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I had picked up my first bass one year before meeting Rob and starting White Zombie - but I attribute my ability to learn it quickly to my many childhood years of violin! The tuning of a violin and a bass is the same, as far as the relationship of the notes, and learning to play violin makes bass easy – you no longer have to play by ear, the frets are like a cheat sheet!
I always wanted more attack, and more clarity of the notes. I like writing notey riffs, like the ones I wrote for Black Sunshine, and that kind of bass line is not going to come through without a pick.
Many great musicians started off in Art school before finding music: Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, John Lennon, David Byrne, Gang of Four, Mick Jones and many more. I see that you took a similar path. Can you talk about how a background in more traditional art forms prepares you for being a musician or what influence that had on your career?
It was always such a huge part of my life - making music, art, being involved in theater, ballet - from such a young age, that it's hard for me to separate any of them or say how one prepared me for the other. I feel lucky to have been surrounded by the arts thanks to my bohemian parents, and I think they all relate to each other so it can only help to be involved in different areas of creativity. The visual element of White Zombie was very important to us and to our fans – the artwork and the way we dressed tied in with our sound and helped to communicate who we were. The background in art and design school for both of us was great, because I knew how to do graphics, typography and layouts for poster and records, and Rob did all of the illustrations. It’s back to DIY these days, but anyone can do a pro job now that there are computers and Photoshop!
White Zombie started off as a Noise rock band which is a fairly different genre from what the band become known for, which was heavy metal – why the change in genres or how would you describe WZ’s sound?
"When we started we were punk, noisy, but heavy and dirgey also."
I wonder—do female fans in general respond to you differently than males do? You know, because you’re a real “tough-gal” pioneer?
I get a lot of sweet kudos from girls - a lot of "I picked up a bass/guitar because of you," which is always so nice to hear. Guys will more ask me about a riff, my gear, or tell me I rock, which is always nice to hear as well!!
You were around during the Riot Grrrl movement. How did you feel about it and did you ever identify with that scene?
That kind of started after we were already rolling, and I didn't really have time to bond with anyone from that genre - the bands seemed cool, but I wasn't ever really angry, I was just doing what I wanted to do, being one of the musicians, which was usually a boy's place. I feel like I was making a feminist statement on my own by infiltrating the system instead of rebelling against it.
Different things are important to different musicians when choosing an instrument (whether it be certain specs, size, weight, sound, color, etc.) What is the most important thing to you in choosing/playing the perfect bass?
The size and weight! As long as it doesn't break my back, and I can get my hand around the neck, I'm happy. Of course a great sounding bass with nice action is a bonus.
Did you even have a similar experience in a music shop where the person helping you thought you were there to buy something for your boyfriend or friend? If so, do you think that it’s any better nowadays?
I have to say no - back in the day when I was first buying gear, I was in the East Village where there were plenty of female musicians. When we moved to LA we already had a bit of notoriety so people seemed to know me in stores. Of course LA and NY are always a bit more progressive than the rest of America so I guess I was a little sheltered; hopefully things are better now for girls across the country!
Since you have a rare and early female perspective from the mostly male-dominated world of heavy metal, what advice would you give to other women looking to get into that scene?
If you are doing what you truly want to do, not to prove something or for other reasons, and you work hard and do it well, then you will be respected for it. Your attitude, the way you behave, all of these things will chalk up your level of respect and being able to hang. I've been usually the only girl on the tour besides strippers and groupies backstage, and it's important to respect everyone but differentiate yourself. In situations like these, it helped that I was seen as one of the guys.
You were the sole female (not only in the band), but in the entire metal world, spanning from 1985-1996—why do you think that was, and why do you think that’s changed?
This statement is actually untrue, although in my press release for some reason. There were a few other women in metal, and much more feminine that me: Lita Ford and Doro Pesch, not to mention Vixen and others. I mention in my book that when White Zombie entered the metal realm (around 1989), I was the only female in our world, which was the super heavy thrash metal bands, etc. We toured with Testament, Pantera, The Obsessed, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Danzig - tell me where there is a female in this equation?! It was crazy. I'm sure Lita and Doro were touring at the time somewhere, but not that I heard of. They were also marketed as metal vixens, which was something I never was nor wanted to be - I was just a musician riffing, writing, and head banging. I'm not saying it's better, it's just who I am - I never wanted to be recognized as a girl, just a fellow musician. Of course my idols were Joan Jett and David Bowie, so I always liked the androgyny thing and having people interested in you beyond what your gender is.
Do you have any anecdotes where people would mistake you for being a guy in the band?
Definitely! My favorite time was when a gay guy took out an ad in the LAWeekly - R U bassist for White Zombie? Me, tall, blue eyes, GWM, etc etc - hilarious!
Although the title of the book is in reference to Pamela des Barres “I’m With the Band,” you did actually have to say those words (“but I’m IN the band!”) more than once to gain access to your own stage entrance or dressing room – that is how male oriented things still were……how did that make you feel? Is it still like this?
It made me feel frustrated - I was getting ready to miss my set! Obviously they couldn't start without me, but for everyone to think I was slacking off somewhere, when instead I was being denied access - very frustrating! I'm sure in some backwards part of this country this might still happen for a girl musician.
Do you understand why people use the phrase “good for a girl?”
