Shirley Manson celebrates return of Garbage

Split the money. You have to split the song writing so everyone is equal. (And) dont buy houses, so that you dont get consumed with decorating, he told her.Its worked for Garbage: The rockers are still together, and releasing their first album in seven years this week. Though they went on a hiatus, the band (which includes Steve Marker and Duke Erikson on guitars and keyboards and uber-producer Butch Vig on drums) picks up where they left off with Not Your Kind of People.All four share songwriting credits showing theyre still following Bonos advice.Manson talked about what brought them back together, Lana Del Rey and being a frontwoman in rock in a recent interview.Its been seven years why this album now?Manson: Enough things had happened to us over the course of the last six to seven years that we were all filled up again ready to make music from a proper place of enthusiasm and fun. I know I sound like a simpleton, but its true. When we first sort of broke out, we made music for pure reasons. We really had an amazing run. Then our band grew more successful, and our record company sold us to a major label, who then had major label desires to brand us. When that didnt really work, they just lost all interest in us. As a result, we were floundering on a label that didnt care about us. It was really joyless. It stripped us of all joy. What is your songwriting process like?Manson: Any which way, I do write (on my own). I love words. I grew up with a dad who encouraged us to read. So I am pretty well read. But on this record I wanted to just write when I was together with the band, really keep things in the moment, not get too cerebral about anything, just dig in. I think its about plugging in sometimes with other human beings, which sometimes can be a challenge, because its uncomfortable some of the time, you know. I think in our culture right now, we are all very comfortable keeping everything at arms length, being on a computer, and talking to someone on a screen over here. When you are actually in a room with another person, and you are being forced to connect, that can be uncomfortable. I think its important.How do you feel about new recording artists not being nurtured, and their quick rise to fame?Manson: A couple things that play nowadays which bother me one is record companies and patience in regards to their artists. With Lana Del Rey, who is a perfect example, she was doing out-of-the-box fantastically well. She ignited peoples imaginations. The record company put her in a position that they never should have put her in. They put her on Saturday Night Live. Absolute insanity. For a seasoned performer like myself, that would be stressful. To put a young artist out there who is the figure of the moment is putting her under unnecessary pressure, at a time when she is already doing good enough.What advice would you give a female rock singer trying to make it?Manson: I would say figure out what it is that you want to say. When you figure out what it is you want to say, you have to be willing to stand by that. You have to be willing to take a million slaps in the face, and keep standing up.