THE IRON MAIDENS - A entrevista exclusiva !!!

Se você tem pelo menos meia antena no mundo do Heavy Metal, já ouviu falar delas.

THE IRON MAIDENS é considerada a melhor banda cover feminina de uma banda de Metal formada apenas por homens. E, neste caso específico, sói acontecer que a banda é "apenas" o IRON MAIDEN...

E, se você já se aventurou a tentar tirar algum som deles, sabe do que estamos falando. É muita complexidade para quem quer que seja.

Mas, neste caso, cinco meninas lindas e talentosas toparam o desafio - e hoje são altamente elogiadas pela crítica especializada - e não apenas pelo visual (sim, é incrível!) - mas pelo talento nos instrumentos e vocais.

O Conservado no Rock pediu uma exclusiva com as meninas. E - adivinhem? Conseguimos!

Linda McDonald, Courtney Cox, Wanda Ortiz e Kirsten Rosenberg falaram um pouco sobre os ônus e bônus de se colocar cinco mulheres em um palco para tocarem uma das bandas mais cultuadas do Metal para um bando de caras de camisetas pretas que dividem sua atenção entre ouvir o som e babar nas beldades.

Assim, por uma questão de respeito editorial, vamos reproduzir a entrevista EM INGLÊS, para que nenhuma única palavra saída daquelas belas bocas seja alterada. Sim, sabemos que você vai entender. Google Translator não vai ajudar muita coisa, mas - porra, é uma EXCLUSIVA!  Se vira!!! 

C'n'R:  IRON MAIDEN has been from the start a strongly "male attitude" Heavy Metal Band. From the looks to the sound. How did you girls feel that aspect of their music when you first decided to play - and how can you still put so much femininity on your live performances?

Kirsten: Because Maiden is more testosterone driven, I don’t feel feminine or “girly” performing Maiden’s material—I guess I feel gender-neutral.  The fact that the any femininity comes across must be a result of the fact I am a woman—can’t help that, haha!  

Kirsten "Bruce Chickinson" Rosenberg

Linda: That is exactly the kind of music we were looking to play because it is what we all have always loved and it was a part of why we all play music to begin with.  

Courtney: Its easy, we are female haha comes naturally.  We grew up listening to Maiden so it was an obvious choice. It is great music. 

Wanda: As far as I know, none of us actually really thought about that when the band first started. We only thought that it would be fun and different to form an all-girl Iron Maiden tribute band because we loved the music and there were no other female tribute acts doing anything as musically challenging or complex.

For our live performances,  we try to emulate a Maiden show as closely as we can but there is obviously a feminine touch because we are all women. The costumes , for example, are similar to what the guys wore but they are made for a female form. Vocals, obviously ,are also more feminine sounding. 

C'n'R: Have you ever been somehow hostilized for any IM fan for being a band of girls playing their sound?

Courtney:A lot of people see a girl band and automatically think they cant play. We go out there, put on a hell of a show every night, and hang with the fans after every show. We have to prove ourselves to those whom may not have seen us before. Nine times out of ten, they leave as a fan :)  On a side note, being a girl has nothing to do with the music. Yes , women tend to be nice things to look at, but for us the music is the most important thing. 

Linda "Nikki McBurrain" McDonald

Linda: Not hostile, just suprised in a good way, so that's fine!  

Kirsten: I’ve only experienced people being supportive—and sometimes surprised—that we are an all-female Maiden tribute.  But people react positively, especially after they hear us play! 

Wanda: I'm not really sure what you are asking.  If you are asking if anyone was ever hostile to us because we play Iron Maiden songs, then the answer to that is no. Even though there are  people who have this preconception that women cannot play this style of music competently, we don't let that bother us. It's fun to see all the surprised looks we get when they see that we can actually pull it off. As long as we play well, everything will be alright. 

C'n'R: Individually (considering each instrument) which were the most challenging songs to play?

Linda: I think the last song of the set is the most challenging because you get pretty pooped after nearly 2 hours sometimes by the time the last song comes up! Haha! 

Kirsten: Well, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” involves remembering a LOT of words—oh my!  “Heaven Can Wait” is a bit challenging only because the vocal line is very rapid and staccato at times.  And the opening lines to “Fear of the Dark” are absolutely the most difficult lines among all the songs because they are so low—below the average female vocal range. 

Wanda: It was Phantom of the Opera for a while because there is a bass solo in it. The part isn't really that hard but since I'm a bass player and not used to playing solos as much as other people (like guitarists or violinists, for example),  there is more of a tendency to get worked up and nervous before "the big moment" . If you get too nervous and overthink things too much before a solo, you are more at risk of making a mistake. After over ten years in this band though, I think I've learned how to relax a little bit. :) 

Wanda "Steph Harris" Ortiz

Courtney: I hate this question because i have all of these songs soo drilled into my head that they are all easy to me.. If i can sing a tune, i can play it. 

