It's a cool Los Angeles night at the Standard Hotel and the scantily clad girl in the Plexiglas cage above the concierge desk is nodding off... but then again, Mondays are always a little slow. A drifter ambles past the front entrance, down the sidewalk, mouthing along to whatever voice rattles through his head. Meanwhile rock singer Pearl Aday and I are holed up in a booth in the hotel's the street-side diner. As she drinks tea and I sip merlot, we talk about the current state of music, more specifically women in rock-n-roll, and Pearl is pissed off.
"Shes famous for her drug use, sorry. Shes not a professional. It pisses me off," she says. Were discussing the headlines swirling around Amy Winehouse and Pearl is right. Pearl, a rock child who grew up on the road calling Meat Loaf dad and Ted Nugent friend, knows what she's talking about.
"It is a privilege to get on stage and perform for people," Pearl continues. "And she could give a shit." Pearl's fianc and her bands guitar player, Scott Ian, also of Anthrax, bounces his leg under the table and nods silently in agreement.
Shes a great singer and I love to watch her when she does. But it pisses me off because there are so many people, like myself, who would kill for that opportunity and would not fuck it up, Pearl finishes and I cant argue, because being a drug addict who can sing does not necessarily make you a rock musician. Pearl knows this. Her band knows this.
Sharing a name with its live wire singer, the band Pearl packs an impressive lineup of musicians including Scott Ian on guitar, Jim Wilson, Marcus Blake, and Matt Tecu of Mother Superior on guitar, bass and drums, respectively. For those who need a refresher, the guys in Mother Superior put the band in the Rollins Band. Pearls music comes from the same vein as the Black Crowes, AC/DC, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Gram Parsons, Aerosmith and the Allman Brothers. Its rich, guttural and, at times, blues-oriented rock-n-roll that will make your other senses jealous your ears get to have all the fun.
To get a taste of the bands full-length debut, due in 2008, be sure to check out Pearls self-titled EP available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and emusic.
I got the chance to talk with Pearl Aday in depth about fronting her own band and what real rock-n-roll means to her...
Erin Broadley: Lets start by talking about the European tour you guys just wrapped.
Pearl Aday: Well, it ended up being just one show. We were supposed to play more than that but we only got to play one show because my dad cancelled the tour after the first show. Everythings all right. I think hes just tired. His schedule is crazy.
Scott Ian: Yeah, the shows were all sold out.
PA: Sold out arenas. It would have been great for us but if youre tired, what can you do? Its his voice. It turns out rescheduling later may be better for us because then we then we can really tell people about it and work the album better.
SI: Exactly.
EB: Now people can only get the EP online, right?
SI: Yeah. The plan is to release the full length by springtime when we go back and do those Meat Loaf dates or our own dates. The one show was amazing.
PA: The one show was really good! [Laughs]
SI: We had one great show and then eight drunk days in England, wondering if we were playing again. [Laughs]
EB: How has the reception been to the EP so far?
PA: The response has been great. Really positive.
SI: The vibe is great. In my world, the heavy metal world, those who have heard it or who I have played it for, I think a lot of people are surprised. They had no idea how much it actually rocks. I think they have an expectation of Pearl because they know her but theyve never heard her sing. Then they hear this big, giant voice coming out of her and theyre like, What the fuck? I didnt know she could sing like that!
PA: Most people have never really heard me sing, you know. Ive been singing backup for a long time. It gets layered-over; Im singing but Im tucked in there.
EB: With backup, your personality isnt right up front like it is in Pearl.
PA: Right, theyre not my words. These are my words. It makes a big difference.
EB: You grew up in a very musical family. Have you written songs your whole life?
PA: It sounds so clich but I wrote my first song when I was 16. We had these friends They were older and they had a band. They had the long hair, right at the end of hair rock, before Nirvana, before everyone started wearing flannel. There was one guy named Steve who played the piano and I gave him lyrics I had written. I never really heard melodies -- when I write its like poetry with the meter of lyrics and a story. I gave him my words and he put them to music. I thought it was beautiful. From that point I learned how to take a poem or words, someone would put it to music and I would change the words to fit the music. That helped me learn how to write songs. Im starting to hear melodies now. We were writing Nobody at the house and we were stuck on where to go and I went, What if we do this? I sang out the chorus of Nobody and the guys were thrilled about it. I was so proud of myself. I was really, really sure every time the credits were written down that Im listed under music written by because, whether I was unsure of myself, or scared, or double guessing, its in me. I can do it.
