We can talk about music in a moment.

The two topics closest to Bif Naked's heart right now are dogs and food: Dogs, because she has two little ones that accompany her on the road, and food, because it's tough to be a macrobiotic vegan in an Arby's world.

Vancouver's pre-eminent heavy rock chick performs Thursday in Red's, one stop on a long tour where she's faced with a constant challenge just to find something to eat.

"I'm psycho," she says happily. "I've really got nothing better to do. But it's fun. I accidentally kind of went pretty much vegan, which is interesting, because then a lot of times where you're playing somewhere like Tulsa, Oklahoma, they give the band pizza. I don't eat dough, I don't eat cheese and I don't eat meat. So I look at them and go, 'Um, what's Biffy gonna eat?' And they kind of throw you a head of iceberg lettuce. Here ya go. So you have to be really, really creative. It's fun."

Don't expect her to headline the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals festival, however. Being "straight-edge" - a lifestyle that includes no booze or drugs - is strictly a health issue for Biffy. "I do wear leather jackets and leather shoes. I've been asked: 'You're a vegan and you wear leather shoes?' Yeah, (heck), from Italy. Not just leather shoes, pal. Get away from me."

Now we get to the music. Bif is soon to release an EP (extended-play CD) called Five Songs and a Poem, exclusively for Canadian fans. It contains, well, five songs and a poem - tracks released on the American version of her last CD - I Bificus, that aren't yet available in Canada. They include I Die, which is the latest in a series (it seems) of songs celebrating the dumping of a fatally flawed boyfriend. Says Bif, "You know when you're in a relationship and there's the moment when it dawns on you: This person is an impostor and is disguised as your soulmate? Suddenly, the light shines and you go, oh, my God, this person is (a jerk)! It's a heartbreaking moment."

It dawns on her that maybe some potential suitors stay away because they're afraid she'll write a song about them - not that she's going to stop.

The EP (in stores May 22) also has the hit that's helped break down doors in America: A trademark Bif version of Twisted Sister's We're Not Gonna Take It, as featured on the Ready to Rumble soundtrack. She'll be performing the song with the one and only Dee Snider in New York this summer.

"It's a big thrill for me," Bif says. "I saw him in the Winnipeg arena in '84 and he spit on me and my little sister. He baptized me, man. Oh, my God, I was so freaked out. We were there to see Iron Maiden, the Power Slave tour, and Twisted Sister was the opener. We had fourth-row-centre seats. He was doing his rock posturing and spit into the air and spit got on us. I wouldn't wash my face for three weeks."

Lately, Bif is getting a chance to meet (and not be spit upon by) all manner of famous people - having appeared on Politically Incorrect, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and so on, right into the heart of the American "celebristocracy;'' and she's soon making her feature film debut. All of this can only mean one thing: Bif is getting famous, too.

"No way," she says. "I'm just trying to make a living. Like I always say, I work where I can get work."

As long as there's some soy milk and a park for her dogs nearby.