Red Mosquito

McParadigm wrote:Satan's Bad

bodysnatcher wrote:Holé

Spoiler: show

I Found This in the Archives
by speaking as a child of the 90s (euphoria1287)
at April 30th, 2008 (07:22 pm)
current mood: excited
7

Rock’s Couple of the Year

They’ve been hailed as the next Kurt and Courtney, but Eddie and Fiona have forged their own volatile path, and the media watches, breathless.

Published April 1997 in Bleach Magazine

The old saying, “opposites attract” seems to have been the golden rule on this one. One of them was on their way up the fame ladder while the other was cowering down it. One was making their break for the spotlight while the other was attempting to become less of a household name. One is aging gracefully towards middle-aged obscurity while the other is just on the cusp of adulthood.
However, rock’s golden couple also shares more common ground than meets the eye. They book seek solace in music when life is too overwhelming, both are embroiled by personal angst, leading to almost perma-frowns etched into their faces. Both have a strong aversion to the media and aren’t afraid to speak their minds regardless of the circumstances. In this glance then, the union of Eddie Vedder and Fiona Apple (real name Fiona Apple McAfee Maggart) is more sensible than it first seems.
They may appear to be slightly mismatched; they’re both obviously lookers, but beyond that, the comparisons end. Vedder is a mature 32 while Apple is growing into her fame at a tumultuous 19. Eddie is a penultimate modern rock god while Fiona is the depressed answer to Tori Amos. They sit on opposite ends of the musical spectrum, opposite ends of the age spectrum, yet for almost one year they’ve made a very public relationship work, much to the media’s delight.
From the onset of their love, fans of both artists, the paparazzi and the media had a field day with their onslaught and dissection of the relationship. Pearl Jam fans quickly and wrongly assumed that Vedder had sold out by dating a young woman just barely legally an adult, despite his band releasing their most obscure effort to date, 1996’s No Code. Apple was quickly labeled as a gold digger, a fame mogul, riding Eddie’s coattails for his share of bank or to propel her own career to the top. She was accused of being a homewrecker, breaking up a two year marriage between Vedder and Beth Liebling.
“It was honestly a case of bad timing,” a friend close to the couple says. “Eddie and Beth had a big blowout in August, but he didn’t file for divorce until September, after he and Fiona had already met and were dating. However, they were done before he ever met Fiona, it just wasn’t legal yet.”
Vedder’s normally zipped lip in terms of his private life came back to haunt him on this particular occasion, and when neither him nor Apple cleared the air, the fans and the media were left to think what they would on the situation. Perhaps it was an inexperience that kept the relationship from being publicly baptized, for Vedder always spoke merely about his band to reporters, and Apple was just facing the beginning of a career, her debut album, Tidal (Epic Records) released that summer.
However, public interest started building around the couple in late 1996, when they were spotted together in a Seattle eatery. Once 1997 dawned and Fiona began a tour that put her more in the public eye, the questions began, batted from different interviewers and catching the young chanteuse off guard. Vedder avoided interviews by reveling in downtime post-album and post-tour. For months Apple fielded the relationship questions, giving coy and vague answers to interviewers when asked about her relationship with Vedder. However, the news broken and the two quickly became media darlings, hailed even as the next Kurt and Courtney, without the drugs and babies and whatnot. Well, as far as anyone knows, Apple isn’t carrying Vedder’s child on her extremely slender frame, despite rampant rumors of such for some time now.
Bleach Magazine was fortunate enough to score the first exclusive interview with these budding lovebirds to talk about pesky rumors and clear the air about some longstanding discrepancies in their relationship.

BLEACH: Let me just say, it’s an honor to be the first to interview the two of you together for an article. I know you two have been very, very opposed to doing interviews with other magazines. Why is that?

VEDDER: Well a couple of months ago, I think uh, back in like February or March, Rolling Stone called us up and asked to do a cover story on the two of us, and I said no. Just about a year back they wrote a uh, very unflattering story on me that was filled with a lot of holes instead of facts because they didn’t interview anyone concrete.

BLEACH: Any fear that it would happen again, because RS has since written a story on the two of you, but it wasn’t a cover story and it wasn’t very nice either.