EB: Youll always remember the first time you got to put your name under songwriter credits. Once you get through it the first time, it opens up a whole new part of your mind, knowing youre capable.
PA: Exactly. You get more comfortable with it.
EB: So, this band is all encompassing for you. This band is your everything. How did you hook up with the Mother Superior guys and how did they become your band?
PA: Scott actually knew them.
EB: They were with Henry Rollins, with Daniel Lanois
SI: I met them when they were the Rollins Band because I was already a Rollins fan but when he changed bands and put out Get Some Go Again, it was a different sound so I checked it out live and was like, Who are these guys? It just had so much more of a rock element. So I met them at a Rollins show, went to see them on their own and they quickly became my favorite band here in LA. Over the last couple years, Pearl would say, That would be so amazing if I could just get those guys to be my band and I could be their singer.
PA: They rock. Theyre amazing. Its a three piece but they sound huge. I felt like it was a perfect vibe, perfect fit. So Scott invited them to my birthday party a couple years ago and I had a few drinks and
EB: [Laughs] The beginning to every great story!
PA: [Laughs] Yeah, right? I was a huge dorky fan of theirs and went up to them and started talking and said, How about you guys having a girl singer? They stopped and looked at each other and in that second I was like, What did I just say? Oh my God. I turned around but they said, Okay, cool. So we gave it a try, started putting songs together and recorded at Cherokee studios. We demoed and thats where it started. The songs we wrote were great.
EB: How long did it take for the band to where youre at now?
SI: Only a couple years. She had written a few songs with the Mother Superior guys but they couldnt actually be her band at that point in time because they were too busy touring Europe.
PA: Yeah, but finally it all came down to now, and whats happening now, where Mother Superior actually is the band, with Scott [on guitar].
SI: It was around a year ago that we pretty much said to those guys, We want to do this. They had written some more songs, the material was just getting better and better and the only way it was going to work -- the way it had to work -- is if those guys were the band. Its the only thing that really made sense. So we got a rehearsal space out in the Valley and really became a band, you know, jamming three to four times a week. Making the actual record and the recording process with Joe Barresi helped as well the guy is such a pro. He knows music so well. This is all self-financed and we had been jamming for months at the rehearsal place in Burbank and I really felt we were ready. I was feelin it so I called Joe Barresi and said, Hey man, Im playing with Pearl and Mother Superior and would love for you to come down and hear us. Joe is so into rock music; hes a huge producer and if he digs something, hes the type of guy that will forgo his master fee and do something because he loves it.
EB: Its a treat when the producer actually loves the music hes working on, instead of just doing it for the check. When you can finally hook up with a producer that loves the music youre bringing to the table and loves working with you, its a whole different ball game.
SI: Thats what great about Joe; he only produces things he likes. Hell never work with anyone he doesnt like. Hes straight up no to people all the time. He came to rehearsal, called me back later that day and said, I love it. She can sing her ass off, the guitar sounded great, the band is super tight -- what do you want to do? I said, We want to record everything [but] can we make this work on a small budget? And he said, Yeah, lets do it. Lets figure it out and Ill come up with some studio ideas. We spent the next three weeks at the studio and it ruled. We couldnt have done it in three weeks if it wasnt for having a guy like him. He knows everything. He brought the songs to life; the way they sound now to me, thats how theyre supposed to sound. I couldnt imagine these songs any other way.
PA: Sonically, hes magic.
SI: Everything about it -- every tone, every part -- is 100 percent right for the song. I felt completely safe in his hands. You get this guy who goes from doing the last Tool record to, right before he worked with us he had finished the last Bad Religion record, and then he jumps in with us and just completely immerses himself in what [were] doing. He practically becomes a member of your band.
EB: Pearl, for you growing up, singing with your father and being the first sibling to have the opportunity to get into music, were you ever discouraged because of things you saw your father go through? Or did you always know it was your calling too?
PA: I always wanted to be a singer to perform. I always did it, in the house me and my girlfriends when we were little, we had the girls group like, Watch our show! Wed hop in the room and perform. Its always what I wanted to do.
