( Note: Windy City Times was instructed to steer clear of any questions regarding the Southwest incident. )

Windy City Times: Hi Leisha, how are you?

Leisha Hailey: I'm good, thank you.

WCT: The name of your group, Uh Huh Her, was taken from a 2004 PJ Harvey CD. Does the name have any special meaning?

LH: At the time we were a three-piece girl act and the name suited three girls. We took it from PJ Harvey hoping that she would be okay with that.

WCT: And was she?

LH: We never heard. [ Laughs ]

WCT: People know you from The L Word, but did music really come first for you?

LH: Well, it depends on how you look at it. I studied acting in New York, but I never pursued it professionally, so I started a band while I was in acting school and ended up getting signed three years after I graduated. So a music career sort of came first.

WCT: Your new CD is entitled Nocturnes. How does it vary from your debut CD, Common Reaction, in terms of progression and sound?

LH: First of all, Camila, my bandmate, co-produced it with Wendy Melvoin from Prince and The Revolution. So she brought her flavor into it and it's definitely more rock-driven. We have live drums on every song and Common Reaction was more synth-based and more electronic, so Nocturnes is more raw and organic.

WCT: You and Camila are in a relationship. Is it a delicate balance being in a relationship and working together?

LH: I don't really want to focus on that, but everything is great. We've been working together for years now.

WCT: Do you want to keep the music and acting separate, or is there a way that you would combine the two?

LH: Like a Purple Rain?

WCT: Yes, something like that.

LH: I am a creatively open person, but it's not on the front of my brain right now.

WCT: You titled this tour the Keep a Breast Tour. Is it about bringing more awareness to breast cancer?

LH: The Keep A Breast Foundation is a non-profit organization geared towards teaching teenagers mostly, about the prevention of breast cancer, and ways to a healthier lifestyle so it wont ever happen.

WCT: Have you or Camila ever been touched directly or indirectly by breast cancer?

LH: Both Camila's grandmothers had breast cancer.

WCT: You're playing the House of Blues in Chicago Oct. 19. Would it be Uh Huh Her's first time in Chicago?

LH: Oh no, we've been there many, many times. We love that city.

WCT: Do you miss doing The L Word?

LH: Of course—it was the highlight of my life.

WCT: Do you think the show, where lesbian characters were in the forefront, will have an impact on future TV shows?

LH: Sure I hope so. There are a lot of female-fronted shows now and I think we're just a part of something bigger. I hope we had an influence on something like that.

WCT: In 2008, you were the spokesperson for, Olivia Cruises, a travel company which sells cruises and resort vacations marketed towards lesbian customers. Are you still involved with them?

LH: They are a great company! I'd happily do anything with them again, but I'm not currently their spokesperson.

WCT: What was your role as a spokesperson?

LH: I did ads and I was on the cruises a couple of times.

WCT: Do you consider yourself to be an activist?

LH: No, not at all. I sort of shy from that. I live my life and hope that I make a good example out there, but in no way do I think of myself as an activist.

WCT: What is on the agenda for, Uh Huh Her, after the tour ends Nov. 6?

LH: Our first single is called "Another Case," and we will have a video for that as well as three other songs. And we already have them finished. We'll roll them out as the songs are ready to be released.

WCT: What is the best thing about being in Uh Huh Her?

LH: I get to travel with some of my closest friends, make music and meet people all around the world. It's an amazing honor to be in a band, especially this one.

Uh Huh Her is playing the House of Blues in Chicago Wed., Oct. 19. For more info go to www.houseofblues.com/venues/clubvenues/chicago. To find out more about Uh Huh Her visit www.uhhuhher.com .