A few moments with Isis Queen...
METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Isis Queen. So glad to be catching up with you. Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions for Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it.
So, how’s it going? How did the Vans Warped Tour treat you?
ISIS QUEEN: It was an excellent experience! Something I believe we would all agree to do again!
MPAP: This was your first time out on the tour correct?
ISIS QUEEN: Yes. Despite having toured the world playing 850 headlining shows, this was our first time doing something this organized and on such a big level.
MPAP: Is it everything you thought it would be? Everything you expected?
ISIS QUEEN: I didn't know what to expect! I expected the worst and so it turned out easier than expected. It was a lot of hard, grueling work but we partied just as hard to make up for it.
MPAP: With the Warped Tour over, what was one thing that you learned from being a part of it?
ISIS QUEEN: To relax and follow your bliss otherwise you might find yourself strangling your band mates and throwing a hissy fit. Thankfully it never came to that because we learned that key element.
MPAP: Did you make new friends that you hope to be able to go out on tour again with someday?
ISIS QUEEN: Oh sure. This year they had some great bands on the tour and we all got along. The Adolescents for example are amazing people!
MPAP: For first timers, what’s the Warped Tour experience like?
ISIS QUEEN: A moving circus.
MPAP: Is it get on the bus, get out, play your set, get back on the bus and drive off to the next show?
ISIS QUEEN: There are BBQ's at night and we hang out.
MPAP: Do you get any time to hang and relax?
ISIS QUEEN: Only when I have sex.
MPAP: So, let’s back up a bit and talk about your band Barb Wire Dolls. What can you tell us your band that everyone needs to know?
ISIS QUEEN: You're in the know if you know Barb Wire Dolls.
MPAP: What can they expect when they see a live show?
ISIS QUEEN: Pure source that's a primal force.
MPAP: Your stomping grounds are Crete, Greece correct? Or have you relocated to the US yet?
ISIS QUEEN: Our home will always be Crete but we spend some time in Los Angeles surfing, recording, and preparing for tours.
MPAP: What’s the music scene like in Crete, Greece? Does your hometown have open arms for the Barb Wire Dolls style of music?
ISIS QUEEN: No. We still cannot play in Crete because they are not interested in our style of music. But that's ok with me. I’m not interested in bringing my work home.
MPAP: Now let’s talk about your new music Rub My Mind. What can you tell us about it?
ISIS QUEEN: It was an intense experience for us all. We met the band Eagles Of Death Metal when we both played Riot Fest in Chicago and we invited them to record at the artist commune on the island of Crete (Greece) where we come from. Soon after, David Catching of EODM invited us to record at his legendary studio in Joshua Tree, California called Rancho De La Luna. We were honored because his studio is where the desert rock movement began with Kyuss, then Queens Of The Stone Age who all recorded their albums there. As we were set to record there, the horrific Paris Attacks happened at their show in France. David told us to still come and record our album there because the music has to keep going. We ended up writing many new songs that reflected how we felt at that time just as we entered his studio. Then on the last day, we recorded the album in only two quick days, Iggy Pop and Josh Homme showed up to record Post Pop Depression. It was a surreal experience. We captured the vibe of the desert and the melancholy of the world in this album.
MPAP: How does this one differ from your previous release, Desperate (July 2016)?
ISIS QUEEN: Different emotions and influences behind the songs.
MPAP: How would you say you and the band have grown since your first EP release Fuck The Pussies that came out in 2010?
ISIS QUEEN: It seems to always be changing! Our debut album Slit was recorded with indie mastermind Steve Albini in Chicago in just 2 days back when we were a 3-piece with no bass player. Our next album Desperate (which is the album Lemmy Kilmister signed us for under his label Motorhead Music) was written and recorded with our bass player Iriel Blaque. And our newest Rub My Mind was recorded and written within just a few days after the Bataclan Paris attacks out in Joshua Tree desert. Each album is a master piece in my opinion and holds a significant energy that is hard to find nowadays in new bands.
