Taylor Momsen's experiences touring with AC/DC range from performing in enormous stadiums to surviving a bat bite onstage and a potentially devastating spider bite in Mexico. Those extraordinary stories provide an entertaining introduction to a conversation that gradually becomes a revealing examination of her musical influences, songwriting philosophy, personal losses, and artistic independence. Interviewer Rick Beato gives the Pretty Reckless frontwoman considerable room to explore her experiences, resulting in a discussion that balances amusing rock-and-roll anecdotes with genuinely thoughtful reflections on creativity and survival.
The opening discussion establishes Momsen as an enthusiastic musician who remains deeply inspired by the artists surrounding her. Her descriptions of Angus Young are particularly engaging, presenting the AC/DC guitarist as a quiet, thoughtful person whose extraordinary stage presence continues to motivate her. The conversation also offers interesting practical details about simultaneously managing stadium appearances and headlining performances, including the challenge of choosing songs from five albums. Her accounts of medical emergencies are memorable, although the severity of the spider bite and its treatment are presented entirely through her personal recollection. The stories work best as illustrations of the unpredictable demands of touring rather than examples of sensible medical decision-making.
The interview becomes considerably more substantial when Momsen discusses Soundgarden and the Beatles, two bands she identifies as foundational influences. Her explanation of Soundgarden's appeal goes beyond ordinary admiration, emphasizing the emotional complexity, layered arrangements, and distinctive musical contributions of individual members. Particularly affecting is her discussion of Chris Cornell's death and her continuing relationship with the surviving musicians. Her recollections of performing with Soundgarden at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction reveal both the pressure of honoring music she reveres and the happiness she felt celebrating the band's recognition. Beato's familiarity with the musicians and their recordings helps create an informed conversation that feels more like an exchange between dedicated music enthusiasts than a conventional celebrity interview.
Some of the most valuable material concerns Momsen's approach to songwriting and recording. She describes inspiration as unpredictable, explaining how melodies, lyrics, guitar riffs, and complete compositions can emerge from different experiences. Her preference for writing outside the studio, combined with her enthusiasm for experimenting with arrangements during recording, provides an interesting distinction between composition and production. The discussion of the Pretty Reckless performing without backing tracks adds another dimension, particularly when she explains how the band's newer material was intentionally developed to translate more naturally into live performances. Her explanation of the interconnected Life Evermore pieces on Dear God also reveals an ambitious approach to album sequencing, with different starting points intended to change the listener's perspective on the same underlying story.
Beato's technical questions produce another standout section when the conversation turns to vocal performance, mixing, and mastering. Momsen approaches singing primarily through emotional expression rather than technical terminology, a perspective that helps explain her distinctive performance philosophy without pretending to offer a universal method. Her account of struggling to evaluate mixes while traveling between hotel rooms is especially illuminating, as is the story of an earlier mastering experiment that left the band's music sounding unexpectedly quiet on radio. These examples demonstrate how artistic intentions can collide with technical realities. However, some broader statements about streaming quality, modern recording practices, and the supposed superiority of older recordings are expressed more as personal convictions than carefully supported technical conclusions.
The emotional center arrives when Momsen discusses the deaths of Cornell and longtime producer Kato Khandwala. She describes losing not only important people but also her ability to find comfort in music, because familiar songs had become inseparable from painful memories. Her account of creating Death by Rock and Roll as a response to that period gives the album's title and musical direction considerable personal significance. Rather than presenting grief as something easily overcome, she describes a gradual return to listening, writing, and finding purpose in her work. This section also provides essential context for her enthusiasm about Dear God, which she views as the beginning of a new creative chapter. Her openness gives the conversation an emotional weight that its earlier technical discussions alone could not achieve.
The later exploration of music consumption, childhood acting, and touring culture broadens the interview, although not every subject receives equal scrutiny. Momsen's explanation of leaving acting to pursue music is particularly effective because she distinguishes performing someone else's vision from expressing her own experiences through songwriting. Her appreciation for band relationships also reinforces a recurring theme of collaboration and creative belonging. By contrast, the discussion of younger listeners, algorithms, smartphones, and music becoming background entertainment occasionally relies on sweeping generational impressions. Both participants acknowledge some uncertainty, but their shared nostalgia sometimes replaces deeper examination of how contemporary audiences actually engage with music. The conversation also becomes repetitive when discussing the Beatles' exceptional achievements, and its extended, loosely structured format occasionally sacrifices momentum for enthusiasm.
Pros
- Momsen's candid discussion of grief, Chris Cornell, Kato Khandwala, and the creation of Death by Rock and Roll provides the interview with genuine emotional depth.
- Beato's musical knowledge encourages detailed conversations about songwriting, Soundgarden's unusual rhythmic structures, recording techniques, and the challenges of live performance.
- Behind-the-scenes stories involving AC/DC, Angus Young, stadium touring, and unexpected medical emergencies create entertaining and memorable moments.
- The explanation of Dear God and its interconnected Life Evermore compositions offers valuable insight into Momsen's artistic intentions and approach to album construction.
- Practical discussions about mixing, mastering, soundchecks, backing tracks, and changing listening formats provide useful perspectives on the realities of making and performing rock music.
- Momsen's reflections on leaving acting and building the Pretty Reckless reveal a consistent commitment to creative independence and collaborative musicianship.
Cons
- The extended conversation occasionally revisits similar observations about musical inspiration, the Beatles, and the emotional nature of songwriting without adding much new insight.
- Generalizations about younger listeners, streaming culture, and modern music consumption rely largely on personal impressions rather than substantial supporting evidence.
- Some technical opinions about recording quality and music playback are stated broadly, leaving important distinctions and alternative perspectives unexplored.
- Beato's conversational approach creates a comfortable atmosphere but sometimes allows interesting subjects to pass without challenging assumptions or pursuing more specific answers.
Taylor Momsen delivers an engaging, emotionally revealing conversation that succeeds through her enthusiasm for music, detailed creative insights, and willingness to discuss difficult personal experiences. Rick Beato's technical understanding brings additional value, particularly when the discussion moves beyond celebrity anecdotes into songwriting, recording, and the musical relationships that shaped her career. Although occasional repetition and nostalgic generalizations weaken the interview's focus, its combination of personal honesty and musical substance makes it a rewarding experience for rock fans and aspiring musicians alike.
