An Interview with

(from Philadephia, PA, USA)

that took place after their show at O2 Academy 2, Sheffield on Saturday, 22nd May, 2010 by Glenn Milligan

 

Glenn: What made you decide to form ‘Misstallica’?

Teddi (Bassist): Well all four of us were in a different band before and kinda needed to take a break and someone heard the show and said they wanted us to play Metallica anyway. We went, “Okay”, so we had a month and we learnt ‘Master Of Puppets’ and that’s it.

Glenn: What about the name – how did you come up with that?

Teddi: We’ve been a couple of different names – we’ve been Metallic*nt to begin with, we were then Clitallica, e were Fishtallica and we were finally Misstallica.

Glenn: I suppose you had to change names (laughing)

Teddi: Yeah – we didn’t get very far with the first names.

Glenn: Especially if you wanted to get on the radio.

Teddi: Yeah – they were more than happy to say Clitallica on the radio but Metallic*nt. As funny and ntertainingas we though the names were – a lot of people were... the general population were not too keen on Metallic*nt.

Glenn: Especially in the Southern States. (We all laugh)

How do you rehearse and how often?

Gigi (Lead Vocals/Guitar): I practise a lot of my playing and I write music as well. I practise Metallica riffs. She came over (Courtney), Courney’s in the Iron Maidens – she came over a couple of weeks ago and we had a couple of rehearsals and here we are here.

Glenn: How do you decide on the songs?

Gigi: We stick to like the first 4 albums – songs that I like (joking).

Glenn: What would you say are your favourite songs in the set and why?

Gigi: Mine - ‘Ride The Lightning’ and ‘Motorbreath’. I like the solos in ‘Ride The Lightning’ and Motorbreath because they got a good thrashy feel-good to them.

Kaleen (Drummer): I like ‘Disposable Heroes’ because it has a lot of double bass in it and I am a fan of double bass.

Teddi: I would say ‘Disposable...’

Glenn: What would you say your favourite parts of tonights show were with the audience?

Gigi: I liked the first 4 kids up front – they were like awesome – they were headbanging and stuff.

Glenn: How would you say the UK audience like tonight differ or are similar to an audience in the USA?

Teddi: Well if you like that kinda music, we they all look the same wherever we go and they are into it and they are feeling it and thats what they do and that’s how they are like the same.

Glenn: Where would you like to play worldwide?

Gigi: I’d like to go to Italy. I’d like to eat pizza all day and then play.

Teddi: I’d like to go to Amsterdam, France and Germany.

Glenn: What are your best road stories? Can you tell them?

Gigi: I remember a story. We were playing in New York. I was playing a solo and I went up to the front of the stage and this drunk, like literally drunk lady comes up and to the front and she licked my leg, from like from my ankle to the inside of my leg – I didn’t know her and if she wants to do that to me then fair enough.

Glenn: What’s your thoughts to other tribute bands on the scene – you gotta be careful now.

(We laugh)

Teddi: Well we can;t say too much but there’s good ones that can really do it, you know? And we like to think that we’re in that round and in the same way we enjoy what we do and we enjoy what they do.

Glenn: Is there a big scene for tribute bands in America?

Gigi: In the USA, yeah, yeah, yeah – absolutely. It’s just really good now that we’ve gotten to a point where a lot of the bands that people would go and see are no longer touring. So you know – and obviously Metallica still tours but they don’t necessary play the songs that we play so in that sense we are satisfying that and other tribute bands – some of those people don’t tour at all – I mean more so it’s kinda like the safety way to go and see them.

Glenn: What’s Philadelphia like for a music scene these days?

Teddi: It’s like all these indie bands. Philly has a really good music scene. It does. There are clubs everywhere and people really like to go and see music in Philly. The problem is, is that if you are a musician, you’ll probably find other musicians and you’ll probably get tired of like going out and seeing everything because you are so busy doing it yourself. But there is a really thriving music scene in Philadelphia.

Glenn: What do you enjoy doing outside the band?

Teddi: Stained Glass.

Glenn: You like putting stains on glass?

(We all laugh)

Teddi: No not staining it but working with it.

Glenn: Oh working with it.

Teddi: Yeah.

Courtney (Guitarist): I like hanging out with her and I also like to Cycle and model.

Glenn: What would you say the hardest songs are to perform on stage?

Teddi: They are all hard. Really they are – it’s true.

Glenn: What bands bands wouold you like to tour with and why if you got the chance?

Teddi: That’s an interesting question. I’d like to tour with Danzig – but maybe not because we are so similar.

Gigi: I’d like to tour with David Bowie because he’s my favourite ever.

Kaleen: Black Sabbath.

Glenn: Which line-up?

Kaleen: The Dio one. I'll stop there because a don't want to form a crator here (as Ronnie James Dio had only recently passed away)

Glenn: Do you also write your own material as well?

Gigi: Yeah we all play material. We all have our own bands and stuff like that.

Glenn: What’s your band called and what sorta styles do you play?

Gigi: Kaleen and I have a band – we are kinda heavy I guess. We are called Pet Primitive. I have a band that’s kinda just like old punky like rock kinda whatever called ‘Bruce Lucey’ and the 3 of us, we start writing like original thrash type punk metal.

Courtney: I have a thrash band that’s more like Californian.

Gigi: Our various musical projects.

Glenn: Are people surprised when they find out about you as a female Metallica tribute? They are like ‘What?’

Gigi: I think people expect it to be really, really awful and then they see that it’s not of course.

Glenn: Do you find that because it’s an all-female band, that guys come down just because of that or do you find most come down because you are a Metallica tribute?

Teddi: No I mean they can see girls on the street – like they don’t need to pay money you know.

Gigi: Yeah – there’s enough porn on the internet as well.

Teddi: You know, they’re coming out because it’s Metallica – the fact that we’re girls – then hopefully... you know? Depending on their orientation it gives them something more appealing to look at but they come out because of the music. It gives them reason to be doubtful but they like the music.

Glenn: What would you say you are most proud of as individuals?

Gigi: I am proud of all my bandmates because everyone I’ve ever played with in this band wants to go and step up and overcome like any challenges that face us and I love everyone in my band.

Courtney: We’ve like grown up together.

Gigi: Yeah - we’ve been through a lot of sh*t especially like lately and we are happy again.

Glenn: How did it come about getting the Uk Tour sorted out for Misstallica?

Teddi: We are friends with the band ‘Tragedy’ (Metal Bee Gees Tribute) who just got done their 3rd Tour here with the same promotion company and you know, through their connections, they kinda dropped the line and said, “Hey, you should check these girls out”, and then they did and they liked us so here we are.

Glenn: I suppose it’s easier for you to play a load of O2’s by signing 1 contract as opposed to going through a load of independant promoters.

Teddi: Yeah I guess it’s definately easier in that aspect. It’s been a lot of planning though. It’s been months you know, getting this together.

Glenn: Have any of the members of Metallica heard the band and what did they say?

Teddi: I learned from Brann (Mastodon) that Lars talks about both our bands, but we haven't been formerly contacted by Metallica or their people.

Glenn: If you had a chance - which songs would you like any particular members of Metallica play with you and why? No doubt you'll probably say all of them! LOL.

Teddi: Haha yes ALL!! But I don't know, we really like so much of their material we would be hard pressed to choose a single song.

A bib thank you to Teddi and their Tour Manager for sorting out the Interview and also the staff @ O2 Academy, Sheffield