Interview with Diverje

Diverje is Electro/industrial music with diversity, with a flow and an aggressive energetic edge! We lead... we do not follow! Our LIVE Show kixx major ass too!!
Diverje was started by Tommy T, front-man of DSBP Records, in 1996. The band started as a metal/industrial hybrid and has mutated since to create a powerful Industrial/electronic hybrid unlike those currently found in the popular music circuit. In the Studio, Tommy T creates the many layers of Industrial and electronic rhythms and melodies, as well as providing vocals, programming and production for Diverje’s many releases. On the stage, Diverje is brought to life by Brian botkiller (Stand up electronic drums/ Live Programming), Chris Cannon (guitars), and Krissy Straub (bass). Diverje aims to provide one of the most energetic and entertaining live performances of Industrial music seen on a stage, and delivers on all fronts, having shared the stage with Chemlab, Skinny Puppy, Armageddon Dildos, Imperative Reaction, Hocico, and many other staples of the Industrial and Electronic music world.

Diverje has many releases to its name, including the 2002 release “On Skin”, which was met with great acclaim by the Industrial community, featuring a wealth of dance and harsh industrial tracks to get dance floors moving in songs such as the titular track “On Skin” and the opening “Regret”. The next album, “2:40AM”, features a number of remixes from “On Skin” by some of Industrial’s most well-known acts, including Razed In Black. 2003’s “Amphibian” explores some of the darker and more ambient textures of Industrial as a concept album built around industrial frogs (indeed!). Songs such as “Stronger” and “In2thetrap” explore political and emotionally charged lyrics and sounds unlike that of many Industrial records.
Ladyaslan presents Diverje~

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Do you think Duran Duran deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: HELL YEAH!! They totally do! Such an influential band for the early days of new wave/ electronic/ rock!! They made a huge impact in the 80's for sure!!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell the fans how you came up with the name Diverje? Tell us about yourself and the band?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: the name comes from the desire to diverge from the normal life and what most people do....we do our own thing here, and never follow any rhyme or reason with it...we just do what feels good..
We diverge from the typical path!!

The band was formed by me in 1996.....the lineup changes from album to album with ME as the constant in there, doing vocals, lyrics, programming, and sampling..
on the new album "BURN AWAY' Adam Lane joins me as he did the programming on half the album, and wrote some great collaborations with me..

Vince Pujol, and Josh Wood have both been with me writing songs with DIVERJE for the last few albums and they are both on this one as well as special guests - IVAN(VIGILANTE), BEE(MANGADRIVE), and JESS(COLD DRIVE)..

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What is your favorite Duran Duran song and video?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: My favorite Duran Duran songs - "THE CHAUFFEUR",
"SAVE A PRAYER", "GIRLS ON FILM"....those songs were among the first I heard from them and stand out as my faves!!

For a favorite video of theirs -"HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF", + "UNION OF THE SNAKE"..great videos, and very influential band!!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What's your ultimate direction for your band?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: DIVERJE plans to change up our sounds and styles each release, but with a lot of common ground in there as well..we won't be doing any rap or country music anytime soon, but we like to mix the electronic/ industrial/ rock/ wave/ metal, and noize styles into new combinations often, and we will keep evolving for each release.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What is / was The Distortion Chamber?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi:"The DISTORTION CHAMBER" is the place we escape to when all else fails...when things go bad, relationships end, friendships
dissolve, ...u lock yourself in, turn up the music, and rock the fuck out!!!
We Released "THE DISTORTION CHAMBER" CD in 2005!!it was a very aggressive industrial/metal/ ebm/ dark album which was setting the stage for this album 5 years later....we also released the very popular "STITCHED" CD in 2007 and that album was also very diverse, but featured a good chunk of HARSH EBM/ DANCE INDUSTRIAL songs...

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What contributions do you feel Duran Duran has made to the world of music and fashion and their philanthropist efforts in the past 30 yrs?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: I would say that DURAN DURAN has a good and original style that combined rock songwriting with electronic/new wave sounds, emotion,
and attitude and released some infectious songs and solid albums, especially their first 3 albums. They had a "new romantic" fashion approach and it definitely influenced a generation in the 80's..
New Wave owes a lot to DD for making it a well known style of music.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What Duran Duran song would you like to remake if you could and why?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: "Careless memories" or "friends of mine" would be my faves to cover versions for DIVERJE!
I would do those tracks because they were dark and electronic and I could see them translating well into the ebm/industrial scene...

