Die Mannequin
October 28th, 2009 - Written by Lili—
Toronto-native’s, Die Mannequin, are steadily making their mark in Canada’s music scene. Having toured with significant names in the industry, the most recent being Marilyn Manson, this band finally released its debut album, ‘Fino + Bleed’, this past September.
When the tour with Marilyn Manson stopped in Montreal, I had the chance to chat a little with Care Failure, the band’s interesting front woman, who, despite her young age, has gone through a great deal of hardships that made her who she is and helped her get to where she is today. We discussed many things, from her influences to an amusing anecdote about their tour in Germany.
CONFRONT: So this isn’t your first time in Montreal right?
CARE FAILURE: Not at all, yeah…
CONFRONT: How does it feel to be back?
CARE FAILURE: Oh it feels good. Montreal crowds are known to be more into the shows so it’s kind of more, European; like in Germany they really get into it. It’s kind of similar here even though it’s a big city.
CONFRONT: Yeah I went to a lot of shows this summer and people really are into it! So how is the tour going?
CARE FAILURE: Horrible!
CONFRONT: Horrible?
CARE FAILURE: It sucks! I wish I was home watching “The Real World”. Nah I’m joking….no I’m totally serious. No I’m joking.
CONFRONT: So which is it? Joking or serious?
CARE FAILURE: What do you think?
CONFRONT: I think you’re joking!
*laughter*
CARE FAILURE: Yeah it’s great.
CONFRONT: So what has been your favourite place to play? It doesn’t necessarily have to be on this tour.
CARE FAILURE: Montreal, Quebec! (Said in a deep kind of mocking voice)
*laughter*
CARE FAILURE: Favourite place to play…anywhere where there is little or no stage. Um…Stuttgart I remember was good. Any shows where it’s too hot and everyone had to get naked and we could party.
CONFRONT: Yeah I read about that deal in Germany, was it? On tour?
CARE FAILURE: Yeah it was “The Naked Tour” so if they would get naked, we would get naked and it made the shows a lot more fun.
CONFRONT: I can imagine. *laughter* And what is your dream place to play? Or maybe you already played there?
CARE FAILURE: Dream place? I dunno, it’s always cool to be able to play your hometown’s big venue. So that’s always cool just for that one reason but even though that’s cool, it’s much more fun to play smaller clubs. I really like to go back to White Trash in Berlin and play there; it’s always a good place to play.
CONFRONT: What makes it so special?
CARE FAILURE: It’s just this crazy place that is kind of “hipster-y” but besides that it was, like, decorated like a Chinese restaurant you know? And it’s just floors and floors and it just has all these crazy trinkets all over the place and they play Motley Crew and it’s just really fucked up seeing all these weird Chinese decorations and hear Motley Crew and Guns n’ Roses playing and it’s just funny.
CONFRONT: Sounds really cool though! So talking about Guns n’ Roses, you’ve toured with a lot of big names already but if you could tour with anybody at all, who would it be?
CARE FAILURE: Turbonegro…I mean I love Sonic Youth and Blond Redhead and all my influences but the show wouldn’t be as good because people would come out to just see all of them…um…I dunno. We’ve played with so many people! It’d be great to go on tour with the Deftones even though Chi’s still in a coma um…Stooges…there are so many, The Melvins, that would be a good show!
CONFRONT: I’m sure it would! So your album came out a couple of weeks ago; your first studio album that’s not a fusion of EPs.
CARE FAILURE: Oh my god!
CONFRONT: How does it feel?
CARE FAILURE: It feels shitty! Nah it feels great! I mean, it’s good to finally have it out because it takes months and months you know. It was ready so long ago but it takes labels forever to get things done so it’s like a weight off your shoulders.
CONFRONT: And how is the response so far?
CARE FAILURE: Horrible!
*laughter*
CARE FAILURE: It’s been actually way better than we thought it would be. It climbed like tens of spots overnight and went to 13 and I think to 10, then almost top 10. I mean, it’s like way more than we anticipated right away. We haven’t even counted all the CDs sold on this tour so it’s been kind of crazy.
CONFRONT: That’s really cool though. And how would you explain Die Mannequin’s sound on this album?
CARE FAILURE: Um…you know you don’t want to stay the same; you hope that you get better you know?
CONFRONT: Of course.
CARE FAILURE: It’s abrasive but melodic…I’m not afraid of being catchy. I’ve lost many friends because they’re too good for that or something and I don’t know, I just always give you something heavy to dance to but you know, still with a melody and something to sing along to.
CONFRONT: So there are a lot of different genres in one album?
CARE FAILURE: Yeah we’re kind of like a weird genre-skipper. We can tour with a band like Marilyn Manson then also tour with, like, Hedley and play like four year-olds so it’s kind of cool for us to be able to…I humbly say it’s cool that we were able to fit in with these different genres ‘cause it’s hard to peg it down, just ‘cause there’s not a lot of other people doing what we do and maybe part of it is being a female and playing like a “dude”. But I guess it’s an advantage too.
