Lucius look back on 10 years of 'Wildewoman'
by Jill Riley
January 19, 2024
In 2013, Lucius released their breakthrough album, Wildewoman. Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius connected with Jill Riley on The Current’s Morning Show to look back on what the album means then and now — and how it’s important that they’re starting the 10-year celebration of the album with a show in the Twin Cities.
Listen to the full interview above and read a transcript below.
Interview Transcript
Jill Riley: You're listening to The Current. Next week, we're gearing up for a couple nights with Lucius in the First Avenue Mainroom. Now Friday, January 26, is The Current's 19th anniversary show. Well sold out, the 19th anniversary show with Lucius headlining. Well, Lucius, they are also playing in the Mainroom on Thursday, January 25, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the record, Wildewoman. I have a couple of special guests; in fact, I've got Lucius on the line this morning to check in with Minnesota. Jess and Holly. Hi, good morning. How are you?
Jess Wolfe: Good morning, Jill.
Holly Laessig: Thanks for having us.
Jill Riley: Well, of course, I kind of love this. This should be a regular thing, just gabbing with Jess and Holly of Lucius just to see what you ladies are up to now. I know that you have a trip to Mexico this weekend. I do want to just ask you a really quick question: Today is Dolly Parton's birthday. Now, when I say "Dolly Parton," what feeling does that bring up for you? I mean, what's the first thing that you want to say, or what do you think when you just hear Dolly Parton's name?
Holly Laessig: The very first thing that comes to mind is her big personality.
Jill Riley: Yes!
Jess Wolfe: Just joy in human form. She's an icon, I mean, nothing that I need to even say, really.
Jill Riley: Right. Well, I figured, you know, if anyone, you maybe would be feeling some Dolly Parton vibes. Because you know what? We're going to talk about the record Wildewoman, celebrating the, again, 10th anniversary; that record was first released in fall of 2013. And just even the name Wildewoman, it's a powerful word. You know, it's a play on words, but it's such a powerful thing, a “Wildewoman”? Can you talk a little bit about, you know, really what you were trying to get across with the name of the record?
Holly Laessig: Yeah, I mean, I think, when I was little, my mom used to call me a “wildegirl” or “wildebeest,” you know, just like a wild kind of kid. And we had talked about that, and we were like, "How does that translate, you know, to growing up? How do you grow out of that?" Maybe you don't grow out of it. Maybe you just become a wildewoman. And so yeah, I think it's somebody striving to be stronger and unabashed, and whether you're that yet or not are working towards it. That's kind of what we were thinking when we made it.
Jill Riley: And I think maybe at this point, becoming more powerful. Jess, what would you say in relation to that word, or, you know, where you've kind of been on this journey of being Lucius and, you know, revisiting a record that came out, well, now over 10 years ago.
Jess Wolfe: In relation to the music, specifically, it's revisiting a part of yourself that created something 10 years ago, and how it resonates with us still to this day, and how it has evolved and shifted and blossomed, and how we can still appreciate and even recognize those parts of our selves, even with all this time. And, and also, you know, it was really the record that made a career for ourselves. So the honoring of it, and the cherishing of it is so important.
Jill Riley: I'm with Jess and Holly from Lucius, playing two shows in the Twin Cities next week: Thursday, January 25, is that Wildewoman anniversary show, and then Friday, January 26, is The Current's 19th anniversary show. You know, a lot of fans have been along for the journey with you. And you've been all over the country, all over the world. What is it about the Twin Cities that is special to you, when it comes to you know, coming to town and playing live?
Jess Wolfe: Oh my gosh, it's just, you know, we have such a bond with the Twin Cities. One, because of the everlasting support of The Current; we've been given such a wonderful, loyal, fiery audience. We always know that we can expect such a joyful, present crowd. And there's just nothing greater than that, no greater gift. And it's been proven every single time. So we always make sure to make it a priority to be there, to be present, and to do whatever we can to show our love back.
