A conversation with unauthorized Cat Power biographer Elizabeth Goodman

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Several months back I was approached for an interview by a writer from New York named Elizabeth Goodman who was working on a biography about Cat Power singer/songwriter Chan Marshall. Shortly before our interview Goodman had learned that Marshall wasn't very happy about the book being written and had sent out a word-of-mouth kibosh of sorts.-

After that, many of the people who were close to Marshall clammed up and reluctant to tell their stories about Chan when she was still living in Atlanta, on her way up as a musician. This kind of resistance seems like it would have killed the book where it stood, but in April, Goodman's Cat Power A Good Woman appeared on book store walls across the country.-

Chad Radford:  Is this your first book?-

Elizabeth Goodman: Yeah, it's my first book and it's a good feeling to have it done. You only write your first book once, so it's a great feeling to have it out and see it right there in front of you.-

How have the reviewers been treating you?-

Reviews have been great so far and I feel fortunate that it has been so well received. The Kirkus review in particular was really great because the guy who wrote it was really into the stuff about New York in the '90s and was excited to get a sound, sense, taste and smell of that era. It's hard to bring that to life. It's especially hard when I think about it in terms of Atlanta and Cabbagetown. Not only was I not there, but I can't go back to it. It's not just about visiting the place, it's about capturing a time. That's true for the New York section as well, and I wasn't here then either, so it's nice to hear that I was able to bring that back to life as well.-

Any harsh criticisms yet?-

I'm sure that's coming. I haven't heard anything yet, but I suspect that those who have those kinds of opinions about the book are less inclined to share them with me. Unless they're out to wound. I'm sure that there are people who aren't madly crushed out on the book, and my only hope is that there are significantly fewer of them than the ones who are enjoying it.-

Glen Thrasher read it before me and told me that I was quoted trashing Cat Power. He later reneged, but in the meantime I looked it up and I like my quotes that you used.-

I thought you sounded quite sophisticated and savvy.-

Thanks! Obviously the first line, &-;Chan Marshall doesn't want you to read this book…" grabs your attention.-

Yeah, the introduction speaks for itself.