APPLE: Really?

VEDDER: That’s news to me as well. But no, I’m not worried about it. It’s going to happen. A lot of magazines have called us trying to get ‘the exclusive Eddie and Fiona story’. They want what no one else has heard or written before, but it’d be hard to give them that story not knowing what anyone else has said or written before. At this point, neither of us read the articles, the tabloids, anything. What it comes down to is carrying and maintaining musical integrity. Neither of us want to be on the cover of a magazine for being a fucking couple. It’s a little stupid.

BLEACH: Any reason then why you’ve finally relented?

VEDDER: They just don’t stop asking you! We were hoping the hype would die down, but it hasn’t. It’s like what they did when Fiona was on tour…goddamn, I remember the one night I was going to set up a big press statement about the whole thing because it was getting so out of control…

APPLE: They literally just kept asking me and asking me and asking me during interviews until I couldn’t take it anymore and finally just said, ‘yes, we’re in a relationship. Are you happy now?’ And of course they weren’t. Because then they want the details, and they want to know what Eddie’s like in bed, hoping I have some bad story so they can laugh about it and feel better about themselves and their manhood.

VEDDER: (laughing) I hope you either totally lied or totally glorified me.

APPLE: A little bit of both, actually.

BLEACH: So how have you two felt in terms of divulging any information about your relationship? Is it more of a pressure factor than anything else?

APPLE: Oh, I think so, yeah. The only thing we’ve ever willingly divulged was the fact that we’re in a relationship, and that wasn’t even willingly.

BLEACH: Any reason why?

VEDDER: It’s not like we were hiding it. We went out in public at times, held hands, kissed maybe. It’s not like we were ashamed of each other. It was all just a matter of timing. Fiona was getting started on a tour and I wanted the focus to be on her career, not the fact that we were dating.

BLEACH: Understandable. Can I ask both of your opinions on the age difference?

APPLE: This is something that keeps coming up over and over again; ‘you do realize he’s thirteen years older than you, right? What do you guys talk about? How do you relate?’ And the truth is I have had no problem at all relating to Eddie. As a matter of fact I relate to him more and better than I ever have anyone ever. It’s not just because he’s a musician either. People have always told me, and I’m hearing it now more than ever with my music and everything, that I’m very mature for my age, and I think mentally Eddie and I are on par.

VEDDER: I agree. And that’s another thing. With any other young woman, I doubt it would have worked. What I saw in Fi was someone equal to me, someone who I knew I could carry a conversation with because she was intellectual and savvy. On top of that, she also happens to be the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, which certainly played a part in things, but once I got to know her, her age didn’t matter to me at all. At 20 she’s one of the most career-driven people I’ve ever seen. The same held true when we met too. I mean, I was stocking shelves at a grocery store or pumping gas when I was 19 and 20, and music was just an aside for me. She’s already established a career and is signed to a major label and put out a major debut. It’s amazing.

APPLE: Again, that was all timing. If there wasn’t this big women’s musician movement going on then it probably never would have happened, or at least not as easily.

BLEACH: So you two obviously don’t have a problem with the age difference. Why do you think thirteen years matters so much to people?

VEDDER: Because Fiona’s so young. If she was like, 22 or 23 and I was in my mid-to-late 30s no one would give a shit. They would think that as a grown woman she can make her own decisions. And though Fiona’s 18 and here they legally accept 18-year-olds as adults, people don’t really count you as an adult until you’re 21, because you can drink then, and drinking is important. But I think they think that she is incapable of really deciding what she wants for herself, which is absolutely absurd.

APPLE: I think it’s that people aren’t used to it, or they don’t want to accept it as a norm so they shun it. I mean I’m not the first girl to date someone older than me, ten years or twenty years or whatever. I’m not even the first person to date someone older than me, but generally people get shit for that. People look to the older person like ‘why can’t you be with someone your own age?’ like there’s something wrong with them, and they just look at the younger person as though they’re misguided and don’t know what they’re doing. But people don’t accept it for what it is, two people in love. It’s not just an age thing though. People still have a hard time accepting gay relationships as normal, biracial relationships too. It seems that if you’re anything other than a man and a woman of the same age, skin color and income bracket then it’s not going to be easily accepted.

