METAL MAIDEN OF THE MONTH
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2009
SALLY DEBAUCHERY
Interview done by NICK
The
Metal Pit's "MAIDEN" of the month for Sept/Oct 2009 :
The Metal Pit's Maiden of the month for September / October :
Sally Debauchery, bass player for the band Psykill.
Name : Sally Debauchery
Age: 26
Home : Florida, USA
Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/ddevild0ll
The Metal Pit's Maiden of the month for September / October :
Sally Debauchery, bass player for the band Psykill.
Name : Sally Debauchery
Age: 26
Home : Florida, USA
Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/ddevild0ll
METAL PIT: Hello Sally and welcome to the Metal
Pit.
Sally Debauchery: It's an honor, thank you for having me!
Sally: Well, the main person behind PsyKill is Singer/Guitarist, Spyder Z. Prime. PsyKill is his brain child, and he wrote and recorded all of the music prior to me even joining the band. We also have a 2nd Guitarist, Xavier Mintaka, who joined a few months after I did. Now that he's on board, I'm not sure how we ever did it with just 1 Guitarist, haha! We also have Angel Bartolotta on Drums, however with his hectic touring schedule (he also plays for Dope, Team Cybergeist, Genitorturers), he has not yet played any of our live shows with the new line-up. So for now, Spyder, Xavier and myself have been playing to a drum machine. It sounds pretty solid, and it makes tear down and set up that much easier, haha!
METAL PIT: What does each band member bring to the table both musically and personally,yourself included of course?
Sally: As I mentioned above, Spyder did all of the songwriting for PsyKill. So he obviously brings all of that to the table. He is also a mechanical genius when it comes to music gear, and can fix pretty much anything. So he's a pretty handy guy to have around when you're having technical difficulties, haha! Xavier is a phenomenal Guitarist, and is also very web savvy. He does graphic design and is responsible for our webpage, myspace, and all of our graphics and logos. He even did the CD and shirt artwork. Angel is probably one of the best drummers out there right now, which is why we've been so stubborn about bringing anyone else in, haha! He has had a lot of experience with bands and touring, and is able to shed a lot of insight on situations. Plus he is one sexy bitch, haha! As for me, I'm the token chick bass player... But the difference is, I actually play well, and rock out like a dude! I also have a massive online fan base, and am really good at marketing and networking, so I typically handle a lot of the promotional and public relations type stuff. So music aside, we are a pretty well oiled machine since each of us has different strengths we bring to the band. On a personal level, we are all giant dorks at heart... We all have quirky senses of humor and mesh together really well. When Spyder first hired me, he admitted that he tested me on a lot of levels to make sure that I would fit in with the type of personality he was looking for. We did the same thing when looking for a 2nd Guitarist as well. Talent of course is the first priority, but no one wants to be stuck in a van with "that guy", so we've done our best to prevent that.
Sally: I've known Angel and Spyder for years. But it was only about a year and a half ago that I really started hanging out with Spyder and that's when I got turned onto PsyKill. I actually joined the band as a result of a collossal joke regarding my ass. Spyder's Girlfriend was joking with him about hiring me as the new Bassist so she could stare at my ass all day. I thought this was hilarious, but then it actually dawned on me that it was exactly the type of music I wanted to play... So we joked a bit more, and I sent him a picture of my ass and asked if it counted as my band try-out, haha! This broke the ice, but I of course still had to audition the same as anyone else. Anyone who knows Spyder knows that he will not water down his music for the sake of image or anything else. So I wound up passing my audition, and the rest is history. Of course I still got my ass kicked when training though, haha!
Sally: Team Cybergeist is a collaborative project, masterminded by Angel Bartolotta. It features over 50 artists worldwide (and growing) who each contribute a piece of the puzzle. This is the first time I've ever heard of a project that features national artists such as members of Dope, PIG, Morbid Angel, Kittie, Stone Sour, KMFDM etc. on the same songs as local and unknown artists. It breaks down the barriers and eliminates the heirarchy, and the need for status levels, basically exposing everyone involved as equal... It's a really beautiful thing to be a part of... Everyone who contributed all did so for the same reason... For the love of music and art. This has been an incredible experience to be a part of, and very humbling. As far as my contribution, I recorded Bass on the track, "Justified", and also recently recorded Bass on a cover song of "Somebody's Watching Me", that will be posted shortly. I was the live Bassist when Team Cybergeist took the stage for the first time back in June, and I will also be the live Bassist for the upcoming tour in November.
