Interview with Doro, The Queen of Metal, as she talks Lemmy, her career in retrospect and Strong and Proud

Lemmy comes over and gives me a big hug and he always would give me a big kiss on my forehead and then say “Ok get in there and...

 

Interview by Marianne Jacobsen

 

To be able to talk to an Icon of Metal is an honour.  Interviewing the Goddess of Metal and all things Gurrrrl Power is priceless.

Doro stands for so many things I believe in.  Being kind to animals, women’s rights and Metal.

As I transcribe this it is the actual first time I hearing the interview and I confirm.  This is one will be added to the collection of tales from the phantom novella: FANGURL: EXTREME EDITION OVERLOAD!

Phone rings – I vomit into trashbin from nerves and answer

 

MGM:  Hello?

DP:       Hey Marianne!  It’s Doro!

MGM:  Oh My God this is amazing! (told you im a nerd) I cannot believe I am on the phone with THE DORO!   How are you?

DP:       I’m good! I’m good!  Where is it that I am calling?

MGM:  You are actually calling Canada!

DP:       Oh yeah!  We were in Canada last year!  It’s a lot of fun!

MGM:  So one of the things that I love about you the most is that you are so metal and cool and have never sexually objectified yourself in music.  You are known for kicking ass not showing it.  And as far as I’m concerned you are Queen of the Metal Universe.

DP:       Oh that’s so nice to say!  You know I really try to make the fans happy and seeing the fans and touring really makes me happy.  I really like a natural sex appeal – not overdoing it and of course the main thing is putting on a kick ass show and everyone is enjoying it and its nice music and it isn’t about the clothes.  I feel comfy and yes it should be sexy but not too sexy and not in a cheap way –you know?

MGM:  Its also true that all of your stage costumes are cruelty free and no animals are used to create the leather?

DP:       Yes that’s right!  All the stage clothes they look like leather but they are not.  To be perfectly honest – I find these outfits nicer to wear!  You can wash it and no animal has to be killed.  So yeah I love animals and Im a big animal lover.

MGM:  Yeah me too!!!

Doro im Hallenbad Wolfsburg am 02.May 2015. Foto: R¸diger Knuth

Doro im Hallenbad Wolfsburg am 02.May 2015. Foto: R¸diger Knuth

DP:       I have two horses right now mother and daughter – they were rescued from a bad place.  I adopted them and I love them so much.  I can’t ride them but It makes me feel good to know that they are in a safe place now.

MGM:  Yeah but you don’t have to ride them to be their friends right? 

DP:       You get to be more than a friend though when you can provide the right food and medication as well.  I grew up with so many animals – they were always my best friends.

MGM:  They still are my best friends!

DP:       When I am on tour so much I cannot really afford the time it takes to have animals.  Because I am on tour or away from home so much. I’d miss them.

MGM:  Yeah, that’s the way I feel when I travel away from home.  I feel like I cant be gone too long because they are gonna need me.  Its like having kids but not really.

DP:       Yeah having kids is the same as having a band.

MGM:  Do you find that you have become kind of a “den mother” to your bandmates?

DP:       Maybe – I mean they are all great people but you are like a family out there and everyone can use a hug and God Forbid you need someone to talk to about something serious be going on.  I always think of myself as their “Little Big Sister”!  A lot of the bands and my friends call me that and I think its cool because I am so tiny and most of them are big and tall.

MGM:  You have had an amazing career – what are some of the highlights that stand out for you?

Doro2016q

DP:       Well the highlights will obviously be touring and working together with all my heroes – doing a tour with Ronnie James Dio and touring with Judas Priest.  We had a chance to tour together in 1986. I’d say that being in the studio with Lemmy – GOD IT WAS SO COOL!

I was a big KISS fan so when Gene Simmons produced one of our records.  When we were recording in LA I used to walk from the hotel to the studio and just think “Wow

MGM:  You have performed a great number of duets is there a favourite or a memorable story to go along with any of those interactions?

DP:       I just did a song with a Swedish band they call Amon Amarth.

MGM:  THE VIKING GUYS!!!

DP:       Yeah and on the record I did on song with Johan called “The Dream that Cannot Be”.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iYugGOPV6k    I think it came out so good! It really climbed the musical charts.  It very popular!