MPAP: In 2015 after seeing your band live at Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead offered Barb Wire Dolls a record deal with his record label Motörhead Music. How exciting was this? At this point did you finally feel like you had made it as a band?
ISIS QUEEN: Well we had been touring the world for 5 years prior and released our debut. But getting the stamp of approval from God himself is pretty much the highest honor. Could there be a higher honor? Impossible! Having Lemmy, who's seen it all, done it all, and is "the" standard of Rock and Roll tell you "you got it", that's all there is. If Lemmy approves you, then you're doing something right I guess. Every show we play we think of him and his advice and do our best to honor his legacy. We ask ourselves, "what would Lemmy do?" and his answers guide us to the next show.
MPAP: Did he have any words of wisdom for you when you met him?
ISIS QUEEN: Never compromise your art. Stick to your guns. Share what you have and have principles.
MPAP: It must have been devastating to you when he passed away in December of 2015?
ISIS QUEEN: Of course.
MPAP: The numbers are probably not quite accurate, but at one-point Barb Wire Dolls have played over seven hundred shows selling out multiple club dates in over twenty-two countries. This is not easy jaunt?
ISIS QUEEN: It's more now!
MPAP: It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears? What keeps you pushing on, pushing forward?
ISIS QUEEN: Our fans that smile, scream and cry with happiness in the crowd. A young girl told us that after discovering our music, she found a reason to live and has pushed away any suicidal thoughts from her mind. The fans make it totally worthwhile.
MPAP: What’s next for Barb Wire Dolls now that the Vans Warped Tour is over? What can your fans expect?
ISIS QUEEN: We are coming back in the fall to USA with a new album Rub My Mind out on Motörhead Music and a follow up tour. . .It will be and international extravaganza with Barb Wire Dolls from Greece, The SVETLANAS that are a female fronted hardcore band from Russia and 57 that are a Nirvana influenced indie two piece from Korea. So, strap up America because this is one tour you’re not going to want to miss!
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Isis Queen, for spending some time with us and getting to know you and your band. Look forward to what Barb Wire Dolls do to finish out 2017 and beyond.
MPAP HOME
©metalpulpandpaper
So, how’s it going? How did the Vans Warped Tour treat you?
ISIS QUEEN: It was an excellent experience! Something I believe we would all agree to do again!
MPAP: This was your first time out on the tour correct?
ISIS QUEEN: Yes. Despite having toured the world playing 850 headlining shows, this was our first time doing something this organized and on such a big level.
MPAP: Is it everything you thought it would be? Everything you expected?
ISIS QUEEN: I didn't know what to expect! I expected the worst and so it turned out easier than expected. It was a lot of hard, grueling work but we partied just as hard to make up for it.
MPAP: With the Warped Tour over, what was one thing that you learned from being a part of it?
ISIS QUEEN: To relax and follow your bliss otherwise you might find yourself strangling your band mates and throwing a hissy fit. Thankfully it never came to that because we learned that key element.
MPAP: Did you make new friends that you hope to be able to go out on tour again with someday?
ISIS QUEEN: Oh sure. This year they had some great bands on the tour and we all got along. The Adolescents for example are amazing people!
MPAP: For first timers, what’s the Warped Tour experience like?
ISIS QUEEN: A moving circus.
MPAP: Is it get on the bus, get out, play your set, get back on the bus and drive off to the next show?
ISIS QUEEN: There are BBQ's at night and we hang out.
MPAP: Do you get any time to hang and relax?
ISIS QUEEN: Only when I have sex.
MPAP: So, let’s back up a bit and talk about your band Barb Wire Dolls. What can you tell us your band that everyone needs to know?
ISIS QUEEN: You're in the know if you know Barb Wire Dolls.
MPAP: What can they expect when they see a live show?
ISIS QUEEN: Pure source that's a primal force.
MPAP: Your stomping grounds are Crete, Greece correct? Or have you relocated to the US yet?
ISIS QUEEN: Our home will always be Crete but we spend some time in Los Angeles surfing, recording, and preparing for tours.
MPAP: What’s the music scene like in Crete, Greece? Does your hometown have open arms for the Barb Wire Dolls style of music?