Sally: That was definitely an interesting experience. Basically, what that video is, is a glimpse of the Team Cybergeist recording process. Each person who contributed to that song did so in a completely different area (in the Singer's case, an entirely different country). What you are seeing in that video is raw footage of the recording process, edited together to look like a music video. None of us recorded together, or for the purpose of making a video. That's what's so cool about it.
METAL PIT: You were also featured in a video for the band Soulidium, how did that come about?
Sally: The Soulidium guys are friends of ours. Singer, Michael McKnight contacted us and asked if Spyder and I would be interested in making cameo appearances as street musicians in their upcoming video - Live Forever. I'd never done anything like that before so was way psyched for the opportunity! It's my 3 seconds of fame, haha! The video came out KILLER and we are proud to have been a part of it.
Sally: Actually, yes. Spyder has been talking to Michael McKnight of Soulidium about helping us with a video. I'm not 100% sure which song we are doing yet, but so far, I think it's going to be for Bodybag. I can't wait to see what ideas come out regarding this video! It's exciting!
Sally: We just released our new demo. It features a little taste of the different spectrums PsyKill covers in the music. Harder edged songs like "PsyKill" and "Bodybag", plus Industrial-esque "Mouth of Madness". Then the softer side of PsyKill, with ballad "Passion", transitioning into the harder, darker side of PsyKill with "Reason". We also threw in a bonus track of "PsyKlips" featuring clips of 11 PsyKill songs from the upcoming album.
Sally: PsyKill is a little of everything. I'm not really sure how to classify it, and am hesitant to do so. Once you brand music with a specific genre, that limits you. That was one of the things that attracted me to PsyKill in the first place... There are so many different genres we fit into, and so many different elements and influences that are drawn from, that it makes it impossible to conveniently fit us into one box. Our music is Metal-rooted, however there are elements of Industrial, Gothic, Rock and more. Each song is completely different and it keeps things interesting.
Sally: The album is close to completion. The only thing really holding us back is money, or lack of, that is. The same goes with touring. We are chomping at the bit to get out there, but unfortunately, it is not all that feasible to do so without money backing us up. So for now, we are going to play as many parts of Florida as we can, and hopefully be able to break out and tour nationally very soon.
Sally: I started playing Bass when I was 17. This was after getting into Guitar at age 13. I have several different Basses, but my main weapon of choice is my Dean - Demonator (which is the David Vincent of Morbid Angel, signature series). I have also played my Ibanez - Soundgear live as well.
Sally: I'm not that small, haha! I just have very tall boys in my band that make me look tiny, haha! When I first took up Bass, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down is actually the one who gets credit for that, as he gifted me my first Bass at age 17. He chose the Ibanez Soundgear - SR400 as my first Bass as it is GREAT for beginners! It's very light and has a thin neck, yet still retains a great sound. This helped me get used to the wider frets and thicker strings that playing Guitar really doesn't prepare you for. Then back in 2001 when the Dean Demonator came out, I was so influenced by David Vincent that I had to get one, no matter what! Once I heard the killer tone on that Bass, it seriously spoiled me for all others. It has been my main Bass ever since. It's funny because it's really not the most practical Bass for female players, but since I've been playing it for so long, it is what I'm used to, and even with the extended scale, it still feels totally natural to me. When I play my Ibanez now, it actually feels too light, haha!
METAL PIT: What kind of things did did you do to improve your "Reach"?
Sally: A lot of fret board exercises and practicing them slowly, over and over.
METAL PIT: Are you a classic round/wound string kinda girl?
Sally: Pretty much. At the moment, I use GHS - 45-105 Gauge.
METAL PIT: What kind of amp do you use?
Sally: I have a 300 watt Line 6, with a 4 channel pedal board. It's funny because it really doesn't look like much, but that baby is brutal! It definitely holds it's own!
METAL PIT: At what age did you get
turned on to Heavy Metal and what band or musician would you say helped you
decide to make a career out of this?
