Jamie Stewart Discusses Xiu Xiu’s Music and Confronting Dark Emotions

Transmission 096: Interview with Xiu Xiu

Founded in 2002 by Jamie Stewart, Xiu Xiu arose from a mix of personal grief and a desire to reject the prevailing sounds of the early 2000s music scene. Known for blending abrasive noise with fragile melodies, the band creates a sound that is as emotionally raw as it is musically adventurous. 

Stewart, who remains the only constant member, has been joined by various collaborators over the years, with Angela Seo and David Kendrick currently completing the lineup. Xiu Xiu’s work is defined by its willingness to confront uncomfortable subjects—despair, trauma, and existential suffering—while experimenting with unconventional instruments like harmoniums, mandolins, and gongs. Early releases such as Knife Play (2002) and Fabulous Muscles (2004) earned the band a reputation for its emotionally charged and unsettling music, while albums like Dear God, I Hate Myself (2010) introduced a more electronic yet still deeply personal sound. The band’s later works, including Forget (2017) and Ignore Grief (2023), continue to explore dark, intimate themes, pushing the boundaries of experimental rock. Their upcoming fourteenth album, 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, reflects Xiu Xiu’s ongoing evolution, maintaining the emotional intensity and sonic experimentation that has defined their two-decade-long career.

What drew you to form Xiu Xiu after the disbandment of Ten in the Swear Jar? 

Cory Mcculloch, who was in Ten in the Swear Jar also, and I still wanted to make music together. stopping was really out of the question. 

Your early sound heavily incorporated non-traditional rock instruments like harmoniums and mandolins. What led you to experiment with these sounds rather than sticking to conventional setups?

We had broad taste in music and broad taste in timbres, as we still try to.  using different instruments out of their usual context seemed more interesting than just using standard rock instruments with their usual context.

Can you describe the atmosphere of the San Jose music scene in the early 2000s when you started Xiu Xiu? How did it impact your creative process?

Artistically it was kind of a pit. The main “scene” was 3rd wave ska, pop punk, nu metal and rebirth genre music like neo swing or fake rockabilly. everything seemed to just be a speed up, diluted version of something that happened before. I am not trying to sound self aggrandizing but we didn’t like any of it and didn’t want to have anything to do with it. if there was something we liked happening around us we probably would have gravitated toward it but there wasn’t.  

A Promise is a record steeped in internal despair. Can you walk us through how specific events in your life at that time bled into the creation of that album?

Oooof. It was a bad time. I was broke, living in a house that had a basement that would regularly flood with literal shit, my job was extremely stressful and depressing, my father was in midst of a morphine and oxy addiction that lead to his suicide, i had been alone for alone for along time and had no idea what to do with all the hurt that happening around me other than to drink and hurt myself. It sucked and I am incredibly glad that time is over.  

Your lyrics often explore intense personal topics like despair, suicide, and trauma. How do you navigate turning such raw emotions into art without feeling overwhelmed by the process?

It is overwhelming but music gives a place to put those emotions other than turning them into self destruction.

How did your collaboration with Michael Gira on the “Under Pressure” cover come about? What was the dynamic like in the studio during that session?

Sadly it was not in person. I mailed Michael Gira a cdr of the recording and he mailed back a cdr of his vocals. He did an excellent job. I remain deeply honored. 

You often combine contrasting textures—melodic beauty with harsh noise, tenderness with brutality. How do you balance these elements when creating an album, especially on records like Forget and Girl with Basket of Fruit?

It is not a conscious process. It is just listening and feeling and trying to get out of the way of what is happening. The hope is that the attempt to be true to the intent of the song comes across as true and someone gets something out of it. 

In Angel Guts: Red Classroom, the album deals with darkness in society—racism, misogyny, violence. How do you see these themes intersecting with your own personal struggles, and how do you translate that into your sound?

I would probably give the same answer as above.  

Looking back over your entire body of work, which album or song stands out to you as the most cathartic to create, and why?

None of them are cathartic But they all give a place to put experience or they are all a way to shape uncertainty into something that tries to be definite.

With the upcoming release of 13″ Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips, what aspects of this album stand out to you compared to previous records, and how do you feel it expands on the themes you’ve explored over the years?

I had no idea we would ever make what is essentially an experimental psyche rock record. I remain surprised by it.

As you continue to evolve your sound, are there any new musical directions or thematic areas you’re looking to explore in future projects that you haven’t yet touched upon?

That is always the goal. We are beginning a new record right now but it is still in the formative stage. I hope it is new and I hope people who listen to it find something in it that is meaningful for them.

Photos courtesy of Xiu Xiu
Xiu Xiu’s official site | Bandcamp |  Instagram

Matteo Damiani

Matteo Damiani is an Italian photographer and author. Curator of the sites Retrofuturista.com; weirditaly.com; china-underground.com and others