Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2000)
april 21.2000 * i he band Rebecca Riots is so grass-roots, Says Prichett: “We’re not going to get you’d think it was planted on earth by famous. If it’s possible for the music to feed us some hippie gardener on a political mis and pay the rent, that’s all we can ask for.” sion— and now its influence is growing Despite their grass-roots principles, that all- <e a rampant lawn. too-elusive rent check and hearty dinner might This folksy Berkeley, Calif., three-piece— he a little more attainable now that the Riots lomprising Eve Decker, A ndrea Prichett and girls have been recruited to put out their new ,isa Zeiler— is raring to begin a 15-day tour of album, Gardener, on a small label called Apple- Jhe Northwest to promote a new record, Gar- seed. T he label seems to move at the hand’s T he first stop IS speed; it’s a political out v.pril 21 at St. Johns fit that releases 3ub in Portland. albums by socially Rebecca Riots cer conscious artists, such tainly marches to the as Pete Seeger. Jrum A ni D iFranco “They don’t seem egan beating in the all about business,” 11990s; the group is Prichett says. lactivist-based, queer The Rebecca intensive and self-run. Riots songwriting Despite its deceiving dynamic is interest- by K aty D avidson 2000 bating Quiet Not The folksy Berkeley-based group Rebecca Riots eases into Oregon to promote a new record ° “ *41 PRIDE WEEKEND JU N E 1 7 & 18,2000 FESTIVAL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AT W ATERFRONT PARK PARADE ON SUNDAY ASSEMBLY BEGINS AT 10 A.M. IN THE NORTH PARK BLOCKS, STEP OFF AT 12:30 P.M. WATCH FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR NEW ROUTE! GRAND M ARSHALS: PORTLAND G A Y M E N ’S CHORUS THESE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE BY MAIL OR VIA OUR WEB SITE: ww w.prldenw .com From left: Eve D ecker, Lisa Zeiler and A ndrea Prichett are the women behind Rebecca Riots name, however, Rebecca Riots sounds a little less angsty and a little more lovely than good oF DiFranco. T h e group tucks its im portant messages into elegant layers of harm ony and pretty guitar work. O ne of the most heartening aspects of Rebecca Riots is the obvious friendship that exists among the women. A fter a recent prac tice to prepare for their approaching tour, I was able to speak with the hand members, one by one, via patchy cellular phone connections— and the background chatter and laughter was incessant. T h e sense of camaraderie was refreshing, to say the least. Prichett says she m et Decker eight years ago while working as a summer cam p counselor. The two sang together there, then began to meet and write songs back hom e in Berkeley. At the time, Prichett was taking guitar lessons from Zeiler, so she invited her to join the duo. Soon after, Rebecca Riots performed its first show in the comfort of Zeiler’s living room. “It wasn’t our intention to be a band,” Prichett says. Four albums and several tours later, Rebecca Riots is anything hut a living-room novelty act. Admirably, the group has achieved its success without the help— or m anipulation— of a mainstream record label. "We’re very wary of labels; we’ve done everything from scratch,” Prichett says. "Major labels pretty much run everything. T h a t’s how people get exploited, w hen they d o n ’t know what’s going on.” The women released the first three Rebecca Riots records themselves. T hey’ve distributed some through wom en’s bookstores but have achieved the most success with post-show sales from the edges of various concert stages. ing. Decker tends to write music and lyrics at the same time, then bring her songs to the oth ers to arrange. Zeiler, who considers herself more musical than lyrical, likes to collaborate with Prichett, who is the most unreserved activist of the group. (The latter two are also the lesbians of the group— “Out, out, out,” they reiterate.) “O nly earth-shattering events get me to write lyrics,” Zeiler says. O ne of those aforementioned events was coming out when she was 14 years old. Many years later, Zeiler wrote a song called “How I Feel,” detailing the experience. Decker says people weep when the band plays it live. Zeiler says she began playing guitar when she was a child, growing up in a suburb of Chicago. “My dad pulled a guitar out of our neigh bor’s dumpster and said I should learn how to play,” Zeiler recalls. “I hated it at first.” All the women in Rebecca Riots are profes sional teachers. Decker teaches music to grade schoolers, Prichett is a high school physical education instructor, and Zeiler gives guitar lessons. How, I ask them, are they able to tour so extensively? “This coming tour is during spring break,” Decker says. “But we had to quit our jobs last year to go on a longer tour.” W hen they returned from that one, they were all rehired. “It’s a gypsy living," Decker says. ■ R ebecca R iots plays at 8 p.m . April 21 at St. Johns Pub, 8203 N. Ivanhoe St. m Portland. Tickets cost $10 and m ay be purchased from the pub or from Fasdxx. For more information, call (5 0 3 ) 283-8520. * VOLUNTEER AND SECURITY POSITIONS * PARADE - EARLY DEADLINE FOR PLACEMENT LOTTERY - MAY 31 (ENTRIES RECEIVED AFTER MAY 31 WILL RESULT IN THOSE CONTINGENTS BEING PLACED AT THE END OF THE LINE-UP.) * FESTIVAL - EARLY BOOTH DISCOUNT DEADLINE A PR IL 30 NO BOOTH REGISTRATION AFTER JUNE 5. * COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM ADVERTISING - DEADLINE MAY 19 * SPONSORSHIP - DEADLINE MAY 10 * NOMINATION FORM FOR SPIRIT OF PRIDE’ AWARDS - DEADLINE APRIL 21 * ENTRY FORM FOR BANNER CARRIERS - FOUR PEOPLE WILL BE SELECTED BY DRAWING TO CARRY THE LEAD BANNER: DEADLINE MAY 20 SAVE TH E DATE! UPCOMING FUNDRAISING EVENT TO BENEFIT PRIDE NORTHWEST Sunday. May 7.2000: “Drag Whip Cream Wrestling” which include the prelimi naries for Mr./Miss Gay Pride 2000. Doors open at 7pm with a $7 cover/includes beer bust. You think World Wrestling Federation is fun, you won’t after you see your favorite queens jump into the ring. Hosted by Princess XXX, Veronica Devone and Rose Empress 38, Misha. All proceeds benefit Pride NW. Saturday. June 10.2000: DANCE with the 16 piece band, ROSE CITY SWING @ PPAA 618 S.E. ALDER. For more information, call 790-2170. Pride Weekend is a costly venture. We appreciate your help! We depend on donations to cover a significant percentage. Please consider sending your contribution now and enjoy the festival knowing that you helped in the production. All donations are tax deductible. My Donation o f $_ is enclosed N A M E --------------- A D D R E S S ______ E - M A IL ________ PH O N E. o Yes, please send me the PrideNW newsletter via e-mail, o I do not have an e-mail address, please send me the follow ing form s: o V O L U N T E E R o S E C U R IT Y o PA R A D E o F E ST IV A L B O O T H o P R O G R A M A D V E R T IS IN G o S P IR IT O F P R ID E N O M IN A T IO N o S P O N S O R S H IP o B A N N E R C A R R IE R o B O A R D M E M B E R A PP L IC A T IO N PRIDE NORTHWEST P.O. BOX 6611 PORTLAND^ OREGON 97228 VOICEMAIL 503.295.9788 • E-MAIL pridenorthwest@usa.net WWW.PRIDENW.COM Spnsored By: justrnrn
