Interview by John Faussemagne
Photography by Heather Marlatt via Flickr
“I did a lot of wrangling when I was touring and writing music. Now I wrangle animals and kids who are a lot easier to work with.”
Heather Marlatt is a multi-instrumentalist who was prominent in the late 2000s electronic music scene, best known for her work with SALEM, a pioneering witch house band. Marlatt met John Holland at Interlochen Arts Academy in Northern Michigan in 1999. It would take several years before the two formed SALEM, as both were involved in other musical projects at the time. John had been pursuing solo projects, and Heather played in P.K. and the Golden Carriage. Between 2008 and 2012, SALEM would release three EPs and the album King Night before quietly stepping away from music. Marlatt later departed the band during its eight-year hiatus between 2012 and 2020, but continues to document her life online.
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted over email; questions are in bold.
Your Instagram bio reads “Mommy, Artist, Equestrian, SALEM, the Golden Carriage.” Before I get deeper into the interview, I want to ask about your current life. You have a family and refuse to stay mysterious, happily posting online. How are you doing?
Heather Marlatt: I’m doing really well, thanks for asking. I do post personal stuff online, and I have reasons for that. My background is in photography, and I’ve always documented my life. As I’ve gotten older and my life has changed, it’s become important to me to not become invisible. Many women speak about this phenomenon, and by sharing my everyday life, I’ve tried to counteract the invisibility of motherhood and womanhood. When you’re young, you get a lot of (unwanted) attention. I’m trying to shift the narrative on what’s attention-worthy. I like to give my attention to how my goat drinks water. Maybe other people will be into that too.
Ranch
You grew up in Michigan, left, then came back and settled down. What about Michigan and the Midwest made it the place you wanted to call home permanently?
Marlatt: I moved to New York City when I was 18 to attend the School of Visual Arts, and I lived there for years after I graduated. I decided to move back to Michigan in 2008 to get back in nature and be closer to family.
What artists musically or visually helped shape how you approach artistry?
Marlatt: Growing up, I was influenced by the work of Mary Ellen Mark, Nan Goldin, Sonic Youth, Kathleen Hanna, Stereolab, My Bloody Valentine, Laurie Anderson, William Eggleston, Andy Goldsworthy, Gena Rowlands, Wim Wenders, and so many others. I wanted to get out of northern Michigan and be in New York, where things were happening.
Everything about the Golden Carriage I could find is archival. I am curious what years the band was active.
Marlatt: I would guess between 2002-2006. Prior to that, Paul Kopkau and I had another band called P.K., which we started when we were in high school. We met at Interlochen Arts Academy. Paul moved to Baltimore, then came to New York a year later.
Boom Box
With the music I could find from the band, your vocals are a lot more of the focal point as opposed to SALEM’s music, where the vocals, while still a focal point, are alongside more noise and distortion. How did you approach singing differently while in the Golden Carriage?
Marlatt: Golden Carriage was a lot more pared down. We recorded on a digital 8-track and had very little equipment-wise. It was in the vein of cabaret, and we performed in small rooms in a parlor style.
One of the recent times you have posted about SALEM is when Gucci featured Frost in a recent advertisement. I saw an online interview you did with someone about personal style. In it, you talked about how fashion was an extension of expression for you. How meaningful was it to see your work being used by a fashion house like Gucci?
Marlatt: It was amazing, and something I never expected to happen. I loved fashion when I was growing up, and my parents used to joke that I would change outfits several times a day. My husband said that when we met, I had an outfit for every occasion, like a doll. I feel clothing is a way we can be creative amidst the mundane. I’m sad that people don’t get dressed up anymore. I also love Italy, and Gucci is the quintessence of Italian fashion. The one Gucci item I own is a pair of sunglasses, and they’re beautiful. I visited the Detroit Symphony recently, and it was so amazing to see all the attendees in their gowns and tuxedos. Detroit fashion is modern and nostalgic.
[Regarding SALEM,] The band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2012.
Marlatt: John lived with me between 2009 and 2015 at my house in Michigan. Before that, we lived in New York and Chicago together. I don’t want to go into details, but it’s like losing a loved one, except they’re still living, on an alternate timeline. I’ve practiced a lot of radical acceptance around the issue.
Posters
Editor’s note: On May 14th, 2026, the two remaining members of SALEM released an archival album titled Red Dragon, featuring many songs which Heather Marlatt worked on.
If your former bandmates had approached you before releasing the album, would you have been interested, or at this point in your life, is SALEM something from your past?
Marlatt: I choose not to have contact with them. I have people that handle that for me.
You have reposted photos and polaroids from the band as recently as 2025. Have you had any relationship or contact with your former bandmates?
Marlatt: I post photos because it’s a part of my life. I can still think of many happy, sad, and funny memories from that time. I believe strongly in facing things rather than avoiding them. Although things are different now, that doesn’t negate the past, all the work I did, or who I am as a person. I choose to stand in the light.
Skip + Mike
How did your experiences in the band shape who you are?
Marlatt: It helped me feel more confident for sure. When I was younger, I used to be shy and have a difficult time with public speaking and performing. Touring eliminated that for me. I now feel like I can handle anything.
You often post about life on a farm and being a mother. What did you learn from this era that helped prepare you for life after it?
Marlatt: I did a lot of wrangling when I was touring and writing music. Now I wrangle animals and kids who are a lot easier to work with. My ancestors were all farmers and my father had a farm. This is in my blood. I have always loved animals and grew up riding horses. Animals love you unconditionally.
Lastly, in your bio, you state you are an artist. Do you have any upcoming projects you are excited about?
Marlatt: My current project is getting my farm established. Art is everywhere, it’s in nature and in people’s faces and in the air we breathe. I just got my studio set up and would like to make some new songs this summer.
Hotel Hall
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