IT HAS BEEN EIGHT YEARS SINCE MURDERDOLLS RELEASED “BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE MURDERDOLLS,” AND NOW WEDNESDAY 13 AND JOEY JORDISON ARE BACK WITH A NEW ALBUM CALLED “WOMEN AND CHILDREN LAST.” I GOT WEDNESDAY 13 ON THE PHONE TO TELL BE ALL ABOUT IT!
Text: Runar Pettersen. This interview was done in 2010.
Wednesday 13 and Joey Jordison, the latter better known from Slipknot, were the core of Murderdolls. Now that they are back, they have replaced the rest of the band and are ready to fully commit to Murderdolls after an eight-year hiatus with the album “Women and Children Last.” Incidentally, a cheeky wordplay on Van Halen’s “Women and Children First.”
Why have you and Joey teamed up again to make a new Murderdolls album?
– Because the world needs a band like us right now. That was the whole mentality behind this album and what got the process between Joey and me started. Look at how rock ‘n’ roll is today; it’s just become boring. It’s not rock ‘n’ roll anymore, and there are no more rock ‘n’ roll bands left. Where is Alice Cooper? Where is Mötley Crüe? Iggy Pop? Kiss? Sex Pistols? The Ramones? Where are these types of bands that were around when we were growing up? No one is doing this anymore. It’s like people don’t want to be rock stars anymore. The world needs a band like Murderdolls right now, and that’s why we are releasing an album that will take over this planet.
So, is it important for you to go all out with the full image and show?
– Yes, but our image this time is actually completely different from before. We are a whole new band. Everything we were before, we’ve just thrown out the window. We still have the makeup and much of the same humor, but we are now more violent, brutal, and much more personal. You know, we are not in our early 20s anymore; we are over thirty now, and we are pissed off.
It’s just you and Joey left from the previous lineup. Why did you replace the former members, and who are the new ones?
– Well, back then, when Joey had released the second Slipknot album, he was burnt out. Burnt out from that world. It was fun to do Murderdolls because that’s what Murderdolls was about – having fun. And we did. Those were some of the best times of my life. So we took that project all the way. That’s why we decided to wait so long before doing anything new. We had to wait until we had the right songs and the right energy. Our previous album had that. Everything was perfect then. So that’s what we are doing right now. The old guys, the old band, are not in that place now. Nothing wrong with them, but people change over eight years. The new ones are Roman Surman on guitar, Jack Tankerslay on bass, and Racci Shay on drums. It’s a good lineup, and the guys have played in several bands before. I can’t wait for the world to see our new band.
On your previous album, “Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls,” most of the songs were old songs mainly from Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13. Are all the songs on “Women and Children Last” new?
– Yes, that was important when we came back to do this album. Everything had to be fresh and new. No way we could come back now and do old material.
On the previous album, many of the songs were inspired by good old horror movies. That doesn’t seem to be the case this time?
– No, not at all. Again, this is to do something new compared to the previous Murderdolls album and my solo albums. All that is done. I’m 33 years old now, and I started writing this type of music when I was 14. How many songs can you write about zombies? How many songs can you write about grave robbing? Dracula? Frankenstein? You reach a point where you feel you are falling short and not moving forward. So for me, this was really important on this album – to write different types of lyrics and think differently. So here you get more personal lyrics and, on the other side, also stories, as in songs like “Chapel of Blood” and “Summertime Suicide.” They are not based on me or personal experiences but just thoughts and ideas that came to me when I heard the music. Which then turn into stories.
The lyrics seem much darker than before?
– Oh yes, they are darker. There’s a personal darkness to them, and I think it reflects a lot of what’s been going on in my head. In many ways, this album has worked as therapy for me. A way to get out all the crap we’ve been through over the years.
Your last solo album also had very dark lyrics. Is this because you are becoming more mature and grown-up? Do you think you will ever go back to writing lyrics about campy horror movies?
– You know, the lyrics on “Skeletons” came from going through a very dark period in my life. And the lyrics probably reflect a lot of where you are in life. As I said, I’m 33 years old now, and this is the life I’ve lived all along. That’s what I’m singing about in “Rock ‘n’ Roll is All I Got.” This is the only life I know. So I just have to keep writing about what I feel to create this music because I have no backup plan.
Mick Mars from Mötley Crüe plays some solos on the album. How did this collaboration come about?
– Yes, he plays solos on “Drug Me to Hell” and “Blood Stained Valentine.” We were working on the song “Blood Stained Valentine,” and I thought it would be really cool to have Mick Mars do the guitar solo here. He was a total rock star when he came in. With the right attitude and a sexy lady by his side. He did a really good job, and I’m very satisfied. He is a role model for me.
You already did a couple of shows with Murderdolls a few weeks ago. How did they go, and will you do a full tour?
– Yes, we did a couple of shows in California before we were to shoot the video for “My Dark Place Alone.” In my opinion, these shows went fantastic. They were sold out, and the audience was really great.
But are you coming to Europe or Norway?
– We have a plan for a world tour, but I can’t give you too many details about it yet because things are not completely in place. But we will do Ozzfest in Europe first. Then we are ready to play anywhere.
You have recorded quite a few albums now. Do you have a favorite among them?
– “Women and Children Last.”
Well, apart from that one.
– It’s my favorite album right now, but if I have to choose something else, it would be my side project Gunfire 76 with “Casualties & Tragedies.”
Will any of your other projects create anything more in the future?
– Hard to say. Right now, I’m focused on Murderdolls. Side projects are side projects, so they come second.
You’ve made quite a few YouTube videos as Mad Manager. Is this something you will do more of, and have you considered making a film?
– No, not right now. Now we are doing these small videos as Mad Manager and Murderpranks. It’s just for fun and not much more behind it. As long as it makes us laugh, we will continue with it.
So it’s important for you to bring out this type of humor?
– Oh yes. Absolutely.
And with that, our allotted twenty minutes are over, and I thank Wednesday 13 for the interview. Joey Jordison will be playing drums for Rob Zombie all summer, but in the fall, Murderdolls will be the top priority, and perhaps then there will be a trip to Norway as well.
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