When Peaches burst onto the electro scene some 10 years ago with her debut The Teaches of Peaches, she was a unique quantity - an outspoken, overtly sexualised female performer marrying a punk attitude with electronic beats.
''My first album was very much a revolution but now that's become the standard, in terms of mixing rock and electro,'' Peaches says on the phone from her Berlin base ahead of her Melbourne DJ show next week.
''Also, the way I express myself in my lyrics, it's standard now.''
There are certainly more solo women on the electro scene but it's safe to say none as controversial as the Canadian-born Peaches; even Lady GaGa and that ''hermaphrodite'' rumour pale in comparison next to a standard Peaches gig. Anybody who has seen her play live knows to expect anything, from her gyrating crotch lit up with lights to liberal displays of pubic hair, simulated sex with instruments, bearded female back-up singers or encouraging the audience to remove shirts (which they usually do).
And the artist formerly known as primary school music and drama teacher Merrill Nisker is not one to be modest about her influence on the current crop of female artists, citing the likes of M.I.A., Little Boots and La Roux.
''It all comes from me, I have to say, and that's really awesome,'' she says.
After recently meeting Little Boots, Peaches was reminded of the early days of her own career.
''It's funny, 10 years went by so fast! I remember when I started, I met [former Deee-lite member] Lady Miss Kier I was like: 'Oh my god.' I met her in 2001 and now I'm that person for other people,'' she says. ''My career is so cool - cool as in, not hot, in the sense that it's been a slow-build development. I never rose to pop fame; it's been slow. And now all the pop stars respect me and I can just rock people, you know?
''In the same way Britney or Christina Aguilera or Lady GaGa like my songs, it's the same way with me meeting Jane's Addiction or Green Day and having them tell me they have sex to my music.
''I really came at a time where the rock people and the pop people all have sex to my music.''
Sometimes, though, people just dance to her music, particularly when she's playing a DJ set in a club, as she will next week in Melbourne.
There's talk of a summer gig with her full band but for now she's ''coming out there to Melbourne as a DJ just to rile up everybody - to get all hot and sweaty and then to get everybody banging''.
''I do my own stuff and I like to sing other people's songs as well. I mix, I sing … the whole thing will be sweaty,'' she says.
And, as is her wont, Peaches says she may well be wearing a strap-on dildo behind the decks.
''Maybe I will … maybe I won't. You'll just have to wait and see.''
Either way, fans know to expect some kind of boundary-pushing. And the fact that she's a little older now - 42 - does not mean Peaches has toned down her act.
''What's the point of that?'' Peaches says. ''Just because I'm older? I really feel sorry for people under 40. They don't know about our secret club. It's great.
''Youth culture was created in the 1950s, so now it's grown-up. Youth culture isn't just youth culture now. You've gotta start thinking of people in their 40s now. It's not like in the 1950s where people didn't know what youth culture is - it's a whole different standard now.
''Youth culture can now go up to your 60s - look at Grace Jones! Honey, 40 is the new 20.''
Peaches plays DJ sets around the country, starting tonight in Brisbane. Full dates here. Her album I Feel Cream is out now.
-Kyle Northover