Laura Christine Interview

Here's an interview I did with female shredder Laura Christine from Warface, originally published on LivingforMetal.com in 2006.

LAURA CHRISTINE INTERVIEW
by Jodi Michael

While most girls her age were into nail polish and Duran Duran, shred queen Laura Christine was busy listening to Morbid Angel and picking out evil chords on her guitar during her teenage years. A Maryland native who moved to California when she was 16, Christine began hitting darkened stages in the San Diego area well before women were recognized as a valid and powerful force in extreme metal. In 2000, two years after the disheartening dissolution of their previous band, Damnation, Christine and former bandmate Dave Smith set out to scour the face of the undergound (along with then drummer Scott Ellis) with their latest project, Warface. Fast-forward to 2006, and Warface's first full-length, Insanity of the Obsessed, has done more than just lift the face of the underground metal scene, it has gutted its innards.

I recently spoke to Laura about future plans for Warface, the ups and downs of being a woman in extreme metal, and the untimely death of her biggest influence, Dimebag Darrell.

JM: When did you start listening to metal, and what got you into it?

LC: At 17, my best friend - her boyfriend was in a band, drumming - and we went to go check out his band and they started playing stuff like Metallica and some heavy stuff at the time, and that kind of just changed my whole world right there, hearing that heavy stuff. Because I had never listened to metal before then. I had just started playing guitar, but I was playing acoustic and whatnot, and I thought that was just the heaviest music I had ever heard and the most powerful music, and I was drawn into it immediately.

JM: Dare I ask what you listened to before you listened to metal?

LC: No! We can't go into that closet of skeletons. (Laughs) Just the shit that was on the radio - The Cars, Billy Idol, classic rock...actually, I still really like classic rock.

JM: Who were some of your favorites growing up?

LC: Growing up as a kid, before I got into metal, I liked all the pop stuff that was on the radio. And then I'd dive into my parents' collection once in a while and that was like Cat Stevens and stuff like that, so nothing heavy as a kid.

JM: Who were some of your favorite metal bands when you started listening to it?

LC: At the time, early Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Pantera, Sepultura. I'd say those were the main ones.

JM: When did you start playing guitar, and what made you decide on the guitar and not one of the other instruments in the band?

LC: 16. I was listening to one of my parents' Cat Stevens albums, and the guitars just kind of jumped out at me, and I took an immediate fixation with the instrument and started playing that. And then shortly after, that local band that was playing metal. I went from folk and classical right to the heavy stuff.

JM: I read that you are influenced by Pantera and Morbid Angel. Who else are some big influences for you?

LC: I'd say Slayer, Cannibal Corpse is another big one, Deicide, Broken Hope. I'd say those are some of the biggies right there. Oh, and Sepultura was a huge influence.

JM: When you started playing, did the metal scene in your area encourage women to get into that kind of music? Was it accepted for you to be into that?

LC: I was like the only chick into it. (Laughs) At the time when I was playing, I was living in this small town up north, population 2500. I was pretty much the only chick in the scene at the time. But that didn't bother me.

JM: Did you ever feel like there was a struggle to get noticed because of your playing and not because of your gender?

LC: I'd say for like the first five minutes I'd take the stage at a club or something. But within five minutes of playing and whatnot, then you'd have their attention and respect. But the first five minutes are like, "Ahh, this little chick's gonna get up there?" The arms folded across the chest, you know, just not taking me seriously. But like I said, five minutes into it, then they're taking you seriously. I think the bottom line is if you get up there and deliver the goods, then you've got their respect.

JM: You and Dave Smith played together previously in Damnation. How and when did that band's demise come about?

LC: I'd say that was back in '98. We had gotten together and things were rolling, we were getting ready to record - we were like a month out from going into the studio to cut an album - and the drummer dropped out, out of the blue. The guitar player and founder at the time decided to pull the plug on the project, so Dave and I went our separate ways musically. Then a few years later, in 2000, we decided to get back together and form our own project, which is now Warface.

JM: What were your intentions for the band when you first started Warface?