EB: Was there any pressure with your family situation to do something that was not rock because your dad is Meat Loaf? Were there any hurdles there?
PA: Well, I dont think it was easy. I think it took me awhile to realize that I had talent, like you said. I used to do interviews with my dad for nine years -- the novelty of having the daughter singing with you. I would go with him to interviews and he would always say, This is my daughter, the singer who is afraid to sing. Because you want to sing, but growing up in a house where Meat Loaf is the singer, hes the loudest thing in the house [laughs]. Theres not always a lot of room for anyone else. So it took me awhile to get that confidence. I took some space away in 2003 when I stopped singing with him, which is when I immediately started trying to do my own thing and hooked up with Mother Superior and started writing my own songs. I did that thing where I thought I was too little, too late. I thought, Im old now in this day and age, you have to start when youre 17. Not to take anything away from Sheryl Crow but people were like, Well Sheryl Crow does it. And I was like, That fucking sucks. Im not Sheryl crow. I dont want to do that. Thats lame. So I got over that.
SI: The hardest thing, but also the most attractive thing about this situation is, theres no one out there -- maybe like Joan Jett but shes an icon now but theres no woman singing rock music. Theres a lot of heavy metal, full-on stuff like Arch Enemy and Otep.
PA: And there are bands that are being marketed as rock but theyre not rock.
EB: Theres not much real, soulful rock thats new for younger audiences.
PA: Kids dont even know what that is anymore.
SI: No, they dont.
PA: Like the band Paramour thats a girl singer and theyre being marketed as rock but its not.
SI: Its not rock.
PA: Its pop! Its not rock the way Im talking about it.
EB: No, theyre like Warped Tour sweethearts.
SI: Its pop music. I mean, Amy Winehouse may have a rock attitude but her music certainly doesnt rock.
EB: Shes a retro act. And I would argue that its not a rock attitude because its missing that whole I live and breathe for my music vibe. She doesnt seem to feel that way.
PA: Shes famous for her drug use, sorry. Shes not a professional. It pisses me off. It is a privilege to get on stage and perform for people. And she could give a shit. Shes a great singer and I love to watch her when she does. But it pisses me off because there are so many people, like myself, who would kill for that opportunity and would not fuck it up.
EB: It seems like part of the quandary entertainers are in today where the idea of celebrity does not necessarily include art or a specific talent anymore. You can become a celebrity without craft.
SI: Right. Sure.
PA: Theres no soul, just people who are famous for being rich and for having sex. Its a bunch of bullshit and its very empty and sad.
SI: What were doing comes from where real rock music comes from. It comes from the same genealogical line as Otis Redding and Sly and the Family Stone and Aerosmith and AC/DC and Janis Joplin and Meat Loaf and the Black Crowes and on and on.
PA: Even Ted Nugent played on our record and he felt it. He was like, Fuck yeah, Ill play on this.
SI: Ted Nugent and Jerry Cantrell played on the record and they wouldnt just play on any record because they like us.
EB: I would never assume that because, based on the longevity of their careers, if they played on every album that a friend of theirs did, theyd be on just about every record known to man.
SI: Exactly.
PA: That says something big, I think.
EB: There has to be an integrity and soul behind the music. I think the dialog about real, roots-based rock has simmered down so much that people dont even know how to talk about it in those terms anymore. The old language of rock and roll is like a relic; its not even being used much any more except to talk about the good old days. What are some of the other bands out there that you feel are on the same page as you guys?
PA: I havent met them yet [laughs].
SI: Yeah, exactly. In LA theres Mother Superior Black Crowes, they have a record coming out in March. We met these guys in London called Black Stone Cherry.
PA: Those guys are rad; theyre from the South. You know, classic rock bands like the Eagles and Lynard Skynard were rock and roll but if those bands came around today, theyd probably be considered country.
EB: Yeah, theyd be a niche market.
PA: For people it all needs to be boxed and wrapped and labeled into very specific little genres.
EB: It feels like people are too afraid to make mistakes these days but the mistakes were always what led to the new sounds. If youre too afraid to make mistakes then rock and roll is never going to progress. In some ways, it seems like rock actually started as a big mistake that ended up sounding really fucking awesome. Were not hearing many big, beautiful experiments gone wrong anymore.