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about working with the French industrial/electro act E.S.R. Vince Pujol. How did you meet and what was it like to work together?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: Me and Vince met up in the late 90's as his ELECTRO SYNTHETIC REBELLION was a great project and he turned me onto it for CYBERAGE RADIO and for DSBP RECORDS....when DSBP signed him we became close and started working together a lot for his band and DIVERJE as well.
It is great working with him, and we also released another album together..
BIO-MECHANICAL DEGENERATION - "exoskeleton" about 5 years ago..that album is real interesting and we call it SCI-FI ELECTRO MUSIC..

LadyaslanDDTTRH: How would you describe the music/sound of Diverje to new fans who have never heard your music before?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: I would say we are a DIVERSE MIX OF HARSH EBM/ ELECTRO-INDUSTRIAL/DOSES OF METAL/ MACHINE ROCK/ NEW WAVE/NOIZE...

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about your backgrounds. How long have you played in your band? What did you do prior to Diverje?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi DIVERJE has been going strong since 1996...we have collaborated with many other great artists / bands here and hundreds of Live shows...
I was playing in METAL/ DEATH METAL bands for most of my teen and early 20's...then DIVERJE soon after...


LadyaslanDDTTRH: If you could have a sit down with any member of Duran Duran today who would it be and what would be topic of discussion?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: I would talk with Nick Rhodes...about keyboards, programming and what he thinks of today’s electronic/industrial/experimental scene..I would love to work with him on an original song or remix..that would be kick ass!! He seems to the quiet one and less appreciated member of DURAN DURAN, but I think he MAKES the band different from most.


LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about Evil Never Dies what was the genesis of this incredible musical gem?


Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: EVIL NEVER DIES is a song we wrote with a style of old school industrial with lots of guitar, and metal influenced, and then the chorus goes all electro and hardcore sounding...I love how the transitions go in this song, it has a great sound and hard aggressive approach..
the song and video are dedicated to the horror movie characters that are truly sick and evil!!!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: If Diverje could have their pick of one solo artist and one song writer to collaborate with who would you all pick?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: I would have to say DAVID BOWIE, or CLAUS LARSEN...2 of my favorite and most influential artists!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Anything you would like to share with the fans? Tour Dates/American/EU Tour Dates?

Diverje:
Tommy Rapisardi: we will be doing more LIVE SHOWS in the spring and summer..no tours http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifplanned now, that’s a little harder in this day and age when sales for music and shows are down badly..
check out our new CD "BURN AWAY" ONLY $12.00!!
ORDER DIRECTLY FROM THE BAND @
http://www.dsbp.cx
and check out more songs and remixes, and downloads at...
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://www.vampirefreaks.com/DIVERJE
http://www.reverbnation.com/diverje
http://www.facebook.com/diverje
http://www.myspace.com
http://www.dsbp.cx/diverje
http://soundcloud.com/tommy-t-diverje


thanks for your support Ladyaslan! We wish you the best!!

---TommyT---

To learn more about Duran Duran to the Rock Hall and to sign our petition, please visit us at www.ddttrh.info.

From DDTTRH fans #1

We have been receiving letters and photos from fans, which we SO appreciate at DDTTRH. We thought--why not share the Duranie love? Here's a couple of recent samples...We ROCK because of YOU...

Email from Steven in New York:

Hey,

Nice site! Good luck with all your efforts. I’m a huge Duran Duran fan – seen them live like 12 times and have ALL their music. In case you missed it there is a Duran Duran reference on GLEE. The one gay kid (Kirt I think his name is) who leaves to school because he’d being bullied transfers to an all boys school. At that school, as the new kid, he suggests they sound sing Duran Duran’s ‘Hungy Like The Wolf” in their singing group (The Worblers). The D2 reference occured this season (season 2) though not sure the episode name or date.

Hope that helps. I totally remember the Silver Spoons reference and waiting up late to see them perform on LIVE AIDE in 1985. That was the year I started loving Duran. I just got tickets to see them in London in May (a birthday gift to me!)

Enjoy~

Stevenhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
New York, NY

Here's a photo of Cat from Azle, Texas in her new shirt...



