My Ruin: Communicating to their audience via “The Brutal Language”
 

MY RUIN have established themselves as an absolute powerhouse on stage. Audiences are usually decimated by the wrecking ball tandem of vocalist Tairrie B and guitarist Mick Murphy. Tairrie B has a voice that sounds like all of the netherworld's legions have been unleashed into one potent sonic boom. Then when you've had your face melted off by her howls, she can change gears and drop into a sultry purr that teases and pleases. Mick Murphy has been described as the best kept secret in rock and roll and nothing could be closer to the truth. Murphy's guitar heroics are best summed up as Hiroshima via six-string. He has an Iommi-like sound that is so thick and full, it sounds like several guitars double-tracked.

Last year the band's drummer and bass player left and in the middle of recording a new record. Murphy proceeded to track the drums and bass himself. Tairrie and Mick also decided to further place their destiny into their own hands by creating their own label, Rovena Recordings. Following the completion of the sessions, the band hired Chris Lisee on bass and drummer Jason Brunk to launch the new beast that is My Ruin in 2005.

It's always a thrill to get to talk to your favourite bands and this was no exception. I've loved My Ruin for years and finally got a chance to speak with Tairrie B, Mick and Chris recently via e-mail, just prior to them heading out on the road for their U.S. tour. That will be followed up by a UK tour in December. The new record, "The Brutal Language" is in stores NOW. Do your ears a favour and pick up a copy. 

The brutally frank Miss B was willing to discuss anything except her old rhythm section. She talked about her happiness with the new chemistry in the band and her relationship with her boyfriend/band leader Mick Murphy. Along the way she told us about the spoken word project that she started with Mick, along with Blasphemous Girl Designs, the fashion line she heads ups in those rare moments she has down-time. We also got to find out about Mick's instrumental project Neanderthal. 

OK, here we go:

antiMusic: OK starting with the obvious. Since your last record, what happened to Meghan, Johnny and Yael? 

Tairrie B: I really don't care to discuss them at this point in my life. They don't deserve to be discussed. Next question.....

antiMusic: You have your own imprint now, Rovena Recordings. Why are you choosing to go that route? 

Tairrie B: Because this way we only have ourselves to blame if something goes wrong and because it's far less stress doing everything ourselves believe it or not. It feels a lot more real this way and we have control of our music. It's also nice working with people we have hired that we respect.

antiMusic: Who will have distribution? 

Tairrie B: Our album is distributed by Bayside/33rd Street Records. They have been amazing so far and a pleasure to work with. Fingers crossed it will stay cool and we will build a strong relationship and continue working together for a long time...who knows how it will end up. Right now it is terrific and we feel blessed.

antiMusic: Tell us about "The Brutal Language". Is there a theme to the record and can you go through some of the tracks and tell us something about each one? 

Tairrie B: The theme of the album is brutality in language and it is delivered metaphorically in most cases. I think people are used to me being very angry and confrontational. This album is more passionate and intense. Each song represents a certain relationship. A few songs were re-written when events happened within our band (i.e.: our bassist & drummer leaving during the initial first recording sessions) so you can probably guess where I drew a bit of my inspiration from lyrically speaking. I am not going to explain this album. People can take what they want from it and interpret it for themselves. Sometimes it's more fun that way.

antiMusic: Lyrically, in general what are you talking about on this record? 

Tairrie B: Relationships. I use religion as a muse to discuss my relationships. The Bible is a hell of a Devil's tool depending on how you read it. I draw upon imagery that makes sense to me when describing certain situations and people. The image of Christ can be both comforting and desperate, uplifting and inflicting. I am not a religious person but I surround myself with the imagery for some reason. My home and even my body are covered with images that make me feel both scared and sacred. I have always said my religion is relationships...my bible is my lyrics.

antiMusic: You have a new bass player and drummer. Tell us about Chris and Jason and what it was about each that made you bring them aboard. 

