Interview: Lindsay Schoolcraft (Cradle Of Filth) [English version]

quinta-feira, 23 de maio de 2013

 

This is the first interview ever that we're posting especially for our readers all over the world. Plus, we would like to the take the oportunity to announce that a full English version of All That Metal is on the way right now. Sooner or later, a lot of other interviews will be also available in English, with musicians like Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, ex-Carcass), Pinche Peach (Brujeria), Charles Hedger (Mayhem, Imperial Vengeance, ex-Cradle Of Filth) and a lot more yet to come.

In early 2013, Cradle Of Filth announced a new member in their line-up. Lindsay Schoolcraft joined the band to perform keyboards and female backing vocals with the band. At that point, her name was not well known, but she conquested pretty fast the COF fans all over the world. Now many people are also saying that she is the best female singer to join the band since Sarah Jezebel Deva had to leave.
Back in november last year, James McIlroy was interviewed on All That Metal and I even took a message from him to the members of Moonspell. In march this year, Paul Allender shared a few thoughts with us. This time, we've decided to speak with Lindsay, so she can tell us her first experiences touring with COF. Lindsay is a very friendly and helpful person, really pleasant talk to her. For the first time she tells all the details of how she joined COF, some funny stories about the tour and remember the concert in Brazil.



 
ALL THAT METAL: Hey Lindsay, how are you doing? First of all, can you tell how you got an invitation to play with Cradle Of Filth?
LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT: “Hello! Thanks for having me here. I am great thanks. Just recovering from the tour, but it’s good to be home back in Canada.
I got very lucky with joining Cradle of Filth. Some days it’s still very surreal for me and others just an epic reality. I got the message on Dec 18th 2012 as I was about to attend a family reunion. Melissa Ferlaak (ex. Visions of Atlantis, currently in Plague of Stars) messaged me over Facebook asking me if it was ok that she forwarded my information to Paul Allender because Cradle of Filth were looking for a new keyboardist and backing vocalist. Melissa and I had met through an online group by the name of Eve’s Apple which is an amazing community I’m involved with that is a collective of female singers in rock and metal. We also had a chance to perform together a Metal Female Voices Festival in Belgium earlier that year. So, I started shaking in my chair because I just couldn’t believe the opportunity of this had come knocking at my door step. I told her of course it was ok and thanks so much for recommending me! Well Christmas passed and everyone got busy, but this opportunity did not leave my mind. It was between Christmas and New Years I sent Paul a cover letter and audition video. Before I knew it I was flying to Minneapolis in America to visit Melissa and meet Paul for the first time. We met and went over what was expected of me and that was it. I usually hate plane rides, but that was the happiest plane ride home ever!”

ATM: Any particular song that you were very excited to play live?
LINDSAY: “I have always been a fan of the Nymphetamine track and Lilith Emmaculate as well because my favorite Cradle of Filth album is Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa. My overall favorite song is Honey and Sulfur so I was glad we occasionally had a chance to play that one live from time to time. I believe the first time I got to play it live was at our show in Brazil! And Born in a Burial Gown is a personal favorite I always like to play live. It really grew on me.”

ATM: Your first time on stage with the band was on the Latin American tour. How nervous you were?
LINDSAY: “I was very excited, but also very, VERY nervous. The crowd in Mexico City received me so well and was calling my name after Nymphetamine so that really made me feel welcome and I warmed up to them right after that. It’s always scary being the new person and since this was my first professional gig in a band that has years of recognition backing them it was very overwhelming and I felt the pressure, but I was also honored and ecstatic about it. The guys in the band are also seriously very cool dudes and they made me feel comfortable and welcome. I think that was a huge contributing factor to me keeping it together. There were so many emotions all at once. Sometimes I even wonder how I got through that first gig! I guess I just had to go up and do it and not second guess it or think too much about it. Kind of like auto pilot mode.”




ATM: I noticed you've been well received by the fans. How important was that?
LINDSAY: “That was huge for me. I want the band to be happy with me, but that is also as equally important as the fans. Cradle of Filth have some AMAZING fans who are so dedicated and supportive and just rad people to talk to and hang out with. I am so blessed that they have welcomed, embraced, and supported me. It’s so important and I’m grateful for it.”

ATM: We can't skip this question: how it was the concert in São Paulo?
LINDSAY: “REALLY high energy! We had so much fun and it was our last South American show so we really gave it our all. That was when I was really feeling like a part of the band and comfortable on stage. We all had a blast. I will never forget the crowd that night. I also remember the band having a very tight set and we really felt it.”

ATM: I guess you have a lot of funny stories about what happens when you're touring with these guys. Can you share some of these moments with us?
LINDSAY: “There are just too many amazing memories full of laughter. There was this one night on travel that changed it all for me. We have this guitar tech Asti who we also proclaim to be the “Professional Pub Singer”. He is a very talented musician and very passionate about what he does, but also very passionate in his humor. The whole band and Crewdle of Filth got onto a bus to transfer us to the other terminal to catch a flight and it was somewhere in South America. So there were these two young ladies siting amongst us and they kept pointing at James and giggling. I’m assuming they just thought he looked really cool with his long blond hair and thought he was cute because they’ve never seen that before. So then out of nowhere Dani requests that Asti sing a song for them. Without a second thought Asti bursts out into song. I think the song was Frank Sinatra, but it was brilliant and he was arm outstretched and not missing a note. Everyone started laughing and I immediately fell over into our tour manager Martin Lamb and started in a high shrieking fit of laughter. Apparently from then on if you could get me to laugh like that, then you win! I think my terrible uncontrollable laugh making a debut mixed with Asti’s impromptu performance was the funniest and most memorable moment for me.”

ATM: Thanks for your attention, Lindsay! Please leave a message for you Brazilian fans.
LINDSAY: “Well thank you for having me. And to the Brazilian fans: You guys are amazing and such a stellar crowd! It was so nice to meet all of you and we had a great signing session that day. We love your country and hope to be back as soon as possible! If not, I will visit on my own time.”

You can also follow Lindsay on Facebook and Twitter. Watch the video below with the performance of the song "Nymphetamine" during the concert in Medellin, Colombia:

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