by Marija Brettle
– Sr. Columnist —
Since arriving in the L.A. and playing some of the hottest clubs and venues, like; The Roxy Theatre, Whisky a Go Go, The Viper Room, and The Doll Hut, Cretan’s ‘Barb Wire Dolls’ have performed on over 700 stages in 22 countries.
They are one of the most vital new bands in music today, representing all that is inspiring and furious about rock and roll. The band has created a modern and catchy Punk Rock sound, with a ballsy straightforward Led Zeppelin inspired stage presence. So, there was no surprise when in 2015 the band got noticed by the late great Lemmy Kilmister and immediately signed to his record label.
In July 2016 Barb Wire Dolls released their new album Desperate, via Motörhead Music and produced by Jay Baumgardner.
Fronted by the spirited and combative singer Isis Queen, Barb Wire Dolls’ dynamic musicianship is blasted forth by former pro surfer and skateboarder Pyn Doll on lead guitar, Krash Doll on drums, Iriel Blaque on bass and Remmington on rhythm guitar.
During their full UK/European tour recently, after their explosive show at the Leeds small club, Temple of Boom we caught up with the singer Isis to talk about their new album, Desperate, their reasons for deciding to leave Greece for good, her experience meeting Lemmy of Motörhead and more…
HARDROCK HAVEN: It’s been a while since we last met up in London and if I must say, it’s hard to keep up with you guys… So, what’s the band been up to in the last few years or so?
ISIS QUEEN: Same thing we do every night, try to take over the world! (Laughs)
HRH: This year you released the new record Desperate under the new label. What was the dynamic in the making of this record and how much creative freedom did you have this time?
Isis: We have always had our freedom with writing and recording. This album had a lot more melody and needed an extra guitar player, so we are now a five piece.
HRH: I love one of your quotes; ‘If our debut album, Slit, was our baby that came kicking and screaming into this world, then Desperate is the teenager out to find who it truly is.’ Tell me more what you mean by that?
Isis: Well our debut album was a very raw produced and angry album with the fate of our country going through an unfair political crisis and our expression of that was to write SLIT. But anger comes from frustration and our new album, Desperate are the answers to that on a spiritual level.
HRH: Why the album title Desperate… is there any particular reason behind the name?
Isis: Great things come from desperation. That’s why ‘Desperate’ was the perfect title for our new album.
HRH: Isis, your vocal style is very powerful and in more ways unique. Who influenced you as a vocalist?
Isis: Robert Plant, Johnny Rotten, Poly Styrene, Darby Crash, Siouxie Sioux and PJ Harvey.
HRH: Coming from a country where politics and corruption/bureaucracy have prevailed for many decades, music has been pushed to the backburner for a long time. Was that the very reason for you to get out and try elsewhere?
Isis: We lost all our savings after putting on a Rock festival the first year of the crisis. After that, we were open to anything. Rodney Bingenheimer discovered our demo and started playing us non-stop on his radio show Rodney On The Roq and invited us to come play Los Angeles. Until then there had been no Greek Rock/Punk band to ever play the U.S.A. so it was a pretty scary decision. But Rodney is a legend in breaking new bands and music. He was the first to play The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, Blondie, Guns N Roses, Nirvana (just to mention a few), so when he invited us we had to take the invitation with both hands! (laughs)
HRH: As I recall, you all started when the legendary manager of A&R, Tom Zutaut saw you performing at the Viper Room and signed you the contract on the spot. What do you recall from this night? What was it that he liked so much about you?
Isis: He saw in us what I guess all these other great people of the music world see in us… What that is I don’t know, but it’s real and authentic and these people are reminded why they got into Rock ‘n’ Roll in the first place.
HRH: In the process of making it big, were there any moments and times when you said to yourself ‘It’s not worth carrying on’?
Isis: There have always been those few times, but we suck it up and things change and then there is harmony again. All I know is that if I wasn’t in this band I’d either be in jail or dead.
HRH: I read somewhere Lemmy saying, “Barb Wire Dolls are the future of Rock and Roll” and I know he was very supportive of your work. How did you meet him and what are your memories of him?
Isis: First time meeting Lemmy, he grabbed my waist with such force to hug me that my knees almost buckled out from the confidence he radiated. He was a true man and a visionary! He saw the potential in our live show and wanted us to be the first new band release on Motörhead Music. His label he created to not only put out his own music but to build a legacy with the new breed of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
HRH: The original new wave of the Punk movement took place way back in the end of the 70’s … with the bands like Ramones, Clash, Pistol, Stooges. Bands who happen to be your greatest heroes and the reason for you to take on a different direction from rock to punk. Which elements of that sound do you bring to your music on your new album?
Isis: We are not trying to follow anyone else’s rules. We fall under the umbrella of bands that have been called Punk because of the rawness and attitude that happens naturally.
HRH: I heard that after your successful show at the famous L.A. Whisky A Go Go, you were offered two months of full residency in this place. So what was that all about?
Isis: We had played residencies at the Viper Room and The Roxy Theatre’s boutique club; On The Rox and we needed a bigger venue after packing these places. The Whisky had always been a venue that we wanted to play because the first wave of LA punk bands had played there first and it is also the most historic still standing venue in the world. When they asked us to be the house band for the Whisky after playing a show there we of course accepted. It is an honor and we ended up playing many residencies there.
HRH: With Slit you had an amazing success helping you to launch into some great gigs here in the UK and worldwide. What is on the horizon for the new record and after this tour, maybe playing more Festivals or any exciting upcoming projects like a live DVD?
Isis: We will be back in 2017. We have a lot of big festivals interested in us and we just recorded a double live album in Berlin at the end of this European tour we just did.
HRH: You’ve been often described as one of the most exciting new Punk Rock bands that embody that same spirit of the late 70’s punk scene. How would you describe the band in your own words?
Isis: Loud and unstoppable!
HRH: Thank you again for making the time for the interview. It’s been a real joy catching up with you and seeing your amazing show tonight! Best of luck with the rest of the tour and new album!
Photos appear courtesy of Jade Jadranka.
Special thank you to Anka Cremer (from BWD management) for all her help with the Interview!
BARB WIRE DOLLS – DESPERATE
Released: 22 July 2016
℗ 2016 UDR GmbH
Current BWD line up
Isis Queen – vocals
Pyn Doll – lead guitar
Krash Doll – drums
Iriel Blaque – bass
Remmington – rhythm guitar
Tracklisting:
1. Drown
2. Surreal
3. Take Me Home
4. Heart Attack
5. Desperate
6. Blind to Your Misery
7. I Will Sail
8. Darby Crash
9. Problem of the Poet
10. Rhythm Method
Barb Wire Dolls – “Drown” [Official Video] from album ‘Desperate’ (Motörhead Music)
