1. Early Life and Influences
2. Artistic Beginnings
3. Birth of "Girlysound"
4. "Exile In Guyville" and Critical Acclaim
5. Commercial Success and Controversies
6. Later Work and Personal Life

Early Life and Influences

Born and adopted in infancy, Liz Phair grew up in the affluent Chicago suburb of Winnetka, Illinois, with her older brother, Philip. Her father, John Phair, was an AIDS researcher who headed Northwestern Hospital's infectious disease department, while her mother, Nancy Phair, taught painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

At the age of seven, the Phairs moved to England for a year, where Liz's father taught at the University of Sheffield. She developed a cultured British accent during this time. Despite her initial interest in painting, she began learning the piano in elementary school, later picking up the guitar and writing her own songs.

Artistic Beginnings

As a teenager, Phair attended New Trier High School and met future actress Julia Roberts at summer camp. Their friendship inspired Phair's song "Chopsticks." After graduating in 1985, Phair enrolled at Oberlin College in Ohio, majoring in studio art and art history. During breaks, she worked as a set painter for political artists Nancy Spero and Leon Golub.

Her involvement in the underground indie scene, with bands like Codeine, Bitch Magnet, Seam, and Come, fueled her musical aspirations. She became particularly close with Chris Brokaw, Come's guitarist, who recognized her talent.

Birth of "Girlysound"

After graduating college in 1989, Phair and Brokaw moved to San Francisco with artistic career hopes. However, Phair spent much of her time in their apartment, playing music with Brokaw. This bohemian lifestyle, which she later described as "lost" years, spanned two years.

Eventually, Brokaw returned east, and Phair moved back to Chicago. Before leaving, Brokaw encouraged her to record her songs. In Chicago, she sold her charcoal drawings on street corners while recording herself on a four-track cassette player in her bedroom. The result was the three-cassette demo titled "Girlysound," consisting of 32 songs.

"Exile In Guyville" and Critical Acclaim

Phair initially made two copies of "Girlysound": one for Brokaw and one for designer and photographer Tae Won Yu. They, in turn, shared copies with friends, and the demo became an underground hit for its raw originality and lyrical honesty. John Henderson, head of Chicago indie label Feel Good All Over, heard the tape and suggested she re-record some songs with drummer Brad Wood.

However, nothing substantial emerged from these sessions except for two tracks Phair recorded with the group Ashtray Boy in July 1992 ("Shirley Maclaine" and "Infidel" on their album "Honeymoon Suite"). Phair and Henderson clashed during rehearsals due to their opposing views on song structure.

Meanwhile, Brokaw, who had rejoined Come by this time, continued to circulate Phair's demo among friends. One copy reached Gerard Cosley, head of Matador Records. Impressed by Phair's candid songs about sexual experiences, relationships, and contemporary life, Cosley signed her to a two-album and EP deal.

With a $3,000 advance, Phair began work on what would become an 18-track album titled "Exile In Guyville," released in 1993. The term "Guyville" was originally coined by Chris Holmes of Sabaloh Glits and later used by Urge Overkill in their song "Goodbye To Guyville." It signified the male-dominated nature of Chicago's indie scene.

Recorded with co-producer/drummer Brad Wood, bassist LeRoy Bach, and guitarist Casey Rice, the double album was structured as a response to the Rolling Stones' classic 1972 album "Exile On Main Street." Phair commented, "I didn't know how to begin my own record so I copied that."

Throughout 1993, "Exile In Guyville" slowly but steadily gained fans among critics and alternative rock enthusiasts alike. By the end of the year, it topped many critics' "Best Albums of the Year" polls, including those of The Village Voice and Spin.

Commercial Success and Controversies

The widespread attention focused on Phair drew resentment from some indie figures, particularly within Chicago's noise-rock scene, such as Steve Albini. They launched a barrage of attacks on Phair and the media for giving "Exile In Guyville" such high exposure.

Undeterred, Phair released "Whip-Smart" in 1994, her second album for Matador. The album was released amid a media blitz fueled by Phair's semi-nude Rolling Stone cover. "Whip-Smart" debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Supernova," received heavy rotation on MTV and alternative rock radio, breaking into the Top 10 of the Modern Rock Tracks chart.

However, "Whip-Smart" received mixed reviews from critics and failed to meet the high expectations set for it. Phair delayed the release of a second single and opted not to tour in support of the album, preferring to spend time with her family and friends. By the time the title track was released as a single in the spring of 1995, the album had fallen off the charts.

Later Work and Personal Life

Despite critics' dismissal of "Whip-Smart," many of Phair's fans remained devoted. In the summer of 1995, she released the EP "Juvenilia," featuring two songs from the "Jealousy" single plus six tracks from "Girlysound." In 1996, she released the single "Rocket Boy."

In 1995, Phair married Jim Staskauskas, a Chicago filmmaker who had directed her music video for "Stratford-On-Guy." He brought a son, Aidan, from a previous relationship, and on December 21, 1996, Phair and Staskauskas welcomed a son together, James Nicholas Staskauskas.

Four years after "Whip-Smart," Phair released her third album, "Whitechocolatespaceegg," in August 1998. It was her first work on Capitol Records and was produced by Scott Litt, known for his work with R.E.M. The album's material departed from Phair's earlier recordings but maintained her emotional sincerity. That summer, she performed several dates on Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair tour.

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