BLEACH: That’s an interesting input. Now, you two have been hailed as the “Kurt and Courtney of the late 90s” by MTV. What is your take on that?

VEDDER: As someone who knew both Kurt and Courtney, I think it’s an absolute bullshit claim. I mean, ask anyone and they’ll tell you I wasn’t close with Kurt and that neither he nor Courtney liked me very much, but we patched it all up at the end. I’d like to add a caveat to what I’m going to say next, because I mean no disrespect, but Kurt and Courtney both had severe drug problems that neither of them exactly conquered. Because of that, they did some stupid things and made some bad decisions, and it’s very heartbreaking, but I don’t think Fiona and I are like that at all. Besides the occasional drink or cigarette, neither of us do heavy drugs. I mean, I know that the comparison was made in jest, because Kurt and Courtney were a very popular couple back in the early 90s, and I lived it, so I know, but when I hear the comparison I take it the wrong way.

BLEACH: Fiona?

APPLE: Well I never knew Kurt personally, because I was a little too young, but I do know what happened to him, and as Eddie said, it’s very heartbreaking. I met Courtney once too but I’ll reserve my judgment there. All I can say on the comparison is that it’s meant well but I’m not really too fond of it either, given certain connotations.

BLEACH: Right, understandable. Kurt and Courtney were nicknamed Kurtney though. Do you two have a nickname that tabloids refer to you as instead of just Eddie and Fiona?

VEDDER: Nope, because our names don’t lend themselves to that. What are they going to call us, Vapple? Fedder? It doesn’t work.

BLEACH: Fiona, you’re more of a piano goddess while Eddie, you’re a hard rock king. How the hell did you two meet?

APPLE: (giggles) At this party in New York….

VEDDER: Stone (Gossard, rhythm guitarist for Pearl Jam) had a buddy who happened to be the man who signed Fiona, and he was having a record shindig in Manhattan. I was feeling down over my failed relationship with my ex-wife, and Stone invited me up to New York. Fiona was there too, and it was magic.

BLEACH: Was it love at first sight?

APPLE: Oh, no. He had to work hard to win me over.

BLEACH: Really?

VEDDER: Yeah, it took a lot of effort but it was more than worth it in the end.

BLEACH: Eddie, you trekked along on a short leg of Fiona’s tour this year. Is this going to become a regular thing for you two? To accompany one another on tour?

APPLE: No.

VEDDER: Nope. I just jumped on for a bit per Fiona’s request, but we both agreed, to keep our musical identities separate, that it shouldn’t happen again.

BLEACH: So I’m guessing that would mean no to a duet too.

APPLE: I wouldn’t be opposed to it if there was ever something we could sing together. I couldn’t imagine writing with him or anyone else though. It’d be way too weird.

VEDDER: It’d have to be under the right circumstances. I agree with Fiona, I wouldn’t write something just to sing together, nor would I want to record it. It would have to be something spontaneous and something done live, but nothing that would lead to a world tour.

BLEACH: Maintaining artistic integrity seems to be a must for the two of you, which is great. What do you think then of the slew of younger artists like the Spice Girls and Hansen who aren’t quite…in that same vein?

VEDDER: (laughs) You’re trying to get us in trouble now, aren’t you?

BLEACH: No, just curious what you think of others who use music as a different vehicle.

VEDDER: To each their own. I don’t like it and I don’t have to. They don’t have to like me. That’s the glory of freedom of speech.

APPLE: I just think that’s where the direction of music is going right now. People have been all depressed by this deep alternative music that’s been dominating the airwaves, and so now people want something more lighthearted, and it tends to lend itself to music that isn’t as mature.

BLEACH: Speaking of depressing music, you two are pretty expert at that. Any reason why happy tunes don’t fit into your milieu?

APPLE: I wrote a happy song or two…

VEDDER: Me too. I just write what I’m feeling. Sometimes it’s happy, other times it’s not. Sometimes it’s stories, things I hear from friends, things I read in the paper, things I’m going through myself or have gone through. I can write about anything.

APPLE: I tend to write about relationships; it’s all autobiographical what I write, pretty much. And it just so happens that I haven’t had a very happy relationship before.

