by Marcus Simmons

Mondays are “reset days.” Last week is over and a new week has begun. It’s hard waking up. If you’re like many, you know the right song to get you going again. Fortunately, CM finds artists like Kristen Ford who understands that all work and no play makes work meaningless. For those who don’t know about Kristen Ford, her music is a blend of rock, folk and reggae with sexy sprinkles on top. I talk with Kristen about her debut album, Filthy Nasty, and interstate gay marriage in this week’s Musician Mondays.

CM: So, you recently came out with Filthy Nasty. Talk to me about your latest.

Kristen Ford: FN is my debut album, ten tracks and a bonus. Basically, it’s the best of what I’ve written in the past 6 years. I tried to jump genres a lot, show I like all kinds of music, like folk, country, rock, reggae, but I think the whole record retains that individuality that makes me me.

CM: The album definitely comes together well, and for those who don’t know, we can find it on iTunes, right?

KF: Yes. iTunes, CDBaby, KFo Music and Digstation, and it’ll be available at all my shows. Basically, we whore this record out.

CM: That’s great. So, tell me why your album is especially “filthy” … “nasty?”

KF: Coming up with the name was pretty hard. I didn’t want it to be “Kristen Ford Kristen Ford.” Filthy Nasty is something that I think would stick out if you were scrolling through someone’s library on iPod or whatever. Filthy is like dirty awesome…like dig in. Nasty is “ew,” you want to look, but in bed you want somebody to be nasty. Filthy, nasty, just so wicked awesome.

CM: Would you suggest this is good music to listen in the shower, then?

KF: Yes, while touching yourself, especially the nipples. Don’t put your CD player in the shower, though.

CM: Great advice. You just finished touring the Midwest and are back in Massachusetts. I can’t spell your state without Google.

KF: Ha ha. People call it mass-a-two-shits in Illinois. That’s just wrong. Do you know “Connecticut?”

CM: They have gay marriage, too. What is with the liberal debauchery of New England?

KF: Ha ha. No morals.

CM: Would you like to be gay married?

KF: Hmmm… I don’t know, but I have a girlfriend, and she is pretty. Maybe married by Thom Yorke on a beach in New Zealand, and everyone would have personal joints for the after-party, and Erykah Badu would do an acoustic set in our honeymoon suite, and there would be a champagne hot tub and lots of breakfast foods available.

CM: That doesn’t sound like a traditional gay marriage. Coffee or orange juice?

KF: Breakfast is my favorite meal. Both, but fresh squeezed. That pure shit they sell isn’t even pure; its concentrate and corn syrup.

CM: What song gets you laid the most? “Hey Girl”’s pretty sensual.

KF: Ha ha. I think they all get me laid

CM: That must be great. What music makes it to your bedroom?

KF: Erykah Badu is nice. I like Telefon Tel Aviv… the Kill Bill soundtrack. Hi-ya. I don’t listen to me; that’d be gross.

CM: Could you talk a little bit about being a musician, and how being a (sexy) lesbian has an effect?

KF: Lots of playing in bars for gross men with partial teeth. I guess that’s my choice because I like rock music. I want to play with a band; I want it to be loud. I’ll do the occasional coffee shop, but that personally was always boring—my words aren’t that important.

I have always tried to make my songs to “you.” “I love you… you are so hot.” I don’t know if it’s gay music or straight music, but I don’t get on a pedestal. I don’t say, “I’m gay, so fuck you men… you are the problem.” I can’t stand the intellectual, hoity-toity lesbian man-hater, but if somebody asks me do you munch carpet, I will say, “Yes, and what’s it to you?”

CM: There does seem to be an attraction gay females have for the guitar and for music.

KF: Yea, it’s weird.

CM: Do you think the gay gene is especially musical or that there is a gay gene?

KF: Artsy, maybe.

CM: Are the arts nature or nurture?

KF: Both. My dad is a singer, and my mom used to paint, but neither aspired to be a professional musician. It’s kind of great. No shoes to fill. If I had a kid and they turned into a lawyer or scientist, I would be like, “Dammit kid… you suck. Why aren’t you into drawing or something cool?”

CM: Art’s more fun, and life is short… Before you go, talk about your ideal type, femme or butch?

KF: My type changes a lot. More femme. Somebody different from me. In the past (ahem), I dated a chick who played guitar, smoked pot, hung out with the boys, climbed trees. It didn’t work out.

CM: Your interests, your passions, your hopes for the future?

KF: I hope to do music all the time, get really great at singing and playing and writing songs, play 100 shows in 2009 (I think I’m well on my way), get 75 people to my show at Harper’s Ferry tomorrow.

As for my hopes: world peace, jeans that don’t slip off my ass constantly and to get laid constantly.

Some other great places to find Kristen Ford’s music:
Myspace
LastFM
PureVolume