Liz Phair explains how to go topless

Interviews

Liz Phair explains how to go topless

“I turned in a still from a friend of mine’s student film for the cover of the CD [Exile in Guyville] — it was an orgy of Barbies floating in a pool. Matador was like, “What the FUCK is this?!” They called up Nash [Kato, of Urge Overkill] and asked him to help. So he comes to me and goes, “Lizzy, listen, the record’s great, but they’re not digging this. Why don’t you go into the photo booth, take off your shirt, leave on your necklaces.” And before I went into the bathroom, he was like, “Oh, and remember to put lipstick on your nipples,” because I have very light-pink nipples, and I figured it was some weird porno thing he knew about. Like, “Wow that’s why the nipples always look so good!” So I went in the photo booth, and for the first couple of shots, I was sort of shy. He really wanted me to just be like sex. I was always game to try fun and somewhat reckless things. And the last shot was just sort of wow — and that became the cover. And that one little nipple showed, which was a big deal later on — over the years various major labels recropped it. But it’s back! Now you can enjoy the nipple.” [New York Magazine]