The Waifs Go Knockin'

For Australian folk-rock trio the Waifs, the toughest part about releasing a live album was listening to themselves. "We had to sit down and hear six years of live recordings -- bad gigs, good gigs -- and we had to do it on the road during our busiest time," says singer/guitarist Donna Simpson of the process that yielded A Brief History..., due in January. "We were stuck in this tour bus after playing night after night, and it's humiliating hearing yourself. It's like getting dressed up to go out: You look pretty good in the mirror and then you come home at 2 and look at yourself and it's horrifying."

Even if Donna and her bandmates -- co-frontwoman/sister Vikki Simpson and guitarist Josh Cunningham -- had a hard time listening, Bob Dylan, who handpicked them to open for him last year, was plenty content with what he heard. Included in 2003's touring slate was the evening Mr. Dylan summoned Donna and Vikki to join him onstage to sing "Knockin' On Heaven's Door."

"Growing up knowing every word of that song and not even knowing who wrote it, and suddenly you're singing it with the person who did," Donna says. "I loved every second."

The career-spanning A Brief History... consists largely of live tracks from the past six years, but also includes "Bridal Train," a new song loosely based on the experience the Simpsons' grandmother had as a war bride who left Australia after World War II to reunite with her husband in America.

"She had this incredible journey," Donna says. "It was such a long way with a little baby to be with a man she had married but hardly knew -- she was from the tiniest little town. She got a telegram in the middle of the night: someone knocked on the door and said she had to be in the city tomorrow afternoon ready to leave. She said goodbye to the family and walked around town asking if anyone could give her a suitcase."

The Waifs will kick off their next tour of the U.S. next week in Massachusetts.

Waifs tour dates:

11/4: Northampton, MA, Iron Horse
11/5: Boston, Paradise Rock Club
11/6: New York, Irving Plaza
11/7: Alexandria, VA, Birchmere
11/9: Boulder, CO, Boulder Theatre
11/10: Salt Lake City, The Phoenix
11/12: Seattle, Crocodile Café
11/13: Portland, OR, Aladdin Theatre
11/14:Chico, CA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
11/16: Arcata, CA, Van Duzer Theatre
11/18: San Francisco, Fillmore Theatre
11/19: Santa Cruz, CA, Rio Theatre
11/20: Santa Barbara, CA, Lobero Theatre