Music blogger @redod interviewed Terri Gender Bender (born Teresa Suárez) [es], leader singer of the Mexican garage-punk band Le Butcherettes. I present below an English translation for you, dear readers!Le Butcherettes
web: http://lebutcherettes.net/
Bandcamp: http://lebutcherettes.bandcamp.com/
twitter: http://twitter.com/LeButcherettes
Le Butcherettes is a garage-punk trio led by the intense
Teri Gender Bender (born Teresa Suárez), whose explosive live shows have much to talk about the musical blogosphere in recent years. If you do not yet know the group, this is a good time to start. The band recently released their debut album, Sin Sin Sin , produced by the tireless Omar Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta - who also contributes on bass for production. The album has received great reviews in the U.S. market, with critics such as the renowned Jim Derogatis declaring it "absolutely necessary and essential"
Le Butcherettes had its beginnings as a duo in the city of Guadalajara in Mexico, where after an EP, Kiss & Kill (2008), became open to groups such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs , The Dead Weather and The Flaming Lips . Now based in Los Angeles and recently released debut album, Teri launches a new version of Le Butcherettes with Gabe Serbian musicians (drums, also of The Locust) and Jonathan Hischke (bassist and keyboardist, also of Hella and Broken Bells) on tour with the veteran band Deftones and Dillinger Escape Plan .
We had the great pleasure of talking with Teri on this tour, the process of recording Sin Sin Sin with Omar, and then we move on to other topics such as how strange it was their baptism and what really considered a religious experience - having known the punk legend Mike Watt.
PRI: How's the tour?
Teri Gender Bender: It goes very well. I think the important thing is that the bands with whom we are very good people and treated us very well.
PRI: I saw on the internet that you could sing a duet "Knife Party" with Chino [Moreno, the Deftones vocalist] for the set of his band. How did this collaboration? Have you been able to repeat?
Teri: We started in Dallas, which was the first time the Chinese did and said, "No, then you have to do - I want you to do this part." I said, "Ah, well - perfect! For me would be incredible. " Obviously I do not identical to the girl on the disc, but he said, "never mind, do your thing - you are you." And we've done enough, I think this was the fourth time I did it and we will do until the end of the tour.
It's fun, it's fun. Dancing on stage with them is fun.
PRI: And then the set of Le Butcherettes, which is highlighted by your hyperactive presence on stage - you still have more energy to come up with Deftones every night?
Teri: Well, when we're on stage we have the freedom to take all our aggression - not necessarily our aggression - but it's our only chance to get everything. And so people say, "There is God's crazy! They do things loquísimas "But we're really taking our animals. At least for me is when I'm more sane - when I'm on stage - because below it especially I am very uncomfortable.
As they sometimes say random things and people say, 'why did you say that? "And I sort of ruined the moment parents. [Laughs.] But we are very hyperactive by nature, is not that we are striving for more or we're trying to get the shock forces. That's because the audience reaction and I have no control over that.
PRI: Do you tend to do more quiet off stage?
Teri: As the stage floor - all very easy. But just before touching - two minutes before - I'm dying to feel the nerves. I am a very nervous person by nature. My mother, a child, she took a lot of coffee and I think it affected me. I'm always like "Oh my God I'm nervous" - sudo by hands. My hands are always cold. If I like a guy I can not talk anymore because I never in my life I could confront.
But it is awesome to have that chance to be there on stage. It's like my protection, my barrier. But while much ... I am making is very curious. And then Gabe [Serbian, drums] likes to spit and sometimes on stage I wet with snot and Jonathan [Hischke, bass and keyboards] as well. [Laughs.] But the father, the father feeling. Very brothers. It's becoming something very nice I think.
PRI: Definitely looks like something electric and up to disk - just want to see you hear on stage. It was what I grabbed the disc at first, wanted to see them live.
Teri: It's very different, very different. On the album Omar [Rodriguez Lopez of The Mars Volta] recorded the bass and Normandi [Heuxdaflo], former drummer, recorded the drums on that record. But I think now, with Gabe and Jonathan live feel that is more powerful and good - do not misunderstand - the disc Sin Sin Sin is beautiful as is, but live is different because they are musicians with different influences and have spent years listening I do not know, for example, Gabe hear much Primus . Jonathan also told me of a band called Erase Errata . And they have such different influences them.
