we're known for."
On the Reading Festival and meeting Dave Grohl there, who plays drums on The Licks' new album, Four On The Floor: "The Reading Festival, and Leeds, is like the big thing you know, when you play there you feel pretty damned excited, we had such a nice turn out. I think there was a couple of thousand. "And then I met Dave Grohl there, who was playing with the Foo Fighters, and we are like two peas in a pod. We're both hyper and energetic and kind of obsessive about music. "So eight months later we made a record together. First we demoed and he played drums and they turned out so good I talked him into doing a whole record and he did and I couldn't believe it. "He gives Four On The Floor a lot of his power and he's like the engine cos he's the drummer and his feel and power is so good."
On how the she psyches herself up for her high octane performances on stage: "We honestly love each other, we love what were doing and we just get off everytime playing a new show for a new audience. "The drummer just starts drumming, the electric guitars just start going and I feel like it works through me, I'm like a medium. The music just passes through me and it's electric, I can't help but get turned on."
Her advice for new bands starting out in the music industry: "You better be willing to work your ass off! We're a small little band with a little label it's all very do-it-yourself, so as long as you stay healthy, take care of yourself...I treat us like we're a bunch of touring athletes. "I think it's more of a progressive approach - I think one should lose their mind and bring the chaos when they're on stage but in your regular life you should be disciplined and driven and keep it creative. "For us it's about the creativity, it's about the music, not partying." | 