Tairrie B: Chris was recommended to us by a friend in the band we toured with once named Soil. He used to be in a band with their new singer AJ. He was very familiar with My Ruin when we called him. We did not put the word out and hold massive auditions. We simply met Chris and in one night we knew he was our guy just by talking to him. Chris and I are very close. He is one of my best friends and he became one very fast. We just clicked musically and personally. I think Chris is the male version of me in many ways. We have a lot of similar traits and we drive each other crazy sometimes because we are so alike. He is amazingly talented and on stage he is such a star! Chris and I have a very cool relationship and we understand each other because we have similar backgrounds and beliefs. I trust him as a friend and respect him as a musician. He is one of the most professional, dependable people I have ever met and he let's me play my old school rap cd's in his car and never complains..haha. He is the vice president of the pin-stripped hat club and voted one of the baddest bassists on earth and that I have ever worked with by ....tairrieb.com (it's an inside joke...but I gotta write it).Jason is a tough cookie. He is a big pussycat and a monster behind the drum set. Mick and I have known J for a long time. Funny enough. Just hadn't seen him in a very long time. Had no idea what he was doing. He and Chris were also in a band together for a while so Chris recommended we call him. Everything fell into place pretty fast. We get along with Jason great. He is a powerhouse on drums and a very heavy hitter. We decided to put both of the guy's photos on all the album artwork (even though they did not play on the record) because we felt connected with them almost immediately and wanted them to feel connected with us and the new music which they were helping us to bring to life.

antiMusic: It's early in the game since you're just starting the tour but how has the dynamic in the band changed going from three females and one male to the opposite? 

Tairrie B: The novelty factor is gone for one thing. Both Mick and I hated being lumped into the category of a certain type of genre and certain type of all female or female-fronted bands because of the "chick" thing. I think we have become the music we write and record in many ways visually. I do not feel any sort of likeness to other women who I am often compared to in the world of metal or surrounding it. I am not a riotgrrl either. That's not my thing. I just rock. I do what I do and I speak my mind while doing it which a lot of these women are afraid to do. They simply do what the guy in the band who is controlling them, tells them to do. They are not running the band or writing their lyrics in most cases. They are simply a "figurehead" or a "figure" to put it nicely.

antiMusic: How long did the material take to write and where was it recorded?

Tairrie B: The album took a few months to write. It was mixed at Studio 606 West (Dave Grohl's new studio) by our good friend Nick Raskulinecz. He produced our 2000 release "A Prayer Under Pressure of Violent Anguish" and he and Mick have been best friends since they were kids back in Knoxville, Tennessee where they are both from originally.

antiMusic: Your voice is a full-on aggressive weapon. How do you manage to maintain it, especially on tour? 

Tairrie B: It's hard to maintain a perfect voice all the time, especially on tour because you have to factor in everything from the weather (which if you tour in the winter, you always get sick on the road) to nightly strain. I try and keep my personal remedies close at hand. Throat sprays always help and so do Halls syrupy medicine center lozenges when I'm feeling scratchy. I have a mixture of Throat Coat, fresh ginger root, honey, herbal teas and peach water at a warm temperature to drink on and before stage. I always like shots of Jager as well because they coat your throat and give you a good buzz...especially when mixed with Red Bull. I am not a big partier but Jack Daniels helps to give me a good growl...ha-ha and lately Southern Comfort has become my drink of choice to soothe the voice. I think a good night's sleep is the best remedy on tour. The funny thing is, I am an insomniac at home but on the road I can fall asleep like that! Air conditioning in hotels will wreck your voice (take note). Always just turn a fan on only or get a humidifier....as someone recently told me.

antiMusic: Have you ever experienced any serious throat problems? 

Tairrie B: Yes...and hopefully it will never happen again.

antiMusic: I know you don't like to live in the past but please tell us how a girl who starts off rapping comes to put together an outfit that is as raucous as My Ruin. I heard that you were "discovered" by Jay-Z. True or false? What was it like working with Eazy E.? 

Tairrie B: What? I was a rapper in 1989. Jay Z wasn't even around then silly!! I met Eazy E back then via his manager at the time. I did a demo with Quincy D111 (Quincy Jones' son) rapping to the music and chorus line of Foxy Lady by Jimi Hendrix funny enough and I brought it to Eazy and he liked it and offered me a record deal. It was pretty cool when it all went down. My album was called "The Power of a Woman" and featured Eazy, Dr Dre, Everlast, The DOC & Schoolly D. I am not ashamed of my past. That was so many years ago and when I look back, I don't regret a thing. Those days and people in my life helped shape me into the person I am now. NWA was the Slayer of rap. People always tend to bring up my past (not saying YOU are doing this darlin) as if it is something I should be embarrassed about. I was a rapper, so f***ing what? I can bust a rhyme to this day with the best of them if I wanted to and I can also bust a motherf***er in the mouth if I have to but what I want to do is rock, so that's what I'm doing.

antiMusic: Are you one of those weird people like me that has a foot in both camps? I can put on Public Enemy and Jay-Z and follow it up with My Ruin and Cradle of Filth. I mean, I don't consider it weird, but it is apparently to a lot of other closed-minded people.

