Discovering L.A.'s Best Bands Since 1983
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I N T E R V I E W
April 2004
OTTO'S DAUGHTER
OTTO'S DAUGHTER
jhod2@aol.com
818.376.4018
Rock City: Hello, we are here with____Otto's Daughter______ a local band from ____Los Angeles_____ , and they're _ready for you__ , so we're going to find out a little more about what makes them tick. . .
1. RCN: What type of band are you? (descriptive)
JVB (Jacqueline/lead vocals): We have been described as cyber erotic pop-metal. We are a bit of industrial, goth, punk, pop and metal.
Jim Robbins: Electronic rock god damnit.
HHGadget: Bastard Love-child of Rock-Industrial
2. RCN: Tell us the brief history of your band
JVB: HHGadget and I started OD as a project in early 98. We played our first show at the Spiral Lounge in NYC in October 98. Our biggest obstacle was finding a solid line-up, but that didn't stop us from playing shows. At one point we played as a 3 piece.
We released two full length albums debut "Void of Course" and sophomore "Renew".
OD has played all over the Eastcoast as well as in New Orleans. In April 2003, HHGadget, Jim and I moved to LA where we found the missing pieces, Garrison on guitar and Chimpo on Bass. In LA we've played the Dragonfly, Whisky, Troubadour and Key Club.
3. RCN: Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Jim: I'm influenced by everything.
HHGadget: Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, Peter Gabriel, Ministry, Ohgr. non-musical: Monty Python, Mike Meyers,
JVB: I'm influenced by what's happening in my life and everything around me. I listed to everything from Tori Amos to Pantera. I dig the heavy stuff though. non-musical: Faeries, Demons, Gods and Angels.
4. RCN: What are your dreams and goals?
HHGadget: Have a one-on-one love session with my own personal Jesus?
Jim: sell 12 million CD's, tour the world 4 times and live in New Orleans.
JVB: Release 10 full length albums, be on the road; tour the world, inspire and influence others to live their dreams, hear my songs on the radio; be happy, successful and wealthy. Get a house in the Hollywood Hills, a house in New Orleans and a Loft in NYC.
5. RCN: Who writes the songs, what are they about?
JVB: the first two albums were written by HH Gadget and me. We had a guest guitarist on Renew, Tim Rockmore; who definetly put the icing on the cake.
As far as the new songs go, we all collaborate. The songs are about passion, obsession, pain, perversion and struggle and a spark of optimism and definitely some sarcasm (Showgirl).
6. RCN: What's your opinion of George Bush?
JVB: I gave up on politics a long time ago. It's a waste of time. All I can do is be the best person I can be and do the best I can for myself and all the people around me. I don't think it's wise to hate him and wish him ill, why not wish for him to make better decisions and send him positive energy instead of breeding more hate in this country. ~tame the monster with love~
Jim: thanks for 911 moron
Gadget: It's the oil stupid!
7. RCN: How do you promote your band and shows?
Jvb: we put Posters up in all local stores, flyers, go to shows and hand out stuff, e-mail, myspace, tribe. Put demo CD's out.
8. RCN: Describe your show, visual and musically
JvB:
Visually; Our show is very energetic and always fun to watch since you never know to expect; what new songs we throw in the set or what I might say or do. Expect to see 5 people on stage having a blast.
We have our own light boxes and they kick ass :) I make my own stage clothing and the big puffy skirts are definitely my trademark. I like a touch of theatrics. Imagine Marilyn Manson meets Tori Amos meets Courtney Love.
Musically; it's a nice blend of metal, cyber rock, industrial; pop/goth and a bit of punk.
Jim: Musically; this is exactly the type of band i've always wanted to see live. The songs are catchy; yet heavy. The vocals are powerful, and the lyrics are great. Jacqueline has a strong stage presence.
Visually; I like the contrast of the four dark players against a brightly colored aggressive faerie singing.
Show; I love the interaction with the audience, that's what makes us different from anybody else.
Gadget: Musically it's kinda a cross between Frank Sinatra and Slayer
Visually it's kinda a cross between Frank Sinatra and Slayer
Show: Isn't that the same as Visually? ..umm some people are scared of Garrison live ...
9. RCN: What do you think about downloading music online?
JVB: it's awesome. People from all over the world are able to find us, connect with us.
Gadget: Let's face it, CDs cost too much. download your ass off..Yeah Baby, Yeah!
Jim: I love it. It's the best way to find music you may never find otherwise. People bitch about publishing and royalties. If the music is good people will buy it anyway.
10. RCN: What's your outlook on the record industry today?
JVB: Labels are there to make money. They don't care about great music. It's all about the full package and the 3 minute hit song.
