It Ain't Easy Being a 'Bad-Assed' Woman Who Calls Herself That B-Word

EDGE: How did the play come about?

Bitch: My partner Faith Soloway, who's also a theater person, musician and composer, knew I was about to go on tour and knew that I wanted to figure out how to put my story into a bigger context. They knew I had this hard period in my career and some of my most uber-fans didn't even know I was going through this thing. I've always had very theatrical shows, but wanted to take it up a notch, have some storytelling. I wanted to go on tour and put my story in a bigger context. I thought if I wrote a memoir, that would satisfy me, having some way of documenting my life.

Faith has this former collaborator, Margie Zohn, whose gift is working with artists on memoir stuff. She has this ability to help artists draw out their story. We started working together and I said, "I've got a 30-minute set. Let's start crafting something." I knew I wanted the broom involved. I knew I wanted to cast a spell in the very opening and to tell a story about a young Bitch. We wove stories into the set and I remember driving to the show thinking, "Am I really going to stand and do a monologue like I'm in high school theater camp? Put on your black turtleneck and stare off into space." I called Margie agonizing and she said, "Yes, you are."

I did it, and it crushed. It just started working. When the album was coming out I was going on a national tour so we developed the show into an hour-and-15. I carried my props around to rock clubs across America and did a kind of rock and roll version of this story that you'll see. And it took on a life of its own. People really resonated with it and now it has snowballed into five nights a week, Off-Broadway. I joined the Y and I'm doing sit-ups every day.

EDGE: I could talk to you all day, but you've got to get to the Y. One more thing. Tell me about your Patreon page.

Bitch: I love that you found my Patreon page. Do you know about Patreon?

EDGE: No, I'd never heard of it.

Bitch: It's a platform for artists. It's sort of like a fan club. I call them my Matrons. I post exclusive content over there. We do things like once a month I do a little hangout with my Matrons and I'll read to them from one of my journals or play them a new song. This last time was right after the election so we all did a little bit of sharing about it. We did a little bit of spell casting. It's been special to just connect. In my younger life I was way more distant with my supporters and fans. As I age I get more confident. It's hard to describe but it's been very healing for me to open myself up to people who love me. Why would I ever put a wall up?

And that's what's been so healing about writing this play too, because it is very vulnerable. I actually did a version of it this summer in Provincetown. I had to remind myself that it's a lot like doing feminist performance art. You're talking about your wounds, being vulnerable. It's so healing for me to do this play and share harder moments or more vulnerable moments and still feel like nobody's like avoiding eye contact with me after the show. In fact, I've had a lot of big feedback from women saying it's inspiring, it has helped them feel like they could take up more space in the world. I have surely felt a resonance there.

EDGE: One more thing, I promise. Is there anyone in the music world you'd like to meet?

Bitch: I would love to meet Taylor Swift. I would, of course, like to have a drink with Joni Mitchell. And I'd like to meet Chappell Roan. She feels a bit like a young version of me. And, oh yeah, if I can hang out with only one person, it would be Tracy Chapman.