EMQ’s with LEATHER WITCH
EMQ’s with LEATHER WITCH
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Manizales/Pereira, Colombia based NWOBHM/Speed Metal band, Leather Witch. Huge thanks to guitarist, Pablo Meza, for taking part.
What is your name, what do you play, and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hi there!!! I´m Pablo Meza and I play the lead guitars in Leather Witch.
Leather Witch is a female fronted young project that began in 2017 as an intention to remind the roots and perform NWOBHM. Currently our line-up is: Tania “Soulstorm” on vocals, José Uribe on bass, Juan “Chamo” Hurtado on drums, Pablo Meza and new member Fredy Loaiza on lead guitars.
How did you come up with your band name?
The band’s name comes up due to the fact that our lead singer is a woman who impersonates a witch and wears leather as a sign of rebellion.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
We are originally from Colombia and the band is split into two neighbouring cities: Manizales and Pereira, both located in the central west of the country and best known for being at the heart of coffee production in the region.
Colombia has definitely littered so many underground bands especially when it comes to death metal and extreme genres, many of them all are top of the range bands and are worth keeping an eye on…or an ear! There’re also Webzines and radio stations that support underground music, you can look up Golpea en la Radio, Maldito Metal Colombiano, Oráculo Magazine, Rock Sound-Sonido Extremo, etc.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our latest release is our full-length album called “Leather Witch”. There´re two official videoclips ‘Pull The Trigger’ and ‘Stronger Than Death’ and a lyric video ‘Murder Ride’ available on YouTube.
‘Pull The Trigger’ (Official Video)
‘Stronger Than Death’ (Official Video)
‘Murder Ride’ (Lyric Video)
Who have been your greatest influences?
We are a NWOBHM band and part of our influences are Accept, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Metal Church, Judas Priest, Doro, among others. We are mainly oriented to both German and British schools.
What first got you into music?
In spite of the fact that there´re no musicians in my family, my grandparents and mom are huge music fans and very keen on collecting old music vinyl and I could say that was my first approach to music mania. Later on, I got into rock and metal stuff because of a school mate. That´s how it all began!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I´d genuinely crave riffing with Judas Priest, Accept and Ozzy! I get my hopes up too high, you see! 😊
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Maybe Wacken or Hellfest as they gather massive audience from all over the globe and also the best bands, besides, I want to visit Germany to try its beer and France for their streets, cuisine and wines!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I wouldn’t say “weirdest” but “memorable”. On a birthday, once an Irish girl gave me a crafted wooden box with twelve poems inside from her favourite Irish poet (William Butler Yeats) on twelve pieces of paper, she told me I had to read one every month, so I would finish them all by my next birthday. I still treasure them.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Keep the heavy metal flame alive, Witches and B#tch€s! \m/
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Freddie Mercury or Hendrix!
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy the fact of being capable to express myself through my music and share my anger, hope, talent and passion with others. I hate the lack of venues and support to bands; I also abhor what the music industry has turned into.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
It’d be cool if record labels treat their bands as business partners and not like their pink-collar employees.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” without a doubt!
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
Every format is oriented to certain targets, you know; collectors are keen on buying music in physical format and they constitute a market niche that keeps the business and labels alive, nonetheless if the band aims to get real promotion and broadcasting, it is key to adapt to the changes the music industry has been through and take part of all this digital thing. Our album is on all the platforms and that´s certainly been the most effective way for people to get to know about us. We also released both vinyl and CD’s for those who enjoy the ritual of opening a booklet, appreciate the artwork, watch the band´s pictures and read the lyrics!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I remember playing for about 20,000 people at an open-air festival in Colombia called Ancon with a power metal band I used to played in. That was in 2005.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Well, apart from being a musician, I´m an English professor, day dreamer, wine snob, amateur cook, coffee maker/addict and 80’s music enthusiast.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I would invite Gandhi, Hitler, Stalin, Trump and Napoleon, so I would have a seat, serve a glass of red wine and watch them fix the world!
What’s next for the band?
We aim to keep promoting our debut album by making one or two more videos this year to stay prevailing in this lockdown time. We also hope to build up an even stronger relationship with our record label (Steel Shark) with a view to keep working alongside.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
You can listen to the whole record and watch our videos on:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCd2cXRI3C4MBPCJTLnyqxfg
www.open.spotify.com/artist/43KJPUlpk7wCfh4zt817hu
www.deezer.com/en/album/147355362
You can also follow us on:
www.facebook.com/LeatherWitchBand
www.instagram.com/leatherwitchband/
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
UFO-shaped pieces of bakery!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thank you for this space on your webzine and I would like to invite you all to visit Leather Witch social networks and also support your local bands. Share their stuff, buy the merch and go to gigs once the world hopefully gets back to normal.
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