Page 31 - Black Velvet Rock Magazine - Issue 100

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doing that right now. The guy who runs our what I love and it helps me vent and has to hear the songs coming out, I was like,
label was telling me recently this is what helped me make something of my life.” ‘These are good,’ and then people started to
Kiss did when they first started out because And, despite the personal nature of the hear them and they were also saying ‘These
no-one would take Kiss out on tour so they songs and the lyrics, Michael tells us it’s not are good,’ and after that I was ok and felt like
had to do it themselves. So it was really cool something he has experienced difficulty tap- this could go somewhere. And literally, right
to hear that. It’s really inspiring to hear your ping into, whether it be when he is writing after we put our EP out, we got signed to Vic-
favourite bands and the ones you grew up and recording the tracks or performing them tory Records so it happened so quick, but it
listening to did exactly the same to help live. “It’s something which comes quite nat- made me feel that this was the path I needed
them get to where they are now and it helps urally to me” he says. “There is a lot of stuff to be on.”
you to start believing it, and I think that on the album which was written by Ronnie The importance of Dead Girls Academy
makes it easier to go out and meet people. and I have a couple of things, but most of the to Michael is obvious but we ask him to ex-
And your core fanbase can be very dedi- stuff which I have plain just how much. “This
cated and crazy people!” written is personal gives me purpose. Hon-
and it comes out estly, when you lose every-
lchemy is the very old study and phi- very quickly. It’s CELEBRATING ________________________ thing… and I was on top of
Alosophy of how to change basic sub- one of those things the world at one point…
stances, such as metals, into other when you mill Black Velvet #100 when you lose it all and
substances. about stuff, I do you have nothing, you are
“Another definition of alchemy is a mag- that and I build up a just destroyed. There were
ical transformation and that is what this has bank of stuff and so _________________________________ 25 YEARS times when I’d sit and won-
been for me,” says Michael. “It’s giant for when it comes to “I want to congratu- der if I would ever climb
me; I was stuck in this rut, I thought I was writing lyrics I’m back and the smallest
Marilyn Manson for eight years of my life and like, ‘Here it is!’” late you. The determina- things that you remember,
I was so stuck in my niche market and what tion and consistency to the smallest and crappiest
I was doing that I couldn’t see out of the box. onetheless, have that 100 mark is shows ever and you think
I had a lot of important people in the music Ndespite the ‘Wow, if I could just play
industry tell me I couldn’t break out of the negative elements amazing and we appreci- that again’. So being able
box and I have and it’s been the change of ‘Alchemy’, ate you helping the music to be here and play the
which I hoped for.” Michael insists it industry to grow and shows and the festivals
But don’t forget, the more things change, was paramount to which we are about to do,
the more they stay the same - or so they say, the success of the being a part of the rock the radio play and all that
and while Michael has certainly evolved songs and they community and all that stuff, it is just amazing to
tremendously in recent times in order to wouldn’t be of the good stuff. We don’t have have all that again. It’s a
spearhead his new band, he does admit that standard they are many avenues to reach good feeling.
some things are still the same. “I’m still the without the bad “Getting back out on
same person I was when I played in Vam- vibes which they people, so having maga- the road is a big part of it
pires. I never changed who I am. I’m pretty were born from. Ex- zines so fans can see it and I know I constantly
good when it comes to that, but I am defi- plaining this, he gives us exposure, which annoy everyone around
nitely more accepting. I definitely have more tells Black Velvet, me about getting back on
patience and am definitely more focused on “You have to have is everything. People need the road, but I feel without
my craft. I do still enjoy a drink, but I put the experiences. I a place to go to find new the touring you’re going to
down the Jack Daniel’s bottle. Women are think me and Ron- bands and that is where be kind of stagnant. I know
not my driving point now, it’s about the nie living together we live in a streaming
music now and trying to sustain a career.” for three years and you guys come in. Thank world right now, but rock
Asking him about the motivations behind experiencing every- you so much.’ - Michael music is not that. It’s not
this need for change, he tells Black Velvet, thing together Orlando rap, it’s not hip-hop, it’s
“More or less it was for success. I mean, the helped put this not pop, we have to get out
fans were very dedicated to Vampires at the album together and there and touch people
time but it wasn’t to the point where it was if we’d not had and if we don’t do that we
driving us home. It wasn’t to the point where those experiences it would just be bullshit.” will be losing our minds at home.”
they were helping us to sustain a long career This thought is underlined in the album’s Michael sings of his determination of
and I needed to do that. I needed to change opening song ‘Medicine’ and its lyric ‘I’m not achieving what he wants in the song ‘Devil
something to make sure I could reach a sorry for being honest’. We question Michael On My Shoulder’, so to end, we ask him what
larger audience. That was the driving force about the importance of the honesty in his he is willing to do to ensure Dead Girls Acad-
behind the change. Yes, I loved the band and words and how important they are to the emy is the success he wants and believes it
it was my baby and there are people who songs. “It’s very important,” he says. “It’s a can be. “I will literally do anything but beg,”
have the name tattooed on them, but it’s not big thing for me when I’m writing lyrics, it he tells us. “I’m not one for asking for help
going to help me achieve my dreams at this has to be personal, or if someone is writing from people or from fans to the point where
point, so it’s time to change.” it for me they have to know me. The fans I feel like I am degrading myself or the music.
have to connect in that certain way and this You won’t see me with a GoFundMe, you
ichael has described the ingredients is why I have such a hard time with some won’t see me asking for wishlists, you won’t
Mof ‘Alchemy’ as including fake pop music, they have 20 producers in a room see me doing weird stuff like that; I don’t do
friends, hangers-on, split personalities and and they just sing what is in front of them. that. If you like my band it’s either because I
social climber. “There are one or two songs “When you have your fans singing the spammed you online or you love it. It will
which have a little light at the end of the tun- words back, they know their favourite song take a lot of work to get to where we want to,
nel, but more or less it’s just me or Ronnie and when you can see them singing the lines be but we are more than willing to do it.”
bitching! But that’s what it is because if you they are singing, you know the lines which
don’t have pain there isn’t much to write they are relating to and what has changed nd with that kind of attitude and be-
about. I’m not into happy music. Inspira- their lives, and what they are dealing with at Alief who is willing to bet against Dead
tional music is just not my thing, I’m more the time. I try to deal with those topics.” Girls Academy? It’s likely to not be many and
into ‘This is happening to me. Can you re- if they do they may well regret it as Dead
late?’” he process behind the making of Girls Academy and Michael Orlando are
Michael does admit that getting all of this T‘Alchemy’ was nerve-racking to alive, kicking and ready to make their
subject matter off his chest and out in the Michael. “I was very nervous,” he tells Black dreams a reality and not let second chances
open through the songs on the album has Velvet. “I had given up on my old band yet slip away. For more info, head over to:
been a big positive for him. “It’s literally the again to pursue this and that was why I went www.facebook.com/deadgirlsacademy
only thing which helps me achieve some sol- to Ronnie and I said to him, ‘You gotta help
idarity in all of this craziness. Yes, I lost my me write this album because I am burnt out’. Words by Michael Coventry
family, yes, I lost all of the girls I was in love And I was so scared to write anything else, Photos By Kylie Rebecca
with, but at the end of the day I am still doing so it was a feeling of dread but once I started
DEAD GIRLS ACADEMY