|
Interview TOURETTES
A Talk With
MICHELE MADDEN (Vocals)
ROSS EMPSON (Bass)
METAL TO INFINITY
The Tourettes blew our socks off at the Meadow II festival which recently took place in Wachtebeke, Belgium. Metal To Infinity had the chance to meet up and have a chat with two members of the band which isn�t afraid to shun the masses with a very energetic and profound live enthusiasm. This awesome 4-piece outfit is poised to unleash its unique brand of hard hitting music. Their music and their live performance are without precedent and defy comparison� While Michael Quigley (Drums) and Ashley Manning (Guitars) prepared themselves for another energetic live performance, I took Michele and Ross to a local pub and introduced them to a Lemonade (Michele) and Duvel (Ross), while we had this chat:
Q: How did it all start for the band? Who are the founding members and did they play in other bands before?
*Michele: Well, this is my first band, and it's still the original line up
*Ross: The history is that I played in another band, and was asked to join Tourettes on bass. We met Ashley and although he didn't hear me play before, he was interested to start something new. I got in touch with Michele, and when I listened to the music of Tourettes, I knew Michael who should be the drummer, so I invited him because we played in many bands before. And that's how it all started.
*Michele: Me and Ashley wrote already some songs, and although we didn't play in a real band, we recorded the material and songs, and the people said and asked us to start a band and bring the music live, so we decided to start Tourettes and this is where we are right now...
MICHAEL QUIGLEY
ASHLEY MANNING
Q: The musical direction of Tourettes is hard to define. If people ask you what kind of music that you bring and compose, what do you answer?
*Michele: It's good that it's hard to define! It's Fuck Core!!
*Ross: I normally say, Modern Metal, but I'm really against old school categorisation and visions on what music is...
*Michele: It's open minded and we are no clowns so we can do whatever we fucking want.
Ross: Let's put it this way, Tourettes is a Christian Heavy Rock Band... hahaha!
Ross: Well, me and Michael liked the music that Ashley and Michele had written, so we initially felt that this music is very challenging to play...
Q: The band comes from Sydney, so I wonder was it hard to find the suitable and perfect line up?
*Michele: I'm not, I come from Canberra!
*Ross: Sydney is a melting pot of musical directions. You can hook up with a lot of people and musicians and we were lucky to join a band with open minded people that have the same passion for this kind of style...
Q: Originally, the band was called Tourettes Syndrome. Why did you adapt it to Tourettes only?
*Ross: Originally, the band was called Tourettes, but when we came to Europe, the record company had a little bit of problems with the name, because there was another band in Frankfurt with that name....they wanted to change our name, but we didn't feel happy with that. So we decided to change it into Tourettes Syndrome, but afterwards, when the label found out that the people liked us a lot, they agree to change it back to the original name: Tourettes.
*Michele: My story is much better! We came to Europe, killed the members of the Frankfurt based Tourettes and we got our name back... hahaha!
Q: Is there any kind of link between this disease and the musical direction of the band? (Tourette Syndrome is a nervous disorder characterized by spasms of the facial muscles, shoulders and extremities, accompanied by grunts and other noises)
*Michele: Fuck no! Fucking shit! These words just come straight outta my mouth...
*Ross : The name came quite naturally, because Michele has a very unique way of thinking and she like to mouthing off all the time, so we called the band Tourettes. Well yeah, Fuck it !
*Michele: And I really love to play with words and talk dirty to people, so it all fits very well!
Q: What is wrong with Rod Stewart, for calling one of your single�s Rod Fucking Stewart, which included the songs Circus and Nola.
*Ross: Well, Rod Steward is a fucking paedophile... hahahaha!!!
Michele: No!! That's Gary Glitter that you are talking about! No, actually, Ashley played a track and I said: it sounds like Cannibal Corpse getting fucked by Debby Harry... it was like Rod Fucking Steward, and we never changed it afterwards, because we like it this way!
Maggie May is a fucking arsehole... Stay away from my window, and stay away from my bedroom too! Hahahaha ... Some of Rod's lyrics are really strange! You should check them out!
Q: The first album that I got in touch with was Sicksense. Can you give us an overall overview on that album?
*Ross: We had two self produced EP's before and they were sold in Australia only. Afterwards, we had the opportunity to go to Canada for a recording project in the middle of the winter. Minus 40 degrees Celsius and snow up to your knees..... We felt a bit depressed and the material that we were going to record was originally written from 2003 till 2005, and it all sounds cohesive and desperate. Those songs are great songs and it was written on the way of the metal band that we wanted to be or become. We are all four developing in an artistic way and that's how it turned out...