Sally: The first CD I ever bought was Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction, when I was 10. That was the gateway for me, and that album is responsible for shaping my life toward who I am today. Other major influences that pushed me into wanting to play are White Zombie, Machine Head, Drain STH, Lunachicks, L7 and many more.
METAL PIT: Who are some of your idols that play bass?
Sally: Sean Yseult of White Zombie, David Vincent of Morbid Angel/Genitorturers, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down, Les Claypool of Primus, Justin Chancellor of Tool. I am also very influenced by Guitarists such as Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, Slash of Guns N' Roses, and Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom.
METAL PIT: What about favorite Metal bands?
Sally: Right now, my favorite Metal bands are Machine Head, DevilDriver, Children of Bodom, The Agonist, and Thy Will Be Done
METAL PIT: Ok,if you had your choice,who would Psykill go on tour with?
Sally: That's a very tough one... I want to tour with ALL of my favorite bands, haha! If I had to pick though, I'd say it's a 3-way tie between Machine Head, DevilDriver and Children of Bodom. So perhaps a tour with all 3?
METAL PIT: What are your top 3 Metal albums/cd's of all time?
Sally: Machine Head - The Blackening, Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power, White Zombie: Astro Creep 2000
METAL PIT: As a woman in Heavy Metal how have you dealt with some of the negative stereotypes and prejudices that unfortunatlety still exist in the scene?
Sally: I've been dealing with it all my life. Unfortunately in music, especially harder edged music, sexism is a little more widely accepted, than in every day life. I view being a female musician as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I have an advantage, since female musicians automatically attract attention, and an audience. But on the other hand, we are continuously objectified and no matter how hard or how well we play, we are never JUST referred to as a "Musician", we are always a "Female Musician", or a "Chick Musician". Everybody does it... Major magazines such as Revolver feature entire issues called "The Hottest Chicks in Metal". They even made a tour out of it. I remember back when I was 15 years old, reading an article in Hit Parader, listing the top 100 Metal Artists... Bands like Slipknot and Marilyn Manson were featured and each said something by their photos about how talented they were and how great the music is, and then they listed Drain STH, and the caption by their photo simply said "hubba hubba". So as a female Musician in a male-dominated scene, it's impossible not to be subjected to it. So the way that I feel about it, is since I'm going to be obectified regardless, I may as well be in control of it. I absolutely use my image to gain attention to the band. I'm proud that I'm a female musician, and anyone who chooses to fall prey to ignorant stereotypes is only limiting themselves.
METAL PIT: Women in Metal have made huge strides within the last few years and seem for the most part to
be getting the respect they deserve from other musicians and also fans but
unfortunatley at times record companies,club promoters and the media in general
seem to still have a stick up their asses when it comes to acknowledging
women as true musicians,in your opinion what can be done to help change that way
of thinking?
Sally: Most of the bands I have met are totally cool. Very few professional musicians have shown disrespect regarding my gender. Most of them know exactly what it's like to be judged and are way supportive of women in the scene. A lot of fans, it's the same deal... Sure, there are of course idiot people out there who can't get past the fact that I'm a chick, and say crude and disrespectful things, but there are also a lot of people out there who crave for a powerful woman dominating the scene, and are unbelievably supportive! The media is the main problem... If magazines and promoters stopped focusing on our looks, and payed more attention to the reason we're there in the first place (the music), then that is the first step. Or they could at least make it more fair... I think if they're going to have The Hottest Chicks in Metal issue, then they also need the Hottest Dudes in Metal... Put the guys up on the stand too, wearing next to nothing.
METAL PIT: Do you see yourself as a role model for young women who may want to follow in your footsteps and if so,what would your advice be to them?
Sally: The biggest compliments I've ever received, are from young girls, or the parents of young girls, telling me they look up to me, and because of me, they (or their daughter) have taken up Bass, Guitar, or whatever instrument they wanted to play. I cannot tell you what an empowering feeling that is! If anything that I say or do helps to influence someone into doing something positive that they may not have had the guts to do before (this goes for EVERYONE, not just girls), then it makes what I do completely worth it.
METAL PIT: When you are not playing bass or starring in videos,what kind of things do you enjoy doing?
Sally: I'm a sucker for nature. Anything water related, mostly. I love the beach, camping, hiking, canoeing. I'm big into Animals and Animal Rescue and when I had more spare time, I used to volunteer with a Siberian Husky Rescue down here in Florida.