LC: To put together a band that could put together some really powerful, unrelenting extreme music that we ourselves could get off on.

JM: Did you always intend for it to be a three-piece, or did you ever think about adding more members to the band?

LC: Our intention from the beginning was a three-piece. Keep it simple and less politics.

JM: When did your debut come out?

LC: That came out in October of 2001.

JM: What kind of reception did you guys get on it?

LC: The reception on the debut was extremely positive in the underground. In fact, it was all positive, and that's what eventually landed us our deal with Deathquake Records.

JM: Actually, I was getting ready to go into that. Why did you guys decide to sign with Deathquake? Did you have other labels knocking at your door?

LC: Yes. And Deathquake, to me, was the best deal. A deal that we could not refuse. (Laughs) Better than anyone else's deal, so that's why we went with them.

JM: How do you like the label so far?

LC: I could not say enough good things about Deathquake Records. They have been the best. Ultra-supportive, 100 percent creative freedom, just ideal.

JM: When did Insanity of the Obsessed come out?

LC: It came out August 15, 2006.

JM: And you actually produced the album. What made you decide to do that? Do you have a background in that?

LC: No. (Laughs) It was trial by fire.

JM: The artwork for the album, I noticed, was done by Bill Kieffer, who is apparently a tattoo artist in San Diego. How did you guys hook up with him?

LC: He was actually my tattoo artist at the time, and I just loved his work. We had seen some of his paintings and whatnot and just thought, 'This guy's it.' He had the look and the style that we were looking for.

JM: Do you have a lot of tattoos?

LC: No. (Laughs) I would like to get more, for sure. Workin' on it, Jodi.

JM: (Laughs) Me too. I've only got one so far, but I've got ideas.

LC: Me too, I know! We've got a ways to go. (Laughs) It would be my dream someday to have a couple of sleeves.

JM: You don't see a lot of women with sleeves.

LC: No. My sister - she's way ahead of me. She's actually almost got two sleeves done, and she's got a giant backpiece. So I'm living vicariously through her right now.

JM: Lyrical themes on Insanity of the Obsessed seem to focus on war, religion, and some of the general bad stuff that's going on in society right now. What is your take on the war and the state of society right now? And why do you guys choose to write about that in your music?

LC: For us, war is about the heaviest, most extreme thing that a society can experience, in my opinion, and that an individual can experience firsthand. The music that we play is so extreme, so the emotions of being in war and actually serving in battle - to me, it's really inspiring for the type of extreme music that we play. Also, these religious themes really strike a nerve with us, and we're pretty emotional about it, so that's what we choose to write about. I'm sorry...you know what? I don't think I answered your question. What are our views on the war and everything right now?

JM: Yeah.

LC: It's a big fucked-up mess!

JM: (Laughs)

LC: To sum it all up, it's just so fucked up and because of the jacked up state that it's in, it provides a ton of fuel for our writing. And that's what inspires us more than anything right now. With Warface, we came up with that name in 2000, and that was before we were even at war. Dave and I have always had a fascination with war, period, whether it's World War II, World War I, Vietnam - we've always had a fascination with it.

JM: So you guys are a war-oriented band, if the name didn't give it away...

LC: Not that we're for war, it's just that to me, that's hell. That's living hell - war. And it should be avoided at all costs. I'm opposed to war, actually.

JM: Are you guys opposed to religion as well?

LC: Close to it. If you just look at the history of religion, and all the negativity that's come from it over the years, and all the war, and all the blood that's been shed over it, to me, [it's] sometimes more of a negative than a positive. And to me it's a course in history that's been an extremely manipulative and corrupt one. And that's the issue that I have with religion - to me, it's big business. I also do think there could be some good that can come from religion, but overall I haven't seen a lot of it.

JM: Your old drummer, Scott Ellis, was replaced this year by Tyson Jupin (ex-Vile), and that's because Scott was going back to school. How are things working out with Tyson?