However, I believe that a band can get far with the right label support, since they do have the power to reach the massess. The current Label situation forces bands to think for themselves and gives them a chance to get involved in the business. After all, it's our business. To think you're just an artist making music is pretty foolish and that's why so many bands end up failing after they sign with a label.
This is a great time for the indies. And they will take over and make the artist more money.
Jim: I think it doesn't take the chances on bands it used to. It's more concerned with putting out ten of the same sounding bands instead of ten interesting bands. It is killing itself with it's own knife.
Gadget: See my answer above :)
11. RCN: What's your claim to fame? (What's unique about your band)
JVB: Our music is very original, people can't quite catagorize us. We are a bit of everything, yet not all over the place. We have a unique sound and style.
Jim: JVB (laughs)
Gadget: Giant lasers and Sub-Saharan Penguins with streams of blood that arc out over the audience!!!! Oh and free money for everyone at every show...andandand
12. RCN: Tell us a story about a day in your life.
JVB: sleeping in late; getting on the phone, making business calls, check my "to do" list; chai latte at Starbucks; tae bo, yoga or gym; veggie juice with garlic, nice and stinky, lol ;biking in the hills at 2am; writing in the studio till dawn; throwing food at Jim; passing out laughing my ass off.
Jim: waking up to JVB jumping and screaming "I'm excited, I'm excited,I'm excited," ; vanilla eggs; going to work late; Chai Latte's; Food fights; writing and recording; biking; gym; house watching in the hills; dinner at midnight; and maybe some sleep; we are very nocturnal.
Gadget: Open my eyes and breath in.........
13. RCN: What inspires you to do what you do?
JVB: Life does. As long as I want to live, this is what I have to do to give myself the strength, power, energy and will to keep going. It's my way of communicating.
Jim: Magic of writing and playing music, the life style I want. Seeing people sing your words back to you; nothing is better than that...except food fights, lol
Gadget: Desperation to stay away from becoming another brick
14. RCN: What advice would you give to fellow bands?
JVB: Believe in yourself and what you do and don't give up, no matter what other people say or think of you. Fuck 'em, live your dreams, think big. be tough, aggressive and persuasive; be responsible. try not to suck so bad at what you do and please don't try to sound just like the brand new thing out there unless you're in a cover band; use your head (the one on your shoulders) oh yeh, and drop your rock star attitude it makes you look like a looser.
Jim: get a van. get fix a flat. buy a tuner. share the tuner. get used to eating peanut butter and jelly. play because you enjoy it not because you want to get rich and famous.
Gadget: Give up!!! Your Mother was right! Go study to be a lawyer or something
15. RCN: What are some of your pet peeves?
Jim: pay to play, bands with attitudes; we're all in this together
JVB: pay to play sucks ass; people talking a whole lot of shit but not backing it up; that whole "celebrity" talk...gimme a break
Gadget: Well my one pet cat has taken to urinating on my feet when I sleep.
Does that qualify as a peeve?
16. RCN: How does music affect you and the world around you?
JVB: it's the air I breath, the blood in my veins. It keeps me alive. A song can make you feel so great, no matter what emotion it brings out in you. It's medicine and magic to me. It connects all of us. I mean, a stadium filled with thousands of people singing along to your favorite band/song, that's what it's all about.
Jim: it keeps me sane, I can't picture my life without music.
Gadget: Soothes the savage beast
17. RCN: What's new in the recording of your music?
JVB: we have so many songs we are working on, they just keep pouring out of us. We are focusing on 5 at the moment, working on completing them to release our 5 song EP this Summer.
Gadget: My engineering chops are slowly getting better? I hope.
18. RCN: What are the biggest obstacles for bands?
JVB: their attitudes and beliefs. No work, just talk.
Jim: their egos most of the time; most bands fall apart from infighting
Gadget: Lack of Networking
19. RCN: What's the best and worst thing about playing clubs?
JVB: sound system, stage, location
Jim: pay to play situations
Gadget: Best = It's awesome to entertain even for a brief moment.
Worst = Shit Sound systems.
20. RCN: Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.
none as of right now but we will keep you updated. Why you should be there?
JVB: I'll be rocking out on my guitar. We added new kick ass songs to the set.
Jim and Garrison will have their own light boxes (if the club allows it) and you'll go home covered with glitter.
Rock City: Thank you for your insight and time. We'll look forward to hearing your music and seeing your next live show . . . Later gator.
Jacqueline van Bierk
http://www.ottosdaughter.com
"A righteous slab of cyber erotic pop-metal"
Jacqueline van Bierk
http://www.ottosdaughter.com
"A righteous slab of cyber erotic pop-metal"