Holly Laessig: Yeah, the first show we played, it was a huge snow, like blizzard. It was a massive snowstorm and we were setting up for soundcheck and just thinking: A) how are we going to drive out of here? We're getting snowed in; and B) of course, nobody's coming to this show because they won't be able to get here. And then they did. A bunch of people came to the show and it was, yeah.
Jill Riley: We're a hardy bunch, and I think it's like the challenge of getting from point A to point B is something that Minnesotans have a lot of pride in.
Holly Laessig: Yeah!
Jill Riley: And so I'm not surprised that the people that turned out for that show. I think you did make the right decision in booking that show for next week. It's going to be a little nicer in the Twin Cities. It's still pretty cold right now; we're kind of at the end of a cold snap. And also, it feels really special, you know, to be kicking off this run of Wildewoman anniversary shows, you know, in Minneapolis.
Jess Wolfe: It does. One, to celebrate you guys and your anniversary, and and it just so happens to be the celebration of ours, too. So we get a double header of celebration, and we plan to celebrate.
Jill Riley: Excellent. Well, I'm glad that you're going to have two nights in a row in the First Avenue Mainroom. Jess and Holly from Lucius checking in with The Current. And you know what? Next week, we're going to check in again, because I know that next week, you're going to have something really special to share with The Current audience. And that's all I'm going to say about it. That's all I'm going to say. And the great thing is, I like to keep details very minimal, because I might just accidentally say it, so I'm not going to. But I know that you guys are going to check in again next week with The Current, and I look forward to that on Thursday morning. Now, the record, Wildewoman, there's a song on the record called "How Loud Your Heart Gets." And I wonder if you could talk about that song a little bit, because we want to give that one a spin.
Holly Laessig: Yeah, that song was, we wrote it in Brooklyn. And it was kind of, a friend of ours was, she had been in some long-distance relationship, and you know, she said, "Can you help me? I really want to, like, you know, express how I'm feeling to this guy. And can you help me put the words to it or put it into a song or something like that?" So we had kind of used that as food for thought when we started writing it together in the that little apartment in Brooklyn. And yeah, we've been playing it ever since. We've done it in different iterations, and we love that song.
Jill Riley: There are a lot of great songs on Wildewoman. Do you feel like that's one of your favorites? Like that's one of your babies?
Holly Laessig: Oh, I don't know. I mean, they're all kind of... Yeah, they all are different babies. But yeah, I mean, that one we have always, we've ended the shows with; you know, it feels epic, and we love playing that one.
Jill Riley: All right, well, the Wildewoman 10th anniversary show in the First Avenue Mainroom, Thursday, next week, Thursday, January 25. Jess, Holly, we'll check in next week again, because we'll have a little more Wildewoman talk, and I know that you've got something special to share. But hey, I know you're doing Brandi Carlile’s Girls Just Wanna Weekend this weekend in Mexico.
Jess Wolfe: Yes!
Jill Riley: So have fun. What you excited about for Mexico? That's such a cool event that she does.
Jess Wolfe: Yeah, it's just a family reunion of sorts. It's a wild, wacky, good time. And you know, there's a lot of it that's sort of consistent every year, which people just look forward to, including us. And then there's always a surprise, and there'll be some surprise artists who were really looking forward to singing with.
Holly Laessig: Yeah, we've got some extra packing to do between the beach and Minneapolis. Two sides of the suitcase!
Jess Wolfe: We have our '80s wigs behind us too. So...
Jill Riley: OK!
Holly Laessig: We're ready!
Jess Wolfe: We're ready!
Jill Riley: They will need their own suitcase. Their own trunk. All right, so from Mexico to Minnesota. So again, braving both elements. Jess and Holly of Lucius, thanks for checking in this morning. And we look forward to talking to you again next week.
Jess Wolfe: Absolutely. Thank you.
Jill Riley: Here's "How Loud Your Heart Gets," and it's on The Current.
Two takes on “How Loud Your Heart Gets”
Rock The Garden, 2015:
The Current studio, 2023:
External Link
Lucius – official site