Last week, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius connected with Jill Riley on The Current’s Morning Show to talk about the 10th anniversary of Wildewoman and about the band’s upcoming shows at First Avenue.

This week, Jess and Holly reconnect with Jill to talk a bit more about Wildewoman — and to premiere a brand-new song, “Housewarming,” here on The Current.

Listen to the interview above and read a transcript below.

Interview Transcript

Jill Riley: You're listening to The Current. We're gearing up for Lucius in town for two nights: Tonight, the Wildewoman tour in the First Avenue Mainroom; and then Friday night, Lucius headlining The Current's 19th Anniversary Party. Well, just last week, Jess and Holly checked in with The Current's Morning Show, and I thought, "Well, hey, let's talk day of." Jess and Holly back on The Current's Morning Show. How are you doing?

Holly Laessig: Good morning.

Jess Wolfe: Good to hear you again.

Holly Laessig: Yeah!

Jill Riley: I love this. I'm telling you, this could be a regular thing. Let's just check in with Lucius.

Jess Wolfe: Let's just do it!

Jill Riley: Well, tonight in the First Avenue Mainroom, the Wildewoman anniversary, this run of dates that is kicking off in Minneapolis — which is very cool, that makes us feel very special. So thank you for doing that.

Jess Wolfe: Well, we love you guys.

Jill Riley: Yeah, the fans are looking forward to it. You know, revisiting a record that came out originally in fall of 2013, Wildewoman. Now I understand that perhaps there was a song or two, I don't know how big the Lucious vault is, if you've got a you know, a bunch of — I just picture like all of these reels, being in a vault somewhere, like Prince or something. But now I do understand, though, that there was at least one song that did not see the light of day. Maybe it started as an idea and didn't get finished. And so I wonder if we could talk about a song called "Housewarming"?

Holly Laessig: Yes.

Jess Wolfe: Yeah, we wrote it a while back, and I mean, at the same time, we were writing all the other Wildewoman songs, and for whatever reason, it just didn't find its way on the record. But years later, we re-listened and felt like it was a perfect song to share in celebrating that time. And strangely, it still feels relevant to us. So we re-recorded the vocals and we're excited to share it. Hoping it becomes one of the regulars for everyone.

Jill Riley: Oh, I hope so too. I gotta wonder, when it comes to songs that's like, "Well, maybe this isn't the right time," or "We're gonna put this on the shelf," when you listen to a song that was written so many years ago, for you, what makes it relevant? And I wonder if there are songs that you have listened to and gone, "No, I don't think that one should come off the shelf." Like that was a very particular time. What makes this song still relevant for you?

Holly Laessig: Oh, yeah, I mean, there's songs that did make it that are like, "Let's put those back on the shelf." They don't feel relevant anymore! But, yeah, I think just if it just hits you a certain way, you know, like, you're at a certain place in your life, and it hits you a certain way, whether that's just like the feeling that the music gives you, or the feeling that the story gives you, maybe it's aligning with you again. There are songs that we sing that it feels like the story changes over time, and kind of like, it tells a new story with wherever you are in your life. So that's always really cool. And those are the songs that I think stick around forever.

Jill Riley: Well, the world premiere is coming up shortly here of this song, "Housewarming," a song that was started during the sessions for Wildewoman over 10 years ago, it was well over 10 years ago, but has been finished and is going to be officially released tomorrow. So Friday, the 26th, tomorrow. So we're gonna have the world premiere of the song coming up shortly. The song is called "Housewarming." And, you know, it's cool to get something new when you're celebrating a record that, I mean, is really significant in your career, your band, Lucius. You know, I wonder if you could talk about like, how that song fits into that time now, and maybe it didn't back then. But I mean, you talked about like, kind of we were talking about the like relevance, or songs can have a different meaning, kind of with the, the same song can have a different meaning over time. But how do you feel like that one really kind of fits in, especially with revisiting the record Wildewoman?

Jess Wolfe: Strangely, just the significance of the lyrics. It's deeper now, because we do know what it's like to create a home, a home on the road, a home off the road. And so there's a certain cherishing that feels, I don't know, appropriate for this time. And yet, you can still hear the sort of like, purity and... 

Holly Laessig: Young love.

Jess Wolfe: Yeah, in it, too. So you can tell that it's written amongst those songs, because it was.

Jill Riley: You know, when it comes to just that phrase or that word "housewarming," is that what truly makes a house a home wherever you are? I mean, is it love? Like, what is it, the thing? Like when do you know, like, "Oh yeah, this is the place we've settled in." What's been your experience with that?

Jess Wolfe: I think familiarity. You know, comfortability because you know the people so well, you can be, you know, sort of unguarded and yeah.

Holly Laessig: Which is love.

Jess Wolfe: Which is love Yeah.

Holly Laessig: It's love. It's all love, guys.

Jill Riley: It's love! Well, you're going to feel a lot of love. You're going to! Tonight in the First Avenue Mainroom, the people of Minneapolis are waiting. Your home for two days, and the people are ready for you. It's less about like a candle or a vase that someone gets you to put on a shelf. It's more about the people that you're around. Yeah, "Housewarming" is this new song from Lucius, a song that was on the shelf, a song that was finished, and a song that fits right into the Wildewoman celebration tonight in the First Avenue Mainroom. So the song, again, officially comes out tomorrow. But this is the world premiere of it. Jess, Holly, thank you so much for sharing this song with us first here on The Current, and enjoy your stay, and I hope that you know it's like you feel cozy and you feel the love from your fans here because when I talk to bands and I know that they have been all around the world, and there's a special connection. There are a lot of great music fans in Minnesota.

Jess Wolfe: There are. We can't wait. It's going to feel like a housewarming, I'm sure.

Jill Riley: Excellent. All right. Well, we'll see you tonight. Thank you, Jess and Holly of Lucius! And here's that song, "Housewarming," and it's on The Current. Brand-new music.

External Link

Lucius – official site