Just When You Thought You Heard It All...

Thank God you haven't heard everything yet. As Brion has nicely introduced, not only to you but to me, Bertine Zetlitz is an interesting addition to the Fierce Norwegian Ghetto Bitches.

For the longest time, I thought it was only AnjaHanneAnneli. Say that with panache and pizazz and see what happens. More on them later.

But now it appears there are others...yes, others.

Bertine Zetlitz:


The little girl in the woods look with fangs exposed says it all. She's a pop pixie who bites, chews, and then spits you back out. And it works.

On the aggressive side of the FNGB pantheon, Bertine comes across as a veritable scorned Athena. She's been fucked over, made bitter, and yet still on the offensive with men. In her music, she's not playing house. She's naughty and unapologetic. And it's quite easy to get caught up in the production of the music and miss out on the killing. That's right, killing. Nearly every tune mentions a knife, gun, killing, etc. You get the point. She's beautiful...so far.

When you get a chance, you simply must check out an unusual interview she did with one of the hottest men alive, Kristopher Schau, on the show, Team Antonsen. It involves some surprises, including nudity and animals.


Bertine notices something...


And then composes herself back to the interview...with an interesting smirk. Maybe she'll kill you?

Here it is:

Recommendation for first listen: Bertine's first album, Morbid Late Night Show. Going sequentially from there is the plan up to recent album, My Italian Greyhound. Have some free samples at her official site, http://www.bertine.com/

Obsession . . . You are my obsession.

I think that I am obsessed with Bertine Zetlitz. I hadn't really counted on someone sneaking in the back door and prying open the well guarded hatch that houses the Fierce Norwegian Ghetto Bitches' Underground Headquarters. But Bertine, she's got a big knife and she wants in. I usually don't argue with knives . . . or homemade guns for that matter.

In 1998 I reviewed her debut album "Morbid Late Night Show" for The San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times. I had a weekly column that lasted for a number of years. It continued when I moved to New York.

That is where I met Bertine. She performed one night at Barracuda in Chelsea.

The show was a brief three track set but she came across as very sweet. She shrieked when she saw my Norwegian copy of the album and asked where I got it. I was just in Norway seeing Bel Canto and had scooped Bertine's CD for the trip home. (It is important to buy music when you are traveling.)

I forgot about Bertine, but that album remained in my collection. Every so often I would pull it out and listen to "Snow on a Hot Day." Then with Zoe, the a cappella mini masterpiece "Little Rosie."

Recently, with the advent of Beached Kitties, I began thinking about all the fabulous Norwegian women I had come to know and love. Bertine kept pestering my mind. I went online and found that her career kept growing, just not in the U.S.

Typical.

I immediately ordered her second album "Beautiful So Far."

I called Andy.

Last weekend on a trip out to Sag Harbor we spent some time reacquainting with Mrs. Zetlitz.

(I would say Ms. if I was nasty.)

Let me tell you, it scared the living daylights out of me. "Morbid Late Night Show" is quite distinctly a thinly veiled crime blotter of murder, arson and general mayhem. I mean I like a little axe murderer in all my friends and loved ones but this is ridiculous.

We add Bertine Zetlitz to our family. We will cover all her albums with conversational reviews.

Because she says so and she has knives, needles and guns...



^^^ Seriously. Would you argue with that? ^^^