To learn more about Duran Duran to the Rock Hall and to sign our petition, please visit us at www.ddttrh.info.

Julie Ann Rhodes supports DDTTRH!!!!

Once married to Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes, a former model and actress, loved by Duranies everywhere, and now owner of the multi-award winning Roving Stove Personal Chef Service in Los Angeles, CA...Julie Ann Rhodes has voiced her support for our effort at DDTTRH! You will now see her name as part of our supporters list under 'Celebrities' at www.ddttrh.info. Go there and see...she is there!

It all happened when Michael, our new DDTTRH representative for Los Angeles, California reached out to Julie Ann and she said she would sign the petition if the introduction was more positive. I (Kirk) changed the intro (as you see it today) and Michael followed up with her. This was her reply...

"From:
Subject: Re: Email for Julie Ann
To: "Michael"
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2011, 1:14 PM

Hi Michael - much better, Yes, do add my name . I tried to submit, but it would not allow me to without giving my address . Best of luck with it, and I sincerely hope the Hall takes recognition. They really do deserve it.

Sincerely,

Jewels"

At DDTTRH we feel honored that Julie Ann has blessed our petition with positiveness and that she supports our cause to promote the induction of Duran Duran to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Here is a nice blog by Julie Ann:
http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//julieannerhodes.com/the-personal-chef-approach/abouthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

To learn more about the Roving Stove:
http://www.therovingstove.com/

A recent article about Julie Ann in the LA Times:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/07/hungry-like-the-wolf-julie-ann-rhodes-goes-from-rock-wife-to-food-fame.html

Julie Ann's interview with half hour meals:
http://www.halfhourmeals.com/food-for-thought/julie-anne-rhodes-get-cooks-organized/

To learn more about DDTTRH and to sign our petition, please visit www.ddttrh.info.

Interview with Pete Ross and the Paesanos

Midnight Show is the new album from Australian born singer- songwriter Pete Ross and the follow-up to his 2009 debut release Six String Suicide. Whereas the latter delivered a somewhat simple narrative in a well-produced package, Midnight Show offers a stark contrast with a comparatively structured message and compelling song writing, offset by a very raw and dynamic sound.

The album was conceived when Beast Records suggested recording an acoustic album for their label. However, in a spiritual sense, the birth of the album could well be attributed to the passing of Pete’s brother Ross, over 10 years ago; the loss of his mother, Josephine, 40 years ago; or perhaps the connection of his new found love and co-writer, Michelle Ward and her recently lost, adopted mother who coincidentally was also named Josephine.

Recorded in Italy, Midnight Show, as reflected in the striking photography of Parisian Demis Courquet-Lesaulnier, concentrates on dark and at times quirky images, such as the opening title track, Midnight Show, suggesting that love is not altruistic; XXXV and Josephine which are both eulogies for their departed; and the hauntingly dramatic, Maybe There Is Love, written by Ross (la prima). Fans of Johnny Cash (American Recordings) and Nick Cave, will undoubtedly be intrigued by this latest work, as will existing lovers of the more country-esque Pete Ross.

Pete, a former guitarist with Dan Brodie & The Broken Arrows, relocated to Europe in 2008 and has been on the road ever since including tours of USA, Europe and Australia. It seems Pete has inherited his wandering spirit from his Italian father, Peter Ciani, who in 1963 immigrated to Australia and made history when he released the first Australian disc sung in Italian and exported through EMI. Pete completed the passage back to Italy and released his debut album through Halidon Music (IT).

In July 2010 he performed at Mirande, one of France's largest country music festivals and in 2009 he made 3 appearances on RAI TV. In 2008 at the Tamworth Country Music Festival (AUS) he was runner-up Aristocrat Country Entertainer of the Year, as well as a finalist at the CCMA song-writing awards.

LADYASLAN PRESENTS PETE ROSS & THE PAESANOS~

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Do you think Duran Duran deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: If it’s good enough for ABBA then it’s good enough for DD

LadyaslanDDTTRH: WOW…so tell us how an Australian born singer records his first solo country / rock album in Milan then mixed in LA and then released soon of a French label (Beast Records ) what was the genesis of this album? Seems quite the surreal and epic journey….

