 Crucified Barbara hail from Stockholm, Sweden, and the band began life in 1998 as a bunch of aggressive girl punks. Over time their style has refined into a heavier rock sound. The release of their debut album “In Distortion we Trust” in 2005, and the runaway success of the single “Losing the Game” which made no. 8 on the Swedish Hit List in December of that year led to widespread acclaim and a subsequent tour in support of Motorhead in 2006.
On the cards is a re-issue of In Distortion We Trust, including the video of the single. I met with the ladies at Hard Rock Hell to find out about their next step in world domination.
Krissy Elliott: Where did the name Crucified Barabara come from?
Klara Force (Guitar): In Sweden it's what we call the human size blow up dolls!
Mia Coldheart (Vocals, Guitar): It's an old name from back in '98... we've kind of lost the meaning over time!
KE: In the beginning you were a very punk-orientated band. Has it been a natural progression into a heavier sound?
MC: Yes, it's been very natural. I think it's taken all these years to find the sound of the band.
KE: Websites state that an album was due for release this year. Is that still happening?
MC: No, we are still working on it.
KE: So when do you hope to bring that out?
KF: Spring next year.
KE: Cool. Which label is it on?
MC: it's called GMR, it's a Swedish label.
KE: Thanks. So what are your further plans for the next 12 months? Festival circuits, a tour to support the album?
MC: A tour..
KF: We hope to tour a lot!
Nicki Wicked (Drums): That's the main thing, I think after the album, will be to tour. And festivals are always a fun thing to do.
MC: This album's taken a very long time to finish so we don't have any tour plans as yet. We want to be sure the album's perfect before we think about the tour.
KE: And it's about being organised?
MC: I don't know about that!
KE: What about Pop Kollo, that's something you were involved in. We don't know about it in the UK. Where does that fit in?
NW: It's a camp for girls who want to play in bands...
MC: It's a Swedish female pop artist and she started this a couple of years ago. It's to get girls to play music and to have fun with it.
KF: It's to meet other girls to play with...
KE: You did that this year... was it inspiring to work with the younger girls?
KF: It was really hard!
MC: It was all about seeing them play and inspiring them, making them believe they could be in bands too.
KE: Do you think it's still difficult for girls to get into the rock music scene?
MC: I think it depends on which country you live in. In Sweden it's not so hard, there are a lot of organisations... encouraging both boys and girls to play.
KF: And music is really supported in schools as well. When I started out I got a lot of support from my school.
MC: there's been a big change this last 2 or 3 years, since when we started to play... there are a lot more girl bands coming out, especially in Sweden. We're expecting like a big wave of female rock bands very soon.
KE: Rock music's huge in Sweden though, with festivals such as Sweden Rock known about all over the world.
MC: Have you been to Sweden Rock?
KE: Not yet – but if my boss is really nice I might get to cover it next year!
(Grins, laughter, and much mirth all round).
NW: You should come, it's the best!
KE: We'll have to see... So what are your main influences musically, for those who don't know you?
MC: I don't think we actually sound like our influences!
KF: Well, we come out of Grunge, Nirvana, Hole, but we don't have a grunge sound! It made us start to play music but it's not as if they are our favourite bands now...
MC: it's nostalgic!
KE: do you think Courtney Love set an example for women in rock that said we could do whatever the hell we liked and don't have to be nice about it?
MC: Definitely!
NW: Yes, she was a hero...
KF: Yeah, with attitude.... like she couldn't give a fuck!
KE: Did touring with Motorhead make a difference to your popularity?
MC: I think definitely in the UK, because no-one knew us before that!
NW: But the gigs we've done in the UK have been really good.
MC: Yeah in 2005 we did Donington – Download, then the Motorhead tour, it's been really good.
NW: It was great promotion to play with Motorhead.
KF: And it was great fun!
KE: How did you get on with Lemmy?
MC: It was good, he didn't like the ukulele we have, he hated it so we tried not to play it when he was around... but I think he liked us!
KE: Mia, how does it feel to be rated as one of the top 3 female vocalists in Sweden? That was Daniel Flores in an interview for Komodo Rock, by the way!
MC: No really? I did a duet with him for the Mind's Eye album!
KE: How did that duet come about then?
MC: Well, when I was about 14 I started to rehearse in rooms near where I live, he was rehearsing there with Mind's Eye, which was called Afterglow at that time. So I've known him for a lot of years. He really inspired me when I was young. He would say, you should practise like this, or try playing like this, and he was really nice. We were sharing rehearsal places and he asked me to sing on the last album. I was really honoured, because they have such high standards in their music. It was a real compliment.
KE: Thanks. So what do you girls have on your Ipods at the moment?
MC: Alison Krauss, I like her voice and the music in general. I don't always listen to rock music.
NW: King Diamond, I love the style...
(much moaning and wailing, with huge crazy gusts of laughter).
NW: The drummers he's been playing with, are the best in the world, Micky Dee and Snowy Sharp. I really like that style. Speed metal!
KF: Erm, UFO, Uriah Heap. I'm like an old man. I should have a beard, I need a beard!
KE: You want a beard? We'll go out there and get you a beard! Is this the sort of music you're into?
KF: Yes, a lot. I definitely need a beard. To all your readers.... beard donations gratefully received!
Many thanks to Crucified Barbara and Ralph Graupner for arranging the interview.
Krissy Elliott.
You can check out photos of Crucified Barbara's set at Hard Rock Hell here.
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