I think guys think, and I have witnessed this also, that sometimes girls don't play as intensely, aggressively, or diligently as guys sometimes. In my generation, there were plenty of nerdy guys that locked themselves in their bedroom and played guitar for hours, out of pent up aggression/hormones and/or for lack of a social life. I never know a girl to follow that obsessive behavior. I did, but with piano and violin, instruments that were ok for girls. One thing I will never forget is when we started the band, Rob telling me: "Keep your fretting elbow out, girls always let it down to their side and it looks like they're cradling a baby." Well god knows I didn't want that! There are so many chauvinistic things that guys think about girls that we would never guess, the slightest gesture conjures up something matronly or naughty and we're supposed to figure it out before they judge us. I think there are so many amazing female musicians now that people don't say that phrase anymore, do they? It was almost as though guys were saying: well, they have no arm or hand strength, they have no cojones, but they are managing along pretty well I suppose, right? I was so glad to never hear that statement!
Following WZ, you continued to play music as the guitarist/vocalist for the all-girl horror-surf band Famous Monsters, and your most current band (also all-girl) Star and Dagger. Did you intend on forming “all-girl” bands after White Zombie or did it just happen that way?
It just happened. I planned on doing Famous Monsters when WZ broke up, because I had already done the first 7" with Estrus Records. The original drummer was actually a guy Frankie Stein, played by Bob Bert of sonic Youth and Pussy Galore. It turned into an all -girl band when I moved to New Orleans and found members, and it was just three good friends hanging out, which is exactly how Star and Dagger came about, very organically. We have a male drummer, so we're not fully all girl! But I love Donna, our guitarist - her riffs and style conjure up Joe Perry and Tony Iommi. And Von Hesseling, our singer, is just incredible. It is this huge respect and love for these two that is the core of this band.
"I'm much more able to play the bass than guitar."
Aaaah, hard question! We always like what we're able to do well, and I'm much more able to play the bass than guitar. That said, the guitar has so many more possibilities that I wish I had spent years playing the guitar also, but I'm happy riffing and performing on the bass. I've been playing it so long it's just natural.
Zombie were one of the last bands in heavy rotation on MTV, just before the channel ceased regular video clip play, what part do you think it played in WZ’s success? What do you think of MTV now?
HUGE. Between Ricky Rachman and Beavis and Butthead giving us airplay, we were able to break through to the mainstream, and when MTV put us in heavy rotation, it was out of control how much our record sales doubled and tripled. It's amazing how much power TV has, in general, when it comes to making or breaking someone. Today, I don't even know what to think of MTV - I haven't watched it in years!
Recently, you’ve decided to do a special edition version of your infamous Schecter Coffin Bass (which I’ve read was inspired by Tim Burton) for mid-2011 introduction. Were there any modifications in the design and why did you decide to do this?
Since about 1994 I've never played anything besides the bass I got to design for Schecter - my coffin bass! It was actually inspired my own collection of coffins, including one full size coffin that resides in my dining room. I'm really excited that after all of these years, Schecter is going to release a limited edition for retail. I'm trying to design a new fleur de lis headstock for it, since Michael, the owner of Schecter, is from New Orleans and I've been in New Orleans for 14 years now! My first love of New Orleans was the graveyards, so it all ties in.
I came across a quote from Mike Williams, lead singer of EyeHateGod regarding your book. “Sure there are women that can hang with the on-the-road, testosterone fueled insanity that is relentless touring, partying and outright chaos; but only a select few come out of the soulgrinder fully intact, intelligent and well rounded. Sean Yseult is one of...these women. A very cool musician and an all day class act with ripped jeans and day-glo hair... This book is perfect. " This book is more or less a memoir of your WZ days, do quotes like this flatter you?
Coming from such a dark, battered, tortured soul as Mike that quote warms my heart! Mike, like the rest of the guys in EHG and Pantera, are no-bullshit kind of guys and to have something said like that, or Phil calling me a "lifer" - it's the best.
When the Beavis and Butthead coined nickname "The Chick from White Zombie" what was your reaction?
Loved it. I have no qualms with the word chick - I don't find it offensive in any way. If I did, I wanted have used it in my book's subtitle! It's cute, and was never meant or said in a derogatory way. I'll take it.
Did you do anything different than the average metal musician did at that time you won the respect of millions of metal world—do you think it really mattered that you were a girl?
It didn't matter that I was a girl - and that is what made it stand out - that's what made it matter! I was maybe the first girl in metal not wearing her gender on her sleeve, instead just being another musician. I knew a few other girl musicians that I could relate to on this level – L7, and the Lunachicks – but they were not metal bands and were not on that circuit. Guys rarely use the fact that they’re guys as a selling point – I guess maybe Man-O-War, or some glam metal dudes that wore cod pieces and chaps, haha! But in general, the fact they are male doesn’t matter. That is what I wanted as a female, for it not to matter.
Do you feel that you have helped to pave the way for more female musicians to be seen as equals?
I hope so - and I only think so thanks to all of the women and little girls that have told me so.
What does a day in the life of Sean Yseult consist of currently, and what can we expect to see in the coming years?
I spend some time working on new songs, also some time on my design and/or photography, go biking or swimming, do some cooking and/or eating out and socializing with friends, and at least one week out of the month I am traveling - either NY, LA, or somewhere more exotic!
Hopefully in the coming years my designs and graphics will spread to more realms – I’ve just entered home décor, and my designs got picked up by Barneys! Also I plan on upcoming shows and more recording with my new band Star and Dagger; we can’t wait!
Jennifer Farmer,
Daisy Rock Artist Relations
Other White Zombie interviews:
| + The Classic Albums: White Zombie's 'Astro Creep 2000' | interviews | 02/01/2010 |
