Nardwuar: Who are you?
Amy Lee: My name is Amy and I play in a band.

Amy Lee of Evanesc- [affects French accent]
Evanescence.

Evanescence. Now Amy, you are from Arkansas aren't you?
I'm from all over the States but I went to high school in Arkansas, so yes, that's where my family still lives.

I wanted to give you a gift here. I’m not sure if you already have it. But this is a CD by a band called The Gossip from Arkansas. [Nardwuar hands Amy a Gossip CD] Are you aware of these guys?
I’ve never heard of them.

They have a record here called Arkansas Heat. But they’re from Arkansas, another Arkansas band yes?
Really? Wow.

I wanted to ask you Amy. These are some of the lyrics here that The Gossip have. They have a song called "Arkansas Heat" and I was wondering, since you’re from Arkansas, if you could tell me what you think about it. "Got my whole town sweatin’ me/Got the heat and got the humidity"
Is that real?

That’s what they’re saying. And "It’s a wonder we’re alive/Tell the preacher in case he asks/We ain’t never comin’ back."
Wow.

So how did The Gossip do summarizing Arkansas?
Y’know, it is very hot and there are a lot of preachers. So I think that’s probably a good representation of Arkansas. I’m not going to ever go back and live there, so... [laughs]

And you are Amy of...
Evanescence.

Because I guess I was thinking a bit about Arkansas. Like what’s it like? We’re here in the back streets of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, what’s it like in the back streets of Arkansas? Don’t they have the Worlds Best Yogurt Company out of there? Like aren’t the headquarters there? Tell me about that.
Actually, TCBY is like the biggest building downtown. The biggest building is the TCBY building. That’s true. Um, it’s good if you like... y’know, it’s like TCBY, it’s normal frozen yogurt.

Would you ever get a sponsorship from them? Because that would be pretty cool supporting the hometown.
Wow. I dunno, I haven’t done much supporting of my hometown actually [laughs]. I’ve had a few hometowns I guess and Little Rock’s not that much to be proud of. [laughs]

Amy Lee, how about your father. He worked at a radio station, 106.3 right?
Yeah, actually. He still works in Little Rock at the radio station, but not that one. He’s moved around to a lot of stations. He’s at 101.1 now.

Now I’m fascinated, because I bet he’s been involved for a long time. Has he ever been involved in mentoring anybody? Like Tammy Wynette or anybody like that?
No, my dad was in a band for awhile in the '70s actually. A band called the Hard Luck Band. And they toured around California and "were rebels," y’know, and got pregnant and I came out so they stopped having a band. [laughs]

Where did you come out?
Um, I don’t want to talk about it. It’s against my religion. [laughs]

California?
Yeah actually. I was born in California.

I was wondering Amy Lee of...
Evanescence.

Of Evanescence. You bonded with your former collaborator Ben over a Meatloaf song? A Meatloaf song?
That’s the tale. I played a lot more than Meatloaf but, y’know, that’s what he remembered. I guess he didn’t, y’know, filter all the Beethoven and Mozart I was playing. He heard Meatloaf. [laughs]

What I thought was really cool about that was it was Bat Out Of Hell II. Bat Out Of Hell II. [Nardwuar sings] "I will..."
"I Will Do Anything For Love." Yes.

I was trying to get you to sing it.
[Amy imitates Meatloaf] "I will do an-y-thing fo’ love-ah."

Meatloaf had a bit of a comeback with Bat Out Of Hell II. Do you remember Peter Frampton, Frampton Comes Alive?
I do. I do actually. I don’t know much about these people so you’re going to have to be careful. I don’t even have that album.

Well, I think you know what happened. He did Frampton Comes Alive II and you know what happened?
I have never even heard of it.

It bombed! That’s Why!
There you go! [laughs]

But Meatloaf did Bat Out Of Hell II and brought about Evanescence!
You know what? It did. [laughs] That’s sad. That’s really, really sad that we owe our success to Meatloaf.

Amy Lee of Evanescence, experimental music. Are you down with that? A new record might be coming up. How experimental are you gonna get?
I think experiment is good and important. And it’s important for maturity and growing up. And yes, I’m talking about music. I think we’re going to be really experimental. At the same time though, we’re going to be the same band. We’re not going to fly off the handle and make a weird record that nobody likes.

I guess what I’m wondering is, how wild would you get, Amy Lee of Evanescence?
I’d say there are no boundaries.

OK, here we go. A quote from the Arkansas Democratic-
Gazette.

And this is re: Amy Lee and See...
-ther. [laughs]

Amy Lee and Seether. "At this point it seems the Evanescence singer could gargle in the shower, slap it on a CD and sell a couple thousand copies."
A couple thousand? I think I could sell a few thousand.

So what I’m wondering is when is the CD coming out? Amy gargling in the shower. That would be amazing!
See, that’s the thing. I would rather honestly take two years to write the record and have it be something a lot better than gargling on a CD. I mean, I could put one out now but I mean I think that’s a really lame cop out. I’d rather make a really great album no matter how long it takes.