LC: Very well. He's an extremely talented and powerful drummer, and we have really good chemistry with the guy, so we're stoked. In this genre of music, it's not the easiest trying to find somebody who has the chops and the stamina, and then on top of it to have chemistry with them. We've got all three with Tyson.

JM: Tell me about your line of guitars. How did that come about? Did they approach you with that?

LC: Yes. KxK approached me out of the blue one day and said they wanted to give me a full endorsement. For me, I've got to play the instrument and check out the product before[hand]. As stoked as I am to get a free guitar, I want to make sure [of the] quality before endorsing it, just to have integrity. I got to check it out, play a KxK guitar, and it's truly the nicest guitar I'd ever played. Honestly. From there, I was absolutely beyond stoked to be endorsed with them. Then together, we put out our own line of Warface V guitars. I got to help design with Rob, the founder.

JM: Awesome!

LC: Thanks. I was stoked! For me, it was like Christmas and birthday and everything else rolled into one to get that endorsement.

JM: Karl Sanders also has his own line, doesn't he?

LC: Yes, with KxK.

JM: That's awesome.

LC: I'm pretty stoked about that, to say the least. (Laughs) To put it lightly. I'm doing a jig over here, Jodi. (Laughs)

JM: (Laughs) Ryan Ogle (writer of Pit and Ruin magazines) told me to ask you about an interesting story that you had about meeting Dimebag.

LC: I got to go backstage at the sports arena here in San Diego back in '96. I got to hang out with them for a whole evening, after they got done playing, for a few hours. It was like walking into one of their videos and hanging out in the video. Just the nicest people, no egos [with] everybody that got to get backstage. It didn't matter if you were a bum crawling out from behind a dumpster going back to meet them, they treated everybody like fucking gold. It was just a killer party time and a dream come true for me. At the time, Dimebag was - and still is - my favorite guitarist and the one who's inspired me the most. He was just totally cool and it was great. Oh, and I got to get a picture arm wrestling the guys. That was pretty awesome. (Laughs)

JM: Did you know that today is actually the second anniversary of his death?

LC: You know what? I did not. That just kind of sent a chill through my body. No.

JM: I just realized that today.

LC: I'm going to sit at the phone and cry my eyes out now, Jodi.

JM: I'm sorry. How do you feel about that whole situation? Does it still piss you off to this day?

LC: It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about it! Two years have gone by. It gets to the point where you get used to, you know, he's not here, he's not putting out music, he's not touring. What was the question, Jodi? I'm sorry.

JM: No, I'm sorry. I just wanted to get your input on that.

LC: It's just the worst thing. It's like finding out one of your closest family members died, just because he's made such a huge impact on me as a musician, and changed my whole view of how I look at the guitar and how I feel about music in general. I mean, the guy was so passionate. I've never seen anybody kick that much ass on the guitar and have that much fun while kicking that much ass. That's one thing I felt like he did that I've never seen other guitar players do. I've seen so many phenomenal guitar players who just rip on the guitar, but he did it in a way that was so joyful, the time of his life, so much fun. I felt like he really added the fun factor into [it] - not only am I going to kick your ass, but I'm going to have a great time doing it. That's what I love about him most of all, and that's what I took away from his playing. Losing him and the way that went down, to me, is just a nightmare. But you know what? That's what we've got, and what can you do?

JM: It's still hard to believe, definitely.

LC: It's like hearing the stars fell out of the sky or something; just completely unbelievable.

JM: Now, to change the subject so we don't dwell on negative things...

LC: Could we? Yeah. It's depressing.

JM: Do you feel like it's a blessing or a curse to be a woman in extreme metal? Are there perks that come with it? Are there bad things...?

LC: You know what, Jodi? I think it's been more a blessing than a curse. It'd definitely gotten us more exposure because it's like, 'Whoa, there's a woman playing extreme guitar work.' It's still a rarity in this day and age, so it's definitely gotten us more exposure because of it. So it's definitely been a blessing.

JM: Do you guys get a lot more women coming to shows?

LC: Yes, definitely. I'd say...close to half.

