KSDTers Jenny Song and Lee Meredith spent the summer in England, and while abroad caught up with American band Dressy Bessy while on their European tour, at a show on July 31st. Jenny conducted an interview with frontwoman Tammy Ealom before the performance, where they talked about touring Europe, among other things.

TE: HI my name is Tammy Ealom, and Dressy Bessy started in the fall of '96, actually late winter, around Christmas, so '97. Our first show was January 1st of '97.

KSDT: The new album, Sound Go Round, it seems to be pretty different from the first album that came out, what do you like about it that's different?
TE: You mean different in the way it sounds?
KSDT: Yeah, it seems to be more relaxed.
TE: It is more relaxed, you know we record all of our own music. With each album we're kind of experimenting and learning, actually learning, how to use different things, different microphones, different compressors, and things like that. It is more relaxed because we'd already recorded quite a bit before then. I don't think we've perfected it yet, we always try to capture our live sound, a little more rockin'. I think this is closer to our live sound. I mean, the record is a little more laid back as far as the songs are a little more laid back i guess. And we took our time in recording it too. Usually we're like "hurry up get it done, we've gotta get it out," sorta deal. This time we took our time and went back and redid things we didn't like.

KSDT: Do you have certain songs that you like to perform live?
TE: "Live to Tell All" I love to play live, I don't know if you've heard that song, it came out on a 7 inch. I love playing that one. "Super * Everything", it's on the California EP, I love playing that song. I like 'em all.

KSDT: How did that thing with John Peel come about, your playing a [BBC] John Peel session?
TE: Our label, called Track and Field, licensed Pink Hearts last September, and they've also found some other great bands from around the UK. Really I think the intention was brought on by the label. It's us and this band Saloon who are gonna be performing on the show, it's kind of a Track and Field sorta show I guess. I don't know, it's kinda weird, it hasn't happened yet, so we're kinda like, OK, it's gonna be interesting.

KSDT: Is this your first European tour?
TE: No, we were here in January. Yeah, that one was longer, we were here for three weeks. And we did I think about fifteen shows around the UK, and then three in Sweden, or Norway. We're going to Sweden this time, we went to Norway last time, it was very cool.

KSDT: What's the hardest part about a tour?
TE: Just trying not to be moody. I mean, I'm the only girl, and I hate to say that, but I do, I get pretty moody. It's hard. It's just tough being around the same people all the time, the little idiosyncrasies get on your nerves. You've gotta learn to let everyone be themselves. And then finding good, healthy food to eat. I said "I'm not gonna have any french fries this whole tour," and what did we just have like a half hour ago? Gotta eat something, so that's pretty tough. Different climates are tough for me. I have allergies, so I always get a runny nose and cough, and that's always miserable when you've gotta be in a band. It's fun, the shows are the best part, but that's like the smallest part of your day, it's only like an hour of your day. But it's fun, I enjoy it, I can handle it.

KSDT: Do you get enough time to look around in the countries you visit?
TE: Yeah, not a whole lot of time, but yeah we do. Like, today we came and went around the shopping district up here, and I got a really cool ashtray. I just buy little weird things. But yeah, we try to, as much as possible. There's not usually a lot of time, but a little bit.

KSDT: How are audiences in the UK different from in the US, or are they?
TE: I don't think they are that different. Sound Go Round hadn't even come out yet the last time we were here, and our last couple US tours that were with that record coming out we could see the crowds just being more enthusiastic, you know, more people knew who we were and were coming to the shows. I don't know, we'll have to see, we've only been here once, so they weren't huge shows or anything. Everyone's real enthusiastic and excited. Maybe they are less reserved I guess. They're not afraid to dance. I think Americans are starting to come around to dancing again.

website: www.dressybessy.com