Would you ? Lou Reed did Metal Machine Music, where it was all like, all noise ? would you do the gargling. The Gazette here is alluding to that Amy Lee of Evanescence.
I wouldn’t. I really wouldn’t. I want to make it different. But I still want to like it. I don’t think I would like that very much.

And you are Amy Lee of...
Evanescence.

In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. And thank you. You’re starting your tour here in Vancouver!
Yes! We are. This is going to be the first show tonight. So there’s probably going to be plenty of mistakes and hilarious technical difficulties. So enjoy.

Y’know what’s wild? Guns N’ Roses also started their tour here in Vancouver.
Really?

And what are the Guns N’ Roses/Evanescence connections there Amy Lee of Evanescence?
What are our connections? You mean with them? I, we were supposed to open for them a couple times in Europe and they cancelled, so... we got a better slot. [laughs]

Ba-boom!
Alright. [laughs]

That’s pretty good. But on your record you have Josh...
Oh, Josh Freese.

Josh Freese drummed on your record and also did some drumming for Guns N’...
Roses. And A Perfect Circle. And Seether. And a million other bands. He’s like a session drummer. He does it for everybody.

I think it’s amazing though there’s a bit of a connection there. And this is a pretty wild one. Are you aware of Charles Manson at all Amy Lee of Evanescence?
I’m aware of him. Of course I am.

He has a song called "Arkansas." Have you heard that song?
No.

He actually has a song called "Arkansas" and, further to that of course, covered a Guns N’ Roses a Charles Manson song. And the Nine Inch Nails actually recorded in the Sharon Tate house.
OK, all this is about a song called "Arkansas" ? that I’ve never heard?

No, it’s about Charles Manson.
Oh yes. OK, I missed the connection. I was trying to connect Guns N’ Roses, to Evanescence to Nine Inch Nails. I got it. And I was influenced by Nine Inch Nails. So there’s a real connection there.

Exactly. Now I’m going to kick a bit over to New Orleans. You love ? now you know where we’re going cuz I guess Trent Reznor and Anne Rice are nearby neighbors ? you love the Rice don’t you?
Absolutely I do.

Why do you love the Anne Rice? Why do you love Anne Rice, Amy Lee of Evanescence?
I love Anne Rice because she’s dark and scary, but at the same time she’s a woman. So it’s always hot. It’s always like a good, hot, interesting book. You’re like, "Oooh." There’s always some kind of creepy/kinky romance in there so...

Are you into her voodoo at all? [Nardwuar hands Amy a Voodoo Doll]
Are you going to connect this to France?

Um, I’m not going to connect this to France. But are you going to France?
Um, I was in France. And someone pulled out my hair for voodoo actually.

I guess I was wondering Amy Lee, with voodoo, is there reverse voodoo? Like if this was you ? it says made in China ? but how could you tell if it was real (the Voodoo Doll)?
I have no idea. I’ve never seen one. But I think y’know...

Like, if this is you, could you do reverse voodoo? Like could you pull the pins out and everything would be OK?
I don’t know. Should I try it?

Yeah, let’s see if things get better.
OK, I’ve had kind of a headache. [Amy pulls pin out of the doll] Mmmm, I feel the same. I do. No, I’m just kidding. It’s totally working. It’s a miracle. Oh, ow, this hurts. I don’t know. I don’t believe in it. So the guy [in France] pulled my hair out ? he didn’t ask ? well he did, I said no.

He pulled your hair out?
He’s like [affects French accent] "Can I 'ave a piece of your 'air for voodoo?" And I was like, "No." And he was like, "OK" and ran off. And he came back and was like, "Can I take a picture with you?" And I was like, "OK." So he puts his arm around me and is like, "OK, cool." And, like, pulled out my hair and ran away.

He actually grabbed the hair?
He pulled it out of my head.

Wow. Is he at least going to mail you the doll or is... he should at least send you that?
I don’t understand. If he was a fan, why would you want to hurt me?

Maybe there’s good voodoo too.
Maybe he’s trying to give me good...ness.

Amy Lee of Evanescence, you love the vampires don’t you? You love the vampire movies don’t you?
Yes, I do.

I guess what I was wondering and I wonder a lot Amy Lee of Evanescence, what do you like, the long-haired vampires? Or the short-hair vampires?
Um, I’m a long hair person, but you know, too long on a guy, y’know, is girly. So, it depends. If it’s neat and clean, it can be long.

Amy Lee, who’s your favourite Lost Boy?
Oh, that would definitely be Kiefer Sutherland.

Ah, I thought you were gonna say Corey Feldman!
Oh, am I supposed to? Y’know what, when I was a little girl I liked Corey Feldman in, what was it, The Goonies, probably? When he was really little and I was really little, so yeah, but he grew up... it’s kinda weird when child actors grow up [laughs].