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Hmm…strange huh. Maybe it would have been better if it was recorded in Australia, mixed in France and released on a Milanese label in the USA. Well actually it was recorded in Australia and released in Italy but that is the first album , Six String Suicide that we are talking about.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What is your favorite Duran Duran song and video?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Girls on film. Nice video.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: How have you evolved as an artist and how are you paving your own different road per-say by following in the similar footsteps of your father, Peter Ciani. An iconic 1950s pop star, your father, Ciani, immigrated to Australia in 1963 and made history when he released the first Australian disc sung in Italian and exported worldwide through EMI records. How are you similar to your dad and how do you differ?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: I recall my Dad advising me not to pursue a career in music and it’s possible he may be right. Maybe in 20 years or so I’ll be wishing I had taken his advice. We have fundamentally different musical influences but our need to express ourselves through music is the same. It is the main way we communicate now, through sharing musical ideas.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What contributions do you feel Duran Duran has made to the world of music and fashion in the past 30 yrs?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Colourful fashion.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What Duran Duran song would you like to remake if you could and why?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Hungry like the wolf … I love the do-doo-do, do-doo-dos

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about your debut album Sing String Suicide? How did you come to choose that name for your album and why? Please tell us about the upcoming release of your solo album that shows a darker side of you and your music….and please tell us about the more country-esque second album you plan to release with The Paesanos…quite the busy bee you are*smiles*

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Six String Suicide was recorded in Melbourne and first released in Italy in 2009. A friend of mine in Kuala Lumpur came up with the name and was going to use it for his album and I told him I was going to beat him to it, and I did. I thought the title was quite apt for my first album.

The upcoming release of the solo album is through Beast Records in France and will be out in January 2011 on a special edition vinyl, and later on CD. My partner Michelle collaborated on writing the album.

When I went back to Australia last year to release Six String Suicide I toured with a 9-piece band, and from that came the idea to record a big band country rock and roll album. We begin recording the album straight after the current northern Europe tour, with a planned release for early next year, after the solo album comes out.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about the music/melody involved in the song A Thousands Miles Away ( sang in Italian and English )? *GREAT song by the way~one of MANY FAVES for Ladyaslan!

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: The song is a story about a father thinking he knows best and trying to give advice to his son, and the son wanting to go his own way. Dad and I wrote and recorded the song when he came to visit one Christmas. At the time I had a studio out the back of the house and with the help of some friends we laid the song down, actually four years before I recorded the album.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: If you could have a sit down with any member of Duran Duran who would it be and what would be topic of discussion?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Not sure so many to choose from

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What was it like to play in Nashville; a short set at the French Quarter Café in East Nashville? What was your experience in Huntsville at the Voodoo Lounge? Who is Dylan LeBlanc? Would you do a show with him again in the future?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Nashville was great as were most of the cities we played. Dylan’s a great singer/songwriter and yes it could happen.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: If you could sing a duet with one band and one solo artist; who would you pick?

Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Tenacious D and Tom Jones…at the same time!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Anything you would like to share with your fans?http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
Pete Ross & The Paesanos: Sorry this took so long to finish J

TO FOLLOW PETE ROSS & THE PAESANOS:
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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Proteamusic?sk=wall#!/PeteRossAndThePaesanos and the

NEW FB page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pete-Ross/188976734483721

Web Page: http://www.peterosslive.com/PeteRoss.html

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/peterosslive
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You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/peterosslive MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/peterosslive



To discover more about DDTTRH and to sign our petition, please visit us at www.ddttrh.info.