Of course my favorite story ever is the one with Lemmy on our last record “Raise Your Fist”.  It’s a ballad and Lemmy sings so soulful and so sensitive, it gives me chills just thinking about it.  The song is called “It Still Hurts” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoGZXygtLHA
I’ve done a lot of great work with a lot of talent and amazing people and everyone has been phenomenal.  Its just that one with Lemmy – yeah because we were the closest friends and now that he’s not with us anymore it just means the world to me now.  We had always wanted to do it live but there was no time to do that anymore.  I just think it’s a beautiful song.

MGM:  From everyone that I have spoke to – Lemmy was a very special person and I am very lucky to have been a witness to his greatness in my lifetime.

DP:       He is such a close friend.  I met him the first time in 1983/4 – we became immediate friends.  It is a great loss to me.  I went to his funeral and I had a little melody in my head when I flew over (to California) and I started to write down a song and its called “Live Your Life to the Fullest.”  Its going to be on the new record!

Doro2016f

MGM:  That’s awesome! 

DP:       At the end of every show the sound guy puts on It Still Hurts and it makes some people very emotional.

One of the things I love most is that I stay friends with all the people I do duets with.  We always stayed friends and that was always the best time!  Like writing songs and hanging out is great, but being friends is so much more!

MGM:  Agreed!  Isn’t it cool to find out that you have more things in common than just the music?

DP:       Lemmy and I used to exchange text messages for birthday or Christmas or when it was important.  When the Motorhead record went to #1 in Germany I dropped him a text message.  You know he always replied.  He always had time.  I’ve saved all his messages and probably will forever.

MGM:  Ok so tell me a bit about Strong and Proud ?  How about that Nuclear Blast huh?  They are really making music better again.

DP:       It’s a great live DVD and so much fun!  No one understands metal and I have to say that I have always had good record company people but Nuclear Blast are awesome.  They just let you do what you feel.  They never tell me how to do this or that or change your style or your look – they just support you doing what you feel and that is so great – the creative freedom is the best.

You know I was on a major label in the 80’s and I can remember them saying “Change your look and take all your hair and dye it black”.  This was when we first put out “Love Me in Black” – say “Oh Man, NO WAY!”

Or when there is a complaint that the music is too hard and should be more commercial – There was sometimes so much pressure that now I just believe that whatever comes out naturally – that carries so much more magic than something that is not real.

MGM:  yeah it’s nice to have music people understand us metal heads finally.

DP:       Yes!  Finally Finally!  And now I must say that I get the really die hard metal fans in this era are so loyal.  In a time when no one is really buying vinyl.  When we started in the 80s it was much more about records sales and tours supporting records and now its more about performing live and touring – the record is less as important these days.

MGM:  Yes it’s a shame that the romance has gone out recording music. 

DP:       Yeah I remember going to New York and going to the big Tower Records.

MGM:  Back when you had to hope that music was there and not just access it like you can now.   Remember the blackboard behind the counter giving release dates and concert notices?

DP:       Yeah man, like finding things meant so much more!  I remember buying so many records just because the record sleeves looked cool and there was a great photograph or painting.  It would be a great surprise when you would open the album up and inside was the greatest stuff too.  You know, I miss that – I miss some of these old school thing.

The sound was just more warm and had more feeling – more emotion to it I think.  Nowadays you can record a song and not even be in the same room together and all you are doing is just sending files to each other.  I don’t like that.  I mean of course, it could work and you could make some money but I’d rather do the real thing with everyone in the room and feel the vibe.  I think the magic is gone when there is only computer stuff.

Doro im Hallenbad Wolfsburg am 02.May 2015. Foto: R¸diger Knuth

Doro im Hallenbad Wolfsburg am 02.May 2015. Foto: R¸diger Knuth

MGM:  I agree – part of a good recording is the amazing chemistry that is created in the studio. 

DP:       I remember the time we were recording a song in the studio with Lemmy.  He always knew how I was always a little bit nervous.  So just before I went into lay the vocal tracks down in the room – Lemmy comes over and gives me a big hug and he always would give me a big kiss on my forehead and then say “Ok get in there and do good!”.  Then I walked up to the microphone with the Kiss of Lemmy on my forehead – and then I could sing just like a little bird!  I was so inspired and wanted to do good.

MGM:  Well that kiss on the forehead is with you always.  You are a very blessed woman full of talent and you are a cool chick on top of all that too!  You don’t act like a big rock star – you are so down to earth!

DP:       Yep, I’m just a Little Big Metalhead!

 

https://myglobalmind.com/2016/06/26/doro-strong-proud-review/

http://www.doro.de/

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Photo Credit: Myglobalmind

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