Tairrie B: I listen to everything from old school rap to classic rock to R&B to oldies. I enjoy it all. My musical taste is very diverse. I do not listen to metal only as most people tend to think.

antiMusic: You seem to have particular bugaboos about a) the plastic-ness of Hollywood and the effect on young girls. And b) the phoniness of a lot of the recording industry. Why are these two of the main preoccupations for you lyrically? 

Tairrie B: We are talking about the last record here. "The Horror of Beauty" did focus of a lot of those themes because that was what was on my mind at that time. On the new album the focus has shifted into a much more metaphorical sense. I began writing for TBL just as Mick and I had finished recording our 2nd album for our spoken word side project we call "The LVRS" which dealt with the topics of death & romance, love and violence, religion & sex....and on top of that we had just experienced a sort of death within our band as our bassist and drummer decided to leave as we were in the middle of recording. I felt like I was drenched in death at the time.

antiMusic: You seem to have a very organic creative partnership with Mick. Can you explain what makes it work or is it just one of those nebulous things that is unexplainable? 

Tairrie B: We just get it. We get each other musically and personally. We've been together as a couple and in our band for over 5 years and we've seen the best and worst in each other and others we've shared our music with. It's been crazy at times but we always manage to make it through and face it all together as a team. It's all we can do. I can't really imagine being in a band without Murph at this point. It just wouldn't feel right. 

antiMusic: Do you find it hard to work with Mick and have to be painfully honest about things like music he's presented that you may not like and then go home with him? 

Tairrie B: No. I am very honest and so is he. I tell him exactly how I feel about the music he writes and vice versa. He is honest with me about my lyrics & the art I design for the site & merch. When he writes something musically that doesn't fit for My Ruin it's usually perfect for his side recording project "Neanderthal".

antiMusic: You've done a few shows so far with the new lineup. What's your verdict? 

Tairrie B: Love em. It's the best the band has ever been.

antiMusic: What does the near future hold for My Ruin following your next tour in the U.S.? 

Tairrie B: We are releasing our album in the UK on November 7th and plan to follow it up with a UK tour in December and then a European tour in February 2006.

antiMusic: What is the status of your long-awaited book? 

Tairrie B: You know, I get this question so much and the truth is....I had mentioned doing a book a few years ago and I met with a publisher and showed him all my material, art, poetry, writing and mixed media stuff and he told me I had 10 books in 1 and I needed to narrow it down and do a few different books. I just haven't had the time to focus on that in a long while. I think that I thought I was ready and then came another My Ruin album, The LVRS recordings, Blasphemous Girl Designs and a new band...and I have no time as usual. I will eventually put a few books out...but right now...I am gonna concentrate on the rock.

antiMusic: What is the origin of the name My Ruin?

Tairrie B: I happened to see a tattoo which instead of the typical MANS RUIN symbol with the girl in the glass, gambling and money images...it had a girl in the glass looking kinda evil and pissed off, flipping a bird ...I loved the image. Under it, it said…MY RUIN. When I quit my former band in late 1998 (Tura Satana) a few people said I was going to "ruin" my career. My answer was....well, then it will be "My Ruin". That's how I decided on the name. My Ruin began as a solo project for me after I recorded "Speak & Destroy" in 1999. There was no band at this time. I worked with a bunch of different producers and musicians in LA & the UK and made a record that was both heavy screaming and spoken word. It wasn't until the second album, "A Prayer Under Pressure of Violent Anguish", that My Ruin officially became a band. That's when I met Mick Murphy.

antiMusic: Anything else about the new record I didn't ask that you want people to know about? 

Tairrie B: Link to My Ruin official page - Link to My Ruin My Space page

antiMusic: Tell us about your spoken word project --- The LVRS and how it came to be. 

Tairrie B: The LVRS recordings are some of my most favorite cds because they are my most personal by way of stories. 

antiMusic: Is this material that you share based on actual events that happened to you or is reality-tinged fiction? 

Tairrie B: It's mostly based on true life events. Many of the stories are real and there are a few fictional tales thrown in to go with the concepts of each album theme.

antiMusic: Are people close to you now worried that they might turn up on one of your releases? Do you sometimes have to conceal identities? 