C'n'R: Do you girls have other activities other than the band? Job, study?

Courtney:  Im a barista at a Hawaiian Coffee shop called Java Kai :)  i also like to hang out on the sunset strip. so cliche eh? haha 

Linda: I have a pet care company where I work with and care for (mostly) dogs. I also like a good trip to the gym or the nearest buffet! :-D 

Kirsten: Yes (unfortunately, haha).  I do have other jobs but I structure them around the band. 

Wanda: I play upright bass in chamber groups and orchestras in the Southern California area. South Coast Symphony (http://www.southcoastsymphony.org/) is one of the orchestras I play in. I also have a second career in technology. For fun, I like to travel, read, and hang out with friends. 

C'n'R: How much do you think your (awesome) sex appeal influence your rising success?

Courtney "Adriana Smith" Cox

Courtney: Well , of course it does BUT the opportunities and honors that we have received over the years has definitely been achieved through our hard work musically.  There are a lot of pretty bands out there.... i use my ears more than my eyes. 

Linda: Sure it does, but I think our joy, happiness and energy we get from playing oozes out and is more of what gets people to want to see us again! We just love what we are doing, and to me, that is sexy and appealing in anybody!! 

Kirsten:  I think it gets us noticed but it’s our musicianship and performances that have allowed us to achieve the success we have.  Without the musical chops, we would be dismissed as a gimmick. 

Wanda: That's not really anything that we focus on or think about much because just being an all-female tribute to Iron Maiden makes us a novelty act. I think our musicianship and the fact that we are so different from other tribute acts has helped us the most.

C'n'R: The unending question Di'Anno versus Dickinson. Despite your perfect renderization of Bruce's tones, what could you say about Di'Anno's days in your work?

Kirsten: Thank you for the compliment! Even though I prefer Bruce’s voice to Paul’s, he is undeniably an integral part of Maiden’s sound, too.  The first two albums contain songs that are loved and just as popular among Maiden fans as material from the “Bruce era.”  With Paul, the band had a more punk-influenced style and his voice worked really well with that sound.  My own singing style is more akin to Bruce’s (as I was hugely influenced by him!) so I tend to perform the Di’Anno songs the way Bruce sings them now. 

Courtney:  I like punk so i have no problem with the raw vocal approach of the earlier maiden stuff. I do prefer the Bruce era however. 

Linda: I love the Di'Anno era, mostly because of their raw energy in those times and Clive Burr behind that era just really made it amazing!! But I think Kirsten does a FANTASTIC job of emulating Bruce and Paul in her own way. Not easy to do!! 

Wanda: We love doing the Di'Anno tunes and Kirsten, our vocalist, really nails it when it comes to tone for both the Di'Anno and Dickinson eras.  A lot of people like to hear early Maiden and we like to play it so we cover it. :)

  

C'n'R: We have read about your impressions of Brazilian shows. But what was your impression about the country and people in general? Are you ready to come back anytime soon?

Courtney: I fell absolutely in love with Brazil. I cannot wait to get back. Hopefully RIO :) 

Linda: I wish we could have had a few days off there. A most beautiful country with very passionate people!! Already packed and waiting to return!!! 

Kirsten: Let’s get on a plane right now and go! Yes, we are ready to come back! Brazilians are so warm and friendly and there is so much beauty and cultural heritage in Brazil—I want to experience more and soon! 

Wanda: I loved Brazil ~ it is so beautiful and the people there are so passionate about the music!  And we had such a great time there! We are ready to go back right now!  Unfortunately,  we don't have any gigs scheduled there in the near future but please keep checking our website (http://www.theironmaidens.com/) for tour dates. We hope to be back there very soon! 

 

As meninas estiveram no Brasil. E nós obviamente estivemos lá. Hipnotizados...

C'n'R: Feel free to leave a message to your bigger and bigger Brazilian fanbase (where we include ourselves!):

Courtney:  UP THE IRONS.  Saúde

Linda: Thank you so much for welcoming us to Brazil to share the love of Iron Maiden with you!! We all hope to see you again soon! \m/ 

Kirsten: Thank you for your support!  We are just Iron Maiden fans, too, like you.  We miss Brazil and hope to come back soon! Up the irons! 

Wanda: Thank you very much for your support and for keeping metal alive and well in Brazil. Up the irons! :)

Nita & Courtney

Opa! Assim sendo, irmãos e irmãs - vamos iniciar urgentemente a campanha:

LET'S BRING "THE IRON MAIDENS" BACK TO BRAZIL !!! NOW !!!