The rock group Concrete Blonde was an alternative rock staple in the '90s thanks to the album Bloodletting and the top 20 hit from it, "Joey." Johnette Napolitano has been the glue holding the band together over the years and the strong front woman has cemented a loyal following.
In 2010 a 20th-anniversary edition of Bloodletting set them on a reunion tour. Following that, Napolitano released limited-edition music called Sketchbook, in various volumes.
She put out a book, Rough Mix, that contains personal drawings and poetry. Napolitano heads to City Winery this year not on tour but for a few intimate appearances that she handpicked to read from the book and sing personal songs.
Windy City Times gave a call to Napolitano to learn more about the outspoken singer before her Chicago arrival.
Windy City Times: Hi, Johnette. I am excited about you coming back to Chicago.
Johnette Napolitano I am, too. I have never been to this place before.
WCT: It just celebrated its three-year anniversary.
Johnette Napolitano: That is great. I am psyched. I love my theme and the show. Any place like Chicago is great. I have known y'all for 30 years and I think everyone will like what I am bringing. It's new and a different approach. I hope people will dig it.
WCT: I heard you are only going to a few cities with this particular show.
Johnette Napolitano: Yeah, I am hand-picking all of this. I want to shoot a lot of this. I have had a million video directors come out and want to shoot the show but it is more than sticking a camera up at a show. I want to really gather a lot of stuff this time because there are things that I have done and that I am saying that I have never done before. There are projections and more of a presentation that makes me happy artistically. I wasn't able to do that a lot with the band. I have a team that is just fantastic out of Tulsa helping me out.
I will be giving you a lot of bang for your buck!
WCT: Tulsa, Okla.? I was born in Oklahoma.
Johnette Napolitano: Get out! My tour manager and tour man are from Oklahoma ( Okkle Productions ). See? It's on, already!
WCT: I heard this is a short set of 45 minutes.
Johnette Napolitano: No; the contract says "at the artist's discretion." I know I have to do 45 minutes but, to tell you the truth, when I get up there a show is a show. When the arc has happened it has happened. I know 45 minutes I will do but I have been known to go an hour and a half, too.
I'm reading from the book and putting that all together right now. Here is something I have to say. People bitch and moan about what will kill live music and it would be the audience. There are a couple of places that I will play on this tour that are really loud and horrible rooms. I am off in 45 minutes and see ya! If they are not listening then fuck you; I don't really care.
Having said that, one of the best rooms that I remember playing on the last Concrete Blonde tour in 2012 was in Chicago at the Park West. That audience was incredible and so great.
WCT: I was there.
Johnette Napolitano: You were? Awesome, well alright.
WCT: I also saw you play at The Vic.
Johnette Napolitano: That's such a beautiful place. It is haunted as fuck but a great venue.
I also love to play Joe's, I think it's called. I love those people. I had a really intense night trying to convince them to start webcasting themselves before a bigger company came over to take them over.
It will be interesting to see what Winery is like. Every time I come to Chicago it is changing. Chicago has always been very good to me. I think you guys will love the show. I have a couple of good things worked in. It's all good.
As a matter of fact, I have a chapter in the next book that is specifically about someone in Chicago that has passed away but quite a character. I will remember to read that at the show.
WCT: Are you signing copies of the book after?
Johnette Napolitano: I am, yes.
WCT: I have some good lesbian friends that worship the ground you walk on and come to all of your shows.
Johnette Napolitano: Yes, I know and it's really annoying. You just tell them to calm fucking down. Lesbians need to relax because they are the ones now that are really embarrassing. They are really messing up my show. I will not tolerate their behavior even from men, and I don't feel bad about saying that. Keep your drinking together and your hands to yourself. If you were a guy I would clock you on the floor. You know your friends; I don't.
WCT: I don't know any that aren't respectful to you.
Johnette Napolitano: Well, I have had a really hard time.
WCT: I'm a gay boy.
Johnette Napolitano: I know so that's fine. That is why I am telling you.
WCT: I know you don't like pictures at your concerts.
Johnette Napolitano: No; they are not allowed at all. It is completely aesthetic. I don't know the room. When I see the room and if there are no good angles unfortunately for everybody there won't be any pictures. If there are no good angles in the room then that is just not helping my career. I could hire a manager to tell people that, but why would I when I can tell them myself?
WCT: I didn't know the reason behind this until now.
Johnette Napolitano: So why did you move away from Oklahoma?
WCT: My parents moved to Tennessee when I was little.
Johnette Napolitano: What a great background. I was just in Nashville doing a show and worked with Tom Petersson from Cheap Trick. We worked on music for a record called Rock For Speech for autistic kids. I describe the music as Dr. Seuss lyrics meet Cheap Trick lyrics. I think I sang on five or six tracks in one day. I loved being in Tennessee and haven't been there for a long time.
WCT: I read you rescue horses.
Johnette Napolitano: I had three at one time and it was too many. I had to give one back. They need to be exercised and worked. I have one that I call Paris Hilton sometimes.
WCT: Is she a diva?
Johnette Napolitano: Totally. I have an inflatable unicorn horn that I put on her sometimes. People drive by and don't get it. She is only 12 and horses stay pregnant for two years, which is a drag. Because of her color people want to breed her but I won't let that happen and neither will she!
WCT: You are working on a second book. Are you going in a different direction this time?
Johnette Napolitano: Much like making a record or anything if I try to repeat it then I am not in the same space, but I know what people liked about it. I think I can take it to another level and be better. It blew my mind that people actually liked it and read it. I started writing it and not thinking about format. I just sat around, drew, pasted and cut. I like doing that just as art. In fact I have had every page of the book framed and I have done gallery shows. I will probably take this to London at the end of the year.
I do have 30 years of lyrics to pull from. When I read them it takes me back to a story but I have distance now. I can be objective.
I had a heavy deadline last time and did it in two weeks. Sometimes you come up with the best stuff because you don't think about it. So I will try not to think about it again! [Laughs]
Johnette goes solo at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., on March 23. Visit www.citywinery.mcjr.net for tickets with more on Napolitano at www.concreteblondeofficialwebsite.com .