Tairrie B: The people I talk about or talk know who they are on ALL my records be it past or present day, My Ruin or The LVRS. I think they key word is "THEY" know. Not everyone else does and that's why I tend to write metaphorically on more occasions than literally. Although I do tend to make it obvious every once in a while. Some people deserve it.

antiMusic: Have you done any performances or is this meant strictly for the studio? 

Tairrie B: The LVRS is strictly for the studio. We have been asked to perform it live but it is almost impossible considering all the different types of sounds and instruments we use to record the musical landscapes I speak over. I don't really know how comfortable I would be doing these stories in a live setting. They are very hard for me to even listen to in my headphones after we record them. They are very intense and sometimes difficult to get through while recording.

antiMusic: What has been the reaction from the My Ruin audience to these releases? 

Tairrie B: They seem to love them. we've got nothing but positive feedback since day one.

antiMusic: Anything else people should know? 

Tairrie B: Link to the LVRS Myspace Page

antiMusic: How did Blasphemous Girl Designs come about? 

Tairrie B: By accident really. I design the merch for the band and sometimes I would make one or two custom items for a special occasion show like Valentines Day or Day of the Dead and little by little it just morphed into a full blown idea and I started a boutique online and began making both deconstructed custom clothing designs and jewelry (charm bracelets, rosaries, rock candy rings, wristbands, pendants, etc.). All very inspired by rock & roll, religion and the 1920's. I also made stuff for a boutique that used to be in Hollywood called" Blest". 

antiMusic: Who all is involved with this endeavour? 

Tairrie B: Just me.

antiMusic: How do you come up with the designs for each? Do you sketch out by hand and give to design company or printer or are you handy on a computer for layout? 

Tairrie B: I create everything by hand with most pieces...or I take a vintage piece and rip it apart, re-stitch, pin, glue, shred, resurrect and overhaul. That is the "deconstruction" part of it. I do a lot of t-shirt designs that are hand painted and feature original art on iron-ons. All jewelry is one of a kind as well. Each piece is it's own unique entity.

antiMusic: A lot of your designs have a religious aspect. Are you just interested in touching nerves or do you have an interest in this area? 

Tairrie B: My religion is relationships...that is how I describe my use and muse of religious imagery in both my songwriting inspiration and clothing/jewelry collections. I don't use shock value in my art. That's not my thing.

antiMusic: How do you to your marketing? 

Tairrie B: It's all very word of mouth and underground. I prefer it that way.

antiMusic: What are your hope and dreams for the company or is this something that you just work on around your other activities?

Tairrie B: Blasphemous Girl designs is strictly something I do in my down time/spare time...for fun. Who knows, maybe someday I will take it to another level. Right now...it is what it is and I enjoy it the way I am doing it. Those who get it get it. I have a lot of girls (and guys) who I consider part of my BG family. They are the ones who understand what I do and why I do it and whenever I put a new collection on my MySpace page, they are the first to order a piece or two...or three. The coolest part is going on tour and actually meeting the people who have purchased one of my designs and they are wearing it to the show. It makes me feel like I have connected with people in another way...not simply through my music although that is the catalyst obviously and the reason they are interested in checking out my other artistic endeavors.

antiMusic: Anything else people should know?

Tairrie B: Link to the Myspace page

antiMusic: You have the most amazing guitar sound I've heard in a long while. To me, it's really Iommi sounding. What is your equipment setup like and do you tweak it in anyway?

Mick Murphy: I use an early 70's Gibson Les Paul Standard and a 1978 Gibson RD Artist. I run them through a Mesa Boogie Stiletto Trident with a Korg AX1500G guitar processor and a Cry Baby Wah pedal. The Les Paul has Seymour Duncan pickups in it and the RD was gutted and reloaded by Gibson a couple years ago. They took out the primitive Moog preamp and just wired it like an SG. Other than that, everything is pretty straight forward. 

antiMusic: Tell us a bit about "The Brutal Language". Which tracks came out first and how does it sound compare to "The Horror of Beauty"? 

Mick: It sounds much better than "The Horror of Beauty". "Horror" was extremely raw and was essentially a collection of demos that we recorded over a 2 year period. "The Brutal Language" was tracked in a 3 week session. It was mixed by Nick Raskulinecz at Studio 606 West which is the new Foo Fighters studio that they built last year. Nick really got the most out of the tracks. It sounds BIG.

antiMusic: How different was it in the studio recording with Chris and Jason as opposed to Yael and Meghan? 

