Imagine Sleater-Kinney [ tickets ] guitarist Carrie Brownstein [ tickets ] at home in Olympia, Wash., grooving to "The Writing's on the Wall," the sophomore effort from R&B quartet Destiny's Child. She admits this as a guilty pleasure only, but it's not what you'd expect from one third of indie rock's most revered and misconstrued maelstroms.

Tagged resolute riot grrrl holdovers by mainstream media, Sleater-Kinney are simply three women (Brownstein, singer-guitarist Corin Tucker and drummer Janet Weiss) who rock hard on their terms. The trio's latest, ''All Hands on the Bad One''--their fifth for Olympia DIY label Kill Rock Stars--is a wry and wicked take on the alpha-male rock world.

Scott Henkemeyer of liveDaily sister site twincities.citysearch.com talked to Brownstein and discovered that Sleater-Kinney is full of surprises.

LiveDaily: Was recording ''All Hands on the Bad One'' a laborious process?

Carrie Brownstein: We recorded it in about two and half weeks in Portland at a studio called Jackpot. I think the songs dictated a laid-back and relaxed recording environment. We went back to working with John Goodmanson, whom we worked with on [1996's] ''Call the Doctor'' and [1997's] ''Dig Me Out.'' The whole recording process was really easy, probably the most fun we've ever had in the studio. I never go into recording thinking it's going to be fun.

Do you rehearse extensively or pre-plan before you go into the studio?

We definitely increase our practices. It's important for us to get the songs recorded in one of the first three takes. That way, you capture the energy and spontaneity of the song instead of sounding like you've been plugging away at a song for hours. [On ''Bad One''] John came in two days before we went into the studio and sat and listened to the songs and took notes. It's pretty basic. We don't do a lot of pre-production.

Just enough so you appear to know what you're doing?

Exactly, but more importantly, sound like we know what we're doing.

What are the themes of this record?

A song like ''#1 Must Have'' is a call to arms in terms of letting go of the cynicism that can inhibit you as an artist or political being. Songs like ''Male Model,'' ''You're No Rock 'n Roll Fun'' or even ''Ballad of the Ladyman'' sort of encompass the theme of: What [musicians are] doing is slightly absurd and fun. You want to emulate a historical tradition that's really silly--to entertain people as a way of making a living. It's important to be able to look at it with a sense of humor. We embrace the historical iconographic references, but we also want to destroy them, change them and make our own.

What's your take on the au courant crop of rage rockers like Korn and Limp Bizkit?

It seems to be a backlash against what was perceived to be a huge step forward by, not only women in rock, but sensitive boy rock at the same time. Suddenly it created this huge feeling of alienation by certain men or men in bands that felt like, ''What happened to rock as an expression of my anger?'' It doesn't seem based on anything real. I think it was fairly aggressive reaction to something that was fairly harmless.

And Woodstock '99?

Music is my workplace. To think that rapes were happening in the place where I create music and that place where I work was very unsettling.

You're one of Kill Rock Stars most visible acts, but would you ever leave the indies?

We're in a really lucky and unique position where we're able to make money off our music and have complete control over it. We want to encourage other people to take music production back into their own hands and try to push to the extreme of what you can do with independent music.

Do major labels still approach you?

I don't think our lawyer ever lets us know when we're approached. [Laughs]

How is Sleater-Kinney perceived in mainstream media?

Obviously media of any sort relies on categorization to help translate the entity of a band to the larger public. We're put into categories and that's fine. I personally wish that people could take a more holistic view of art or music. We're often viewed as strident or unfunny. If [mainstream media] has to portray us as one thing, it's that we're serious and feminist--as if you can't be a feminist and have a sense of humor!

You have a linguistics degree, yes?

A B.A., yes.

Ever think of giving up the rock?

I do frequently, but not anytime soon. I love it too much. I realize it's such a privilege to be able to do what I love doing and make money from it. I want to be able to do that as long as I can. I have plenty of time to go back to school. I miss intellectual stimulus in academia at the same, so I have to read a lot in the van.