I love the album and I think Omar did an incredible job, but I also believe that in vivo and Jonathan Gabe also made an equally amazing job.
PRI: How was the experience of recording with Omar Sin Sin Sin in the study?
Teri: Well he, first of all, is a very patient person - at least we behaved very patient - and gave me much advice. He said, "Tere, the songs are good but do not be afraid to add another chorus. There is nothing wrong with having long songs. " Because I was very well that "less is more" but literally. Before the band was nothing more than two people, there was not one, was a poorly made guitar and drums - very punk, is not it, very minimalist. But Omar said: "Sometimes a little is good. You do not have to be afraid of that. "
And indeed it was he who said, "Why do not you put a bass to the music? Make it as more fundamental. Because when you live Tere, if you throw the guitar if you want - I do not know, if something happens - the bass player will always support you. "And as since there was something that opened my eyes and said" ok, I I have to close. " Because people are closed, they sink.
Working with Omar was amazing. It was very fast too - like a week and lasted half the process. The low he recorded thus flown. Also made it very simple - bass on the album is very simple - because he said he did not get much of your wave. He did not want the album to sound like Mars Volta , he wanted the album sounded like I Butcherettes . And I think a lot of people say, "Oh, but Omar got there hand" and well yes but got groped Mars Volta. He put his hand trying to understand music. Very amazing - very cute, very cute.
PRI: Do you have a favorite moment within the disk or you find it hard to choose?
Teri: For me to come out around the mouth and vomited - NOW! To go out and get that out of my system. I try to see the day of this and right now Jonathan and I are writing new songs for the second album and I think that will be even better. We're writing and playing some live. The plan right now is to try to keep learning the songs or albums - or playing die.
In fact go to Europe in August to play in Holland and we will also go to Portugal ... We are very excited. The point is to keep creating, it sounds weird.
PRI: What do you think the reception of Sin Sin Sin ?
Teri: I am very grateful that in Mexico - I love Mexico - but people with the power to help the bands did not do much for us. There was never a label that would help lift the disc. It was really thanks to Omar. All thanks to Omar and he met our manager Cathy [Pellow], which is of Sargent House , and she handles all of the band, the Twitter, Facebook ...
And as with the disc, I'm happy - I'm very happy - and I hope they can keep making more albums produced by Omar. But time is a busy man and right now will be on tour for long.
Teri: I think so, there is a huge difference. I think the Latino audience is an audience that may be true, but can also be the most you can hate. If you hate them, there they stay. But the American public, they may love you but the next day they forget you. Because there are so many bands in the U.S. and much concert as the domino effect - everything is falling. But who knows - if you are very good as they remember you.
The band started in Mexico and there we have our people who are very loyal to us and still sending tweets, reminding us that they want us to play there again. And there we are, but first we have to finish this tour in the United States to go there.
PRI: And the rest of Latin America?
Teri: Oh I would love to go everywhere. I do not care what country - Colombia, I dunno, Argentina, Chile, Brazil - I've never been to any southern country. Also I've never been to Puerto Rico. I'm dying to go there. Is badly needed to know and eat the food - try a little of everything. Because it is not going to touch "and now, we will," as rockstar. I want to take a little, is not it, talking to people and make friends. Because that is cheaper in the end, because if you make a friend in a country, because there have place to stay ...
PRI: And you gain more experience.
PRI: How do you find new music? Are you connected to what is written in the blogs?
Teri: I think that Twitter I find several things that are happening. We recently moved to Los Angeles, my boyfriend and I and all the people there are more, I dunno, twenty-seven years, they know and are who tell me - they are my blog. It's just that I'm not really much time on the Internet, although I have my cell - I have my Blackberry and love it. But lately I find it by the band.
I do not know if you've heard of a magazine called Magazine URL is just beginning in Mexico and talk about Mexican gangs that are starting. Right now in Mexico there are many things going on. There is a band called Go-go Frenezí they are very good, with good influences - love and Lovage Mike Patton ...
He is the father. And sometimes I do not hear and feel a little guilty.
PRI: In Puerto Rico there is more need to be connected to find music on the island because there is not much as. One of the Latin American-focused blogs that we follow, Phonogram Club ...
Teri: Oh, yes - but they hate us. [Laughs.]
