What’s In Your Fridge is where the Straight asks interesting Vancouverites about their life-changing concerts, favourite albums, and, most importantly, what’s sitting beside the Heinz ketchup in their custom-made Big Chill Retropolitan 20.6-cubic-foot refrigerators.

On the grill

Juniper Watters

Who are you

My name is Juniper Watters, otherwise known as my drag persona, “Rocket Science”, lead singer in Vancouver glam band CLONE, IATSE sound technician in the Vancouver film industry, and more recently, an independent hair stylist. I also dabble in producing/directing music videos with my counterpart, Kelly Zombor. We recently released a video single called “QUEEN” from our upcoming album, Knock Out Drops-Volume II. You can find us on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and all other streaming platforms.

First concert

Tone Lóc and 2 Live Crew at the Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver. I think it was the late ’80s and I was around 11 or 12 years old. My mom bought tickets and dutifully took me downtown to the show. At that time, I was obsessed with Tone Lóc’s song “Funky Cold Medina”. We sat in the balcony along with a lot of other young adolescents and their folks. I believe 2 Live Crew opened the show. No one there really even knew who they were. They took the stage, cursing up a storm with chicks twerking. It was an awesome spectacle. All the other parents around us were horrified and quickly packed up their children and fled the offensive scene. But not my mom. She held fast and let the barrage of inappropriate hip-hop flow through me. After a quick break, Tone Lóc came out and did his “Funky Cold Medina” thing. It was hilarious. Such a weird scene with all these young white kids and their parents at what turned out to be a hard-core hip-hop show. It was then that I realized how cool my mom was. She couldn’t stand the music but knew it was important to me to see the whole show. She’s still the coolest.

Life-changing concert

Lollapalooza—I think 1993?— at Thunderbird Stadium in UBC. I was a teenager, probably 15 or 16. We lived near the stadium on the Endowment Lands in low-cost housing. At the time, my mom was a single parent studying for her degree in horticulture. I had recently started experimenting with LSD and other drugs. It was a difficult time in my life, so I was doing whatever drugs I could get my hands on. Some of my punk friends came over to the house to get ready for the show. We all dropped acid and walked over to the stadium. It was a killer lineup that year: Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Ministry, to name a few. The place was buzzing, packed wall to wall with angsty ’90s teenagers. My punk friends and I were milling about in front of the stage between bands. It was calm. I was starting to get really high and things were weird. I had no idea what was about to happen.

Out of nowhere, it seemed, Ministry took the stage. The entire stadium full of people rushed to the front like a wave of zombies and I got trampled. It was terrifying! I was sucked under the crowd as Ministry pumped their heavy guitar riffs, peaking on LSD. I thought I was going to die. I was helpless, flipping out and probably screaming, drowning in a sea of people.

I really had no business being that high in that spot, but I’d never been in a mosh pit before and was completely naive to what was happening. Someone eventually grabbed me and dragged me out. I spent the rest of the concert on a hill on the side of the stage overlooking the mayhem. I was traumatized, to say the least, and never set foot in another mosh pit for the rest of my life. But man, what a killer show. It was a life-changing experience.

Top three records

The Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground & Nico  I never get tired of this album—it’s Andy Warhol’s banana cover. I think my mom had a cassette tape of it when I was growing up, so I feel like it’s built into my DNA. It’s always been a staple for me, no matter how I’m feeling. Nico singing “I’ll Be Your Mirror” is definitely my favourite track.

Rolling Stones Exile On Main St.  I’ve been a huge Stones fan my whole life, but this is by far my favourite album. Its raw and stripped-down quality always gives me the feeling I’m in France with them recording in a dank basement. Some of Keith’s best work, in my opinion. I also love the doc that tells the tale of them making the album in France after fleeing the UK, Stones in Exile. This album never lets me down.

T. Rex Electric Warrior  To me, this album is the quintessential birth of glam. Marc Bolan and Tony Visconti achieved a near-perfect sound. I can listen to this on repeat and never get bored. The songs and their simplicity is why it’s so compelling to me. I love Marc Bolan so much. His attitude is always so unmistakable—he oozes cool. And the production is killer­—the BGs and sax under the guitar riffs. Always a staple for me.

All-time favourite video

A-ha “Take on Me”  I think the video that caught my attention the most as a kid on MuchMusic was A-ha’s “Take on Me”. I loved it so much. I know it’s cheesy, but at the time it was the only one I remember that had a mix of live action and animation. It’s forever burned into my brain. I also love the song, but I’m a sucker for a catchy hook.

What’s in your fridge

Homemade pickled onions. Kelly and I have been making homemade Mexican food lately. Pressing tortillas, salsas, beans, and all the things! But the pickled onions are a true staple. They compliment any dish and keep in the fridge for ages. Really incredible.

Frank’s RedHot sauce. I love that shit. I put it on everything!

Lemons. I always have one or two kicking around in the produce drawer. I’m a sucker for any kind of lemon dessert. They are such a versatile fruit! They keep for a long time and you’d be amazed how many dishes you can make with one lemon. Also, you can use the juice to make cleaning products.

You can purchase “Queen” here. Watch for CLONE’s upcoming full-length, Knock Out Drops-Volume II, here.