Interview with Protea

Protea is Serena Toxicat's thorny, sharp-clawed, 21st century brainchild. She recommends that you enjoy a tincture of this mysterious flower in a cozy dungeon with a crystal divinatory pendulum and a cup of catnip tea.
This intensely personal, dark experimental project has grown to include a small constellation of guest musicians in the electronic idiom, including Tara Ntula of Static Reflex, ARP drone artist Matt Azevedo of Retribution Body, thereminist Joey D'Kaye (once-bassist for Crime, the early American punk band from San Francisco), and Toxicat's divine felines.
Its manifestation into form has come about through technologies of varying strata, from low budget to high end, and has never included any stock loops or sounds, rather sounds capes crafted from found aural sources.
A priestess of Bast, Sekhmet and Isinephthys ordained in the Fellowship of Isis at Isis Oasis temple and ocelot sanctuary, Serena celebrates the Ancient Egyptian pantheon with gnosis and devotion in a matrix of ether and artful noise.
Since the release of The Osiris Tree one winter solstice, Protea has been featured on several compilations and has just released a second full-length album, Going Forth by Night.
Sa Sakhem Sahu. Ama Iset. Em hotep. Mau Bast! Mau Bast! Mau Bast!
Discography:
Dec 21, 2006 - final version of The Osiris Tree, Protea's debut album
Aug 12, 2008 - Protea's 'Little Drummer Boy' came out on machineKUNT's compilation, Extreme Women in the Dark Future.
Oct 27, 2009 - Out on Two Gods (UK) and Wax Trax II (US): Wrapped in the Guise of My Friend, an Attrition cover album. Protea contributed, 'Into the Waves.
July 1, 2010 - Out on Shinto's experimental compilation, Torture Garden, is Protea's song, 'Mau Bast.
October 29, 2010 - Out on machineKUNT's compilation, Sanity Is Slavery (DISC 3, digital), is Protea's track, 'Anansi.'
Coming out soon on a CD that will be published as a companion to Spider's Web magazine: Protea's track, 'Pet the Manul, Bitch!'
A track on the 'Music for the Rising Sun' Japan relief compilation will be coming out shortly.
Coming out soon on a compilation called SEPTEM-THE SEVEN LUMINARIES, a track in conjunction with Verney 1826. TBA
Due for release at some auspicious date this year: Night of the Teardrop, Protea's third full-length album
Serena is (or has been) involved in other projects and collaborations which are not necessarily listed under the name, Protea. (See: STARCHASM, Catbox Theory, Knwell/Casa De Orates, Attrition, Crimson Ivy, Mourning for the Disease, Static Reflex, and more)
Festivals:
How to Destroy the Universe 2009
Skronkathon 2009
Conflux Dark Arts 2008 and 2009
Influences:
Toxicat's kitties, the deities of the Ancient Egyptian pantheon, the multiverse, The Harmonic Convergence, Unity Consciousness, the Buddha’s, Bodhisattvas, Ferocious Deities, Devas, Dharma Protectors, Dakas and Dakinis, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Edie Sedgwick, peak experiences, various dark experimental legends in human form, including Diamanda Galas, Nick Cave, Duran Duran, Kate Bush, Liz Fraser, Leonard Cohen, Blixa Bargeld, Siouxsie, Exene Cervenka, Bjork, Shirley Manson, Joy Division, New Order, Nina Hagen, Issa, Buffy Sainte-Marie, David Bowie, Meredith Monk, Coil, Throbbing Gristle, Legendary Pink Dots, Nico, Edith Piaf, Antony, Tim Buckley, This Mortal Coil, Klaus Nomi, Dave Byrne, throat singers of Tuva, so many of the CMI, Projekt, Wax Trax and 4AD label artists, and countless other living channels of the divine aural element~*

Ladyaslan PrESenTs PROTEA~

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Do you think Duran Duran deserve to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: Well, yeah. I’m surprised they aren’t already. At this rate Kajagoogoo will beat ‘em to it. J

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell the fans how you came up with the name Protea? Tell us about yourself and your affiliation with MachineKUNT? ( I have interviewed quite a few artists from machineKUNT )

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: I come from a family of florists and it is my absolute favorite flower - velvety, monstrous, unpredictable and sort of hungry looking. The Greek god Proteus, for whom it is named, could change his appearance at will. Proteas also take very different forms and are indigenous to many regions. My project reflects this musical metamorphism.

I knew Rachel Haywire from another website and saw an open call she put out for the first machineKUNT compilation, Extreme Women in the Dark Future. I submitted The Osiris Tree to her for review and she selected Little Drummer Boy to kick off the comp, as she liked its martial feel.

A track from our latest release, Going Forth by Night, is on the digital companion to MK’s latest comp, Sanity Is Slavery.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What is your favorite Duran Duran song and video?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: Song - Save A Prayer.

