Vanity Beach – 19-04-2008

J. & Bones ( + Manager) Vanity Beach
By: Nina Mende & Sabine van Gameren

While Vanity Beach had to play at Trashfest we took our chance to ask the band some questions.

How did the band get started? How did all the band members meet?
J. “We started out back in 2002. We were friends, we went to the same school and had a lot of the same likes in music.”
Bones “Except from the drummer, he came in later.”

What does the band name mean for you?
why did you choose it?
J. “We choose the name Vanity Beach, because it is a cool name. There is not a long story behind that. ”

How would you describe your band for potential fans?
J. “We play heavy metal music with synthesizers included. “

What makes Vanity Beach unique?
J. “I don’t know if there is anything that makes us unique. That is for you to say.”
Bones “Our music. The music that we make.”

If we want to know more about what kind of persons you are… we want to know your personality. If you would be and animal. What would you be? What animal describes your personality?
J. “A really intelligent one. A dolphin… with a lion’s head.”
Bones “Tough one! I would probably be a whale. A blue whale! Because they are really big and no one can mess with a whale. Or maybe an elephant, you can just stamp on everyone. That would be good.”

Where do you get inspiration from when writing songs?
J. “The inspiration of our songs is found in the every day life, everything that is going on. People around us, our love life, our non-existing love life.”
Bones “The whole album is going to be about the life around us. And our lives, how we see it. Unfortunately, it has not been really pretty.”

How was your first gig?
J. “Our first gig went quite well. Our third gig was a disaster! That was at the Tuska festival. It was chaos, nothing worked and our guitarist did not show up. All that kind of stuff.”

What did you think of the gig of today? (19-04-2008: Trashfest)
J. “The gig of today was a mess. Some songs were alright and some songs were a mess, because we are in studio.

If you could include a female vocalist for maybe one song… or maybe in the band, who would that be?
J. “We had Chibi from The Birthday Massacre on the song ‘The Knight Murderers’ that was really cool. But maybe… Tori Amos”

Did you ever have any doubts about continuing playing music in the way you are doing now?
Bones “No, stopping is not an option. I have been trying to do other things, but I just can’t stop.”
J. “We like what we are doing and we going to keep on doing what we are doing.”

Do you have some funny backstage stories to share with us?
J. “Well, tonight has been a huge mess. People working for this festival, our photographer doesn’t get backstage. So that is a huge problem… and *acts sad* everyone is blaming me…”

Ahhhh…
J. “Yeah… well it happens… It’s all my fault. That’s my answer to all of this now. It’s my fault!”
Bones “There are so many funny backstage stories. Come join us backstage and you’ll see.
*points to a guy who joins our conversation* This is our manager. You tell them a funny backstage story!”
Manager “We went to St. Petersburg, Russia. I came a day too late. We were drinking here in Helsinki. Then, the train left at six in the morning. I get to St. Petersburg and I slept the whole evening, the whole gig. I had a near death experience.”
Bones “The big Russian bear wouldn’t let him not drink vodka, so he passed out before the show. “
Manager “I was a bad ass and I realised that all the time… That I was a bad ass.”
Bones “That is our tour manager”
Manager “I am the Vanity Beach tour manager, thank you very much!”

Do you have any upcoming plans for touring? Maybe international?
J. “We are going to England… and Norway, Italy in August or September. And maybe something in France. “

Where would you like to see your band in the future? Any dreams?
J. “Become as big as possible. And do something like Metallica. But, we keep on doing what we are doing and if people like it… that’s cool “

So, do you see yourself playing stadiongigs, like Metallica does?
J. “We would do it! If we got offered, we would do it!”

When thinking of the future, is there anyone you want to collaborate with? Any band you would love to tour with?
J. ”I don’t know. It’s always the question. It is hard to talk about people you don’t know. You never know if the chemistry works. But Peter Murphey or The Cure… or Meatloaf. That would be awesome. We are into a lot of different music. We love good music.”

How would you define “success”? What does it mean to you?
J. “Do what you want to do and actually get some profit from doing it. A lot of bands never reach the level of success.”

What effect do you think that new media like Internet, Myspace and Forums have? How much influence?
J. “Internet has done a lot for us, so we are thankful for that.”

What’s your favorite coversong and which song shouldn’t be covered at all?
J. “The Cure – A Night Like This. We are going to do it on some acoustic shows soon.”
Bones “There are a lot of songs that should not be covered at all.

Would you give away your music/faces or names for commercial stuff? What would be your favourite?
J. “Yes we actually just did. It is confidentional.”

Are you trying to reach people with the lyrics or is it more a therapy for yourself? Or is it something completely different?
J. “We try to reach people.”

Where would you love to see yourself in 5/10 years?
J. “On my own Caribbean island somewhere.”
Bones “We’ll tell you when we own our own Caribbean island and sit on the beach drinking a margarita.”

Links:
Vanity Beach MySpace
Vanity Beach Official