A few moments with Elena Vladi...
METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Elena. So glad to be able to catch up with you. Thank you for spending some time with Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it.
ELENA VLADI: Hello, thank you for inviting me. Haha honestly your complex and in-depth question really got me. I’m currently sitting in Helsinki airport, I’m traveling to Russia while having 8 hour flight layover in Finland, it's a good time to do this interview.
MPAP: Tell us about your band Red Queen?
ELENA: Red Queen is a nu-metal-ish genre band, it currently consists of me, Patrick and the Phantoms (the masked band members).
MPAP: If you were given the space on a billboard in your hometown of LA, what would you want it to say to catch someone’s attention to listen to your music?
ELENA: Honestly, I think the name Red Queen itself with a great artwork, without any additional slogan would already catch enough attention. I like keeping things simple & clean...kind of like Apple software.
MPAP: Your debut album, Star Blood, was released April 5th, 2016 with some great reviews. How does that make you feel to have put out music that the fans are really enjoying?
ELENA: I really appreciate Red Queen fans! And all the people who can relate to our music. This means we are on the same page. I also want to bring up the fact that I am not creating music for the fans or for fame or to please people...I simply do this for myself because I want to express certain emotions through lyrics / poetry, music and visual art...and I will always feel happy if I see someone really appreciating my creations. It feels good to be appreciated.
MPAP: Red Queen is currently only made up of two members, you and Patrick Crisci. Is there a reason for not having a full Red Queen band?
ELENA: Yes, there is a reason and it’s simple. I got tired of ever-changing band members who get into a band and then leave for one or another reason. Right now, me and Pat are going to be the two hemispheres of the mega brain behind the band while the Phantoms will be our masked companions and live performers. Perhaps, one day we can reveal their unique personas.
MPAP: With only having two members, was is it harder to create and come up with material while in the studio making Star Blood?
ELENA: Half of the Star Blood Album material was migrated from my previous project Demona Mortiss and another half we created fairly fast by me Patrick. It wasn’t that hard really.
MPAP: Where did you meet Patrick? How long had you known him before collaborating with him musically in Red Queen?
ELENA: Pat was an acquaintance from online. He was going through some rough patch with his previous music project and he decided to try out as a second guitar player for my previous band that was called Demona Mortiss, meanwhile, the rest of DM's band members were being hired by other bands, we all went our separate ways and I liked the good creative chemistry with Pat so much that we just decided to continue together and renovating the sound under a different name - Red Queen. This was all decided in this restaurant called Veggie Grill in Hollywood.
MPAP: What made you want to make music with him?
ELENA: We just wanted to make similar genre of music; we just kind of clicked with this. Plus, he’s very calm and patient, which works with me…except when he’s hungry; then we just go for some vegan food and he becomes his fluffy self again.
MPAP: Let’s talk about Demona Mortiss for a moment. This was your former band from 2007 to 2014?
After disbanding in 2014, you changed Demona Mortiss to Red Queen? What was the reason for doing this? Why not keep the name and just replace the band members?
ELENA: Yes, Demona was where Star Ruby, Alchemy and Asyphyx came from...I wanted a new name that is easier to remember and pronounce for foreign speakers. Also, it’s always a good idea to change name if you’re trying to start fresh. By the way, even though, I don’t want to continue DM, it would make sense to just release what has been written again. I had many fans asking about it. There was a song called "Lost" and "Inverted Heaven" which were published at some point and the unpublished song called "Necromancer"...they all could be remastered and published properly just for the hell of it.
MPAP: Does the name Red Queen come from the character in Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass (1871)?
ELENA: No, it doesn’t. We just like the name.
MPAP: Can you explain the cover image to Star Blood? Is there a message behind you being completely naked wearing only a crown with two snakes wrapped around your body?
ELENA: I appreciate that you pay enough attention to look into this. Yes, there is some complex message that I layered in my art work…I can give a hint…there are some interesting clues in the constellations that surround my hands; The serpents in shape of caduceus, resembling a DNA chain among many other clues.
MPAP: What about the title Star Blood? What do you want the fans to get from it?
ELENA: Generally, with all of my music, I want to open people’s minds and to bring up the understanding of other worlds, other dimensions, other beings and levels of consciousness. I want to pull humanity into expanded ways of thinking, to step out of mundane boxed understanding of our universe.
MPAP: You cover a great version of U2’s 'Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Kill Me'. What made you decide to cover this particular song? Are you a fan of U2, or did you just like the song after hearing it?
ELENA: Strangely, I’m not even a fan of U2...But I’m a fan of Batman movies and when I was in high school, Batman Forever came out with "Kiss Me Kill Me" song as a soundtrack, I loved the song instantly. I never even knew that it was U2 until me and Pat decided to cover it and searched the artist.