Mick: I played the drums, guitar and bass on the new album myself. Meghan has been gone for a long time. Yael and Johnny quit the band in the middle of tracking this album. I erased their tracks and started from scratch. Chris and Jason were hired after the record was finished and they have been kick ass. 

antiMusic: What were the first batch of live shows like with the new rhythm section? 

Mick: Heavy and very ROCK. 

antiMusic: I asked Tairrie this but from your perspective, how does it change the dynamic of the band going from 3 girls & 1 guy, to the reverse? 

Mick: I think people used to lump us in the same category with bands that we are nothing like just because of the "girl" factor. Those days are over. 

antiMusic: What is your musical background and who did you play with prior to hooking up with Tairrie B? 

Mick: I sang and played guitar for a band called "Movement". We moved to Hollywood from Tennessee in 1996 and broke up in 1999. We almost did a deal with Noise Records in 1998 and that is where I heard Tairrie's old band Tura Satana. They gave us a bunch of CDs of bands on their label and Tura's "Relief Through Release" stood out to me. I have been in bands since the 8th grade and have played guitar for 22 years. 

antiMusic: Tell us how Neanderthal came about? 

Mick: It's just stuff that I record for fun. 

antiMusic: Please describe the music and perhaps a few lines about a couple of cuts? 

Mick: It's instrumental metal with lots of guitar. 

antiMusic: Any plans for a follow-up? 

Mick: Yes. I love writing and recording.

antiMusic: What has been your most memorable show with My Ruin and why? 

Mick: I have played so many memorable shows over the past 5 years that I wouldn't know where to begin. All I will say is that My Ruin fans RULE and it is a pleasure to play for them.

antiMusic: Is My Ruin a band built for the studio or the stage? 

Mick: Both. 

antiMusic: How did you come to hook up with My Ruin?

Chris Lisee: I was referred to My Ruin by mutual friends. When Mick and Tairrie started looking for a new bass player, they contacted some friends of theirs in the band Soil. AJ, their new singer, and I were in a band together, so he called me and asked if he could give out my number. I said yes, and got a call from Miss B. about 10 minutes later. We hit it off immediately, and Mick and I had known each other for a few years at that time, so it was all very natural. 

antiMusic: How familiar were you with their music?

Chris: Very. I think I had been to every Los Angeles My Ruin show, and had all the albums.

antiMusic: What is your musical background and what other bands have you played with?

Chris: I started playing guitar when I was 13 and took lessons for about a month. I switched to bass by mistake one night, about 5 years ago, when I was drunk. I haven't really played with any other bands that anyone has ever heard of, but Simpler Machine and One%Soul got me to where I am today.

antiMusic: What sort of bass do you play and what is your setup?

Chris: Musicman Stingray and Fender Jazz, both 4-string. Ampeg SVT Classic, Ampeg SVT-4 Pro, and (2) Ampeg 6x10 cabinets. The only effect I use is a Boss Bass Overdrive, and it's on all the time.

antiMusic: Who inspired you to start playing bass?

Chris: Probably, Jack Daniels. It was after I had already been tricked into playing bass that I even started paying attention to bass players. Geezer Butler, Cliff Burton, and Steve Harris are the easy answers. Lately, I'm digging Dan Maines (Clutch) and Mike Dean (C.O.C.)

antiMusic: Do you write and are you looking forward to joining the songwriting team?

Chris: I have in the past, and I'm looking forward to possibly contributing some ideas. 

antiMusic: What have the few shows you've done with band been like?

Chris: I've done about 25 shows with My Ruin, so far, and they've been some of the best times of my life. And a few of the worst. We're family. When I look over at Mick and he's in a full windmill, or Tairrie's leaning into the crowd trying not to lose her mic, or Jason has a drumstick caught in his hair, I think to myself, "yup, this is what it's all about."

antiMusic: I read that you're a friend of Jason's. What was it about him that made him the perfect drummer for My Ruin?

Chris: He's a solid drummer, with a great feel for time. He's not too flashy, but he has great stage presence and a cool beard.
 

antiMusic and Morley Seaver thank Tairrie B, Mick Murphy and Chris Lisee for taking the time to answer these questions during an amazingly busy time for them. We wish them all the best with the new record.

Preview and Purchase The new CD Online

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