PA: Exactly.
SI: Right.
PA: Its not raw or real. Its all glossy and computerized.
SI: Yep, theres no auto-tuning on this record!
EB: Are you nervous at all anticipating the release?
PA: Im not nervous. I feel like Im ready. Bring it. Just come on, already.
EB: You were ready yesterday [laughs].
PA: Seriously. Im prepared, Im not scared, Im ready to fight and Im ready to sing. Nervous is what I get when its show time in 10 minutes and Im standing on the side in the dark and Im ready to step out. Thats when I get nervous. Im not nervous at all in terms of releasing this album. I cant wait for everyone to hear it.
EB: Scott, how has it been for you in terms of balancing Anthrax and the search for a new lead singer with what youre doing with Pearl -- being a full time member of both bands?
SI: As far as balancing, just timing-wise everything worked out really well because Anthrax, not that we took a planned hiatus this year, but with circumstances thats just the way things worked out. The last tour ended in October 06 and we had toured almost three years straight since that last record [We've Come for You All] had come out in 03. For 07 we didnt know who our singer was going to be at that point in time [Dan Nelson has now joined the band] so our attitude was, alright, well just start writing songs. A new album is going to take a year anyway, thats how we always do it. So we started writing songs its taken us pretty much until right now to know who was singing for us. It took us almost a whole year to get that all sorted out. It enabled me to be able to focus on Pearl as well and really be a part of it. I have every intention of moving forward with it. Its not like Im suddenly going to not be the guitar player. Im absolutely going to be a part of this.
EB: Musically, is it nice to be able to have a place you can play guitar differently than you do in Anthrax?
SI: Oh, I love it. Ive got Malcolm and Angus [from AC/DC] tattooed on my arms, my favorite two guitar players [for] my favorite band of all time. I dont get to play like that at all in Anthrax. So getting to play with Pearl, Im actually getting to play music that I love to play the most on guitar. Thats where I come from.
PA: Youre getting to play the blues too.
SI: Yeah, exactly. Weve done a lot of blues covers. If Im just picking up a guitar at home, nine times out of 10 Im going to play AC/DC riffs. Thats what I love the most as a guitar player. Even just talking about the technical aspect of guitar playing, its so less regimented for me compared to how I play in Anthrax. Its less disciplined. Its a much freer way of playing and the only way to describe it is, I really get to rock. Its not as technical.
EB: And anyone that is expecting Pearl to sound like Anthrax is way off the mark.
SI: I learned a long time ago that you cant listen to anyone but yourself or the people in your band and maybe sometimes your manager. My attitude has always been: I would never tell anyone else what to do so why does anyone think they should tell me what to do? No one else has been in Anthrax for 26 years and no one else has been in Pearl.
EB: As a couple, do you guys every worry about mixing business and pleasure, being in a relationship and in a band together?
PA: I personally dont see any problem with us working together because both of us are so professional when it comes to work. Its something that were both very passionate about and dont want to fuck up and dont want to waste time on, so it doesnt get mixed up in my opinion.
EB: There arent going to be any big Sonny and Cher blowups back stage?
SI: [Laughs] No, no. Im just the guitar player.
PA: No. That kind of stuff can come up when a couple is working together but it hasnt happened like that. We hardly ever fight anyway. Were best friends. Were together all the time and if he walks in the next room Im like, Whered he go?
SI: If being in a band doesnt break us up, then nothing will.
PA: It helps us save money sharing a room.
EB: Lets cut expenses, baby. But, like you said, its a blessing to be able to do what you do for a living, and even more of a blessing to be able to do it alongside someone you love.
PA: Exactly.
EB: In old, online journal entry of yours, you wrote that you love change, whether its in good circumstance or bad because, no matter what, its always going to lead to something important. Can you elaborate on that some?
PA: I dont know but I agree with me. Ive always dug change. I grew up sort of in that touring mentality, different city every day. But I also grew up with the home life so I appreciate both. I do love that yearning for change: different scenery, different places, different day, and different adventures. Im not scared of bad things happening because you only learn from it. Unless it kills you, then youre dead. Most of the time it doesnt. It kind of excites me.