METAL PIT: I see you are a huge animal lover as am I,what kind of pets do you have?
Sally: I've had to down-size considerably, because of my hectic schedule. Adopting some of my Pets out was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I now have my Siberian Husky, Maya, and 2 Cats - Edgar and Butters.
METAL PIT: So Sally, what is on the horizon for Psykill and yourself?
Sally: We just played a killer show in Tampa last week, and are anxious to book some more Florida shows shortly. So stay tuned! I will also be going on tour with Team Cybergeist in November, for a brief run which will hit Tampa, FL, Baltimore, MD, Rochester, NY, Providence, RI, Detroit, MI and Cleveland, OH. So anyone in these areas, come out and hang with us!
METAL PIT: Where can fans buy your music and find out more about this very cool band?
Sally: At the moment, we are selling our demo CDs online, basically just through us. So send a message to myself, or the band. We also have shirts and stickers available. We accept PayPal, Money Orders and Kidneys.
METAL PIT: Is there anything you would like to add to this interview Sally?
Sally: "PsyKill is excited to announce that we will be playing the 98 Rock stage for Guavaween in Tampa, Florida on Halloween night, alongside Sevendust, Nonpoint, and Soulidium. The average attendance for Guavaween is roughly 80,000 people, and we are really psyched to have this opportunity!
I will also be going out on tour with Team Cybergeist in November. We are opening for Genitorturers in support of their Black Heart Revolution tour. We are playing select shows ONLY, so come on out and rock with us if you're in any of these areas!
November 6th - The Ritz - Tampa, FL
November 7th - The Rocket Club - Asheville, NC
November 8th - Sonar - Baltimore, MD
November 9th - Mexicali Live - Teaneck, NJ
November 10th - Club Hell - Providence, RI
November 12th - Penny Arcade - Rochester, NY
November 13th - Blondies - Detroit, MI
November 14th - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH"
METAL PIT: What does it mean to you to be chosen as the Metal Pit's Maiden of the month?
Sally: It's a huge honor to be featured among such talented and inspirational women, thank you!
METAL PIT: Sally,on behalf of myself and the Metal Pit we want to thank you for spending some time with us today.We wish you and the band the best of luck in the coming months and into the new year as well.
Horns up Brothers ans sisters.......
Nick Rohm.
Sally Debauchery: It's an honor, thank you for having me!
Sally: Well, the main person behind PsyKill is Singer/Guitarist, Spyder Z. Prime. PsyKill is his brain child, and he wrote and recorded all of the music prior to me even joining the band. We also have a 2nd Guitarist, Xavier Mintaka, who joined a few months after I did. Now that he's on board, I'm not sure how we ever did it with just 1 Guitarist, haha! We also have Angel Bartolotta on Drums, however with his hectic touring schedule (he also plays for Dope, Team Cybergeist, Genitorturers), he has not yet played any of our live shows with the new line-up. So for now, Spyder, Xavier and myself have been playing to a drum machine. It sounds pretty solid, and it makes tear down and set up that much easier, haha!
METAL PIT: What does each band member bring to the table both musically and personally,yourself included of course?
Sally: As I mentioned above, Spyder did all of the songwriting for PsyKill. So he obviously brings all of that to the table. He is also a mechanical genius when it comes to music gear, and can fix pretty much anything. So he's a pretty handy guy to have around when you're having technical difficulties, haha! Xavier is a phenomenal Guitarist, and is also very web savvy. He does graphic design and is responsible for our webpage, myspace, and all of our graphics and logos. He even did the CD and shirt artwork. Angel is probably one of the best drummers out there right now, which is why we've been so stubborn about bringing anyone else in, haha! He has had a lot of experience with bands and touring, and is able to shed a lot of insight on situations. Plus he is one sexy bitch, haha! As for me, I'm the token chick bass player... But the difference is, I actually play well, and rock out like a dude! I also have a massive online fan base, and am really good at marketing and networking, so I typically handle a lot of the promotional and public relations type stuff. So music aside, we are a pretty well oiled machine since each of us has different strengths we bring to the band. On a personal level, we are all giant dorks at heart... We all have quirky senses of humor and mesh together really well. When Spyder first hired me, he admitted that he tested me on a lot of levels to make sure that I would fit in with the type of personality he was looking for. We did the same thing when looking for a 2nd Guitarist as well. Talent of course is the first priority, but no one wants to be stuck in a van with "that guy", so we've done our best to prevent that.
