Pet Sounds

“RogerDaltreydoesn’tlikemyrecord,that’s what I heard,” says Petra Haden over the phone, riding in a tour van somewhere through the badlands of Wyoming. “He just didn’t care for it. But it doesn’t even matter.” Daltrey’s not alone — Haden’s new album, PetraHadenSings:TheWhoSellOut,is already one of the most controversial recordings of the year, and it’s only been out a little over a month. The album — an entirely a cappella rendition of the Who’s classic 1967 song cycle, TheWhoSellOut— has drawn attention from NPR, RollingStone,USATodayand, natch, the blogosphere. (Favorite posting: “Even my wife snapped, ‘What the hell is this? Is this a joke? She completely ruined that album!’ ”) Maestro Townshend reportedly is delighted: He’s called the album “exquisite,” and credited Haden with no less than challenging “the entirety of the established dynamics of traditional pop-rock.” The combination lark, labor of love and science experiment is also doing robust business (“We’re making them as fast as we can,” says a rep from the New Jersey–based Bar/None Records) and popping up on many “Best of 2005 (So Far)” lists. The 33-year-old violinist/vocalist — whom friends call “Pet” — has been perfecting her footing on this sonic territory since her first solo outing, 1996’s Imaginaryland.That experiment was a collection of multitracked chamber chorales that sounded like Bach, Brian Wilson and Captain Kangaroo giving a backyard tea party. With that experience under her belt, she began recording the Who material in 2000, as a sort of hobby-slash-challenge presented to her by ex–Minutemen/fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt. But almost immediately after beginning the project, Haden was struck by a car at a Venice crosswalk, suffering a broken leg, cracked pelvis and brain contusion. “Usually people record when they’re mad,” she told me during an interview nine months after the accident — and after pressing my fingertips to her ankle so I could feel the titanium bolts holding it together. “But I went through this writer’s block period. I even stopped listening to music, and that’s not like me. I just rented a lot of movies and talked on the phone.” It makes sense that a covers project would have appealed to Haden under the circumstances — as well as the meticulous, brain-teasing technical aspects of recording multilayered harmonies on a Tascam 8-track. (Haden finished recording it in a wheelchair.) In Haden’s playful paws, one of rock’s first concept albums becomes a concept album about re-creating a concept album — the result of a musical convalescence as much as a physical one. Aside from this album, Haden recently released a collection of intimate duets with guitarist Bill Frisell (a frequent collaborator with her jazz-bassist dad, Charlie). Haden’s currently accompanying Portland freak-folkers the Decemberists on a spring minitour. Oh yeah, she’s also planning on working up a live rendition of TheWhoSellOut.We checked in with Haden to see if her newfound fame has gone to her head. L.A.WEEKLY:Howhasallthisnewattentionaffectedyou—ifatall? PETRAHADEN:It’s different! I didn’t think it would get this much attention, so it makes me feel really good. I still feel kinda shy, but playing in the Decemberists has made me less shy. I dance around and beat up Colin [Meloy] onstage . . . [Laughs.] He beats me up too, with his tambourine. IheardyouguysdoatastyliveversionofKateBush’s“WutheringHeights.”Haveyoudoneothercovers? We’re doing the Who song “Armenia City in the Sky.” We have to do it! Yousaidthat“Sunrise”wasthehardestsongtore-createforthealbum.Why?That was the prettiest song, and I was a little intimidated — I didn’t think I could pull it off. The guitar chords are in a jazz rhythm, and it was difficult for me to get that down while listening to melody at the same time. It was like that trick where you pat your head and rub your stomach. It was frustrating at times because I didn’t really have a working microphone for a few of the songs. And even after Watt gave me instructions on how to use the 8-track, I didn’t bother to write any of it down, so after every song I was like, “Wait, what do I do? I put this knob to what?” Anyplansforre-creatingother1960sBritishconceptalbums? Actually, Pete Townshend wants me to record a Kinks record — I think it was the Village Green Preservation Society one. Howdoyouplanto“re-createyourre-creation”ofThe Who Sell Out live?I want it to be an all-girl thing. Right now I have 10 girls [including sister Tanya and three members of local band Sounds of Asteroth], which is perfect. So far, we’re just practicing and not really worrying about sound effects or even drums. We’ve only had a few rehearsals. We’re just getting the melodies down, working out who sings what harmony, who feels comfortable singing alto and who can’t sing high at this or that part. We’re gonna do the live show sometime this summer. Areyougoingtoconductorsing,orboth? I’m going to sing, definitely. I actually did think about getting a conductor, ’cause it would help! [Laughs.] Everyone who I am singing with has really good ears, so I’m not worried at all. IfMr.Townshendwantedtoconduct,wouldyoulethim? Oh God. [Laughs.] If the Cookie Monster wanted to give me good recipes for cookies, would I let him? PETRAHADEN| PetraHadenSings:TheWhoSellOut(Bar/None)