For more information on Pearl go here
For more from Scott Ian check out his SuicideGirls column Scott Ian's Food Coma
"Shes famous for her drug use, sorry. Shes not a professional. It pisses me off," she says. Were discussing the headlines swirling around Amy Winehouse and Pearl is right. Pearl, a rock child who grew up on the road calling Meat Loaf dad and Ted Nugent friend, knows what she's talking about.
"It is a privilege to get on stage and perform for people," Pearl continues. "And she could give a shit." Pearl's fianc and her bands guitar player, Scott Ian, also of Anthrax, bounces his leg under the table and nods silently in agreement.
Shes a great singer and I love to watch her when she does. But it pisses me off because there are so many people, like myself, who would kill for that opportunity and would not fuck it up, Pearl finishes and I cant argue, because being a drug addict who can sing does not necessarily make you a rock musician. Pearl knows this. Her band knows this.
Sharing a name with its live wire singer, the band Pearl packs an impressive lineup of musicians including Scott Ian on guitar, Jim Wilson, Marcus Blake, and Matt Tecu of Mother Superior on guitar, bass and drums, respectively. For those who need a refresher, the guys in Mother Superior put the band in the Rollins Band. Pearls music comes from the same vein as the Black Crowes, AC/DC, Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Gram Parsons, Aerosmith and the Allman Brothers. Its rich, guttural and, at times, blues-oriented rock-n-roll that will make your other senses jealous your ears get to have all the fun.
To get a taste of the bands full-length debut, due in 2008, be sure to check out Pearls self-titled EP available on iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and emusic.
I got the chance to talk with Pearl Aday in depth about fronting her own band and what real rock-n-roll means to her...
Erin Broadley: Lets start by talking about the European tour you guys just wrapped.
Pearl Aday: Well, it ended up being just one show. We were supposed to play more than that but we only got to play one show because my dad cancelled the tour after the first show. Everythings all right. I think hes just tired. His schedule is crazy.
Scott Ian: Yeah, the shows were all sold out.
PA: Sold out arenas. It would have been great for us but if youre tired, what can you do? Its his voice. It turns out rescheduling later may be better for us because then we then we can really tell people about it and work the album better.
SI: Exactly.
EB: Now people can only get the EP online, right?
SI: Yeah. The plan is to release the full length by springtime when we go back and do those Meat Loaf dates or our own dates. The one show was amazing.
PA: The one show was really good! [Laughs]
SI: We had one great show and then eight drunk days in England, wondering if we were playing again. [Laughs]
EB: How has the reception been to the EP so far?
PA: The response has been great. Really positive.
SI: The vibe is great. In my world, the heavy metal world, those who have heard it or who I have played it for, I think a lot of people are surprised. They had no idea how much it actually rocks. I think they have an expectation of Pearl because they know her but theyve never heard her sing. Then they hear this big, giant voice coming out of her and theyre like, What the fuck? I didnt know she could sing like that!
PA: Most people have never really heard me sing, you know. Ive been singing backup for a long time. It gets layered-over; Im singing but Im tucked in there.
EB: With backup, your personality isnt right up front like it is in Pearl.
PA: Right, theyre not my words. These are my words. It makes a big difference.
EB: You grew up in a very musical family. Have you written songs your whole life?
PA: It sounds so clich but I wrote my first song when I was 16. We had these friends They were older and they had a band. They had the long hair, right at the end of hair rock, before Nirvana, before everyone started wearing flannel. There was one guy named Steve who played the piano and I gave him lyrics I had written. I never really heard melodies -- when I write its like poetry with the meter of lyrics and a story. I gave him my words and he put them to music. I thought it was beautiful. From that point I learned how to take a poem or words, someone would put it to music and I would change the words to fit the music. That helped me learn how to write songs. Im starting to hear melodies now. We were writing Nobody at the house and we were stuck on where to go and I went, What if we do this? I sang out the chorus of Nobody and the guys were thrilled about it. I was so proud of myself. I was really, really sure every time the credits were written down that Im listed under music written by because, whether I was unsure of myself, or scared, or double guessing, its in me. I can do it.
EB: Youll always remember the first time you got to put your name under songwriter credits. Once you get through it the first time, it opens up a whole new part of your mind, knowing youre capable.
PA: Exactly. You get more comfortable with it.
