Taylor Momsen: The Potty-Mouthed Teenager From Gossip Girl Brings the Rock
Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen on fronting The Pretty Reckless, blowing amps, Miley Cyrus and why she isn't who you think she is.
Taylor Momsen isn’t who you think she is. In the US TV programme Gossip Girl, the 17-year-old plays Jenny Humphrey, a preppy, self-obsessed student at the Constance Billard School for Girls who likes designing clothes, dealing the odd class-A drug and humiliating her peers. But the American actress is sitting in the back of a people carrier, with FHM, wearing John Lennon sunglasses, a tiny dress, ripped tights and black boots. She’s talking about being the frontlady for her fairly noisy alternative rock band The Pretty Reckless. And she’s angry. And very sweary…
What will your reaction be to people who automatically assume your band is rubbish because you’re in Gossip Girl?
I’d say: “Fucking hate it, and then come and see a show.” Don’t hate before you see it. People will be surprised by the record. I mean, it’s a rock record. I get that there is this 17-year-old blonde thing from Gossip Girl and they’re expecting pop shit, but it’s a rock band and it’s heavy. Our record is a life record. It confronts everything head on. It’s death, love, drugs, sex, religion, politics.
What are your live shows like?
Loud. We’ve blown every amp and sound system so far. Yesterday in sound check the whole power shut down and the lights turned off. The first show I went to was a White Stripes’ show when I was, like, seven.
I thought: “I want to fucking do that!” Jack White is great.
True that. Is being a proper rock band important to you? You don’t want to be bubblegum rock?
It’s not bubblegum rock. It’s fucking Led Zeppelin.
What other bands do you look up to?
The Beatles are number one. Then Oasis, Soundgarden, Audioslave, The Who, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Nirvana.
So you want to be big?
They’re big because they’re the best, you know. I’m not looking to be Miley fucking Cyrus. I don’t care about the fame. I do it because I love music. I like making records and if people like them, then we’ll go along for the ride.
Do people bring you and Miley Cyrus up at the same time a lot?
They bring me up and every fucking Disney star there is the same age. I’m not dissing Miley personally. However, I do think the Disney bubblegum shit that the world is living right now is pathetic. I thought we passed that repression. I don’t know Miley, but musically we’re different. To compare us because of our age is silly.
Where have all the angry female musicians gone?
Where have all the angry anyone gone? That’s my question. Since when did teenagers become happy? You know everyone says I’m really scary and shit, but I’m a teenager and I’ve got a lot of fucking things to hate on.
What are you angry about?
Fucking everything. I hate everything, I hate everyone. I don’t mean that. I love everyone. I love everything.
Is Gossip Girl over for you now?
Um, well we’ve finished the third season so that’s still airing and the show’s been really supportive of the band, so they let me out to finish the world tour. After that, I don’t know. I like not confirming or denying rumours, just to fuck with people.
The Pretty Reckless’ debut album is due for release in August/September
Facts: Taylor Momsen
Age: 17. Born: St Louis. Instrument: Guitar. Fact: The face of New Look for 2010
From the August 2010 issue of FHM India.
Spotted a mistake, or your photo used without permission? Report a correction
in your inbox