The Student Playlist

Showcasing the Best New Music, Curating the Classics

IN CONVERSATION WITH: Snail Mail

It has been a busy year for Snail Mail, approaching the last leg of an “unforgivingly long” series of tours which has left little time for rest and relaxation. So the last thing Lindsey Jordan needs after finishing her show, at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, is to bump into a slightly inebriated music journalism student and be questioned. The release of Lush, even before its release hailed as arguably  the most promising debut albums of 2018, has propelled this indie rock project into the big time with a relentless buzz and fascination that has everyone in a frenzy.

READ MORE: Snail Mail // ‘Lush’ – album review

Swaying slightly after drinking more than a few cans of San Miguel and trying my best to keep myself still in the queue of people waiting to meet Jordan, I prepared questions in my head to ask the vocal powerhouse of Snail Mail. With a visible red wine stain on her white jeans and sporting a pair of thin-frame glasses, Jordan was kind enough to sit down with me for an informal chat about touring, wine, the benefits of water, cupcakes and my awkward personality.

TSP: So, how has the tour been treating you?

Lindsey Jordan: The tour is fantastic, we are all really happy to be in the U.K., it almost feels like home adjacent because we have been here so many times and we just got back from an Asian tour and right before that we were on, without a break in-between, an American tour with Alvvays so it’s been unforgivingly long but it is nice to be able to get, like, food that we are used to.

What kind of food is that?

Lindsey: We were eating a lot of sushi in Japan and we were eating like the…  – [A man comes over and gives Lindsey some white wine for her red wine stained jeans, she thanks him] – thanks so much I think this will work right? On the stain?

Wine man: Supposedly?

Lindsey: Do I just pour it?

Wine man: I don’t know, I’ve got no idea how that works, but give it a go!

Are you pouring that on your jeans?

Lindsey: Yes

(laughs) Why?

Lindsey: Because I’ve got a red wine stain and I’ve been told that –

Oh, are you trying to cancel it out?

Lindsey: It seems like it’s –

You know that when I transcribe this I’m going to put that in, like I’m sat here with Lindsey and she’s pouring white wine on her red wine stained jeans.

Lindsey: (laughs) She loves it, with the bottle, the red wine right there.

Red wine is the best though isn’t it?

Lindsey: Urgh, it’s so good.

What is your favourite kind of red wine?

Lindsey: Pinot Noir.

Mine is Shiraz, I’m weak.

Lindsey: That’s a good choice… Oh I forgot, so yeah we were talking about sushi in Japan and then all the other countries we were sort of just getting the food in the area because we were with promoters that were taking us to get the full tourist experience, it was awesome, but yeah, there were places where you could not drink the water and most people did not speak English so we had to fly everyday on the tour and then play the same night and we were getting, like, three hours of sleep at night.

That is insane, how do you cope with three hours?

Lindsey: Umm…

I must have at least 12 hours to function, I have 9:15am lectures that I just can’t get up for so how the hell do you manage to get three hours sleep and still function?

Lindsey: The power of will and I don’t know, we just fake it all the time, I’m like always tired and I drink a lot of Red Bull.

You know what you should drink?

Lindsey: What?

Water.

Lindsey: Water?

Water is the key to everything, it’s good for your skin and it’s good for your body and everything… So anyway, what do you think of Leeds? 

Lindsey: It’s great! Last time, we only got to see around the venue because we got here late or something but today we got to drive through the centre of the city and it was very cool and exciting and, like, bustling and I didn’t know it was like that at all.

Really?

Lindsey: Yeah and we had really good Indian food for dinner.

Nice, where did you go?

Lindsey: It was right by the venue, I don’t know the name.

Oh, so near here?

Lindsey: Yeah and they had pizza as well, it was really good.

I really like it here at the Brudenell because it’s such an intimate venue, I’ve been here a few times to see bands and every time I’ve managed to meet them.

Lindsey: Oh, that’s cool.

But I’ve never managed to speak to them properly because I am such an awkward person. I’m really thankful for your welcoming because I was scared you were going to be like ‘nah’.

Lindsey: Well, thank you for having me!

No, thank YOU. So, on your tour, what is the best venue you have played?

Lindsey: I’m a sucker for the 9:30 Club in D.C., it’s kind of where I grew up and around and I used to go there when I was little, just all the time, playing there is just like, it just is the best venue. Everyone loves it and the sounds great and the people working are great and the food’s great. And they have 9:30 Club like cupcakes that come straight from this bakery around the corner.

Wait, wait, wait are cupcakes like, wait a minute because cupcakes to me are like, I mean, they are different right?

Lindsey: Maybe?

So like cupcakes are like muffins….

Lindsey: With icing.

Oof.

Lindsey: Do you guys not have that?! I wouldn’t actually be that surprised if it was an American thing.

Cupcakes are cupcakes but like not as cupcake-y as American ones, cause everything in America is bigger right?

Lindsey: Right, right, right, right.

Does that make sense or am I just talking rubbish?

Lindsey: No, that makes sense… – [shouts to Ray Brown (Snail Mail’s drummer)] – Ray, where did we play on the first European tour, where the sound was really fucked up but there was that like brick wall and the food was really good and I was wearing a red dress and I peed in the sink?

(laughs) You peed in the sink?

Lindsey: OFF THE RECORD…. what was that place called again? Botanique! That was it yeah, that was probably the best venue we played at.

Well you know what, you win some you lose some, sometimes you have to pee in the sink. But don’t worry I won’t put that in if you don’t want.

Lindsey: It’s okay, I’ve peed in a lot of sinks.

So, what is your favourite song to play live?

Lindsey: Probably ‘Speaking Terms’.

That is my favourite song.

Lindsey: Cool! Glad you like it!

When you were playing it, I was stood right around here (points to somewhere) and I was like…’Yes…I’m alive…this is worth it, I didn’t ask to be born but here I am’.

Lindsey: (laughs) I feel that sometimes.

I actually ran out of questions here, my next one was going to be ‘what is your favourite venue?’ but I think I already asked you that.

Lindsey: Yeah, you did.

I’m just trying to rack my brain for a question…how about: did you enjoy this interview?

Lindsey: Yeah!

Was I a good host?

Lindsey: I think so, yeah!

It wasn’t weird or…?

Lindsey: I didn’t find it weird at all.

I’m usually quite an awkward person.

Lindsey: Well, not tonight!

Well I’m glad! I really like your glasses, by the way.

Lindsey: Thank you, it’s needed to see. I’ve had glasses since I was in fourth grade.

What is fourth grade in British terms?

Lindsey: Nine years old… I rarely wear them on stage but I’m coming to terms with them, embracing them, making them work… Cool, well I might go back there and get drunk.

Well that sounds great!

Lindsey: It was really great to meet you! 

It was really great to meet you too! Thanks for sitting down with me.

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