Sally: I've known Angel and Spyder for years. But it was only about a year and a half ago that I really started hanging out with Spyder and that's when I got turned onto PsyKill. I actually joined the band as a result of a collossal joke regarding my ass. Spyder's Girlfriend was joking with him about hiring me as the new Bassist so she could stare at my ass all day. I thought this was hilarious, but then it actually dawned on me that it was exactly the type of music I wanted to play... So we joked a bit more, and I sent him a picture of my ass and asked if it counted as my band try-out, haha! This broke the ice, but I of course still had to audition the same as anyone else. Anyone who knows Spyder knows that he will not water down his music for the sake of image or anything else. So I wound up passing my audition, and the rest is history. Of course I still got my ass kicked when training though, haha!
Sally: Team Cybergeist is a collaborative project, masterminded by Angel Bartolotta. It features over 50 artists worldwide (and growing) who each contribute a piece of the puzzle. This is the first time I've ever heard of a project that features national artists such as members of Dope, PIG, Morbid Angel, Kittie, Stone Sour, KMFDM etc. on the same songs as local and unknown artists. It breaks down the barriers and eliminates the heirarchy, and the need for status levels, basically exposing everyone involved as equal... It's a really beautiful thing to be a part of... Everyone who contributed all did so for the same reason... For the love of music and art. This has been an incredible experience to be a part of, and very humbling. As far as my contribution, I recorded Bass on the track, "Justified", and also recently recorded Bass on a cover song of "Somebody's Watching Me", that will be posted shortly. I was the live Bassist when Team Cybergeist took the stage for the first time back in June, and I will also be the live Bassist for the upcoming tour in November.
Sally: That was definitely an interesting experience. Basically, what that video is, is a glimpse of the Team Cybergeist recording process. Each person who contributed to that song did so in a completely different area (in the Singer's case, an entirely different country). What you are seeing in that video is raw footage of the recording process, edited together to look like a music video. None of us recorded together, or for the purpose of making a video. That's what's so cool about it.
METAL PIT: You were also featured in a video for the band Soulidium, how did that come about?
Sally: The Soulidium guys are friends of ours. Singer, Michael McKnight contacted us and asked if Spyder and I would be interested in making cameo appearances as street musicians in their upcoming video - Live Forever. I'd never done anything like that before so was way psyched for the opportunity! It's my 3 seconds of fame, haha! The video came out KILLER and we are proud to have been a part of it.
Sally: Actually, yes. Spyder has been talking to Michael McKnight of Soulidium about helping us with a video. I'm not 100% sure which song we are doing yet, but so far, I think it's going to be for Bodybag. I can't wait to see what ideas come out regarding this video! It's exciting!
Sally: We just released our new demo. It features a little taste of the different spectrums PsyKill covers in the music. Harder edged songs like "PsyKill" and "Bodybag", plus Industrial-esque "Mouth of Madness". Then the softer side of PsyKill, with ballad "Passion", transitioning into the harder, darker side of PsyKill with "Reason". We also threw in a bonus track of "PsyKlips" featuring clips of 11 PsyKill songs from the upcoming album.
Sally: PsyKill is a little of everything. I'm not really sure how to classify it, and am hesitant to do so. Once you brand music with a specific genre, that limits you. That was one of the things that attracted me to PsyKill in the first place... There are so many different genres we fit into, and so many different elements and influences that are drawn from, that it makes it impossible to conveniently fit us into one box. Our music is Metal-rooted, however there are elements of Industrial, Gothic, Rock and more. Each song is completely different and it keeps things interesting.
Sally: The album is close to completion. The only thing really holding us back is money, or lack of, that is. The same goes with touring. We are chomping at the bit to get out there, but unfortunately, it is not all that feasible to do so without money backing us up. So for now, we are going to play as many parts of Florida as we can, and hopefully be able to break out and tour nationally very soon.
