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Interview with Lizzy Borden
By Metal Mark October 2007
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Vocalist Lizzy Borden formed the band of the
same name in the early 1980’s in LA. The band quickly signed to Metal
Blade and released several albums during that decade. They also
appeared in the film “Decline of Western Civilization 2: The Metal
Years”. Lizzy returned in 2000 with “Deal with the Devil” and a
subsequent tour. Now Lizzy is back with a new album called
“Appointment with Death”.
The new album “Appointment with Death” is due out October 30th. It’s a
concept album about “Death”. Can you tell us more about the concept
and how the idea came about?
I don't call them concept records really, I call them theme based
records, the theme for Appointment with Death is, basically I'm
playing death and my version of death seeps through all the songs
binding them all together. The songs all connect together with the
central theme being, death.
This is the first Lizzy Borden album in seven
years. How is it different or similar from your previous releases?
This is the first record we've done as a band unit since 1987, I did
Master of Disguise and Deal With The Devil just bringing musicians in.
But we wrote as a band for this album and I think it's a continuation
and a few steps further from where we left off on Deal With The Devil
as far as where I want to take the band sonically, and I'm very
excited and happy about the way it turned out. And the fact that we
did it as a band and it still sounds like a traditional Lizzy Borden
record is a great tribute to sticking to the original plan all the way
through the project with everyone having the same goal.
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The band has a new look for this
album. Does it fit in with the concept of the album or
did you just feel that it was time for a change?
Yes we worked with a guy named Ralis Kahn and he
designed the look of the band as well as the album
cover, so yes this does fit the concept and the theme of
the record and will be part of the live stage show
coming up on the appointment with death tour.
I understand that you will be
playing the character of “Death” in your stage show for
this tour. Will there be other characters involved in
the stage show?
I am playing death in the new show, and now the band is
as much a part of the show as I am each one in
character. It's great to have the band be part of the
show now more than ever before. I can’t wait for
everyone to get a load of us.
What kind of tour do you have
planned so far?
We’re starting out on the east coast in the U.S. doing
some CD release party dates on and around Halloween. We
are also looking for that elusive support slot that
would introduce us to a whole new audience. But we do
plan to launch a headlining tour sometime in the middle
of 2008.
You have a number of guest
musicians on the new album. Did you |
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write the album with the idea of
getting guests to play on the songs or did you just
recruit people later?
We’ve been using special guests since the Terrorizing EP
in 1987. So it's something we like to do. So we just asked
some of our friends to come in and have fun with the songs
that we wrote and bring something new that we hadn't
thought of, and it worked out great. I love having guest
musicians, it's like the frosting on the cake.
How is new guitarist Ira Black
working out? Does he bring anything different to the band?
We auditioned a lot of different players and Ira was the
last to come in. He was a fan of Lizzy Borden and was very
familiar with our material, so when he came in he was the
perfect guy. He added so much to the old material and when
we started writing the new album he came in with quite a
lot of ideas that were perfectly suited for a Lizzy Borden
record in 2007.
Was Starwood a one time project or
will there be another album at some point?
Starwood is a project, but we've already recorded the next
record and it's almost done. I just have to put the
finishing touches on it and we will release it sometime
next year. It’s a much better record than the first one
and I can't wait for everyone to hear it.
You have had this band on and off
since the early 1980’s. How has your approach to your
music changed over the years?
You become a better songwriter; you learn what works for
you and what does not work. But every record I learn
something new, I haven't made it to the status quo yet, I
hope one day I can just churn these records out but right
now it's still a challenge, one that I embrace.
Any regrets in your music career?
I guess I would've laid off of the blow dryer a little bit
more in the early 80s
www.lizzyborden.com |
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