We’re not the same people we were when we started

Below you can find the last interview handed in by our former writer Carole Bonner. Since this concerns a FemME band, we decided to run it, even though she’s no longer connected to our magazine in any capacity. Introducing: The Birthday Massacre.

The band has a very unique sound that is a blending of a variety of genres.Is this a reflection of multiple song writers or is there another reason?

Myself, Mike Falcore and Rainbow are the primary songwriters. We all grew up liking a lot of the same types of music, so we’re on the same page, but we also have very different musical interests and ideas, so it can come together in an interesting way.

If you had to define your sound what would it be classified?

I suppose I would classify us as a mix of synth-pop, industrial, metal, movie-soundtrack?

How does the writing dynamic work in the band?

Mike Falcore and Rainbow begin by working on musical elements, and as the songs come together, I join for the lyric writing process. We all work together on ideas to flush the songs out as they come together.

How do you feel the band has progressed from your first album to your current one?

That’s a hard question to answer at this point, after so many albums and so many tours and so many years have passed. I mean, we’re not the same people we were when we started. No one could be after this long. Our bonds with each other have been strained as well as cemented. We’re like a family. Which means there is a lot of love but there can be a lot of strife as well. I feel that we know each other very well at this point and we know how to work together very well and get along and enjoy each other. But we also know how to push each other’s buttons and piss each other off very efficiently. Nowadays we get along pretty well. We’re writing another album and it’s coming along great.

I’ve read reviews of the band and some writers compare you to other female fronted bands.How does this make you feel when the band has its
own eclectic sound?

I think there’s a tendency to compare and lump all female-fronted groups together rather than look at them as their own. I think that’s a good example of how women in this industry still often have a ways to go in terms of being taken seriously. I’ve heard of us being compared to bands we sound absolutely nothing like, but me and their singer both have black hair. It can feel like no one is actually listening to you, they’re just looking at you, which is also pretty standard. You gotta be pretty and thin, folks. Make no mistake.

Who do you feel are the bands or artists that have influenced your music the most?

Again, we all come from different perspectives musically, but ones I think we all share would be pop music like Madonna and Roxette, metal bands like Metallica, industrial like Nine Inch Nails.

You guys have been together since 1999.What are the reasons the band has stayed together and become more successful with each album?

Like I said before, it is because we have become like a family and we know how to work together well and have fun with each other. We also know how to make each other miserable, so as long as we stay on the right track, we have a great time. In terms of any success the band has achieved, that is completely due to the support of our audience. We’ve been very lucky and very grateful for that.

I know you have the FemME festival and a tour with Combine rest coming up.Any other projects in the works?

We’re just starting another PledgeMusic campaign as well as beginning a new album.

My last question regards the fans.You have a very dedicated fanbase, including helping to pay for your album.Why do you think they are so loyal?

I honestly have no words to express how wonderful our audience and fans are. We have always appreciated everyone and have spent time saying hi and taking photos and chatting and hanging out. I think the support comes because we haven’t achieved levels of mainstream success, so it’s like a secret community that people can feel really connected with. And we are also extremely connected to them.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Best wishes for continued success.