We have been very lucky in recent weeks with regards to interviews and it seems as though that luck is continuing as we now have a fantastic powerful and raw interview with the first lady of metal, Tairrie B and the musical powerhouse that is Mick Murphy of ’My Ruin’
With regards to the new album, Ghosts and Good Stories, what was the main catalyst behind the fire in your writing?
TBM – I suppose it’s the same as it’s always been which is my passion and love for the music we make and my need to continue to create and express myself artistically.
MM – The main catalyst for me is my hunger as a musician and songwriter. I have a strong desire to create and record new music while continuing to explore and evolve.
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The latest release is My Ruin’s 6th studio Album. I feel that this album is such a big step forward. What is different this time?
TBM – We’re still the band we’ve always been because Mick & I are the heart and soul of My Ruin but we condensed it to just the two of us for all intents and purposes in the studio having Mick not only play guitar but also record the bass & drums as well as co produce. I think we were a bit more focused when writing and recording the new album. There weren’t a lot of distractions or people involved this time around so it made for a more personal, calm and cathartic experience.
MM – There is a certain clarity that comes with all the crazy experiences that you have being a DIY band for a long period of time. That clarity allowed us to relax, take our time and really enjoy the process of making the new album. We knew exactly what we wanted to accomplish and we made it happen.
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TBM- I think the problem is not really something I can define in a few short words nor is the solution. The music industry promotes and rewards bad behavior. That’s just a fact. All you have to do is look at MTV and the Grammy’s as perfect examples not to mention most mainstream music magazines. It’s not so much about integrity or meaningful songs these days as it’s about the all mighty dollar, sound scans, auto tune and a sexed up over hyped image within music in general.
In the world of rock, the focus has also shifted from it being about talent to who’s hot. Most of the bigger rock magazines don’t really seem to be interested in what female musicians have to say in regards to their music & lyrics, they seem more interested in how quick they can get them to strip down to their underwear and pose for another photo like a Victoria Secret model because that sells. The sad thing is that most of the women in bands nowadays are willing to do just that without a second thought. So many are constantly being reduced to nothing more than sex objects, taking off their clothes in order to get people to pay attention to their band or because they are simply not interesting enough and have nothing to say with their clothes on. Half naked images of women in rock are quickly becoming the stereotype being perpetuated and projected for younger girls to see and look up to, utterly void of depth and substance. It’s a bit sickening and played out.
I’m all for looking sexy and beautiful but too many of these chicks in bands lately look more like glorified porn stars and it’s getting harder to tell the difference or take them seriously considering how they present themselves. I’d like to see more photos of woman on stage actually performing and wearing clothing that don’t look like they were purchased at a stripper shop on Hollywood Blvd. I’d also like to read interviews with women in bands talking about their art and instruments with honest, strong, brave, independent and outspoken opinions.
When Joan Jett sang “I love rock & roll” she sang it with a snarl and conviction in her voice. When Chrissie Hynde said “rock & roll is not about saying fuck me, it’s about saying fuck you” she made one of the strongest and most unapologetic statements ever by a female musician and one that would live on to inspire and become a personal anthem for women like me for years to come. Money shot is a very relevant middle finger protest against the current trend of women in rock along with the mindset and mentality of the music industry at the moment. You either buy into it or you don’t and I don’t. It’s my “Beauty Fiend” & “Made to Measure” for 2010!
MM – Unfortunately there is no solution. Money talks, sex sells and the masses buy into lowest common denominator crap most of the time. Tits and ass get attention and there are a whole lot of people out there who crave attention and a lot of people who will pay big money to help them get it in order to make a profit.
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On the album, I love the lyrics from ‘Long Dark Night’. Which lyrics are you most proud of and what was the inspiration behind them?
