FEATURED INTERVIEWS 07                         

Queen V

Pipes of Steel. Queen V has pipes that would make most singers blush with envy. Her latest release, "Death or Glory" is an awesome showcase of her talent, intellect and skills as a musician, proving to the music world that she is a force to be wreckoned with. With good looks to match and a slew of superstar guests like Lemmy of Motorhead and Tom Morrello of RATM and Nightwatchman, Queen V is definitely taking back Rock N'Roll in her latest release. All Hail the Queen, Queen V!

Gian: So your new album, “Death or Glory,” is set for release in November. You have three tracks up on your myspace right now but so far out of the three, “Cry for a minute” is a definite stand out track! What should we be expecting from your new album?

Queen V: We wanted to leak some tracks online to our fans in November and have it in stores soon. Since this record is truly home made, I really focused on trying to make it fun to listen to. It’s nice not having some dip-shit in a suit and tie telling you what will sell and what wont, so I just concentrated on making sure the tracks were from the heart and would be something that would give new fans an idea of what I’m about. There are some really tender ballads mixed in with some real ass-kicking songs sprinkled with some groovy tunes to get you in the mood for you-know-what.

Gian: My virgin ears.“Death or Glory” is an awesome album! I know that it will further give you the recognition that you deserve once the people hear it. What is the message that you’re trying to convey on this album?

Queen V: More than anything I wanted to prove to myself that we could do this on our own without a major label. We went out and found someone stupid enough to give us a huge equipment lease and essentially bought a mobile studio. That allowed us to go where we wanted to track and really spend the time to get it right. We recorded everywhere from a former whorehouse in Midtown Manhattan to my bedroom. We ended up parking the gear at John Seymour’s place, the Treefort in Hoboken, to mix and it really helped break up the monotony to move around to all those different locations. What I really wanted to convey on this record is intensity. Everyone who worked on this record shared my vision in wanting to express my passion for music and wanting to connect with my fans. I left my guts out there for all to see and I hope that comes across. It’s also about empowerment. The whole experience was so much harder than I thought it was going to be and I’m proud as hell that we pulled it off. I’m already fighting an uphill battle as a woman in rock, and to make this record on my own from start to finish is a message to all women musicians out there; that this isn’t just a man’s game and we’ve got something to say ladies so listen up!

Gian: Speaking of the new album, which song do you think out of the 11 awesome tracks you laid down, will become a crowd favorite and which song is your favorite and why? Livewise?

Queen V: "Revolution Baby" seems to go over well with the audience because it’s got that stomp beat. It’s fun to play because I can really get the crowd involved and get them fired up. As far as favorites go, it kind of changes from day to day. I guess it depends on what kind of mood I’m in. “My Machine” is a good song for driving in NYC traffic and “One & Only” is a great track when you’re feeling naughty.

Gian: We'll keep a tab on that one! Now, you’ve also got some awesome guests on your new album including Tom Morello (RATM, Nightwatchman), Lemmy (Motorhead, Head Cat) and Vernon Reid (Living Colour). How did you manage to make this happen and how thrilled were you to have them on your record?

Queen V: I’ve known those guys for a long time and they’re good friends of mine. They all thought I was crazy for making a record on my own but they gave me a lot of encouragement to see it through. I can’t think of a greater vote of confidence than having those guys offer to lend their talents to my cause and saying that I was thrilled would be an understatement.

Gian: One EP and a debut album into your career, what is the difference from your first offerings to your latest offering, “Death or Glory?” In other words, how has your music grown and how have you evolved as a musician?

Queen V: I’m really proud of those first records, they represent a lot of work and growth. Since then I’ve done a lot of touring and writing, constantly learning and honing my craft. I’ve gotten a lot more dirt under my fingernails as they say, and I think that shows on the new record. I really care about giving my fans everything I’ve got and making sure they get their money’s worth. The harder I work on improving the more I think I’m finding my voice and making a statement.

Gian: You’ve got some amazing pipes! How do you keep your throat in shape and what do you do to keep yourself in shape?

Queen V: My producer is the ultimate “Voice Nazi”. He’s got me on an insane regimen of vocal calisthenics and breathing exercises to strengthen all the singing muscles. They’re the kind of exercises you can only do in private; otherwise people would think you were off your rocker. I also have a personal trainer who is like a Marine drill sergeant who whips my ass into shape. It’s the only way I could ever survive the stress of screaming my head off every night and living the Rock and Roll lifestyle. I have a lot of bad habits that require a whole lot of purging so I go the Shvitz (N.Y. for steam or sauna) as often as I can.

Gian: "Voice Nazi," awesome. I read on your website that you would like to “Take Back New York,” and for you readers out there that don’t know what this endeavor stands for, it aims to breathe life into the state of live music in New York City or as she puts it herself, “A monthly night of ass kickin’!” Why is it so important to “Take Back New York?

