When people ask me what's the most under rated album in my collection, I always say, "Jill Sobule's self titled album. She's got a big imagination with a harsh sense of reality. The instrumentation is quirky and cool, but it's the lyrics that really sell it. I like her other albums too, but that one really stands out."

Jill got pegged early as "That girl who sings that ‘I Kissed a Girl’" song girl. But she’s a lot more.

If you haven’t heard of Jill Sobule, I’m not surprised. She’s on her 4^th album, 3rd record label, 1 big hit, and a whole bunch of good honest songs that are still UNDERGROUND.
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1. I’m a big fan of the instrumentation in your music. Without hearing it first, how do you know you want an Accordion, Tuba, Cello, or Harmonica to play on a certain tune?

I sometimes hear production as I am writing the music to the lyrics (usually the lyrics come first). For instance, I always imagined the overdone Timpani on Rainy Day Parade. Also, sometimes, I start by recording a song solo, add a bunch of stuff, without any clue of how it will turn out. Sometimes it's great and sometimes it just sucks, but it is a fun and creative process. I pretty much am friends with the musicians on my records. "It's a family affair."

2. Most of your songs are autobiographical, what was the hardest thing to admit or sing about?

I hate to admit in a song, like "Sold My Sole," that I am pathetically depressed (at the time of writing the song.)

3. You’ve been signed to big record labels, and now you’re with a small record label. We’re all familiar with the benefits of the big label, what are the benefits of the small label, and the negatives of the big label?

With a big label, in general, if you don’t have a big radio hit within the first few months, your record is over. They don't develop artist like they did in the old days. However, a small label usually does not have as much money to promote you.

4. I Kissed a Girl was the only song that your label ever really got behind. Are you at all bitter that this is the song, out of all your songs, that will follow you around for the rest of your musical career?

Kissed a Girl was a blessing as well as a curse. On one hand, I had an MTV hit. I would rather be a one hit wonder than a no hit wonder. Also, it brought me many fans who have followed and supported the rest of my career. Plus, it was the first sorta lesbian or bi song to hit the mass media (way before Ellen). I still get folks who write and say that the song helped them to not feel so bad about having a those feelings. I am proud of it for that. However, it did put me in a novelty niche, and yes, it still bugs me that it is still what I am mainly known for. I want people to see the rest of my work.

5. I don’t mean to be too nutsy boltsy, but can you, in detail, describe for our up and coming musician viewers, how you got a recording contract?

A recording contract? I did mine the old fashion way by playing all the time until someone finally saw and signed me.