PRI: I thought that was the review, but I wanted to ask for a specific comment that made the person who wrote on the disc [Blanca Méndez].
PRI: Do you notice a difference between the reception you get from the Latino audience to the American public?
Teri: That the brain is not punk, is pure attitude? [ Instead of all of the writers namedropping That she does (Salinger, Fitzgerald and Dostoevsky, Among others) for no discernable reason Beyond Demonstrating how well-read she is, Teri Should Have gone with her gut. Punk music is much better as a visceral experience Than a cerebral one. ] That girl said and I totally disagree. Putting aside what our band, I do not care what they say about the band, but when he says that there should be no brain punk to me I find it a mind of mother - it is clear that the cerebral punk ! From the biggest bands of punk as Black Flag and Dead Kennedys speak of politics. It's super brain.
For people who have been mentioned - icons - does not mean you're a name dropper . Is that you are inspiring about them. And I do not consider myself a sophisticated and well-read person, but I like occasionally inspiring things morbid. To me it seems to me that Henry Miller is an extremely morbid subject and I love - I love the dark.
But yes, that was all that encouraged me the article. You liked it or not the disc or my life or lifestyle - that's their opinion and I can not change and I respect that. Punk But that does not Cerebral - That is not right. I do not think he knows a lot of punk. [Laughs.] But. With all due respect.
PRI: Leaving aside whether you like the album, I wanted to ask about the following: No vegan feminist self-Respecting justify the use of Would meat in performance. Not Even for the sake of "art." I wonder how you would answer to that specific criticism.
Teri: I also disagree. I love to express myself in any way. Yes, I was very young when he used meat. Not anymore. Before it did. Especially in Mexico did. Nothing, actually. And it was because I felt like a piece of meat. I was shit. Many men denigrated me. My friends also treated badly. Even my male friends told us names like "fag" and so ugly, no? And I said, "No, because the shit - this will be my way of expressing my hatred of machismo in Mexico" and so I used the meat. And it was rotting flesh.
And yes, it was vegan - I'm not vegan because I got anemia, because of touring this is very difficult to get your protein. But it was a lifestyle - being vegan was just my diet. I thus considered that "oh, I'm super vegan and I am going to use meat today." No. It was like "my diet is, but I want to do this as art, not to be limited." And I knew it would cause too much - I do not know hate, but rather disgust.
I say the more you express, you can use the items you want - then you're not destroying or killing someone, fine. I healed myself and I need someone's approval. Even my mother criticized me. My family. I lost friends because of that. And the truth is I do understand where it comes from but they do not understand where I come from. My mind was closed just want to express that view.
It was like humor. Sometimes I feel people take me seriously. And the truth also is that you Butcherettes is a band that also makes fun of itself. I am also making fun of myself in that way - like " focus is a meat, ha ha, I'ma piece of ass . " Also why heels and pearls and teach and be sensual legs. Too! Why not make fun of that? I'm laughing at myself, I'm believing more than anyone. If you knew as I am in real life ... I am the most sappy - and do not know if silly - but I am well ... I'ma geek. I'm an ignorant geek. But I'm not using this, I use other elements.
PRI: Where do the literary references in the album?
Teri: They have much to do with my father. It's something personal but because I always say that the more times you say it, the more you will help yourself - my little heart. Before my father died, he was very intrigued by Sylvia Plath - she was the one that really inspired me to write since childhood. And so I'm going to say "oh and I think a lot, and read." Rather I feel that my father took me. And speaking of other writers feel that I have an incredible connection with my father. For me it happened to me and at least in Sin Sin Sin wanted to convey, what I learned from my father.
I also went to school to study philosophy - I left school for music - and it was around me. He was a Jesuit school and I was the only woman in the class of twenty students. All very cute, super cute, but all we had in common were books - it was very beautiful. And in fact when I wrote Sin Sin Sin was in the school of philosophy, was trying to get over the death of my father - in fact I'm still in it - and then ... it was nothing of pretense and show the world I've read. No, quite the contrary.
I also talk about other things, I focus on not only literary authors. We also talk about my personal pain, I think many women can relate to. To me the same thing happened with Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill - I felt that. And I want to be that too - I want girls or children to listen and say, "Hey, I can be a better job than her! I can sing better than her "or" She inspires me to write a bad review of it, "I do not know. And father. He is the father get people talking. So I'm very grateful that you take your time to talk. Time is money. [Laughs.]