Amy Lee of Evanescene ? oh, he’s done pretty well though, he’s continued on pretty well though, y’know doing all that Surreal Life and everything...
[laughs] And the rehab and everything else [laughs], and the jail time [laughs]., so...

Hopefully you’ll be avoiding it all, 'cause you’re Amy Lee of- Evanescence! And, winding up for Amy Lee of Evanescence, what about Keanu Reeves? What did you like better, The Watcher, the movie The Watcher, or Dracula?
Um, c’mon, Dracula, geez...but Keanu Reeves was...Buh! Gah! He didn’t belong in any of those movies! What the hell! He didn’t belong in The Matrix either! 'Doh’ [laughs] I can’t even imitate him, he’s like, "Uh...whoa."

Amy Lee, is it true that you’re moving to Seattle soon? I heard you might eventually settle in Seattle.
I want to. I really like Seattle and I really like Portland and I really like parts of Canada, so, I would love to, but not any time soon, I just bought a house in California.

I’ve got some amazing news for you, there’s a band in Seattle called The Dead Vampires!
Oh, I’m moving there right now!

You’ve gotta hook up with them.
I’m going online and looking for a real estate agent. Today.

Amy Lee of Evanescence, you have a song called "My Last..."
"Breath."

And in it, the lyrics go "I can taste it in your..."
"Tears."

So the question arises regarding vampires etc, would you ever drink, or have you ever drunk human blood, Amy Lee of Evanescence?
A little bit, a little, y’know, it’s not a big deal, but no, y’know, I’ve never, like, cut someone open and like [makes a roaring sound] and sucked their blood, but, if somebody has a cut it’s like, "Ooh, what’s that taste like?" [laughs]

You’ve sucked a few cuts?!
Uh, yeah! [laughs]

When was that? Take me through that, that’s more exciting than grabbing your hair.
I dunno, it’s not a big deal, I’m not afraid of blood and stuff, I guess some people have a deal with it, like it’s gross...I think it’s beautiful.

Amy Lee, are you familiar with the band My Life With The...
Uh, no, apparently not. [laughs]

Thrill Kill Kult?
Oh, OK, I...guess.

They have a song called "Daisy Chain For Satan" and in it, one of the lyrics goes, "Christian zombie vampires."
Wow.

What do you think about that concept? What do you think about those lyrics?
I dunno...is that possible? [laughs]

I’m sure it is. If you were to write a zombie song, or, should I say, a vampire song, who would it be about, Amy Lee of Evanescence?
Ooh, who would it be about, I dunno, I’ve never met a zombie, um, I don’t think I’ve ever met a vampire, but you can never know. You can never be sure. If you just had to pick a vampire, y’know? Like from a movie you mean? [exasperated sigh]

Well, would you do an original song, or would you do a vampire cover? Any great vampire covers that you’d like to do?
[laughs]. I dunno, maybe about Brad Pitt in Interview With The Vampire, he’s pretty hot.

And winding up here Amy Lee of...Evanescence. Have you heard of the band Stryper at all?
[laughs] Yes I have. The Christian metal band Stryper, they dress really interestingly, don’t they? I don’t remember, how many...that’s like, the '80s, right? Wasn’t that like a long time ago?

There’s a rumour floating around that you’re going to get them to play a private party, just like Marilyn Manson got Quiet Riot to play a private party.
Wow, I’ve never been a Stryper fan ever in the smallest way. I think they’re so lame, so, no, that’s a false rumour.

So they’re not invited then?
Maybe Ben, maybe that was Ben. It sounds like something he would do actually. [laughs]

Amy Lee of Evalescence, one last thing here..."Evalescence?" You said "Evalescence." I heard that and you said "Effervescence" earlier too.

Well, it’s so hard to pronounce?
[laughs].

I have trouble, maybe that voodoo doll is of me!
No, I know, right in your mouth.

Amy Lee of Evan...
Escence.

Evanescence. Michelle Branch!
What about her?

She’s going to be doing a goth album soon, have you heard about that?
No!

Yes! What is the world coming to? Michelle Branch versus the goth!
Wow, we’ll see you know. Put 'em up, we’ll go, we’ll fight, we’ll see who can make the best goth album. [laughs]

Amy Lee of Evanescence, lastly here I want to ask you, anything else you want to add to the people out there at all?
Anything I want to add to the people out there? People, I think you’re good the way you are.

And lastly here, Amy Lee of Evanescence, do you think Marilyn Manson has done enough to end up in hell? Has he done enough?
Is he gonna end up in hell? I dunno, I don’t know him personally. I’m still not really sure what sends you to hell so...we’ll see, won’t we? We only have a few more years, so...

We’ll meet you in hell!
See you there!

OK, well thanks so much Amy Lee of Evan...
Escence.

Keep on rockin’ in the free world and doot doola doot doo...
Doo! Is that right?

Almost...doot doola doot doo...
Doot doo! [laughs].