TBM – I can’t really say that I am most proud of any particular lyrics. I’m proud of the album as a whole lyrically. They all represent a different story and different mood for me. The lyrics of ‘Long Dark Night’ were actually inspired by a classic book I was reading one evening that seemed to be speaking directly to me. I felt as though it was describing what I was going through in my head in many ways within its pages. The book is based upon the 16th Century poem by the Spanish poet and Roman Catholic mystic St John of the Cross called Dark Night of The Soul which is a metaphor used to describe a phase in a persons spiritual life marked by a sense of loneliness and desolation. His poem narrates the journey of the soul from her bodily home to its union with God and although the poem was more about someone losing their faith and based in a religious context, I sort of shifted the ideas into something more relatable to me in my own dark night moment having to do with the creative side of the soul searching for my muse during an insomnia fueled struggle due to sleepless evenings of losing faith, awake with the inability to create. This is our heavy metal torch song on the album which pays homage to those little slices of death and life after midnight
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As a guitarist, I have great appreciation for the guitar tracks laid down by Mick. I also like the fact that your very often described as ‘under-rated’ as it gives you chance to blow away the listeners that are not expecting a facemelter solo or bowel shaking, groove laden riff. If you could describe your playing style to a new listener in 3 words, what would it be?
MM – Classic Riff Metal
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There is a very bold and powerful lyric in “Abusing (the) Muse” which reads -
‘I will condemn your acts of hate and criticize your arrogance -I will offend your book of faith and publicize your ignorance ‘Now this can be interpreted in many ways, I get the feeling that this may be possibly directed at the music industry?
What is it that really winds you up about the state of the music industry, what would you do to change it?
TBM – To be honest, the song has nothing at all to do with the music industry although that is quite an interesting way to interpret the lyrics. It is actually a song about religion which is something I have always used as a muse when writing and being that this song attacks and confronts this subject matter, I suppose you could say I am in effect “Abusing the Muse” or rather, my muse. The Bible is a great source of inspiration but something I have always considered to be more of a good story based in fiction rather than fact. This track is one of my personal favorites on our new album because of what it represents in terms of a full frontal assault call and response condemnation of the Church and all the self righteous evangelists, preachers and prophets that judge and condemn others in the name of God and pray for profit. Organized religion is something I am very much opposed to on many levels and not just regarding the Christian and Catholic faiths.
MM – The music business seems like an un-cleanable mess to me. To change it, I would outlaw auto-tune and would give a lot more exposure to the less trendy rock and metal bands that don’t have a big promotion machine pumping money into them.
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Some fun ones now!
As a two-piece band, you will need other band members to play alongside you when you go on tour. What would your ultimate fantasy line-up be?
TBM – My ultimate fantasy line up would be a drummer and bass player who were confident and cool as people on and off stage as well as honest and loyal without ulterior motives. It would also be nice to have a couple guys we could have fun with on the road who didn’t pout when they weren’t getting enough attention or turn into huge ego maniacs when they did.
MM – Orchestrion. Google it 
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What rituals/routines/ocd’s do you have before you go out on stage?
TBM – I listen to gangster rap because it calms my nerves. I also drink my elixir of throat coat, honey & fresh ginger root and usually take a couple shots of whiskey.
MM – I drink beer and pace around.
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Which artist is your ‘guilty pleasure?’
TBM – Westside Connection!
MM- Currently it’s The D.O.C.
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As a husband and wife, is it hard to ‘switch off’ from My Ruin mode or does it take over completely at home too?
TBM – Our home is My Ruin HQ. It’s where our office is and where we live and conduct our business so it’s very hard to turn off from the band sometimes. The song ‘Repose’ on our new album was actually inspired by this very idea.
MM – It’s definitely a 24/7 kind of thing.
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Which non-metal artist would you love to turn to the dark side and make them metal for the day and why?
TBM – I would have to say Nick Cave although he’s already dark as hell but it would be amazing to hear him cover a metal song.
MM – I’d like to make all these lightweight pampered pop artists listen to nothing but the entire Black Flag discography for 24 hours straight.
Many thanks again
Thank you for having us. It was a pleasure and thanks also for the killer review of our new record, rock love and support!
Mr & Mrs M
Check out MY RUIN at
www.facebook.com/myruinofficial
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