02/22/07
Dan-Zig
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One of the newest bands on the scene is Mad Marge and the Stonecutters. This band that started in 2004, has made quite a buzz and has had some great opportunities so far from going to Japan with the Rocketz to opening for some well-known bands. They are genuinely a fantastic band with a sound that is different than the typical Psychobilly you might be used to.. This interview was done with Mad Marge herself, the lead singer.
How long has the band been around?
We first got together in August of 2004 and we started to get serious about the beginning of 2005.
Not that long ago you lost your bass player. Who is on the bass now?
Yes, Edgar decided to leave the band to focus on his family. A few months after that our drummer, Dan, the passion, also decided to leave for the same reasons. We recruited Matt Salamanca to play the bass and Pumba on drums. It was a big change for us but we are doing great.
What kind of scene is there in the desert?
Scene? In the desert? Ha! What's funny is as much as this place is growing there are still no 'scenes'. We do well here because there are a lot of punk rockers and younger kids that are deprived of music, but all in all there aren't many bands to have a scene. We've also been lucky because a lot of people who don't normally go out to shows come to support us. Matt, guitar, and I have lived up here forever so we have a lot of friends that help us spread the word.
If there really isn't a scene in the desert, do you find that people that come necessarily like psychobilly or just live music and what do you think about that?
Most of the people that come to our shows don't know about psychobilly or that it even exists! We've got a lot of punk rock in us and I think that is what brings people out initially. I love the fact that people come to see us and enjoy our sound regardless of our genre classification.
You recently came back from a tour of Japan with the Rocketz. How did that go?
Japan is an unbelievable country. The people are the most hospitable I've ever encountered. We had so much fun with the Rocketz, they have become really good friends of ours and we are so glad they extended the invitation to us. We fit really well together so all the shows were great and lots of fun. Unfortunately I didn't get to see as much as I hoped because I got sick on the flight there!
You said you got sick on the flight over to Japan. Were you sick the whole time?
Yep. Started to feel it on the way to the airport and didn't start feeling better until we got home one week later! What are the odds? The one country I've wanted to visit more than any other and I get the flu. It was rough... but I lived it up anyway!
Who released your CD? When did it come out?
Our CD was released on Baseline Music in October of 2005. We have distribution through Hairball 8 so it is really only available in small record shops. We have had trouble getting the CD out across the country. We are considering adding some additional tracks and possibly some video footage and re-releasing it so we can get wider distribution and more exposure.
How about the next one? Any plans for a new release?
We are finishing up the new songs as we speak, you might have heard some of the new ones we unofficially released as a demo on MySpace. We are planning on going into our studio in February and spending most of the month recording.
You mentioned MySpace. Do you think MySpace helps out the band a lot? You have an actual website for the band, but which is updated more?
MySpace has got to be the greatest tool for any band. It seems like the whole world is on MySpace so it makes it easy to promote shows and spread our name. I also love interacting with fans and people who enjoy our music; it makes it all worthwhile to me.
How many times have you toured in Europe? How different is it from the United States?
We've only been to Europe once; it was a 3-week tour with the Rezurex and the Henchmen. As far as shows and the scene over there it isn't much different. They take psychobilly far more serious though, since that is where it originated. There are a lot of people who only like traditional psychobilly; those people I think found us a hard pill to swallow. But there are a lot that are also very open minded when it comes to music.
Who are some of your favorite bands to play with?
There isn't one band that we haven't enjoyed playing with. We love hearing new bands and watching bands play live. We have become good friends with a few bands but it doesn't make us partial. We like those bands because they are good musicians and make great music.
What are some of your favorite places to play in Southern California?
I love the main stage at the Knitting Factory, there is always killer sound and the stage is nice and big... just how I like it! The Key Club is another favorite of ours.
You seem to have a lot of friends in some bigger name bands like Mad Sin. How influential are they to you and what does it mean to you that they like your band?
Mad Sin in particularly has been quite an influence for our band. Their latest album blew me away and I love how Kofte can be original each time around. It's kind of surreal when a band you've been listening to for years mentions your band’s name, but it's a great feeling.