JM: Half of the audience is women?

LC: You know what? That's a little strong. Let's say a third.

JM: That's still quite a bit for a band that plays music like yours.

LC: Yeah. I'm stoked to see it. I'm like, 'Fuck yeah, babe. Get out here.'

JM: Do you get a lot of women coming up to you after shows?

LC: Yes. I'm thrilled to see them. I have love for all of them.

JM: Do you guys have any touring plans in the future? Are you playing shows right now?

LC: We were trying to get a tour going for the fall and that fell through, so our goal right now is to get a tour for sure this January.

JM: Is there anybody you'd like to play with?

LC: I'd love to play with Slayer. Kerry, if you're reading this, call me! (Laughs)

JM: (Laughs) Do you want me to put your phone number in the article?

LC: 555-1010. (Laughs)

JM: What else do you guys have in the works right now?

LC: I want to start writing for our new album. I'm looking forward to touring and supporting this one, but I'm also eager to start writing again.

JM: Do you have any set time that you're going to start writing for it, or just kind of when the moment comes?

LC: I'm thinking January, start writing. Actually, I was just talking to Dave today, and he was like, 'We need to start writing right now.' So I'm thinking anywhere between now and January we're going to start writing on the new album.

JM: How long were you guys writing for this past album, Insanity of the Obsessed, before you actually got it out?

LC: Some of those songs we'd written right before we went into the studio, and then some of those songs were a couple years old.

JM: You guys have played with Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and Death Angel in the past. Who are some others that you've played with?

LC: Cattle Decapitation, Incantation and a couple more. That's pretty close to it. Mainly, just a lot of locals here in San Diego and L.A.

JM: Is there a pretty good scene there for death metal?

LC: I'd say there's a really good scene and I think it's getting better all the time here. There's a ton of bands coming out of the woodworks here and they're really talented. And young. My god, it's amazing.

JM: Is there anyone that you've always dreamed of playing with?

LC: I've always dreamed of somehow going on the road with Dimebag. That was my ultimate dream, to somehow go on tour with whatever band he was in. But I'd say Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Slayer, like I said earlier, would be the ultimate. For me, that would be the dream.

JM: Where do you see Warface five years from now?

LC: You know what? I'm just living in the moment right now and not even going that far. You know, let's go out a moment. I would love to see Warface with five more albums that I could be really proud of on our belt, that are successful in the underground. Ideally, I'd love to put out an album per year that's kickass, that's not just slammed out.

JM: Do you think you guys could do that? Do you think you could put out a really great album every year for the next five years?

LC: Jodi, we'll find out. (Laughs) It's a very ambitious, lofty goal.

JM: Is it pretty easy for you to go in and write songs?

LC: Yes and no. It is something that you've got to be inspired [for], and you can't always control that inspiration, and you can't always control when those riffs are going to come flowing out of you - at least I can't. It's either you're on fire or you're not. But generally, yeah. Sometimes it does flow together. When we were trying to finish up this last album, Insanity of the Obsessed, the last four or five songs came together pretty fast. So, hopefully we'll continue on that now that we've got a label, where as before we didn't have a label and funds to even put anything out if we wanted to. So that's why there was the big delay between the first EP release and what we have now. Hopefully now that we've got funding, we can start putting some stuff out a little quicker than a four-year-in-between lapse. (Laughs)

JM: When it comes to songwriting, is it a democracy, or is there someone who does most of the writing?

LC: I do most of the writing, but it's always a democracy. If I come in with a riff, and Dave and the drummer absolutely hate it, then I'm not going to force it on them.

JM: Yes, that's understandable. I think I've covered everything that I wanted to ask you, which is awesome.

LC: Jodi, you got everything but my social... (Laughs)

JM: Yes I did! Yeah, will you give me that? I'm just going to write that down...

LC: ...my urine and fingerprints.

JM: (Laughs) Is there anything you would like to add?

LC: Just a major thank you to you and LivingforMetal.com for the support, and to all the fans, thank you so much. Horns up, cheers.