Since I set Ravenheart Music up a little over three years ago, I was (and still am by the way) a man on a mission. There was (and maybe still is) some discrimination against females in rock and metal. I knew there was as I was told there was by ladies in rock. A lot has improved since 2006. I have also been and still am on occasion blown away by the standard of music on offer within the genre, in most cases by bands I have not even heard of. One such band was Lunacy Box, hailing from Italy. Lunacy Box is fronted by Ms Larsen, and they have just released an absolute corker of a debut album (reviewed elsewhere on this site). As a consequence, Ms Larsen and myself have just recently been striking up email conversations, therefore, I just had to ask her if she was up for an interview?...and here it is!
Firstly Ms Larsen, what made you get into the music business in the first place? and what by and large would you class as your influences?
The only thing that made me get into music business was a great love for music.. You know, I started singing in a punk metal band when I lived in Berlin many years ago and I was influenced first by post punk, metal, death rock and so on... When I first listened to Siouxsie and the Banshees I screamed: "God they're so sick!".
Can you introduce us to the members of the band, and tell us how it all came together?
How this came together? In 2005 me, drummer Davide Furlani and guitarist Cristiano Santini (formerly leader of iconic italian band Disciplinatha) we split a studio project distributed by EMI. Our will was to create a band which sounded as our personalities.. really closer to all the styles which "infected" us from the very beginning of our musical existences. Then bassplayer Andrea Bastoni joined us... And here we are!
And have you or any other band members been involved or are still involved in other musical projects?
(My band members have been involved in other musical projects mentioned on my previous answer). Recently Cristiano runs his own studio and produces many bands (mostly into goth/metal/indie). About me I'll have a collaboration with Din [A] Tod' singer Sven Claussen which I supposed to record in few weeks.
Can you tell us a little bit about the album, that to be honest I have fallen in love with?
We really worked the harder we could to come out with the final results... I mean.. we really wanted to sound different from many other good italian bands that recently are kickin on the scene.
And what has the media reaction been like?
Mostly good feeds we never expected... from webzines to printed magazines... especially from Germany, England, Italy and other European coutries.
And for those unfamiliar with your music, how would you describe the music on the record, and do you have any personal faves?
Our music is definitely a crossover of styles: goth rock, death rock, some metal riffs on the guitars.. My faves? there are different songs I like very much.. I recently fell in love with "Save" but my fave one is definitely "More than I do"..
Lunacy Box is a great name. How did the name come about?
The so called "lunatic box" is referred to what's in my head ;-)
And your name? :). Ms Larsen to me suggests Scandinavian influences. Would you like to enlighten me?
There's no need to enlighten you.... cause you really got it man!! My mom was from Copenhagen and Larsen is a very common family name in Denmark.
As a female in the music business and although there shouldn't be, is there ever a problem with being taken seriously?
I'm a female but I'm more than just a girl... I mean, I already messed up with EMI in the past and saved Lunacy Box from a slow death due to an awful management more recently... I know how to make people respect me.... honesty is my only excuse.
Back to the cd again, what was the studio experience like?
Strangely I like studio sessions very much. I can be holed up in a studio for 10 hours without blinking an eye. In that specific case while recording Lunacy Box' album was terribly hot cause the a.c. was out of order, and that made me angry big time to perform my way ;-) .. that was cool!!
And regards the recording process - was it simple, or were there any major headaches that were thrown your away, that you wished at the time would just go away?
During my recordings I think it was all good, I mean... when there was something "wrong" on the tunes, the guy who recorded my vocal lines, "used" me as a "human auto-tune".. hehe.. it was easier for me to sing the part again, than for him to adjust it mechanically.
Musically, who or what are your inspirations at the moment, and what/who are you listening to when you are chilling out or relaxing?
At the moment I'm chilling with some Birthday Massacre stuff. Inspirations? my husband :-)
And do you have any hobbies when not making music?
Yep... taking pictures... I mean photography is my job too and I love it!!
What band/artist would you just love to tour with and hang out with?
Too many too many... Touring with Birthday Massacre, hangin out with D.A.D. . By the way, Metallica's James Hetfield is my pet!!
And what are your band's plans for the future regards touring, and do you have any future musical ambitions?
At the moment we'd better do a sort of warm up here in Italy, then touring in Europe... Future musical ambitions? doing the best that I can with Lunacy Box and co-operate with other bands and... that's it..
Good luck in all your future endeavours. We at Ravenheart think Lunacy Box are awesome. We wish you all the very best for the future, and if you are Birmingham (UK) way, please come and find us. Finally is there anything that you would like to say to anybody across the world via this website?
First of all thank you so much for your support, and hope to reach you in B'ham pretty soon!!! what can I say to the world via this website???? To the young generation: STOP living on social networks, use them with care, and get back to the real life!!!!!
Thanks ever so much Ms Larsen..you rock! This band are awesome so check Lunacy Box out at www.myspace.com/lunacybox and then buy the cd!
Dave Smith (Jul 7, 2009)