BLEACH: Any chance the next Fiona Apple record is going to be inspired by something Eddie did in the relationship, or the next Pearl Jam album is going to be inspired by some heartbreak Fiona caused?

APPLE: You never know.

VEDDER: It could happen.

APPLE: And that’s exactly why I don’t listen to his music.

BLEACH: You don’t?

APPLE: No. I’ve heard a song or two on the radio and what people have forced me to listen to, because ‘oh, you should know your boyfriend’s music! Here, listen to this, it’s a classic.’ But uh, no, I just…it’s not really my thing. I like to listen to more hip-hop or older music, stuff like the Beatles. But now I have one more reason to run from the next Pearl Jam record.

BLEACH: Did you know this, Eddie?

VEDDER: Yeah, and I heard her debut album out of curiosity, and I’m glad that I did. I’m not sure how comfortable I would be listening to songs written about me in a negative light, but I probably would anyway, again out of curiosity.

BLEACH: From the beginning of your relationship, there have been some pretty rampant rumors spread, from you two getting engaged, married, divorced to Fiona being pregnant. I’ve also heard that Fiona’s broken up the band, that you two are recording an album together and touring in support of that album. How do you two deal with such blatant fabrications?

VEDDER: Simple, ignore them.

APPLE: Yeah, I can’t read those tabloids. I can’t even read reviews of gigs I perform because I’m afraid they might say something bad. In the tabloids it’s almost guaranteed that that’s what’s gonna happen.

BLEACH: It’s not just in the tabloids though, I’ve seen it on the Pearl Jam forum, secondly.

APPLE: I’ve heard they really don’t like me there. And it’s hurtful, yeah, but they judged me from the very beginning, assuming that I had broken up Eddie’s marriage and that I was trouble. They haven’t bothered to give me a chance since Eddie and I have settled into this relationship. So yes, it’s hurtful, but at the same time I’d hope they’d support Eddie in his endeavors.

VEDDER: The fans lately have felt pretty alienated, and I know this didn’t help, but I never intended this to become a part of my public life. Who I date shouldn’t influence someone’s decision on me, but now that it’s a public story and everyone knows about it, it’s just something else for them to judge. I’m sorry for the fans who have stopped listening to the band’s music because I’m dating Fiona, but then again I’m not sure I’d want those type of people hanging around anyway.

BLEACH: What about your fans, Fiona? How have they and your band reacted to Eddie?

APPLE: The fans don’t seem to care either way, because unlike Eddie’s situation, they didn’t know me when it was just me, they just knew me when I was with Eddie. They don’t have anything else to compare it to. The band loves him too. They think he’s the coolest guy on the planet.

BLEACH: Are you guys anything like what your public personas are made out to be, angry and bitter at the world?

APPLE: Yes and no.

BLEACH: Yes and no?

VEDDER: Well I know I’m not miserable all the time, not even close. I’m not angry all the time either. Just at the paparazzi. I’m not used to them at all, and I don’t see why anyone would want to swarm to photograph us.

APPLE: I’m definitely not angry all the time, and I’m not bitter at the world either. I don’t think I’m very bitter at all. I’ve been called angry by almost everyone, but if you get to know me, you’ll find that’s the opposite. I can be a bitch of course, and I can be totally depressed, and I am sometimes, but none of it is a constant. And it’s not like an act either, or a public persona. It’s just how people see you once, and so they judge you to be that way all the time.

BLEACH: Yeah, you two don’t seem to get along with the paparazzi at all…

APPLE: I hadn’t had any prior experience with them, but I find the whole thing strangely fascinating. I don’t get why anyone would care that much to take our picture…

VEDDER: I have very little experience with them, and I find them very invasive. If I want to go to dinner with my girlfriend at a nice restaurant, it shouldn’t be something to put in a photo album. It’s not that big a deal. It’s people like them that make me not want to leave my house.

BLEACH: Okay, last question. Where do you two see each other five years from now?

VEDDER: Hopefully doing what we are now with more records to our name.

BLEACH: Fiona?

APPLE: Sounds good to me.

bodysnatcher wrote:Holé

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