EB: So, this band is all encompassing for you. This band is your everything. How did you hook up with the Mother Superior guys and how did they become your band?
PA: Scott actually knew them.
EB: They were with Henry Rollins, with Daniel Lanois
SI: I met them when they were the Rollins Band because I was already a Rollins fan but when he changed bands and put out Get Some Go Again, it was a different sound so I checked it out live and was like, Who are these guys? It just had so much more of a rock element. So I met them at a Rollins show, went to see them on their own and they quickly became my favorite band here in LA. Over the last couple years, Pearl would say, That would be so amazing if I could just get those guys to be my band and I could be their singer.
PA: They rock. Theyre amazing. Its a three piece but they sound huge. I felt like it was a perfect vibe, perfect fit. So Scott invited them to my birthday party a couple years ago and I had a few drinks and
EB: [Laughs] The beginning to every great story!
PA: [Laughs] Yeah, right? I was a huge dorky fan of theirs and went up to them and started talking and said, How about you guys having a girl singer? They stopped and looked at each other and in that second I was like, What did I just say? Oh my God. I turned around but they said, Okay, cool. So we gave it a try, started putting songs together and recorded at Cherokee studios. We demoed and thats where it started. The songs we wrote were great.
EB: How long did it take for the band to where youre at now?
SI: Only a couple years. She had written a few songs with the Mother Superior guys but they couldnt actually be her band at that point in time because they were too busy touring Europe.
PA: Yeah, but finally it all came down to now, and whats happening now, where Mother Superior actually is the band, with Scott [on guitar].
SI: It was around a year ago that we pretty much said to those guys, We want to do this. They had written some more songs, the material was just getting better and better and the only way it was going to work -- the way it had to work -- is if those guys were the band. Its the only thing that really made sense. So we got a rehearsal space out in the Valley and really became a band, you know, jamming three to four times a week. Making the actual record and the recording process with Joe Barresi helped as well the guy is such a pro. He knows music so well. This is all self-financed and we had been jamming for months at the rehearsal place in Burbank and I really felt we were ready. I was feelin it so I called Joe Barresi and said, Hey man, Im playing with Pearl and Mother Superior and would love for you to come down and hear us. Joe is so into rock music; hes a huge producer and if he digs something, hes the type of guy that will forgo his master fee and do something because he loves it.
EB: Its a treat when the producer actually loves the music hes working on, instead of just doing it for the check. When you can finally hook up with a producer that loves the music youre bringing to the table and loves working with you, its a whole different ball game.
SI: Thats what great about Joe; he only produces things he likes. Hell never work with anyone he doesnt like. Hes straight up no to people all the time. He came to rehearsal, called me back later that day and said, I love it. She can sing her ass off, the guitar sounded great, the band is super tight -- what do you want to do? I said, We want to record everything [but] can we make this work on a small budget? And he said, Yeah, lets do it. Lets figure it out and Ill come up with some studio ideas. We spent the next three weeks at the studio and it ruled. We couldnt have done it in three weeks if it wasnt for having a guy like him. He knows everything. He brought the songs to life; the way they sound now to me, thats how theyre supposed to sound. I couldnt imagine these songs any other way.
PA: Sonically, hes magic.
SI: Everything about it -- every tone, every part -- is 100 percent right for the song. I felt completely safe in his hands. You get this guy who goes from doing the last Tool record to, right before he worked with us he had finished the last Bad Religion record, and then he jumps in with us and just completely immerses himself in what [were] doing. He practically becomes a member of your band.
EB: Pearl, for you growing up, singing with your father and being the first sibling to have the opportunity to get into music, were you ever discouraged because of things you saw your father go through? Or did you always know it was your calling too?
PA: I always wanted to be a singer to perform. I always did it, in the house me and my girlfriends when we were little, we had the girls group like, Watch our show! Wed hop in the room and perform. Its always what I wanted to do.
EB: Was there any pressure with your family situation to do something that was not rock because your dad is Meat Loaf? Were there any hurdles there?