Sally: I started playing Bass when I was 17. This was after getting into Guitar at age 13. I have several different Basses, but my main weapon of choice is my Dean - Demonator (which is the David Vincent of Morbid Angel, signature series). I have also played my Ibanez - Soundgear live as well.
Sally: I'm not that small, haha! I just have very tall boys in my band that make me look tiny, haha! When I first took up Bass, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down is actually the one who gets credit for that, as he gifted me my first Bass at age 17. He chose the Ibanez Soundgear - SR400 as my first Bass as it is GREAT for beginners! It's very light and has a thin neck, yet still retains a great sound. This helped me get used to the wider frets and thicker strings that playing Guitar really doesn't prepare you for. Then back in 2001 when the Dean Demonator came out, I was so influenced by David Vincent that I had to get one, no matter what! Once I heard the killer tone on that Bass, it seriously spoiled me for all others. It has been my main Bass ever since. It's funny because it's really not the most practical Bass for female players, but since I've been playing it for so long, it is what I'm used to, and even with the extended scale, it still feels totally natural to me. When I play my Ibanez now, it actually feels too light, haha!
METAL PIT: What kind of things did did you do to improve your "Reach"?
Sally: A lot of fret board exercises and practicing them slowly, over and over.
METAL PIT: Are you a classic round/wound string kinda girl?
Sally: Pretty much. At the moment, I use GHS - 45-105 Gauge.
METAL PIT: What kind of amp do you use?
Sally: I have a 300 watt Line 6, with a 4 channel pedal board. It's funny because it really doesn't look like much, but that baby is brutal! It definitely holds it's own!
METAL PIT: At what age did you get
turned on to Heavy Metal and what band or musician would you say helped you
decide to make a career out of this? Sally: The first CD I ever bought was Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction, when I was 10. That was the gateway for me, and that album is responsible for shaping my life toward who I am today. Other major influences that pushed me into wanting to play are White Zombie, Machine Head, Drain STH, Lunachicks, L7 and many more.
METAL PIT: Who are some of your idols that play bass?
Sally: Sean Yseult of White Zombie, David Vincent of Morbid Angel/Genitorturers, Shavo Odadjian of System of a Down, Les Claypool of Primus, Justin Chancellor of Tool. I am also very influenced by Guitarists such as Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, Slash of Guns N' Roses, and Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom.
METAL PIT: What about favorite Metal bands?
Sally: Right now, my favorite Metal bands are Machine Head, DevilDriver, Children of Bodom, The Agonist, and Thy Will Be Done
METAL PIT: Ok,if you had your choice,who would Psykill go on tour with?
Sally: That's a very tough one... I want to tour with ALL of my favorite bands, haha! If I had to pick though, I'd say it's a 3-way tie between Machine Head, DevilDriver and Children of Bodom. So perhaps a tour with all 3?
METAL PIT: What are your top 3 Metal albums/cd's of all time?
Sally: Machine Head - The Blackening, Pantera - Vulgar Display of Power, White Zombie: Astro Creep 2000
METAL PIT: As a woman in Heavy Metal how have you dealt with some of the negative stereotypes and prejudices that unfortunatlety still exist in the scene?
Sally: I've been dealing with it all my life. Unfortunately in music, especially harder edged music, sexism is a little more widely accepted, than in every day life. I view being a female musician as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, I have an advantage, since female musicians automatically attract attention, and an audience. But on the other hand, we are continuously objectified and no matter how hard or how well we play, we are never JUST referred to as a "Musician", we are always a "Female Musician", or a "Chick Musician". Everybody does it... Major magazines such as Revolver feature entire issues called "The Hottest Chicks in Metal". They even made a tour out of it. I remember back when I was 15 years old, reading an article in Hit Parader, listing the top 100 Metal Artists... Bands like Slipknot and Marilyn Manson were featured and each said something by their photos about how talented they were and how great the music is, and then they listed Drain STH, and the caption by their photo simply said "hubba hubba". So as a female Musician in a male-dominated scene, it's impossible not to be subjected to it. So the way that I feel about it, is since I'm going to be obectified regardless, I may as well be in control of it. I absolutely use my image to gain attention to the band. I'm proud that I'm a female musician, and anyone who chooses to fall prey to ignorant stereotypes is only limiting themselves.