MPAP: If Bono from U2 ever gets the chance to hear your version of his song, what would you want him to say about it?
ELENA: Well, I hope he gets a kick out of it & really enjoys the Red Queen’s version.
MPAP: Who have you been listening to lately? What would someone find on your MP3 player?
ELENA: My music tastes are so super diverse it’s crazy. Mainly I like listening to something very soothing at home like downtempo new-age-ish stuff; been really liking the New-Retro Synthwave music genre too. I think Kavinsky’s "Night Call" from movie The Drive and Stranger Things TV series started a huge stir over New-Retro Synthwave genre. Sometimes I like 80s happy pop, sometimes Classical music...sometimes I listen to Black Metal lol. But mainly I go for something calming...probably because I live in a fast pace city (Hollywood, CA).
MPAP: Other than singing in Red Queen, what else do you like to do?
ELENA: I like mountain hiking, I like writing music and programming music, messing with my soft synthesizers searching for new sounds. I like camping. I'm fond of red wine; I enjoy cuddling & spending time with my pet @SeraphimVladi, he is a royal python. I like watching cool movies, traveling to Europe...and I definitely love sleeping.
MPAP: What is something most people don’t know about you?
ELENA: I have a very rare blood type. I’m vegan. I’m soft spoken. Introvert. I'm interested in quantum physics. I very rarely get angry or upset...but when I do you better run far and very fast.
MPAP: Before we bring this interview to a close, just a few more things.
How soon until we can hear new material from Red Queen?
ELENA: Hopefully beginning of 2018.
MPAP: Are there any tours in the works that you can share with us yet?
ELENA: If we sign the offered record label deal then tours would be a yes. RedQueenBand.com and Facebook.com/RedQueenOfficial will always announce about updates.
MPAP: On behalf of myself, and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Elena, for speaking with us and getting to know you and your band a little better.
Do you have any last words for the readers and your fans out there reading this?
ELENA: Thank you for appreciating what I do. Please share, re-post, tag @ElenaVladi and #RedQueen everywhere on social media to spread the word around the world. Love you.
Find Red Queen at:
http://redqueenband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/redqueenofficial/
Find Red Queen music at:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/red-queen/id579383444
Bandcamp: https://redqueenofficial.bandcamp.com/
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©metalpulpandpaper
ELENA VLADI: Hello, thank you for inviting me. Haha honestly your complex and in-depth question really got me. I’m currently sitting in Helsinki airport, I’m traveling to Russia while having 8 hour flight layover in Finland, it's a good time to do this interview.
MPAP: Tell us about your band Red Queen?
ELENA: Red Queen is a nu-metal-ish genre band, it currently consists of me, Patrick and the Phantoms (the masked band members).
MPAP: If you were given the space on a billboard in your hometown of LA, what would you want it to say to catch someone’s attention to listen to your music?
ELENA: Honestly, I think the name Red Queen itself with a great artwork, without any additional slogan would already catch enough attention. I like keeping things simple & clean...kind of like Apple software.
MPAP: Your debut album, Star Blood, was released April 5th, 2016 with some great reviews. How does that make you feel to have put out music that the fans are really enjoying?
ELENA: I really appreciate Red Queen fans! And all the people who can relate to our music. This means we are on the same page. I also want to bring up the fact that I am not creating music for the fans or for fame or to please people...I simply do this for myself because I want to express certain emotions through lyrics / poetry, music and visual art...and I will always feel happy if I see someone really appreciating my creations. It feels good to be appreciated.
MPAP: Red Queen is currently only made up of two members, you and Patrick Crisci. Is there a reason for not having a full Red Queen band?
ELENA: Yes, there is a reason and it’s simple. I got tired of ever-changing band members who get into a band and then leave for one or another reason. Right now, me and Pat are going to be the two hemispheres of the mega brain behind the band while the Phantoms will be our masked companions and live performers. Perhaps, one day we can reveal their unique personas.
MPAP: With only having two members, was is it harder to create and come up with material while in the studio making Star Blood?
ELENA: Half of the Star Blood Album material was migrated from my previous project Demona Mortiss and another half we created fairly fast by me Patrick. It wasn’t that hard really.
MPAP: Where did you meet Patrick? How long had you known him before collaborating with him musically in Red Queen?
ELENA: Pat was an acquaintance from online. He was going through some rough patch with his previous music project and he decided to try out as a second guitar player for my previous band that was called Demona Mortiss, meanwhile, the rest of DM's band members were being hired by other bands, we all went our separate ways and I liked the good creative chemistry with Pat so much that we just decided to continue together and renovating the sound under a different name - Red Queen. This was all decided in this restaurant called Veggie Grill in Hollywood.