Video - Girls on Film, and I can appreciate it so much more now than I could then!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about being ordained with ordained in the Fellowship of Isis at Isis Oasis temple and the Ocelot sanctuary…

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: I was introduced to Isis Oasis about 15 years ago through a Sekhmet priestess who loved cats as much as I do. About ten years after I met Loreon, her ocelots, servals and other felines, her priestesses and a few priests, I decided I was ready to serve the F.O.I. community. It seemed like Bast and Sekhmet felt that way, too. Cats tried to nurse from me for a while after my ordination, which transpired with an ocelot in my arms. I was so touched and humbled when a girl decided to become a priestess after she read our MySpace and saw me perform at Conflux. Now I have a Bast temple in Oakland.

Tara Ntula: how would I know

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What contributions do you feel Duran Duran has made to the world of music and fashion and their philanthropist efforts in the past 30 yrs?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat:

Style, panache, innovation... Compare them with the boy bands of the 90’s and the answer becomes evident. They certainly changed my life in high school. I would have sold my left nut to go out for coffee with them had I a pair. When Simon's voice cracked the stadium went wild.

While they were no Adam Ant, new-romantically speaking, I’d totally still rock the military epaulette and striped shirt look. And that hair? Shut. Up! Neon recently came back in fashion. Hell, even the baffling parachute pant made a quick return. Who else has had that kind of influence on a society? Jesus Christ? Michael Jackson? As far as the philanthropist efforts, I think many would be surprised to learn that it’s not all high profile awareness-raising concerts in exotic places filmed for prime time. They donate Tsunami relief funds to reputable foundations. The more of that the better, imo, and...way to set the example!

LadyaslanDDTTRH: What Duran Duran song would you like to remake if you could and why?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: I’m going to have to go with Save a Prayer again. It’s just really Protea - a metaphysical ballad I could totally Bast up.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: How would you describe the music/sound of Protea to new fans who have never heard your music before?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: Aw, jeez, do ya have to go and ask that? It's probably within the framework of ritual ambient. I call it Black Catwave.

Tara Ntula: catatonic

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Tell us about your background….How long have you been playing? What did you do prior to Protea?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: I was in a Spanish house band called Gypsy Caravan 15 years ago, then a crazy gypsy Goth touring cult thing called Apocalypse Theatre, then a strings outfit called Ephemeral Orchestra I headed with an ex-Nuns member... I’ve done all kinds of art and performance from acting to playwriting and poetry readings to fashion modeling to painting to dancing in SF and Paris. Tara played bass in a band called Vague, among others.

Tara Ntula: I was born on a mountain, raised in a cave...

LadyaslanDDTTRH: If you could have a sit down with any member of Duran Duran today who would it be and what would be topic of discussion?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: I’m going to say Nick. And it may be a cop-out, but I’d let him pick the subject. He’s the legend. I might ask this binary question, though: Diamanda Galas or Nina Hagen? And hopefully exchange a few words on cool female theoretical physicists like Lisa Randall.

LadyaslanDDTTRH: If Protea could have their pick of one solo artist and one song writer to collaborate with who would you all pick?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: Diamanda Galas, Autarky

Tara Ntula: Madonna, jack dangers

LadyaslanDDTTRH: Anything you would like to share with the fans? Tour Dates/American/EU Tour Dates?

Protea aka Serena Toxicat: It’s been pretty much gig-to-gig at this point. 3 scheduled shows at a time, max. I so want to tour again. Have done a couple cross-country ones here in the US. The tour with Switchblade Symphony kicked ass! My novella, Evangeline and the Drama Wheel, would probably give you a decent impression of how it went down. The head of a well established UK act proposed a tour many months back, but it was more like an idea he’d thrown out with no follow-up. As far as bands from that side of the pond, I wouldn’t mind a tour with Imprint. Here? Laurie Anderson. (Yeah, I can dream big.) Not too long a stint, though. My Siamese would not stand for it.
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TO FOLLOW PROTEA:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Proteamusic?sk=wall

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/proteamusic

ReverbNation: http://www.reverbnation.com/protea

The Leopards are here!!!!

Leopards are here at DDTTRH! In a partnership we've created with the Snow Leopard Trust which helps endangered snow leopards in Mongolia, we are offering you the chance to help us invade the Rock Hall with leopards! Go to 'www.ddttrh.info' and click the 'Send a Leopard to the Rock Hall' link to learn more! 100% of proceeds goes towards the saving of leopards.

NOW spill our secret!



in conjunction with the...