PA: Well, I dont think it was easy. I think it took me awhile to realize that I had talent, like you said. I used to do interviews with my dad for nine years -- the novelty of having the daughter singing with you. I would go with him to interviews and he would always say, This is my daughter, the singer who is afraid to sing. Because you want to sing, but growing up in a house where Meat Loaf is the singer, hes the loudest thing in the house [laughs]. Theres not always a lot of room for anyone else. So it took me awhile to get that confidence. I took some space away in 2003 when I stopped singing with him, which is when I immediately started trying to do my own thing and hooked up with Mother Superior and started writing my own songs. I did that thing where I thought I was too little, too late. I thought, Im old now in this day and age, you have to start when youre 17. Not to take anything away from Sheryl Crow but people were like, Well Sheryl Crow does it. And I was like, That fucking sucks. Im not Sheryl crow. I dont want to do that. Thats lame. So I got over that.
SI: The hardest thing, but also the most attractive thing about this situation is, theres no one out there -- maybe like Joan Jett but shes an icon now but theres no woman singing rock music. Theres a lot of heavy metal, full-on stuff like Arch Enemy and Otep.
PA: And there are bands that are being marketed as rock but theyre not rock.
EB: Theres not much real, soulful rock thats new for younger audiences.
PA: Kids dont even know what that is anymore.
SI: No, they dont.
PA: Like the band Paramour thats a girl singer and theyre being marketed as rock but its not.
SI: Its not rock.
PA: Its pop! Its not rock the way Im talking about it.
EB: No, theyre like Warped Tour sweethearts.
SI: Its pop music. I mean, Amy Winehouse may have a rock attitude but her music certainly doesnt rock.
EB: Shes a retro act. And I would argue that its not a rock attitude because its missing that whole I live and breathe for my music vibe. She doesnt seem to feel that way.
PA: Shes famous for her drug use, sorry. Shes not a professional. It pisses me off. It is a privilege to get on stage and perform for people. And she could give a shit. Shes a great singer and I love to watch her when she does. But it pisses me off because there are so many people, like myself, who would kill for that opportunity and would not fuck it up.
EB: It seems like part of the quandary entertainers are in today where the idea of celebrity does not necessarily include art or a specific talent anymore. You can become a celebrity without craft.
SI: Right. Sure.
PA: Theres no soul, just people who are famous for being rich and for having sex. Its a bunch of bullshit and its very empty and sad.
SI: What were doing comes from where real rock music comes from. It comes from the same genealogical line as Otis Redding and Sly and the Family Stone and Aerosmith and AC/DC and Janis Joplin and Meat Loaf and the Black Crowes and on and on.
PA: Even Ted Nugent played on our record and he felt it. He was like, Fuck yeah, Ill play on this.
SI: Ted Nugent and Jerry Cantrell played on the record and they wouldnt just play on any record because they like us.
EB: I would never assume that because, based on the longevity of their careers, if they played on every album that a friend of theirs did, theyd be on just about every record known to man.
SI: Exactly.
PA: That says something big, I think.
EB: There has to be an integrity and soul behind the music. I think the dialog about real, roots-based rock has simmered down so much that people dont even know how to talk about it in those terms anymore. The old language of rock and roll is like a relic; its not even being used much any more except to talk about the good old days. What are some of the other bands out there that you feel are on the same page as you guys?
PA: I havent met them yet [laughs].
SI: Yeah, exactly. In LA theres Mother Superior Black Crowes, they have a record coming out in March. We met these guys in London called Black Stone Cherry.
PA: Those guys are rad; theyre from the South. You know, classic rock bands like the Eagles and Lynard Skynard were rock and roll but if those bands came around today, theyd probably be considered country.
EB: Yeah, theyd be a niche market.
PA: For people it all needs to be boxed and wrapped and labeled into very specific little genres.
EB: It feels like people are too afraid to make mistakes these days but the mistakes were always what led to the new sounds. If youre too afraid to make mistakes then rock and roll is never going to progress. In some ways, it seems like rock actually started as a big mistake that ended up sounding really fucking awesome. Were not hearing many big, beautiful experiments gone wrong anymore.
PA: Exactly.
SI: Right.
PA: Its not raw or real. Its all glossy and computerized.
SI: Yep, theres no auto-tuning on this record!
EB: Are you nervous at all anticipating the release?
PA: Im not nervous. I feel like Im ready. Bring it. Just come on, already.
EB: You were ready yesterday [laughs].
