Sleater-Kinney on how they kept their new album a secret

Hari Sreenivasan talks to Sleater-Kinney about how they kept their new album a secret.

In the late 90s and early aughts, Sleater-Kinney had a feverishly devoted fan base. Formed out of the punk-feminist riot grrrl movement, the trio, comprised of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss, released seven albums between 1995 and 2005. In 2001, well-known music critic Greil Marcus called them the greatest rock band in America. But in 2006, they took a hiatus, pursuing other creative projects.

Tucker went solo, creating the Corin Tucker Project while raising two children. Weiss drummed away in other indie-rock bands, such as Quasi and Wild Flag, a joint project with Brownstein. And in 2011, Brownstein co-created the award-winning sketch comedy show “Portlandia” with “Saturday Night Live” alum Fred Armisen. Meanwhile, their fans eagerly awaited a reunion.

And now they have one.

On Tuesday, Sleater-Kinney released its first album in a decade, “No Cities to Love.” Turns out the band had been working covertly on the new album since 2012.

The new album was alluded to in a mysterious single tacked on to their 7-LP vinyl retrospective box set “Start Together,” released in October. The set housed their entire collection and an unmarked white vinyl, with only the notation “1/20/15”, that would later be identified as the new album’s first single, “Bury our Friends.”

Earlier this week, Hari Sreenivasan sat down with Sleater-Kinney at New York’s Mercury Lounge, a venue they’ve frequented over the years. He wanted to know why they kept it a secret for so long. And more impressively, how?

Tune in to tonight’s broadcast of the PBS NewsHour to see Hari Sreenivasan’s full interview with the band. You can watch on our Ustream channel at 6 p.m. EST or check your local listings.

In the meantime, watch Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein explain the riot grrrl movement in 20 seconds: