Anyone who has read my reviews of The Iron Maidens will know that they are by far my favorite tribute band. It was not only a thrill to get some questions answered by these talented ladies, but they also took some time to give us some great answers and made this an enjoyable and informative read.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Enjoy...
D-Day: How did the Iron Maidens get started? Did you
guys meet up and play a little bit of everything at
first and just "clicked" during the Maiden songs, or
was this a conscious effort from the start?
LINDA: It was definitely a conscious decision made from the start to play only Maiden. There were no female tribute bands to Iron Maiden around so we wanted to be the first, not to mention we all love Iron Maiden's music! We actually met up by chance on my end when my guitarist from a previous band and I were scouting out bass players and met these girls who were looking for a guitar player and a drummer to play Maiden. People love Maiden and also don't seem to mind watching sweaty women play Maiden too, so it's a winning combination. :-)
WANDA - Everyone in the band had already known each other through playing in bands together or through friends and acquaintances. One day, one of us decided it would be fun to form an all-girl tribute to Iron Maiden and approached the rest of us. Coincidentally, Iron Maiden just happened to be a favorite band for all of us so we all thought it would be a lot of fun.
The band was started out as just a fun project but after the first few gigs, we started getting calls from many clubs throughout the US. This project now keeps us pretty busy!
SARA - Yeah, i'd just moved back to L.A. in 2000 and there were lots of tribute bands gigging and looking for players. I seen some guys play Maiden at HOB and was like - I can play better than that - WTF - sacriledge! The next week I heard there were other female musicians who felt the same way I did about Iron Maiden - that first rehearsal certainly clicked and was so much fun - I believe we played Hallowed and Trooper. Now our list has grown to over 50!
Aja: I was drawn to this project especially because that it was all females playing this powerful music. I wasn't really interested in doing a tribute per se but I couldn't resist the opportunity to be a part of this band. It's the most fun I've ever had - at least while standing up!
D-Day: Aja has the stage name of "Bruce Chickinson", but do you play D'ianno - era songs as well?
LINDA: We definitley play Di'Anno era songs! Those are some of my personal favorites! I don't think it wouldn't be much of a Maiden tribute without playing some of those old early classic masterpieces.
WANDA - Yes.
SARA - The Di'Anno songs add a much needed punk vibe to the prog of the later years.
Aja: Even Bruce sings the Di'Anno era songs! Those first 2 albums are an important part of the band's history and our show wouldn't be complete without them. I don't take the kind of liberties with the melodies and phrasing that Bruce does, though occasionally I'll throw in a Bruce-ism just for laughs and to see who's paying attention.
D-Day: I think I read somewhere that you even have an Eddie mascot. Is it a female version?
LINDA: We have both! Eddie and Edwina! Edwina is our own original monster created by Derek Riggs on the cover of our CD. He was inspired by Paris Hilton to draw her. Hee hee.
Aja: Paris Hilton as dead and decaying corpse, that is!
WANDA - Derek Riggs made a female monster just for us. She is "Eddie-like" in appearance and her name is Edwina.
SARA - Sometimes she'll come onstage at the end of our set with Eddie - smiling like a banshee!
D-Day: Do you have any albums out or soon to be out that you'd like to tell us about?
LINDA: Just our own! LOL! We are out promoting our current full-length studio tribute CD to Iron Maiden, which is the very first of its kind to be recorded entirely by one group.....of women! It's self-titled, "The Iron Maidens" just like Iron Maiden's first release was self-titled. How appropriate, ya? You can pick up a copy from our website store http://www.theironmaidens.com/store/store.html or at any of our live shows. We will be recording another one sooner than later but that's about all I can say on that for now. You can sign up for all the latest news on our website at www.theironmaidens.com and you'll never miss a thing!! We are also icluded on a release by Century Media's Liquor and Poker records which is a compilation of all female tribute bands from around the globe (though most are from Los Angeles, California!) called "Girls Got Rhythm". Check it out!
WANDA - Because so many people were requesting CDs at shows, we finally decided to make one. Here are a couple facts Maiden fans might be interested in: the CD was recorded at Silvercloud Recording Studio where Bruce Dickinson did some recording.We recorded Classic Maiden tunes and Derek Riggs did the artwork.
SARA - Yeah, we put alot of love into our tribute CD - do check it out!
Aja: It was a great experience recording in the same studio where Bruce created his most important solo records. We're all very proud of the result. I do have a solo CD, Modern Babylon. It's available on my website: www.ajakim.com It's quite different from my work with the Maidens - with more of a Rock/Soul/World vibe to it.
D-Day: People can see the show schedules on your sites that I'll link on this interview. Does The Iron Maidens keep you all busy most of the time, or do you have some other projects that you'd also like to tell us about?
WANDA - In addition to the Maidens, I freelance as an independent musician pretty extensively for various different projects or groups. My last gig was with the Marina Del Rey Symphony Orchestra (on upright bass). Im also a regular member of the South Coast Symphony in Southern California.
LINDA: I have other projects aside from The Iron Maidens, though I try to book around the band schedule, sometimes we still have down time due to others people's commitments. That's when I play with Sara in our female tribute to Ozzy called The Little Dolls (www.thelittledolls.com) or do some recording with other people or fill in on live shows with other bands. Check out www.meldrum.nu and http://www.alfiecarina.com.ar, some of my pals I work with aside from the Maidens when time permits
SARA - Oh yeah, the ozzy tribute is alot of fun! Linda and I gig out with that and I do alot of writing at home also. I'm looking forward to releasing some solo material soon too.
Aja: Currently I'm working on some new songs for my 2nd solo record which will probably be quite different from the first. Definitely heavier. I'll probably play some shows eventually, too. I'll keep ya posted! ;-P
D-Day: What's been the craziest moment or moments that you've experienced on stage?
LINDA: When we played in Spokane in 2005 and the power kept going out and we kept having to stop and continue the songs (kinda like Ozzfest!). Finally when it went out again for like the 4th time, this time during "2 Minutes to Midnight", I just kept playing in hopes that the power would come back and we wouldn't have to stop again, but then the entire audience started singing along really loud with just the drums and we took it up to the guitar solo section just them and the drums! It was so amazing! That was the same show that we invited Motorhead to and Phil and Lemmy ended up coming by and Phil sat in on "The Trooper" with us. :-)
WANDA - I think the craziest show we ever played was in Nevada,opening up for Danzig, because there were so many people there. We also have lots of good stories from the road. One of our more memorable road trips included a visit from Motorhead. We were both touring in Washington at the time and the girls and I had a show that fell on one of Motorheads off nights. Lemmy and Phil showed up and Phil sat in with us for a song. That was really cool.
SARA - Our first tour was in Washington - holy shit that was a crazy first show! People, drinks, CO2 hoses, cigs - all flying through the air. That was the first boot licking too.
Aja: All those shows were incredibly memorable - but last year we played to a record breaking crowd at the Galaxy Theater in Santa Ana. The place was PACKED! Not only did Lemmy of Motorhead introduce the band that night along with Phil burning it up with us again on guitar but my mom was here for a visit. She'd never seen me perform live or been to a metal concert before. She loved it! It was her birthday so I asked the audience to "Scream for my mother!!" and SCREAM they did - it was so loud it hurt my ears!! Insane!
D-Day: What are some of your favorite songs to perform?
Which ones seem to get the biggest reaction from the crowds?
WANDA - A couple of my favorites are Phantom of the Opera and Powerslave. The classic Maiden songs seem to get the biggest reaction from the crowds.
LINDA: 2 Mintues to Midnight, Revelations, Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. They all have such a rollercoaster ride of feelings iinterspersed throughout the songs, I just love performing these!
SARA - The Number Of The Beast is always action packed - that's when the the flames come on, the CO2 blasts, and the devil comes out. My personal fav is Die With Your Boots On cuz it's got great energy and one of the first songs I sat down to really learn all the way through when I was
Aja: All of the above along with Flight of Icarus - the crowd grooves so hard on that one. There's never been a lukewarm reaction from a Maiden fan! On a personal note I just love singing Rime - that one has so many words- 3 full pages of lyrics - but it was, oddly enough, one of the easiest for me to learn. I guess I paid better attention in English class than I thought!
D-Day: Have any of you had the chance to meet any members of the original band?
WANDA - We met Iron Maiden backstage after one of their shows ~ the guys were all really nice and it was an experience we will always remember.
LINDA: Yes, most of us have been fortunate to have met the whole current lineup of Iron Maiden at a meeting arranged throught Michael Kenney, the count on the keyboards live with Maiden as well as Steve Harris' bass tech. He brought us all backstage and one by one the Maiden men came out to meet their female counterparts. Hee hee! God, was that nervewracking!!! They were all so very kind and seemed a bit amused with the idea of a bunch of girls playing their tunes. I have also been lucky to have met Clive Burr many many years ago too at the London airport. I was given the opportunity to thank him for inspiring me to play the drums to begin with. He was really sweet.
SARA - Yes, Michael Kenney hooked me up with the grand tour! Before the show I met Dave's tech who gave me the ins and outs of all his equipment and guitars, plus I got to strum a couple too. We swapped picks afterwards, hehhe, maybe a couple of mine made it to Dave's collection as well! The whole Maiden camp is too cool, family and friends, all stoked that girls play Iron Maiden!
Aja: I've only met Nicko but Wanda and I got to jam with him on the Trooper and Wrathchild, so that was pretty cool. He's a funny guy- said Wanda has better gams than Steve and that he'd much prefer to look at my butt instead of Bruce's. Such a riot he was!
D-Day: From what I've heard so far, you are all very talented. Has the thought ever occurred to you to maybe start an original band together? What would be your reasons to either do it or not do it?
LINDA: It would be silly not to think about that. Reasons to do it are because we all get along wonderfully, and have similar musical taste and are at a good level of playing to make some good music together! Some of us have already started working on some stuff but I don't know if it would be considered a separate original band as opposed to just writing cool shit together. ;-P
SARA - Oh yeah, we mess around with stuff all the time. We've all done the original band thing before, and currently TIMs are a big time sucker. We'll see what the future brings tho!
WANDA - We've been discussing the idea of putting something original together because we all enjoy writing music and, based on the crowds that show up to hear us play, it seems like there is a demand for women who can competently play this type of music. However, timing has been an issue: between The Iron Maidens and everyone else's side projects, it has been hard for everyone to find the time to set aside to do anything else.
Aja: A lot of the fans have been asking us the same question and to play original music with these women would be amazing and so much fun! So, if it's meant to be, it'll happen. We'll see which way the hand of fate is moving!
D-Day: Let's say that The Iron Maidens are approached by a sweaty, touchy-feely club promoter who promises your biggest payday ever if the entire band plays while wearing only g-strings. Would the band:
a) Make plans for that big screen TV and start tuning the instruments.
b) Sacrifice a perfectly good guitar by smashing it over his head.
c) Politely decline.
d) Say, "Dude, it's hot as Hell and we were planning on doing it anyway."
WANDA - C.
SARA - Oi, none of the above. That sounds like a job for Edwina since she's already rockin our g string on the cover of our CD.
LINDA: I already have a big screen TV! LOL! I'd kick him in the balls and tell him to go fuck himself and then play an energized set!
Aja: I'd make him pay us in advance in cash and THEN kick him in the balls and go play the show -fully clothed!
D-Day: Do you have groupies?
WANDA - Sometimes...
LINDA: I think we all do, but they are so polite and well-mannered. It's weird but very sweet at the same time.
Aja: Yea, most of the fans are really cool but a few can and have gone over the top. Every once in while you get the errant freakazoid who thinks your life won't be complete without a full frontal nudie pic of him...ewwww, gross!
SARA - Hey, we're all Iron Maiden groupies!
D-Day: What has been your biggest or proudest moment so
far as a band?
WANDA - It's hard to pinpoint only one event because we've had a lot of special moments: we've met Iron Maiden, played for our military over in Japan, played for very large crowds, etc.,. We've been very lucky in that respect.
LINDA - Inspiring young kids to play music, especially this kind of music.
SARA - Being in Guitar World 3 times!
Aja: A long time Iron Maiden fan came up to me once after a show and said he was blown away by our band because he got the same feelings inside from our performance that he gets when he sees the real Iron Maiden in concert. That sums it all up for me.
D-Day: A question that I've often asked (in various ways) and get a large range of answers for: If you get a million hits for your songs online but only sell 100 albums, how would that make you feel? Would it affect the way you offer your music?
SARA - Well, because we're a tribute band it wouldn't really change our direction. People hearing our tunes online is a great exposure
LINDA - Ya, that would suck huh. I'd have to complain to our manager. Hee hee hee.
WANDA - I would think it was cool that we got a million hits but I would wonder why we weren't selling more CDs. The girls and I would need to figure out why the number of hits don't match the number of people who buy our CD and see what we could do to fix the problem ~ this, in turn, would probably affect the way we offer our music .
Aja: Nah, cuz if they're hittin' us online chances are we'd see them at the shows and sell the CD to them there!! ;-P
D-Day: Saxon or Diamond Head?
LINDA: SAXON, unless you're talking about Diamond Head in Oahu! How about Saxon in Diamond Head!!
Aja: Or a Saxon WITH a Diamond Head! OWWWWCH! hahaha!
WANDA - Saxon.
SARA - SAXON - denim and leather!
D-Day: I would imagine that you play in alot of clubs where the alcohol flows freely. Do you run into alot of trouble from overzealous fans?
WANDA - There are people who get a little carried away in a mosh pit or do something crazy (like lick our boots) but I'm okay with it all as long as no one gets hurt.
LINDA: We usually have very well-bahaved audiences. Maiden fans are generally very respectable, intelligent people. Occasionally you get the drunk spitters who spray it instead of saying it (BLEGH!!) or people so jacked up from the music that they almost squeeze your hand off or yank your arm out of the socket when they go to shake your hand. They don't mean any harm, they just get so caught up in the moment, but that means we did our jobs and delivered the music right.
SARA - No, not alot - mostly people come to our shows to hear their favorite song and watch the show.
Aja: Our fans are almost always great - plus I'm a black belt in Shotokan Karate so I'm not too worried about it.
D-Day: What would be the main goal for The Iron
Maidens?
LINDA: Spreading the love of Iron Maiden with a feminine twist and playing places we could never have imagined while doing so! But most important of all is having a great time doing it.
WANDA -To have fun playing this music that we enjoy to best of our ability.
SARA - Us being female musicians in the world of metal is pretty rare, so carrying that flame in addition to having a killer energized and visual stage show has always been important.
Aja: No big aspirations, just complete and total world domination!
D-Day: Thank you so much for talking with D-Day's Revenge! Any final words?
WANDA - Thanks for the checking us out and supporting metal!
SARA - Great questions - D-Day's Revenge rules!
Aja: Thanks for liking what we do, D-Day! You help us to keep metal music alive! See ya at the show!
Be sure to check out the links mentioned above!!
