I know Brazil is a great country for heavy metal. I can't wait to go there and play, we're definitely going to do it, it'll be great.”
Wikimetal (Daniel Dystyler): Hi Mia, how are you? This is Daniel from Brazil.
Mia Coldheart: Hi Daniel.
W (DD): I'm here with Nando, we're the hosts of the biggest heavy metal and hard rock podcast in Brazil. It's great to have you on our show, we're very excited about all the work you've done, releasing the two previous albums, and now with the new album that's coming out, we're very excited. Welcome to Wikimetal.
MC: Thank you, thank you.
W (Nando Machado): Hi Mia, how are you?
MC: Hi, I'm great, and you?
W (NM): I'll start with the questions, what were the biggest influences that led you to start playing guitar? And to sing in a rock band?
MC: I started playing guitar because of Grunge music, I discovered Nirvana, and when I was about thirteen they were everything to me. From the beginning, they were my first guitar heroes. For some people, it might seem unusual for a guitarist to start that way, but for me it was Kurt Cobain, and Nirvana was the biggest thing. And after a while, when I started to get better, I started listening to bands like Megadeth, for example, and I also love Alice in Chains, Jerry Cantrell was also a big influence. And for Crucified Barbara, I think the band didn't have any special influence, I think we all liked different kinds of bands and music. All kinds of genres, not just metal and rock.
W (DD): And what about those famous girl bands, like Girlschool or The Runaways, did they play any role in the formation of the band?
MC: No, actually no. I think we all started because of Nirvana, in the different parts of Stockholm where we came from, before we met, everyone grew up listening to that kind of music, so we started as a grunge band. But for me, I think, female artists… The band Phantom Blue was… There’s an album called “Built to Perform” that I discovered and really liked. And Swedish bands… “Drain” was very important to me when I started playing.
W (DD): And Gigi is the vocalist of Phantom Blue, if I'm not mistaken…
MC: Yes, exactly. And when I started listening to Phantom Blue, I wasn't a singer yet, I was paying attention to the guitars, but when I heard her sing, I thought: "My God, I want to sing too!". I didn't sing at that time, but I had the desire to sing at that time, when I heard her.
W (NM): We have a listener, one of our biggest fans, who is also a big fan of Crucified Barbara, and he just sent us a question. Sweden and Northern Europe are very well known for their high quality of life, in relation to respect for human rights and equal rights for women. Does this also apply to your daily activities as a musician in a heavy metal band?
MC: Yes, in a way, because you're encouraged to play… We have the opportunity to play an instrument, no matter if you're a boy or a girl. It's quite rare for a girl to play rock, but it's not strange, and it's not more difficult. I think it's also difficult to be a girl here, because some people also have prejudices, some people think that girls don't know how to play, and if it's you playing on the album… I think we've been playing for twelve years, we already have a reputation here in Sweden and in the rest of Europe, so it's hard to say, because we've never had problems, we just play and have fun. I think it's probably easier in Scandinavia than in many other countries, for sure.
I started playing guitar because of Grunge music, I discovered Nirvana, and when I was about thirteen years old they were everything to me.”
W (DD): We loved the musical direction you took in 2009 when you released the album “Till Death Do Us Party”. Is the new album, “The Midnight Chase”, in the same direction?
MC: I think the new album… I think it’s the best album we’ve ever made. I’m very happy with all the songs, and I think we’ve grown as songwriters and musicians. I think we’ve written better songs, and I think the sound is better on this album. Now we have our own amplifiers and drums, all the equipment, we really like it, so it’s great to use it on the album. We didn’t have our own equipment on the last album, so it’s a gain, it’s better than the others, I think the songs are better, definitely.
W (DD): Excellent. We are very much looking forward to hearing the new album.
MC: And I think we haven't changed our musical direction, I think it's still like a mix… I think our sound is a mix between metal and rock, and it continues to be that, but a little better, I hope.
W (DD): We have a classic question on our show that we ask all our interviewees: imagine you're listening to the radio on a rock station, driving your car or whatever, or listening to your iPod or MP3 player on shuffle, and suddenly a song starts playing that makes you lose your mind and start headbanging immediately, no matter where you are, you can't contain yourself. What song would that be, so we can listen to it on our show now?
MC: I don't know if it's a spontaneous answer, but it would be "The Book of Heavy Metal" by Dream Evil.
W (DD): Very well. Would you mind announcing this song?
MC: Okay. You're listening to "The Book of Heavy Metal" by Dream Evil!
W (DD): I'd like to know why you think Sweden has so many good metal bands? And if Swedish bands remain friendly with each other, supporting each other, do you spend time together?
