Travis: In the Ms. Magazine cover story on you, you said that you believe all of your poems are love poems. Can you explain?

Alix: I suppose I feel that all art that depicts people in their possible states of being.... empathic, lustful, powerful, needy, anticipating, even those you deem kind of despicable, whatever,... are love poems... because it means you love human beings enough to give them representation and hope.

Travis: Define the role of art. Do you think art should primarily focus on political issues, or to connect with people in general, or a little bit of both?

Alix: I can't answer this as a "role of art" question, simply because I have loved and been inspired by enough art that pretty clearly does not intend to focus on political issues, per se. I think we can all claw our own meaning out of all art and find our own personal message/hero(ine). I can say, however, that my own brand of art has been aimed, thus far, to reach out, to make people feel less alone, to help build a movement of progressive alliances.

Travis: With much more mainstream attention given to the slam scene, do you think the scene is going in a positive direction or do you think Marc Smith is thinking “What the hell have I done?”

Alix: I don't know what Marc Smith is thinking, but I do know I have had reservations, as I always do about radical movements being absorbed within the mainstream. My main question to myself is always: how do we get significant, valuable questions out there, without having them manipulated to profit a commercial?

Travis: You studied acting in college, if I'm not mistaken. Is acting something you'd like to get into more in the future?

Alix: Actually, my major was political science, but I was a serious student/performer in theatre and, yeah, I love acting. I love the medium and it is definitely something I think about often.

Travis: Describe the writing process. Do the words come first and then the music?

Alix: The words, always, with a rhythm as their buddy. Music always last.

Travis: Describe the making of your two albums. Was the making of “Built Like That” different than “Independence Meal?” How did Pamela Means, Chris Pureka and the other musicians become involved?

Alix: I always have musicians come in last, after the spoken word pieces have come to fruition. Sometimes I have a musical tableau for them to follow, sometimes they have been on tour with me, experimenting with tablature, sometimes they have their own sense of the musical direction in the studio.

Travis: What do you like best about being a full-time performing artist?

Freedom of all monotonous thought.

Alix: What do you like least about being a full-time performing artist?

Fear of all monotonous thought.

Travis: Are you currently working on an album? If so, how will it be different than “Built Like That” and “Independence Meal?”

Alix: Yes, I am working on compiling new work. I don't know how it will be different, I guess, yet.

Travis: I, personally, would like to become more involved with global and political issues...yet I have no idea where to start? Do have any advice for people like me?

Alix: I can only talk about how I become and begin being involved, which is: pay attention to the conversations in your local neighborhood(s), family, some close knit something or other: and listen to how you understand the dynamic- sad, humble, self-inventory, powerful, sexy, crappy, revelatory, whatever the fuck humans don't know how to put a feeling upon. So you might as well document those churnings which are, ultimately, the most toxic and powerful, and let them talk to you. Yeah, that will always be universal, cause you are never, I promise you, never, alone.

Travis: And finally, what is your advice to young writers?

Alix: See above. And, don't be afraid of writers' classes, if you have access to 'em ( I had some great experiences with them), and don't worry (some made me feel like shit and set back years) if you don't.