PA: Seriously. Im prepared, Im not scared, Im ready to fight and Im ready to sing. Nervous is what I get when its show time in 10 minutes and Im standing on the side in the dark and Im ready to step out. Thats when I get nervous. Im not nervous at all in terms of releasing this album. I cant wait for everyone to hear it.
EB: Scott, how has it been for you in terms of balancing Anthrax and the search for a new lead singer with what youre doing with Pearl -- being a full time member of both bands?
SI: As far as balancing, just timing-wise everything worked out really well because Anthrax, not that we took a planned hiatus this year, but with circumstances thats just the way things worked out. The last tour ended in October 06 and we had toured almost three years straight since that last record [We've Come for You All] had come out in 03. For 07 we didnt know who our singer was going to be at that point in time [Dan Nelson has now joined the band] so our attitude was, alright, well just start writing songs. A new album is going to take a year anyway, thats how we always do it. So we started writing songs its taken us pretty much until right now to know who was singing for us. It took us almost a whole year to get that all sorted out. It enabled me to be able to focus on Pearl as well and really be a part of it. I have every intention of moving forward with it. Its not like Im suddenly going to not be the guitar player. Im absolutely going to be a part of this.
EB: Musically, is it nice to be able to have a place you can play guitar differently than you do in Anthrax?
SI: Oh, I love it. Ive got Malcolm and Angus [from AC/DC] tattooed on my arms, my favorite two guitar players [for] my favorite band of all time. I dont get to play like that at all in Anthrax. So getting to play with Pearl, Im actually getting to play music that I love to play the most on guitar. Thats where I come from.
PA: Youre getting to play the blues too.
SI: Yeah, exactly. Weve done a lot of blues covers. If Im just picking up a guitar at home, nine times out of 10 Im going to play AC/DC riffs. Thats what I love the most as a guitar player. Even just talking about the technical aspect of guitar playing, its so less regimented for me compared to how I play in Anthrax. Its less disciplined. Its a much freer way of playing and the only way to describe it is, I really get to rock. Its not as technical.
EB: And anyone that is expecting Pearl to sound like Anthrax is way off the mark.
SI: I learned a long time ago that you cant listen to anyone but yourself or the people in your band and maybe sometimes your manager. My attitude has always been: I would never tell anyone else what to do so why does anyone think they should tell me what to do? No one else has been in Anthrax for 26 years and no one else has been in Pearl.
EB: As a couple, do you guys every worry about mixing business and pleasure, being in a relationship and in a band together?
PA: I personally dont see any problem with us working together because both of us are so professional when it comes to work. Its something that were both very passionate about and dont want to fuck up and dont want to waste time on, so it doesnt get mixed up in my opinion.
EB: There arent going to be any big Sonny and Cher blowups back stage?
SI: [Laughs] No, no. Im just the guitar player.
PA: No. That kind of stuff can come up when a couple is working together but it hasnt happened like that. We hardly ever fight anyway. Were best friends. Were together all the time and if he walks in the next room Im like, Whered he go?
SI: If being in a band doesnt break us up, then nothing will.
PA: It helps us save money sharing a room.
EB: Lets cut expenses, baby. But, like you said, its a blessing to be able to do what you do for a living, and even more of a blessing to be able to do it alongside someone you love.
PA: Exactly.
EB: In old, online journal entry of yours, you wrote that you love change, whether its in good circumstance or bad because, no matter what, its always going to lead to something important. Can you elaborate on that some?
PA: I dont know but I agree with me. Ive always dug change. I grew up sort of in that touring mentality, different city every day. But I also grew up with the home life so I appreciate both. I do love that yearning for change: different scenery, different places, different day, and different adventures. Im not scared of bad things happening because you only learn from it. Unless it kills you, then youre dead. Most of the time it doesnt. It kind of excites me.
For more information on Pearl go here
For more from Scott Ian check out his SuicideGirls column Scott Ian's Food Coma
erin_broadley:
It's a cool Los Angeles night at the Standard Hotel and the scantily clad girl in the Plexiglas cage above the concierge desk is nodding off... but then again, Mondays are always a little slow. A drifter ambles past the front entrance, down the sidewalk, mouthing along to whatever voice rattles...
iluvkoshi:
Nice article. And Pearl is such a great name for a woman & a band. I checked this band out online quite a while ago- off to revisit now...