In a new interview, former Sleater-Kinney drummer Janet Weiss has opened up about her decision to leave the iconic rock outfit.
Weiss left Sleater-Kinney in July of this year, shortly before the band released latest album The Center Won’t Hold. At that time, she was relatively tight-lipped regarding her reasons for leaving – explaining only that the band was “heading in a new direction” by founding members Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker.
Now, Weiss has expanded in-depth about her decision in an interview with drum podcast The Trap Set with Joe Wong, and it doesn’t sound particularly amicable, with Weiss explaining that “the roles changed within the band.”
“I said “Am I just the drummer now?” And [Brownstein and Tucker] said “Yes.” And I said “Am I a creative equal? Can you tell me that I’m still a creative equal within the band?” They said “No.” So I left,” Weiss commented.
“I will never play with two people like that again, you know? They’re totally unique, incredible, intuitive players. It’s a lot to walk away from. It’s my sisters, my family,” she added.
“But I couldn’t be in that band and have it not be equals, especially with what it represents to me. It represents equality, you know? If we can’t have that in our band, how can we have that in the world? How can we be fighting for equality and not have it in our band? It just became a disconnect. But I don’t think they saw it like that.
“They’re not evil people. I just think the two of them are so connected, and they really agree on almost everything. They just thought, “We are going to take this band somewhere, and we want to be in charge of that, the two of us.” I think I was a threat to where they wanted the band to go — just who I am. And that felt bad, to me.”
Weiss goes on to explain that the band went to counselling and attempted to talk through the problems, but they were still unable to find a resolution.
Despite the circumstances, Weiss stressed during the interview that she holds no ill will towards Brownstein and Tucker, explaining “I want what we did together to remain this pure thing. I don’t want to work out our disagreements in the public.”
Weiss joined the band in 1996 and made her recorded debut with the band’s third studio album, 1997’s Dig Me Out.
You can listen to the podcast in full – where she goes into more detail – here.