METAL PIT: Women in Metal have made huge strides within the last few years and seem for the most part to
be getting the respect they deserve from other musicians and also fans but
unfortunatley at times record companies,club promoters and the media in general
seem to still have a stick up their asses when it comes to acknowledging
women as true musicians,in your opinion what can be done to help change that way
of thinking? Sally: Most of the bands I have met are totally cool. Very few professional musicians have shown disrespect regarding my gender. Most of them know exactly what it's like to be judged and are way supportive of women in the scene. A lot of fans, it's the same deal... Sure, there are of course idiot people out there who can't get past the fact that I'm a chick, and say crude and disrespectful things, but there are also a lot of people out there who crave for a powerful woman dominating the scene, and are unbelievably supportive! The media is the main problem... If magazines and promoters stopped focusing on our looks, and payed more attention to the reason we're there in the first place (the music), then that is the first step. Or they could at least make it more fair... I think if they're going to have The Hottest Chicks in Metal issue, then they also need the Hottest Dudes in Metal... Put the guys up on the stand too, wearing next to nothing.
METAL PIT: Do you see yourself as a role model for young women who may want to follow in your footsteps and if so,what would your advice be to them?
Sally: The biggest compliments I've ever received, are from young girls, or the parents of young girls, telling me they look up to me, and because of me, they (or their daughter) have taken up Bass, Guitar, or whatever instrument they wanted to play. I cannot tell you what an empowering feeling that is! If anything that I say or do helps to influence someone into doing something positive that they may not have had the guts to do before (this goes for EVERYONE, not just girls), then it makes what I do completely worth it.
METAL PIT: When you are not playing bass or starring in videos,what kind of things do you enjoy doing?
Sally: I'm a sucker for nature. Anything water related, mostly. I love the beach, camping, hiking, canoeing. I'm big into Animals and Animal Rescue and when I had more spare time, I used to volunteer with a Siberian Husky Rescue down here in Florida.
METAL PIT: I see you are a huge animal lover as am I,what kind of pets do you have?
Sally: I've had to down-size considerably, because of my hectic schedule. Adopting some of my Pets out was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I now have my Siberian Husky, Maya, and 2 Cats - Edgar and Butters.
METAL PIT: So Sally, what is on the horizon for Psykill and yourself?
Sally: We just played a killer show in Tampa last week, and are anxious to book some more Florida shows shortly. So stay tuned! I will also be going on tour with Team Cybergeist in November, for a brief run which will hit Tampa, FL, Baltimore, MD, Rochester, NY, Providence, RI, Detroit, MI and Cleveland, OH. So anyone in these areas, come out and hang with us!
METAL PIT: Where can fans buy your music and find out more about this very cool band?
Sally: At the moment, we are selling our demo CDs online, basically just through us. So send a message to myself, or the band. We also have shirts and stickers available. We accept PayPal, Money Orders and Kidneys.
METAL PIT: Is there anything you would like to add to this interview Sally?
Sally: "PsyKill is excited to announce that we will be playing the 98 Rock stage for Guavaween in Tampa, Florida on Halloween night, alongside Sevendust, Nonpoint, and Soulidium. The average attendance for Guavaween is roughly 80,000 people, and we are really psyched to have this opportunity!
I will also be going out on tour with Team Cybergeist in November. We are opening for Genitorturers in support of their Black Heart Revolution tour. We are playing select shows ONLY, so come on out and rock with us if you're in any of these areas!
November 6th - The Ritz - Tampa, FL
November 7th - The Rocket Club - Asheville, NC
November 8th - Sonar - Baltimore, MD
November 9th - Mexicali Live - Teaneck, NJ
November 10th - Club Hell - Providence, RI
November 12th - Penny Arcade - Rochester, NY
November 13th - Blondies - Detroit, MI
November 14th - Peabody's - Cleveland, OH"
METAL PIT: What does it mean to you to be chosen as the Metal Pit's Maiden of the month?
Sally: It's a huge honor to be featured among such talented and inspirational women, thank you!
METAL PIT: Sally,on behalf of myself and the Metal Pit we want to thank you for spending some time with us today.We wish you and the band the best of luck in the coming months and into the new year as well.
Horns up Brothers ans sisters.......
Nick Rohm.
Check out Previous METAL MAIDENS OF THE MONTH