Queen V: As a kid I idolized bands like Blondie and the Ramones, bands that defined New York and inspired kids like the Beastie Boys and Sonic Youth to carry the torch. The city is so rich in music history in every genre and I just feel like something died along the way. Everything got so corporate and stale. People stopped going to see live music and started flocking to the $500 bottle service “lounges” with the hot D.J. du jour to be seen with the beautiful people. The rock clubs and dive bars started going the way of the buffalo and it was starting to feel like I was in a completely different city. I eventually got tired of sitting around and bitching about it so I decided somebody had to do something to try and jump start the vibe in this ghost town. I know a lot of old school New York cats and young bands that feel the same way I do so I started kicking the idea around of having a monthly event where we could all get together, play some music and remember what it used to be like. Also to encourage each other to try and change the sad state of affairs, sort of a strength in numbers thing. I was amazed at how much positive feedback I got from everyone and the thing just grew from there. We also realized it would be a good opportunity to raise awareness of some serious issues the city is facing so we teamed up with Tom Morello and Serj Tankian’s organization, Axis of Justice, to raise money for a really cool charity called Picture the Homeless. It’s starting to get cold in the city and these people really need our help.

Gian: You are quite the humanitarian and I appluad you for that. Rock clubs are really in a sad state overall in my eyes but eventually, I think it will end up on top where it always belonged. Speaking of rock, what is Rock N’ Roll to Queen V? What do you consider to be rock n’ roll and not rock n’ roll?

Queen V: To me Rock and Roll has become such a watered down term. When I think of Rock and Roll I think of Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, true champions of sin and debauchery. I see these young bands that call themselves Rock and Roll doing beer commercials and wonder what the fuck happened? It’s like going to see a bunch of car salesmen playing music, that’s disgusting. Oooh don’t get me started, that really ticks me off. Or as Ralph Cramden would say, “don’t get me steamed Alice ‘cause I’m already steamed”!

Gian: Alright, alright, I'll ease off the subject. Tell me Queen V, What is the biggest misconception about Queen V?

Queen V: People sometimes think I’m a model turned musician, a dainty little girly-girl that can’t hold her own. For the record, I’ve never even entertained the notion of modeling and anybody who thinks I can’t hold my own better be prepared to bring it on, I will crush you like a bug.

Gian: You hear that people! Like bug! I'll tell you like this, better to have the model look to match the awesome talent than the ugly look without talent! Anyhow, with the war on digital downloading vs. physical purchase in full swing, what is your take on it? What are thoughts on digital downloading vs. physical purchase?

Queen V: This is a tricky subject because as an artist you worry about how you’re going to get paid for your work but on the other hand, record labels have gotten so greedy that I’m kind of glad they’re shaking in their boots. I think downloading free music was a reaction to people being pissed off about paying $20.00 for records that had maybe 1 or 2 good songs at best. It became a way of test-driving the product before you bought it. Maybe the labels should be more concerned with making good records instead of worrying about people downloading. I believe that if someone is a real fan of a band, they naturally want to support that band by either buying the CD or a T-shirt or going to see them live. Free downloads can be a great vehicle to get people interested in your band. If they like what they hear, they’ll come check you out or god forbid, buy a real CD. Labels are seeing the writing on the wall and quickly restructuring their deals to share in the touring and merchandise money, which traditionally belonged to the artist. I think that if your music is good enough you don’t really have to worry about losing money to downloading. It makes you ultimately have to sing for your supper and be a good entertainer which I don’t think can be a bad thing in the end. We’ve given tracks away as free downloads to invite people to give us a listen. If I didn’t believe in my ability to deliver the goods at my shows I wouldn’t be giving tracks away for free. Rock music is all about playing live and if you can’t do it, get off the stage.

Gian: Amen. Now you seem like you like a person that likes to have a lot of fun. In your spare time, what do you do for fun or what exactly do you do when you’re not making music or playing a show?

Queen V: I’m a bit of a bad girl, I like to have fun. I’m usually out with friends getting into trouble or checking out bands that I like. I’m sad to admit that I’ve been spending more and more time in L.A. because there’s a lot more of a live music scene there than there is here and a lot of my friends have moved out to La-la land. I do have a homey side to me though; I have 2 dogs Bubba and Rocky that I try to be a good mother to, although I think Caesar Milan would have a thing or two to say about my parenting skills. I spoil them rotten!

Gian: That dude would have something to say about everyone's parenting skills to their pets so don't worry about that. Alright, let’s say that my associate editors and I were headed down to NYC for the weekend with nowhere to go. We’ve been there before a few times and kind of sort of know where to hang out for good times but where would you take us so we can all have a good time?

Queen V: I’d take you to Takahachi on Ave. A for Sushi (always have a good meal before you drink my grandmother said) then we’d head over to Home Sweet Home, a great bar in the Lower East Side for some lubrication. After that we’d head over to Brooklyn for a good loft party where you’ll always bump into some interesting characters. From there we head back to Manhattan to Niagara for a drink before they close and then to San Loco for some late night Guaco Locos (soft shell wrapped around a hard shell taco with guacamole in between), great 4 am refueling! Then we’d head for a cool after hours place (names withheld to protect the guilty) and hang there until 8 or 9 am after which we’d head to breakfast at Life Café on Ave. B. A cab or hearse would ferry us to our final resting place after a memorable night of gallivanting.

Gian: Sounds like good times alright! We're definitely giving you a shout when we get to your town! Any additional comments?

Queen V: We are the underdog, the Rocky Balboa of Rock and Roll. If you root for the little guy then we are your band. If you like home grown kind-bud music then you’ve come to the right place. We still care and so do a lot of our friends. Don’t give up the faith and support your local band. One love!

Gian: One Love indeed! Thanks Queen V!

Make sure you pick up a copy of "Death or Glory," out now on Royal Noise Recordings! To get more info about Queen V and where to catch her next show, please log onto Queen V's Myspace.