MPAP: What made you want to make music with him?
ELENA: We just wanted to make similar genre of music; we just kind of clicked with this. Plus, he’s very calm and patient, which works with me…except when he’s hungry; then we just go for some vegan food and he becomes his fluffy self again.
MPAP: Let’s talk about Demona Mortiss for a moment. This was your former band from 2007 to 2014?
After disbanding in 2014, you changed Demona Mortiss to Red Queen? What was the reason for doing this? Why not keep the name and just replace the band members?
ELENA: Yes, Demona was where Star Ruby, Alchemy and Asyphyx came from...I wanted a new name that is easier to remember and pronounce for foreign speakers. Also, it’s always a good idea to change name if you’re trying to start fresh. By the way, even though, I don’t want to continue DM, it would make sense to just release what has been written again. I had many fans asking about it. There was a song called "Lost" and "Inverted Heaven" which were published at some point and the unpublished song called "Necromancer"...they all could be remastered and published properly just for the hell of it.
MPAP: Does the name Red Queen come from the character in Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass (1871)?
ELENA: No, it doesn’t. We just like the name.
MPAP: Can you explain the cover image to Star Blood? Is there a message behind you being completely naked wearing only a crown with two snakes wrapped around your body?
ELENA: I appreciate that you pay enough attention to look into this. Yes, there is some complex message that I layered in my art work…I can give a hint…there are some interesting clues in the constellations that surround my hands; The serpents in shape of caduceus, resembling a DNA chain among many other clues.
MPAP: What about the title Star Blood? What do you want the fans to get from it?
ELENA: Generally, with all of my music, I want to open people’s minds and to bring up the understanding of other worlds, other dimensions, other beings and levels of consciousness. I want to pull humanity into expanded ways of thinking, to step out of mundane boxed understanding of our universe.
MPAP: You cover a great version of U2’s 'Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Kill Me'. What made you decide to cover this particular song? Are you a fan of U2, or did you just like the song after hearing it?
ELENA: Strangely, I’m not even a fan of U2...But I’m a fan of Batman movies and when I was in high school, Batman Forever came out with "Kiss Me Kill Me" song as a soundtrack, I loved the song instantly. I never even knew that it was U2 until me and Pat decided to cover it and searched the artist.
MPAP: If Bono from U2 ever gets the chance to hear your version of his song, what would you want him to say about it?
ELENA: Well, I hope he gets a kick out of it & really enjoys the Red Queen’s version.
MPAP: Who have you been listening to lately? What would someone find on your MP3 player?
ELENA: My music tastes are so super diverse it’s crazy. Mainly I like listening to something very soothing at home like downtempo new-age-ish stuff; been really liking the New-Retro Synthwave music genre too. I think Kavinsky’s "Night Call" from movie The Drive and Stranger Things TV series started a huge stir over New-Retro Synthwave genre. Sometimes I like 80s happy pop, sometimes Classical music...sometimes I listen to Black Metal lol. But mainly I go for something calming...probably because I live in a fast pace city (Hollywood, CA).
MPAP: Other than singing in Red Queen, what else do you like to do?
ELENA: I like mountain hiking, I like writing music and programming music, messing with my soft synthesizers searching for new sounds. I like camping. I'm fond of red wine; I enjoy cuddling & spending time with my pet @SeraphimVladi, he is a royal python. I like watching cool movies, traveling to Europe...and I definitely love sleeping.
MPAP: What is something most people don’t know about you?
ELENA: I have a very rare blood type. I’m vegan. I’m soft spoken. Introvert. I'm interested in quantum physics. I very rarely get angry or upset...but when I do you better run far and very fast.
MPAP: Before we bring this interview to a close, just a few more things.
How soon until we can hear new material from Red Queen?
ELENA: Hopefully beginning of 2018.
MPAP: Are there any tours in the works that you can share with us yet?
ELENA: If we sign the offered record label deal then tours would be a yes. RedQueenBand.com and Facebook.com/RedQueenOfficial will always announce about updates.
MPAP: On behalf of myself, and Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Elena, for speaking with us and getting to know you and your band a little better.
Do you have any last words for the readers and your fans out there reading this?
ELENA: Thank you for appreciating what I do. Please share, re-post, tag @ElenaVladi and #RedQueen everywhere on social media to spread the word around the world. Love you.
Find Red Queen at:
http://redqueenband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/redqueenofficial/
Find Red Queen music at:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/red-queen/id579383444
Bandcamp: https://redqueenofficial.bandcamp.com/
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©metalpulpandpaper