CONFRONT: It is! ‘Cause you can play with a lot of different bands, like you said. You get a lot of experience from it. And do you have any pre-show rituals?
CARE FAILURE: Of course. I have this, like, dance relief program.
CONFRONT: Really?
CARE FAILURE: Where it’s like if you can’t dance around in your underwear to your favourite songs and drink whisky before the show, then it’s not going to be a good show.
CONFRONT: And is it just you or is it everybody together?
CARE FAILURE: It’s mostly me unfortunately. It’d scar you for life, you’d better not peek.
*laughter*
CONFRONT: I’m sure it must be entertaining right?
CARE FAILURE: For me it is, no one else, just for me. Same songs too, every night and for tours and tours. Same songs until a new record comes out and then I’ll spin that with it.
CONFRONT: Is it one of your songs?
CARE FAILURE: Hell no! I would never do that. It’s so weird! I play them but that’s about it. Um…Eagles of Death Metal mostly and Queens Of The Stone Age and Turbonegro. Anything that pumps me up and M.I.A…
CONFRONT: It’s like a big stress reliever too right?
CARE FAILURE: Yeah I just like to get and do it at a different place. I know it’s cheesy but music’s the best thing to have.
CONFRONT: Yeah, I agree.
(at this point, Stacy, their extra guitar player on this tour walked in and we said hi to him)
CARE FAILURE: It’s the first tour ever that we’ve had another guitarist. Double the pleasure, double the fun.
CONFRONT: So what are some of your current influences or inspirations right now?
CARE FAILURE: Um I don’t know, right now, it’s so hard. I think, you know, for music, it’s always “war, recession, good music, war, recession, good music”. So we’re kind of getting into one of those areas. Like, two years ago, I would’ve said absolutely nothing besides my favourites Queens and Eagles of Death Metal. These days, there’s some new stuff that’s coming out that I do not mind that much and I know it’s real hipster and I hate fucking hipster shit bands but some are cool. But mostly, I love like Eagles of Death Metal’s new record. I love it hard on. And I love Queens Of The Stone Age and I’m really eager to go back to Toronto and see Them Crooked Vultures, Josh April and what’s-his-face from Led Zepellin, so that’ll be pretty cool. I mean I think kids are just getting hip to the fake-ness and I think they’re just ready for shit that’s real and I think they’re getting hip too.
CONFRONT: So it’s a good time for you to come out right?
CARE FAILURE: Hopefully, yeah.
CONFRONT: And you were deeply submerged in your influences when you were younger so how does it feel to possibly get up there and be an influence instead of the influenced?
CARE FAILURE: Oh god…I make a bad role model: I smell, I’m late, the list goes on. I make a bad one. But you know, hopefully, I can just give back what I got when I was a kid, like whatever, as cliché as that is, when I was a kid, I had so much good music surrounding me; Nirvana and Sonic Youth and all these great things to get inspired by and for them to be my family. Hopefully, I can give something back to a kid like that and that’ll make the circle complete and make me happy in a weird selfish way.
CONFRONT: I don’t think it’s selfish.
CARE FAILURE: Well it’ll help someone so maybe not, yeah…
CONFRONT: Exactly! Ok. There are some questions that we always ask and I know you already did an interview with CONFRONT so you already answered a couple of these but there are still a few. First, you have to finish this sentence: I would never…
CARE FAILURE: I would never…oh god. There’s so many things I do…what do I don’t do? I would never stand still on stage and shimmy step in my little respective area.
*laughter*
CONFRONT: That’s a good one! That’s original! And what about: I have never…
CARE FAILURE: I have never stood still and…
*laughter*
CARE FAILURE: I have never…I have never starred on a popular reality TV show called “Care in the House”.
CONFRONT: Would you?
CARE FAILURE: Possibly!
CONFRONT: And what are your plans for the rest of the year?
CARE FAILURE: I guess do what bands do; more traveling, more touring, more music, more making grease spots and yeah…
CONFRONT: Sounds cool! Now, this is a question I always ask. Could you draw something that you think represents you and then explain it to me? You can draw a self-portrait too. (see image below)
CARE FAILURE: The title of it is “UN-fuck you by Care F. –Die Mannequin”.
CONFRONT: And it represents you because..?
CARE FAILURE: It represents when someone says “fuck you!” and then they take it back and go “oh…sorry, un-fuck you!” I wish people would “un-fuck” me. That’s why the crosses are crying crossed tears. ‘Cause you know, that’s how I feel, the girl inside the girl. *whispered* Don’t take it too seriously.
*laughter*
CONFRONT: Well thank you for the drawing and thanks for letting me have this interview!
CARE FAILURE: Thank you! Your questions really kept me on my toes.
CONFRONT: Thanks!
Currently, Die Mannequin is taking a break from touring but keep checking their official MySpace (http://myspace.com/diemannequin) or their official site http://www.diemannequin.ca for more info as well as to preview some songs if you’ve never heard them before. I’m sure you will enjoy it.
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