13.10.15
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With songs that discuss a gal’s god-given right to have a good time (and the inevitable guilt that accompanies that), the anxieties surrounding women with traditionally “unfeminine” hygiene habits and the clueless ways people enquire into how lesbians “do it”, you’d be forgiven for assuming Childbirth’s output leans on the serious side.

You’d be dead wrong. Last year’s I Only Fucked You As A Joke, for example, is basically the most fun song about regrettable sex ever, and song titles such as Siri, Open Tinder and More Fertile Than You give you an idea about what goes down on new album Women’s Rights.

They’re a supergroup too. Shapiro is of Chastity Belt, Bree McKenna is part of surf-pop quartet Tacocat and the third part of the trio, Stacy Peck, is also one half of Pony Time. We spoke with Peck early on a Monday morning and, to our delight, discovered what happened when she dropped acid at college, what a “Breakfast Pile” is, and whose name she has tattooed in her armpit.

What was your favourite cartoon when you were a kid?
I really liked The Smurfs. I had a Smurfmobile, which was a little tricycle that I ride around my neighbourhood on. And I was a Smurf for Halloween, the only girl one, Smurfette.

What’s the worst hotel you’ve ever stayed in?
My family used to go to Mount Rushmore every summer, but once our car broke down on the way and we stayed at this place that had a bed that you could put coins in and mirrors on the ceiling. I was about eleven.

What is your favourite sitcom?
I used to be a really big Roseanne fan, and I really liked 30 Rock.

Do you have a signature recipe?
I do this thing I call “Breakfast Pile”, where you get frozen hash brown squares, and you mash those up in a pan, put eggs on
it, and then whatever else you have in the refrigerator on it. So any leftover vegetables you have, any condiments, you just pile it all on. It’s really good with steak sauce.

Wayne’s World or Bill & Ted?
I’m gonna say Wayne’s World.

If you were going to try and seduce a potential lover, what music would you play?
Halloween scary music, so then they’d be really scared, and they’d have to snuggle up. And you’d be all “no, no, shh! It’s okay. I’ll protect you.”

If you could pick a surrogate grandparent, who would it be?
Rhea Perlman from Cheers.

Do you have a favourite board game?
Cluedo.

Which player do you usually pick?
Colonel Mustard, which is kinda weird cause he’s my least favourite character in the movie.

When is the last time you sprinted as hard as you can?
Yesterday I really had to haul ass to catch the bus. This guy even commented on it. He was like, “Great effort!” It was like we were on a sports team together.

Did you appreciate that?
Normally I don’t enjoy comments from people on the street but with that one I thought “Yeah, that was a good hustle! Thank you!”

Have you ever taken acid?
Yes, in college. I dropped off the newpapers that the paper delivery person was meant to deliver. We were like “We have to do this. The papers have got to get OUT. We’re the only people that can handle this.”

Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
I met Roseanne and Tom Arnold in Iowa when they were opening up a restaurant there. My mom and I went to the grand opening of “Tom and Roseanne’s Big Food Diner.”

What would you want written on your tombstone?
“She was pretty cool.”

What’s your favourite drunken snack?
In Seattle they have all these hot dog carts around at night, just knowing that you’re going to have a little too many, and then BAM! Hot dogs.

Have you ever shoplifted?
No. I have a lot of anxiety so just the idea of shoplifting is terrifying to me.

“We have each other’s names tattooed in our armpits”

Have you ever had a nickname?
Right now I’m “Cool Mom” in Childbirth ‘cause I’m older than everyone else. I’m 12 years older than Julia. We like to pretend that she’s my daughter. In junior high I got called “Pecker” and “Peckerhead” because my last name’s Peck.

What is the worst job you’ve ever had?
I had a job in a factory and it was my job to affix the metal bendy things onto clipboards. It was me and a bunch of middle-aged ladies who had just given up. It was really depressing.

Do you have any regrettable tattoos?
All my tattoos are really stupid but I don’t regret any of them. Julia and I have each other’s names tattooed in our armpits. It makes Bree feel really left out. I told her that she should get her own name.

So mean! I think you should have her name in your other armpit.
We’ll see.

Women’s Rights is out now via Suicide Squeeze Records