(Originally Published on The Huffington Post on 10/26/15)

I have entire periods of my life that are defined solely by the music I was listening to at the time, and the 2000-2003 time period — a time when I was beginning my own journey into the music industry — largely belongs to a person named Merrill Nisker, who you probably know as Peaches.

Like many of you out there, from the very first moment I heard The Teaches of Peaches, I was hooked. With the release of her first new album in six years, Rub, Peaches is back just as you remember her: Super. Fucking. Cool.

I caught up with Merrill backstage in Portland and we talked about the new record, what life is like 15 years after the release of her debut, her recent adventures with Yoko Ono, Kim Gordon, Margaret Cho, Christeene Vale and more.

Watch the “Light In Places” video, then read our chat and check out photos by Disclosure Images from the Portland stop on the Peaches “Rub” Tour below!