Lisa Crystal Carver
One of the most important figures in American underground culture, Lisa Crystal Carver wrote Rollerderby zine, which Playboy named best zine ever. On top of that Lisa has travelled the world with her group Suckdog, and to this day is a keen writer on all things alternative. When she talks, or write, I listen and read. Here’s a chat we did prior to her first visit to Oz. And yes Lisa, I did come to the Tote show, sorry if I stuffed this up...
Munster: How’s 2016 treated you so far?
Lisa: Any year I’m still alive is a good year.
Munster: How’s it been getting Suckdog back together?
Lisa: There are no original performers except me, but there never were any regular performers. Coste’s lasted a few tours, and Dame Darcy. Other than them, I think one tour about did in each new person.
Munster: When you started performing Suckdog the live performances seemed pretty out there and not for the feint hearted, do these performances still happen today?
Lisa: An audience member did faint in London earlier this month.
Munster: How did Roller derby zine come about?
Lisa: It was all the stuff that cut out of what I’d send to other fanzines, and I thought the edited-out bits were the best part!
Munster: Roller derby was a much-loved zine, any advice to me on how I can achieve that status?
Lisa: I didn’t plan to be much-loved, it was an accident. So, I got nuthin’ for ya!
Munster: One of the reasons people loved that zine was because it gave a lot of underground acts that normally wouldn’t get a run in the in the press a run. What was your mission statement when you started the zine?
Lisa: I don’t think I’ve ever had a mission statement in my whole life.
Munster: Drugs are nice you mentioned your mum released a single on Sub pop, how did that come about?
Lisa: It was with Boyd Rice and my mom and Tony Millionaire, and Suckdog did backup vocals. I can’t remember who came up with the idea, but someone did and I asked Bruce Pavitt and he said, “Yeah, let’s do it!”
Munster: In Drugs are Nice, and also reading your recent Facebook posts about your life (thanks for the friendship request) you are brutally honest with everything that goes on in your life. Do you feel if you were anything less you would be selling the reader short?
Lisa: I’m sorry I’m contradicting you so much, but I don’t feel like I’m brutally honest. I feel like I’m casually honest. Like, there’s no magnificent catharsis. I’m just mentioning things. I got no shame.
Munster: In Drugs are nice you mention your association with GG Allin, considering his reputation did you ever feel in danger with him? Do you still have that tape he gave you when you meet him waiting for a bus?
Lisa: We were friends. I never felt in danger with him. We were also both into that art as life kind of theatre of cruelty, so I actually WAS in danger because you never know how far people will push things for the sake of the spectacle. But no, we just had fun teasing or taunting each other, I think. I didn’t keep ANY possessions, including that first GG Allin tape in my life, so foolish of me
Munster: When it comes to art do you think nothing should be off limit’s?
Lisa: I think it’s like war. Soldiers shouldn’t kill civilians. Artists shouldn’t do things trying to destroy the lives of people not into art.
Munster: As mentioned you mention your husband a bit on Facebook, How’s married/family life treating you?
Lisa: I got married the first time at 19, so I’ve been married to one husband or another for almost my entire adult life. I am really into this husband. He lives 3,000 miles away in the desert, so I miss him and romanticize his ghost. I like the odd, funny things he says, and I find him handsome.
Munster: what Zines and music you like today that we should know about?
Lisa: I’ve never known how to answer that question. I forget things as soon as I’ve read/heard them. I will read or listen to anything
Munster: You seem like an underground success story, what do you owe it all to and do you encourage other people to go down the fringe/DIY route?
Lisa: Have a wide-ranging ego and I’ve never thought of myself as underground. I look at myself as mainstream, for 50 years from now, haha. No, but I don’t think someone has to feel disenfranchised to appreciate what I do. I think the guy at the post office could read my books and relate.
Munster: Are you still doing paintings? What’s your inspiration when it comes to that?
Lisa: I still paint. I’m so busy with touring and finishing up a new book, I haven’t tried to do something out of nothing for a long time; I’ve been taking commissions. So, people send me a pic of their dog or a Ouija board to paint, or ask me to put their face in space with electrified cats. I do whatever anyone asks.