PRI: What book are you reading right now? Are you reading anything?
Teri: Right now I'm reading a book I bought Jonathan I'm taking a long time because I spend sleeping in the van. It's called Our Band Could Be Your Life .
PRI: Oh wow! Brutal. I started this blog in large part by the book.
Teri: Is it amazing, no? VERA is. Do not you think? All accounts of all the bands ... it's perfect now that we're on tour and I'm in the van and so I connect well with [the stories]. What a father! You know then that sometimes the brain it is punk, but also has plenty of attitude and can be mixed around.
PRI: Well, as Minutemen. A perfect example.
Teri, recently played with Mike Watt in Los Angeles - wonderful things are coming out of this. Very religious. For me religion is that, like having a beautiful and divine encounter - for me it is a religious experience. I do not know, is very nearly like climbing a mountain in Peru or something - you get to the top and there you can breathe clean air - that I felt when I met Mike Watt. "I'm reading about you and look, here you are in my life."
What parent that the book inspired you.
PRI: And I hope you continue enjoying it. Now you mentioned that the religious experience ... The record is called Sin Sin Sin and the element of religion is very present. What of religion has come to your music? Or are you allergic to religion?
Teri: My mother and father - I think that tradition - taught me to believe in God. Please beliefs. Fe, more than anything - blind faith. And never could relate completely because the only thing I felt was fear. I felt that everything he did was something wrong. I think that's why in my teens I was a very insecure person. Because since you planted that seed girl, not just your parents who want a lot although we all make mistakes - but also on television. At least when I was growing up everything was politically correct, especially in Denver is always snowing, you're stuck at home for long without seeing people and all I feel is fear and therefore cold. [Laughs.]
Well, that explanation was very brief. But then I was twelve years old and my mother said, "Mexico to let your family know and that I have a surprise." I said, "Ah, well let's go!" We arrived and the first thing we started doing all - the aunt did not know well and grandmother - took me to buy a dress for christening. He was twelve years and was baptized. It was very strange for me because I had to go down as the dress, the chest area, and the father gave me the holy water and it was like weird. It was a lie, because I know I did not feel well - I felt out of place.
But it inspired me a lot - good and bad - then inspired me to stop believing in God ... my god this is me, I'm living, music, live with people who understand me. But why waste time with people who hate you, right? I am following the advice of my mother - I believe in something, I'm believing in me God.
And all my life growing up in a nuclear family with father and mother, it was very closed mind. I thought that was all there was. And it was unfortunate because I did not take into account what they had beautiful things. When you lose someone, a loved one, uff ... it changes your life completely. Nor am I against the nuclear family, either way - I am against the ideals that parents impose on their children, make them feel like a sin.
See if you can get something consistent to what I said. [Laughs.]
PRI: It was recently reported in Puerto Rico that a legal assistant from our Resident Commissioner in Washington, DC had been involved in an incident in which he drew from his vehicle to a girl, after having questioned about his vocabulary - he considered far-fetched and arrogant - and his political opinion on the work of the Commissioner. The man insulted several times, calling him a "whore" - the phrase she used in their versions of the event is: "Get off my car, bitch" . Some comments in the network concluded that if he had stayed quiet and not given his opinion, had not gone the wrong time. I wonder how hard a female voice, what you would do in that situation or what message would you give to this girl who had to go through that?
Teri: No they do not stay quiet. Like I say it is very easy, but I would not stay quiet. No not the details - like if he says anything can happen bad or might be afraid - but I would not stay quiet ...
And I know that has nothing to do with that situation with what I'm going to say now, but I once was in a relationship with a man who began to threaten me with death and I was mistreating me and says, "if you say something someone, I'll kill you. " And my friends - all my friends, who in fact are not my friends - I said, "Tere yes please, stay quiet. Do not say anything because if you say something like the police will be mad and yes more will kill you with more energy. " And I said, "You know what? Neither mother. I'm going to the Attorney and I'll put my complaint. " And I was in Mexico, and is also very curious, because the police and the law almost never do anything, but I took a chance and put the complaint and never bring me back.
I say we must fight for your rights - although it sounds corny. Fight for your right! And motherfucking party!
Tags: Le Butcherettes, Teri Gender Bender
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