OA: And what about this situation now when Mr Lady is down, is there any lesbian record label in the States that is taking over?
JD: There is one, Sarah Dougher - you know about her? - she started a label called Cherchez la femme. And they've been putting out a little bit of stuff. But I don't know what they are doing right now. I think she definitely was trying to get back that Mr Lady vibe. A lot of people are putting out their own records and small record labels are popping up everywhere and that is good in one way but it doesn't create a good community... I think Mr Lady...well that ideal can't exist anymore because it's a different time now. People are starting their own record labels and a lot of people being in queer bands don't want to be pigeonholed in a queer band category. So a lot of bands are trying the young labels that have straight bands. It's a kind of interesting time for that for sure. And they also try major labels cus doors have been opened, there is more of an opportunity for queer bands to be on major labels.

OA: But they are probably going to be pigeonholed there as well...
JD: For sure. I mean we did that but it was kind of cool to do that because it was finally....I was a lesbian on a major label. There is a lot of amazing visibility that has been through that, that wouldn't had happened. I feel good about that.

OA: And when we are going back to the DJ'ing....when you go on tour like this, I mean you played on womens day in Stockholm, you played for Ladyfest Oslo. I think you were going to Australia as well? A queer oriented event..
JD: Yeah, Brisbane Gay and Lesbian Film Festival....

OA:....so it's a polititical DJ'ing tour?
JD: Yes, some of it. I'm also DJ'ing in Stuttgart at probably not a gay place because I don't know if one exists there...maybe it does...yeah? I don't know how that is going to be like. I played in Barcelona in November at this huge club that had five thousand people...I can't remember what it's called...it has all these different rooms and it's like the place to go out on the weekends and you dance till eight o'clock in the morning. There is probably twelve different DJs during the night and I was playing in this pop-room and it was really horrible. The people was just wasted and it's the kind of the room people go to talk. It wasn't really special that I was there. Well some people was like "Hey, I was coming cus you were playing" but I was the DJ playing just for....and what am I doing here? But in the States I don't do political stuff. I have this amazing agent here called Thomas from Queer Beat, that's the guy who books Le Tigre, Lesbian On Ecstacy, Hidden Cameras...and Kids On TV...he does a lot of political queer bands and we have used him since the beginning of time! He's really good at getting political gigs like that and that's why I wouldn't go to anyone else. Cus it's... not to be like.... but it's my job and it's....like...political gigs pay way less than mainstream gigs. And in the States I have a way more mainstream agent that gets me stuff on how much money it's worth but it's less being involved in the community.

OA: But isn't it really good since you are first dealing with visibility and then second doing a political and networking type of thing?
JD: Yes, totally. And what is cool about that too is that I do a lot of networking through even like myspace or whatever and people are asking: "Can you DJ?" and even if it's for no money I do it a lot, but I don't tell my agent about it. Cus if I'm not getting payed - she won't be getting paid either...so it doesn't matter, if you see what I mean? But it's fun. I like Thomas cus he gets the most amazing stuff. He even got me this gig in Israel, although it didn't work out with my schedule, but all these crazy places that I never thought I'd ever go to, you know. Like Warsaw and ... the women's festival in Slovenia, Le Tigre played there last year. He's a good guy.

OA: Yes, it's the queeruption in Israel this year, I guess it was that he was thinking of?
JD: It is?? Oh, that would have been really cool!

OA: Have you been to  a queeruption?
JD: Yes, I was at the first one! And it was really cool. Well, parts of it was really cool and other parts was really weird. Cus it was just this crazy kind of coming together and everyone got really wasted and acted out. There was crazy sex parties and...stuff

OA: Yes, the websites present usually a mix of pictures of people making out in groups and pictures of bands , people, and art pieces or actions. They show the same place, but obviously people do not have the same experience, or looking for the same thing...
JD: Yes, totally. And that was the only thing that was really weird about it....it was just about sex....and Hello!...but..

OA: Talking about picutres, and though it does not have any more connection to the subject than that:  How did you come up with this calender idea?
JD: In 2003 I did the first one(and no, you did not miss out of any)and that was really the right moment to do that. It worked really well and it was great.

OA: How did you come up with the idea?
JD: I guess it was me and Kathleen when we were in this hotel room in Arizona, I think it was, and we had a day off and there was no-one around and we were so bored and she was taking pictures of me with a disposable camera...and I was trying to be really sexy and stuff and then we found out we totally had to make a calendar, that would be so funny! And that was probably a year before I actually decided to do it. And I thought...what if I made this calendar, I didn't even thought of selling it, it was more just the idea of making one and Mr Lady said they would put it out so I printed about a thousand and they sold out pretty fast. So I printed another thousand and they sold out as well. Well they only sold out last year. So people have been buying it obviously when it was not even that year. So that was really cool to me.

OA: I guess people were not really looking at the days, anyway...
JD: I guess not. So then they wanted me to make another calendar, but I didn't want to do the same thing. I had all these ideas of how the next one was going to be like. Everything seemed to be a bit meaningless to me, I had already done this....but I  always had this dream to travel to gay and lesbian RV parks...

OA:...cus that one (Lesbian Utopia) is totally a road trip, and you look like you are really having fun...
JD: Yes, we had a lot of fun and it was an amazing experience. And the idea was to search for lesbian utopia. And we totally found it within the RV. I think the idea is that the RV is a metaphore for the queer community and you are totally stuck with the people you are in it with, but constantly moving forward. You need to figure out how to work together and have a good time. You are segregated from everyone else, but pushing forward. I guess that was....it was a totally amazing experience. To go with people who didn't know each other was a cool part about it. We just had some intense meetings and...

OA: But did you have an idea of making a calendar when you left?
JD: Oh, yeah. But we didn't know how it was going to look like. I think we were thinking of doing a book, or thinking of doing a small pocket calendar...or what is that called...a planner! Something like that. But we didn't know what it was going to look like. Part of the reason I did the calendar was that I had a show in a gallery in New York which Chicks On Speed also had a show there too. This gallery called Deitch Projects...it a kind of a pretty hipster gallery and had never had a lesbian show before. Really well known throughout the 70ies and 80ies like that whole kind of Keith Haring kind of scene and they sell...well, they represent Keith Haring, it's a huge gallery. So I really wanted to do something crazy and gay, so I built a life size rainbow RV and I hung these huge flags, gay flags out and painted pink triangulars on the walls and then Lesbians On Extacy came and played in the RV. Then it was a crazy dance party and we had a choir that sung "Both Hands" by Ani Di Franco.......

We know it does sound like fun and we too wanted to know more but we only had a minute left to force JD to make us a JD special radio spot and get her to sign our Lesbian Utopia (well hers, really, but also ours obviously) -March page. Then  she was picked up to go to the show. Thanks mr driver for being patient with us, double thanks JD for the time you allowed us!