Scorpio Rising
Interview By: Debbie Stevens
DS: Can we start by you introducing each member of the band?
Madame Scorpio: Vocals (and busts the moves.)
Wonderbred: Bass guitarist, programmes all electronic sounds/elements and light show, backing vocals producer/engineer…..Wonderbred is, Scorpio Rising!
Wiley K. Bixler: Drummer and DJ button pusher.
DS: How did each of you meet?
MS: Wonderbred and I met back in the late 80’s.
I was working at a convenience store, taking dance classes and bumming around Austin.Wonderbred often came into the store, finally inviting me to come and see his band, Retarded Elf. This was during an era of 2 live crew, Beastie boys, and NWA. Retarted Elf was a rap/hiphop band with a horn section that needed a female dancer. I soon joined the band and we rocked it together from 1989 to around 2000.
Bixler and I met when his band 3 Penny Opera performed on a live TV show called CapZeyeZ. I was a camera operator in production crew. We then found out we both worked at the same place to pay our bills.
Bixler moved away to New York after 3 Penny Opera disbanded. He stayed there for a while and returning to Austin around 2005. He then started fishing out all his ol’ buddies, sending us a “hi hello”. Wonderbred and I were looking for a drummer and were very excited to hear from Bixler—July 2006 we kidnapped him and we have been rocking since!
DS: What were you doing prior to the band?
MS: We were all performing in other bands before Scorpio Rising.
Before performing, guess you could say high school, although Wonderbred was rocking in death metal and hippy bands even then ahahah!
We have been at this for a while—we are “Lifers”.
DS: How did the name, Scorpio Rising come about?
MS: Madame Scorpio coming up, from being down so low.
My name, Madame Scorpio, came from being in Retarted Elf where we all had our’ elf’ names.When Retarted elf started to fall apart, I started the project by writing lyrics.Wonderbred was just ‘getting his chops down’ with all his studio equipment, and had tons of ‘kick ass material’. I would throw the lyrics and we would record a lot in his studio, soon it started to come together which was the ‘rise of Madame Scorpio’,hence, “Scorpio Rising” I am also a scorpio by the way.
DS: How did your music career start?
MS: Bixler started drums back in the jr high days of school band continuing until he had finished.He then went to college and met musicians that were way cooler and more fun to play with than high school bands.
Wonderbred started playing guitar in his high school days; forming many bands since, then crossing just about every genre from death metal, rap, hippy-folky, and good ol’ rock n roll.
I played cello and piano growing up and always took lessons, but I was drawn to dance class, which took most of my time. I would use a fake ID to go to the clubs.I was always out dancing and loving live music.As far as performing, Retarted Elf was my first band, my role as a dancer turned into the front chick dancer on a mic-they dubbed me “the f*ck it up dancer”
DS: The internet hosts a vast network of talent. Do you feel this poses any advantages/disadvantages, if so, what?
MS: Well, I think over all..the pros do out weigh the cons.
Great way to get exposed, reaching people. Back in the old days,we made cassette tapes of our favorite bands and mailed them to our friends, now we can just listen to a tune with a click of a button and decide right then and there if we like it or not. Before the internet we were told what to like commercially by having it jammed down our throat over and over..on the radio.
Something we would possibly have not liked, starts to grow on you and eventually that hook gets you. But today, you better hope you have a good hook, because it so easy to click off and never show interest in that artist again!
It is a ‘fast, gemme gemme, I want it now’ world now-best to go with the flow and kick its ass!
DS: What do you feel sets you apart from other bands?
MS: We are from Austin Texas, an over populated area of all sorts of bands. Some know this city as the ‘music capitol’.
Even with so many bands, I would have to say our song writing is not like many Wonderbred is the soul of the songs and he creates a sound that is so unique that no one else has it.
We also do not shoe gaze. The one thing we always want, is to deliver a full on show to our audience! We move.
DS: Where do you feel your fiercest competition lies?
MS: As far as other bands, we really don’t feel competition there. We all wish we could break out of Austin and every time a band does, we hope it will bring attention to the rest of us. We do struggle with competing for time for our band so I would say time is fierce.
DS: You have an energetic, mixture of sound that’s catchy. What genre of music do you feel you belong to?
MS: We were voted as #3 Industrial/Goth in the Austin Music poll last year, we were shocked! We never really thought of ourselves as either? We lean more towards electronica, but we have live instruments so, you’ve gotta throw in some dance, some rock n roll.This comes out to what we call “Millennium Disco”!
DS: What has been the toughest part of your career so far?
MS: Time-.need more time and a good van to travel in.
Packaging us up and marketing is a real pain. We would love to have a hired hand, funds.We need ‘dollars’ and that is tough.The rest we love and do it with no problem!
Rock,.jam, play, record-it’s all good.
DS: Do you remember your first performance and what was it like?
MS: The first performance as this group of three, was a huge country fair! Ahahahaha- there was a demolition derby going on inside the venue and we jammed the rockin’ carnival—it was HOT! Texas is hot!
DS: What kind of music are you listening to when you‘re not working?
MS: I listen to a lot of my friends, local bands/rappers so it varies.You can catch me jamming anything from Black Sabbath to Billy Holiday, Scissor sisters or The Smiths.
Wonderbred enjoys his Abba, Bee Gees and Swedish death metal bands.
Bixler is a huge fan of 80’s Glam Rock—he loves Lita Ford!
DS: Listening to the tracks off your current CD,songs such as “Get it Up”, you’ve really managed to create a rythym that most audiences could dance to. Who writes the lyrics?
MS: Thanks Deb. The “Get it Up” lyrics were witten by Wonderbred and me.
DS: In one word, define Scorpio Rising.
MS: Riviting
DS: Any bands/songwriters you feel have inspired your sound?
MS: Hard to say with our crazy tastes, but I like to watch listen and learn from all the great lady singers. From KD Lang to Sade, Beyounc, Christina Aguliar and Madonna.
DS: What advice would you offer to those just starting out in the music business?
MS: Get a job so you can pay for stuff..Learn the definition of ‘resources’.
Harden up that heart, thicken up that skin and stick it out if you like what you’re doing. You’ve gotta really love it to take that leap of faith.practice.
DS: Can you tell our readers of any future projects?
MS:We will have a new Cd by this spring and will be doing shows in and around Texas to support it. We will also have some videos coming out soon.
DS: Where can we find you on the internet?
MS: Our official website is:
ScorpioRisingMusic.com
and you can also find us at:
www.myspace.com/ScorpioRising