MC: Yes, we spend time together, and it's a good atmosphere. In different parts of Sweden there are different types of heavy metal, so we get to hear what other bands are playing. I think if a band is successful and starts to grow, more people want to play, you know, young people want to form their own bands, they want to do the same. So I think for every band that is successful, new bands are formed. And we have a very good music scene here in Sweden, you are encouraged to play, you can play instruments in public schools, and… It's difficult to find rehearsal spaces, but even so, there are organizations that help young people form bands and play live… So, I think it's a mix of all of that.
W (NM): Mia, you're confirmed to play at this year's "Sweden Rock Festival". What does that mean to you, and what has been the highlight of your career?
MC: This will be the fourth time we're playing… We've played there three times in the last year, and one of those times was one of our best shows, five years ago… I think it was in 2006. We were unlucky, we were going to play at noon and we didn't think anyone would be awake at that hour, but when we got on stage, it was packed, ten thousand people, all screaming, and it was a surprise. So it was a great moment, and of course, we were very happy because so many people were there to support us and sing our songs… We've done many incredible things, this was one of them… A great memory.
W (DD): And how was your participation in the “Eurovision Song Contest” in Sweden? It was probably a lot of fun.
MC: Yes, it was a lot of fun. At first, we were unsure if we wanted to participate. They asked us if we wanted to play our songs, and we said, "Well, I don't know if this is for us, because we already have our fans, it could even be detrimental to our reputation to participate in this," because it's not really well regarded to participate in the "Eurovision Song Contest" if you're a rock band. But we decided it would be fun because we didn't have anything planned at that time, and we had already played a lot and done other things, so we thought that the people who liked us would continue to like us after this, and the people who didn't like us, they wouldn't like us anyway, so… It was a really cool experience, we had fun, there was a lot of press, a lot of media, and playing for hundreds and thousands of people isn't a bad thing, so it was a great experience.
And we have a very good music scene here in Sweden, you are encouraged to play, you can play instruments in public schools.”
W (NM): Mia, can you choose a song from Crucified Barbara that you're very proud to have written, so we can listen to it on the show?
MC: Maybe you could play our new single “Into The Fire”. Do you want me to announce it?
W (DD): Yes, that would be great.
MC: Okay, here's our new single, "Into The Fire." Enjoy!
W (DD): That was “Into The Fire.” You guys released a really cool video for that song on your website. And we recommend that our listeners buy Crucified Barbara’s new album, “The Midnight Chase.” Do you plan to release any more videos from that album?
MC: Yes, we want to release a lot of videos because we haven't made many in the past, and I think... I love watching videos from other bands, so I get a lot of ideas for almost every song, I create the videos in my head, so I hope we make many more videos.
W (DD): Mia, that's a funny question, but I'm curious: right at the beginning of the song "Creatures" from your last album, did you record that kind of crying sound that turns into a scream, or did someone else do it?
MC: No, I do everything. I try to do it live, but sometimes I get a terrible headache when I do it, so I have to bend down for a few moments… No, I do it myself.
W (NM): Mia, what do you know about Brazilian heavy metal?
MC: I know it's a great country for heavy metal, we have a lot of support on our website. I can't wait to go there and play, we're definitely going to do it, it's going to be great.
W (NM): Do you know any Brazilian bands, any all-female bands, or bands that have women in them? There are some really good ones here.
MC: No, I don't know any all-female bands, could you recommend one?
W (NM): Yes, there's a Nervosa call that's really good. We can send you some links if you'd like.
MC: Yes, that would be great, for sure.
W (DD): Mia, what would you say to a girl who is thinking about starting a band or pursuing a career as a singer? What advice would you give her?
MC: I would say: go for it. I think it can be harder for girls… For me, for example, it didn't matter if I played with boys or girls, but I think it's a lot of fun to have an all-girl band, because it's a special feeling. I imagine it's the same for boys who play with other boys… The problem is that it can be very difficult to find good band members if you're alone at school, for example, to find other girls who play. But don't wait to find the perfect band members. I think you should start playing with people who want to play with you, even if it's not the same kind of music you like. Just play, because you have to practice and improve. And as you promote yourself, you start getting gigs and meeting other people and making contacts. And that's how you find the band you wanted, after a while. You can't just sit at home dreaming about the perfect band; you have to go out, meet people, play with many different people.
We didn't have our own equipment on the last album, so this is an improvement. I think the songs are definitely better.”
W (NM): We're wrapping up our interview, Mia, thank you so much for your time, first of all. Could you leave one last message for all the Brazilian fans, all the Wikimetal fans?
MC: Yes, Crucified Barbara can't wait to come to Brazil, we've been in Sweden for a long time. I hope you like the new album, and we hope to see you on tour.
W (DD): Excellent, Mia, thank you so much for your time, you were very kind. You can count on Wikimetal to promote Crucified Barbara here in Brazil, we will do everything we can.
MC: Great, thank you.