ISIS QUEEN: No. We still cannot play in Crete because they are not interested in our style of music. But that's ok with me. I’m not interested in bringing my work home.
MPAP: Now let’s talk about your new music Rub My Mind. What can you tell us about it?
ISIS QUEEN: It was an intense experience for us all. We met the band Eagles Of Death Metal when we both played Riot Fest in Chicago and we invited them to record at the artist commune on the island of Crete (Greece) where we come from. Soon after, David Catching of EODM invited us to record at his legendary studio in Joshua Tree, California called Rancho De La Luna. We were honored because his studio is where the desert rock movement began with Kyuss, then Queens Of The Stone Age who all recorded their albums there. As we were set to record there, the horrific Paris Attacks happened at their show in France. David told us to still come and record our album there because the music has to keep going. We ended up writing many new songs that reflected how we felt at that time just as we entered his studio. Then on the last day, we recorded the album in only two quick days, Iggy Pop and Josh Homme showed up to record Post Pop Depression. It was a surreal experience. We captured the vibe of the desert and the melancholy of the world in this album.
MPAP: How does this one differ from your previous release, Desperate (July 2016)?
ISIS QUEEN: Different emotions and influences behind the songs.
MPAP: How would you say you and the band have grown since your first EP release Fuck The Pussies that came out in 2010?
ISIS QUEEN: It seems to always be changing! Our debut album Slit was recorded with indie mastermind Steve Albini in Chicago in just 2 days back when we were a 3-piece with no bass player. Our next album Desperate (which is the album Lemmy Kilmister signed us for under his label Motorhead Music) was written and recorded with our bass player Iriel Blaque. And our newest Rub My Mind was recorded and written within just a few days after the Bataclan Paris attacks out in Joshua Tree desert. Each album is a master piece in my opinion and holds a significant energy that is hard to find nowadays in new bands.
MPAP: In 2015 after seeing your band live at Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead offered Barb Wire Dolls a record deal with his record label Motörhead Music. How exciting was this? At this point did you finally feel like you had made it as a band?
ISIS QUEEN: Well we had been touring the world for 5 years prior and released our debut. But getting the stamp of approval from God himself is pretty much the highest honor. Could there be a higher honor? Impossible! Having Lemmy, who's seen it all, done it all, and is "the" standard of Rock and Roll tell you "you got it", that's all there is. If Lemmy approves you, then you're doing something right I guess. Every show we play we think of him and his advice and do our best to honor his legacy. We ask ourselves, "what would Lemmy do?" and his answers guide us to the next show.
MPAP: Did he have any words of wisdom for you when you met him?
ISIS QUEEN: Never compromise your art. Stick to your guns. Share what you have and have principles.
MPAP: It must have been devastating to you when he passed away in December of 2015?
ISIS QUEEN: Of course.
MPAP: The numbers are probably not quite accurate, but at one-point Barb Wire Dolls have played over seven hundred shows selling out multiple club dates in over twenty-two countries. This is not easy jaunt?
ISIS QUEEN: It's more now!
MPAP: It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears? What keeps you pushing on, pushing forward?
ISIS QUEEN: Our fans that smile, scream and cry with happiness in the crowd. A young girl told us that after discovering our music, she found a reason to live and has pushed away any suicidal thoughts from her mind. The fans make it totally worthwhile.
MPAP: What’s next for Barb Wire Dolls now that the Vans Warped Tour is over? What can your fans expect?
ISIS QUEEN: We are coming back in the fall to USA with a new album Rub My Mind out on Motörhead Music and a follow up tour. . .It will be and international extravaganza with Barb Wire Dolls from Greece, The SVETLANAS that are a female fronted hardcore band from Russia and 57 that are a Nirvana influenced indie two piece from Korea. So, strap up America because this is one tour you’re not going to want to miss!
MPAP: On behalf of myself and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Isis Queen, for spending some time with us and getting to know you and your band. Look forward to what Barb Wire Dolls do to finish out 2017 and beyond.
MPAP HOME
©metalpulpandpaper