1. MENTAL METAL MM: (Laughs)…I was allowed to experiment with my own
At first glance at Miss Metal you’d think she’s another wild I: Lots of cash? I: But you were still in a Hip Hop and Garage influenced
chick…well you couldn’t be more wrong. She’s wild, hot and neighborhood so how did you cope? type of music in a proper studio. It was so cool. I used my
accomplished and stormed into the music industry with her MM: Yes…but as you might have guessed, crazy attitude and wrote some crazy music. I found myself
unique style of hard rock guitars and powerful but capturing the money wasn’t always legal. I was ten MM: Well, again I kept my practice to myself just driving performing with other bands and artists, shooting videos
voice. Varying between the hard rock and metal genre and and he was fifteen and we were in an my parents crazy with the noise I was making which were so much fun. It’s a lot of hard work though; I
also a touch of hip hop, Miss Metal evolved from the tough environment that had little opportuni- when playing but I decided to get into the once spent a whole week recording in the studio! I slept
London life into becoming the craziest girl in the music scene ties. Rhys did jobs for goons such as Hip Hop culture on the streets. I wrote rap there at night and recorded there throughout the day. It was
thus adopting the nickname ‘Mental Metal’. Now she’s here selling drugs and making corrupt bank lyrics and hit amateur recording studios with so strange but it was worth it.
to talk about her past, present and future as she prepares transfers otherwise known as ‘AC’. Af- friends. I sang with guys in my neighborhood
to release her new album ‘Mirrors of Metal’. She’s bringing ter a while things got tough as police that rapped but after a while it became un-
started closing in on these goons comfortable because it just wasn’t me. I was
THE SAME CONNECTIONS
the audios that are attracting addiction and you might learn
some interesting new things. and Rhys found himself working about 19 when I eventually hit the amateur WE USED TO MOVE DRUGS,
for himself which was a lot harder studios to record my rock mix tape. I wasn’t
Interviewer: Good afternoon, thanks for the opportunity to because of lack of connections. expecting it to be anything big, at the time it WE USED TO MOVE MUSIC
interview such a stunning performer as you. Out of desperation he told me was just a bit of fun. Then some underground
I: How did the name ‘Metal’ come about?
to stand on some corners sell- rappers from my neighborhood heard me as
Miss Metal: (Laughs) thank you…mmm…keep the compli- ing drugs while he’d be on I was recording. I expected them to take the MM: Tut, tut, tut Mr. Interviewer that should have been your
ments coming I may get you free tickets to my next show. another so that money could piss out first question. (Laughs)…people think it’s because of all
be made more quickly. I of me the piercings that I have but it was actually nicked off an
Interviewer: Backstage pass? for
was 12 at the time that I early critic that described my music as a hard, energetic but
abandoned the guitar the brilliant metal wave hitting your ears and so I became Miss
Miss Metal: (Laughs)…Oh my gosh…no…(Laughs) you’re so
bad. Sneaky guy…but I don’t think you’d even want to see for working for my Metal!
brother who was type of
me backstage…I’m like the craziest beast ever because I get
slowly rising with music I had got into but too I: Why did you name your album ‘Mirrors of Metal’?
so nervous before shows and I just take out all my stress by
street reputation my amazement they we’re in amazement and
screaming at everyone. (Laughs) MM: There are a lot of people who don’t know about me
and for the next actually liked it. A friend and I decided that the mix tape
2 years I was would be better appreciated in other parts of the city so and I put a lot of emotions into this album so it’s a chance for
Interviewer: You’re the craziest girl on stage too. Tell us
his worker do- the same connections we used to use to move drugs, we people to look at different sides of me and for me to look
about yourself and how you got into music.
ing odd jobs like used to move music. I was still very much underground at myself. Realize where I’m coming from and plan where
MM: Well it’s such a long story but you’re in luck because I getting crack to a but pushing my music through London as much as I I’m heading so it’s like windows into my soul for you and a
never stop talking anyway. I was born in Croydon in South customer after he had could. mirror into it for me.
London and grew up with my mum, dad and older brother, made arrangements to where we should
I: Then how did you get discovered? I: Now that you’re on your way to greatness. What are
Rhys. It was really hard back then and throughout my ado- meet. We were living very badly and it your hopes for the future?
lescence there was never anything to do so the youth used to was out of desperation but Rhys always MM: Well I guess the tapes fell into the right hands
get into all sorts of criminal things. I always had an interest made me stay in school despite giving MM: Simply enjoy life! I’m naturally an over spender so I hit
eventually. I literally used to go around London
in music and started off writing my own versions of nursery me work to do and though my dreams of the shops immediately I got my cash but I know how to save
ramming copies into the post flaps of the biggest
rhymes as a youngster and later progressed to writing on music seemed lost. But one night Rhys got too. I just bought my parents a new house and Rhys is coming
and grandest houses, hoping eventually someone
other instrumentals. I loved listening to Jimmy Hendrix and some rivals…dangerous ones and bought out in 6 months and I’m going to throw him a big ‘welcome
important may listen to it. A long shot it seems…
Aerosmith which was strange in the type of neighborhood I a loaded Mac 10 gun to scare them off home’ party. Musically, I’m aiming to hit top spots with my
but guess what? IT WORKED!!! Apparently, top
was in. but police caught him with it and a few new album and secure my name in music history.
producer and leader of Invasion Records, Wizard
bags of cocaine. Rhys got a 10 year was staying in North London after a big promo-
I: Did you get teased for it? sentence and so I was alone. I: Thank you for your time. I’m really looking forward to
tion party the previous night and found a tape at
the release of your album.
MM: Not so much because I kept the love of that music inside I: Ouch…how did you respond to this? his door. He said he would have thrown it away if
the house but Rhys did take a few playful hits at me because not for the crazy face I had put on the cover which
of course boys will be boys with their Hip Hop and Garage MM: I became a very angry child because amused him enough to play it on his stereo. He loved MM: Thank you so much! You are such an exciting interview-
music. My mum saw my musical eagerness and got me my I loved him and he was now gone. I became it and went in search for me. It was pure luck and a er…I have so got to get you free tickets.
first guitar when I was ten. My dad had a little experience a rebel and got my crazy attitude. But I pure miracle.
so he taught me the beginnings before I had to start finding learnt from Rhys’ mistakes and got rid of my I: Backstage pass?
money to pay for proper classes because it was quite expen- connections to the street crime. I started fo- I: Unbelievable! If this was sure to happen each
sive. Although Rhys did tease me, he helped me in paying for cusing all my anger and craze into music and time, I would have recorded myself on MM: (Laughs) Don’t jump the gun, cowboy.
classes. He was very protective of me and quite often would making it a somewhat positive craze. I began my skateboard and posted it through
come home with lots of cash which he’d split with me and playing the guitar and writing my own songs doors. I might have been able to win
which I’d use for lessons. again, creating a new image of music out of inspira- an award for ‘The Most Clumsiest
tions from Aerosmith, Avenged Seventh fold and other bands. Skater Alive’. So how did he get you to become the ener-
getic rock queen you are now?