Q: This album is released by Armageddon Music from Germany. Is there no interest in the band in Australia, or do you focus on the European market and audience?
*Ross: Well Australia has only 20 million of people and we want to focus on the European market where we can find big countries, big musical industries and all necessary things. We would love to have success in Europe, make some money, buy a house and a car
*Michele: and do whatever we want to do!
Q: For how many albums is the deal with Armagedon Music? How was the receipt on Sicksense?
*Ross: They liked it, and that's probably the most exciting release on the label... It was a perfect introduction to the people of Armageddon and they are enthusiastic for what's to come!
*Michele: We signed for three albums, so Sicksense was the first one and will be followed by the next one : Treason Songs.
Q: On the front cover we see a kind of painting where Michele seems to be dead, while all other members are ready to eat her body. Can you give some extra information on that topic?
*Michele: Well, it's based on the crucifixion of Christ. As you might know, I'm a big fan of religious art and I'm an ex-catholic schoolgirl... hahaha
Q: Is Sicksense the common factor in the lyrics of the songs. Do you like to write your lyrics about the deeper thoughts of human beings?
*Michele: It's a reference to have a 'six sense' a sixth gift...
Q: Michele has very deep and convincing vocal chords. It is pure and raw energy that she's bursting out, isn't it ?
*Michele: Thank you! I don't put my gender before my jaws, so I prefer to be compared with great female vocalists but also male opponents like Philip Anselmo and Chris Cornell.
*Ross: I think it's very natural for Michele. She brings it in a convincing way, she's a superb front woman!
*Michele: If you listen to the album, don't look at my female physiological make up phenomena. I'm 6foot3, so I'm not going to sound like Shirley Temple... You are what you had as influences. I have the voice to be Satan... hahaha !
Q: The next step in the career of the band is the follow up album of Sicksense. It's new title is Treason Songs, so let's start with the title. What can you tell us about it?
*Michele: Okay we are all criminals in Australia, basically, because England has sent all their prisoners to paradise, but what they should have done is to keep the prisoners in England. We are always chasing, just like outlaws. When Michael came up with the title Treason Songs, we said, yep, that's it!
Q: What is the main musical difference between this new album and Sicksense?
*Michele: There is no difference!
*Ross: Well, we wrote the new material in less than a year and they are all influenced by our travels to Canada, L.A., Australia, Europe last year...
Q: What will be the front cover artwork?
*Ross: It has to do with the Treason Songs. We are all hung by the neck!
*Michele: That's probably the scariest thing that I did in my entire live. I had nightmares for weeks.....
Q: I also checked some videoclips of the band, and if you take a look at the video of Stand, I guess that a lot of male fans will be afraid to meet you in real, Michele.
*Michele: than I couldn't get laid if that would be true... If you are sexual offensive, it's good, because offensive makes people think! Concerning our so called fans... I can tell you this: we don't have fans, but we have a tribe! These people are the greatest!
*Ross: Our followers are hardcore! They worship us, like we worship them!
Q: I also noticed that Michele didn't shave her armpit hair, which is rather unusual nowadays. I guess it has something to do with her expression, and it's all deliberate.
*Michele: Well, I have a logical question for you. Do you shave your armpit as a human being? You know, I just don't care, because I have better things to do in stead of shaving my armpits. If I have time, I shave it, if I don't have time, I don't shave it.
Q: Last year the band played the Wacken and Summer Breeze Festival. How did those gigs turned out?
*Ross: It was good, it was really good! Although I'm not a fan of camping, it was great. Summer Breeze was a strange festival. We played first, and no one really knew who we were, but we have made some friends... It's great to play for a huge crowd, but I also like to play in a small pub or club. As a band you have to play both and when you play in a small club, you get a little money. When you play on a huge stage you get a little more money.... But we always want to play. Recently we played for 7 people in London and it was a great gig !
*Michele: After we played for 7 people, I fucking guarantee that when I get off the stage, I will sell 7 cd's afterwards. I do it every time and believe me, people appreciate that!
So far, a little impression on what we talked about that night. Some later, the band convinced the crowd with a passionate and concoction of pain-inflicted vocals and menacing guitar riffs over apocalyptic soundscapes and industrial bass lines and rhythms. Michele is a pure wild animal on the loose and likes to provoke the audience and fans. When she wanted to teach the Europeans how to get laid and have a good time, she advised this: Australians do it like this: 2 fingers in the sink, and one in the stink... Let the good times roll!!!!
Patrick de Sloover on behalf of Metal To Infinity