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FIB MUSIC: How would you describe labelmate Lizzy Borden as a person / musician?
Betsy: NICE GUY, GOOD SINGER. HE AND I GO WAY BACK. HE AND I HAVE A LOVE FOR
ALICE COOPER IN COMMON. I JUST RAN INTO HIM AT THE LYNCH MOB SHOW IN
HOLLYWOOD LAST WEEKEND.
FIB MUSIC: How was it working with him?
Betsy: IF YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE "DON'T TOUCH ME THERE" RECORDING SESSION -
I HAD A BLAST DOING IT. IT WAS THEIR IDEA AND I WAS HONORED THAT THEY ASKED
ME TO DO IT.
FIB MUSIC: What stands out in your mind when you think of Lizzy Borden?
Betsy: PROBABLY PLAYING NUMEROUS GIGS WITH THEM (ONE GIG WAS WITH THE ACTORS
IN THE MOVIE "THIS IS SPINAL TAP" WHO GOT TOGETHER AS SPINAL TAP TO PLAY A
BENEFIT GIG WITH US AND LIZZY ON THE BILL), AND ALSO THE "DON'T TOUCH ME
THERE" RECORDING SESH.
FIB MUSIC: What do you remember about Slayer, during their time on Metal Blade?
Betsy: WE PLAYED SOME MEMORABLE SHOWS WITH THEM. ONE AT THE ROXY HERE IN
HOLLYWOOD, ANOTHER AT THIS HUGE AUDITORIUM IN PISMO BEACH, CALIFORNIA.
BETWEEN THE TWO BANDS, WE SOLD OUT THE PLACE. I THINK TOM KINDA' HAD A
CRUSH ON ME BACK THEN..
FIB MUSIC: Next you go in to record "Be My Slave". Anything stand out from those
recording sessions?
Betsy: WELL - IT WAS EXCITING BECAUSE IT WAS THE RECORDING OF OUR FIRST FULL-LENGTH
L.P. UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE ON A TIGHT SCHEDULE AND LIMITED BUDGET, AND WE
HAD TO RECORD MOST OF THE ALBUM WHILE I WAS SUFFERING FROM A COLD AND SORE
THROAT, SO I TEND TO CRINGE ABIT WHEN I LISTEN TO THAT RELEASE. I KNOW MY
VOCALS COULD HAVE BEEN ALOT BETTER. THE PRODUCTION IS A LITTLE THIN AS
WELL.
FIB MUSIC: How long were you in the studio? Where did you record it?
Betsy: I BELIEVE IT TOOK US SEVERAL MONTHS TO RECORD IT; MOST OF IT WAS DONE AT
"TRACK RECORDS" IN L.A. WITH BILL METOYER PRODUCING.
FIB MUSIC: Do you remember what the budget was for the record?
Betsy: SORRY - I'M NOT GOOD WITH NUMBERS. THE OTHER GUYS IN THE BAND WOULD BE MORE
WELL-VERSED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
FIB MUSIC: Do you tour to support "Be My Slave"? Who did you tour with?
Betsy: WHILE WE WERE NEVER SENT OUT ON A EXTENDED TOUR, WE DID PLAY QUITE A BIT IN
L.A. AND OUT OF THE AREA IN SUPPORT OF THE RELEASE. IN ADDITION TO JUST
ABOUT EVERY HOLLYWOOD CLUB, WE PLAYED IN ARIZONA WITH FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, WE
PLAYED IN QUEENS, NEW YORK AT L'AMOUR'S, WE PLAYED AT AN AUDITORIUM IN
PISMO BEACH, CALIFORNIA WITH SLAYER AND IN SAN FRANCISCO AT THE STONE WITH
METALLICA
FIB MUSIC: Not too long ago, we interviewed photographer Don Adkins, what do you remember about him?
Betsy: I ONLY REMEMBER THAT HE WAS ONE OF OUR MANY PHOTO SESSION PHOTOGRAPHERS, AND
A GOOD ONE AT THAT. NICE GUY.
FIB MUSIC: Anything stand out from the "Be My Slave" cover shoot?
Betsy: I REMEMBER BEING SURROUNDED BY WHIPS, CHAINS, HANDCUFFS, ROPES AND ALL
MANNER OF S&M PARAPHENALIA. I REMEMBER STANDING THERE AMIDST ALL OF THIS
GEAR IN MY RIPPED TIGHTS, MY THIGH-HIGH BOOTS AND MY STUDDED ARM BANDS AND
BRIAN SLAGEL WALKS INTO THE ROOM AND PROCLAIMED "WHAT A MESS!".
FIB MUSIC: I read somewhere that management problems prevented Bitch from
releasing a new record for four years. Can you go into more
detail about why it took so long?
Betsy: WE HOOKED UP WITH TWO MANAGERS WHO HAD A TOTALLY DIFFERENT VISION FOR BITCH
THAN WE HAD PREVIOUSLY. THEY HIRED THIS WARDROBE WOMAN WHO MADE THESE
OUTLANDISH STAGE CLOTHES FOR US, WHICH WE POSED IN FOR A PHOTO SESSION. I
LAUGH WHEN I LOOK AT THOSE PHOTOS. WE WERE ALL LACEY AND FRINGY....IT WAS
DISASTEROUS. THEY ALSO ADVISED US TO NOT PLAY TOO OFTEN, WHICH RESULTED IN
US TURNING DOWN GIGS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE. THE ONLY GOOD THING
THAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS THE "BETSY" RELEASE, WHEREIN THEY HOOKED US UP WITH
A PRODUCER NAMED CHRIS MINTO WHO GARNERED SOME OUTSIDE SONGWRITERS FOR US
THAT RESULTED IN BETTER MATERIAL THAN WE HAD IN THE PAST. HE ALSO, AS A
PRODUCER AND ENGINEER, MADE US SOUND VERY POLISHED. METAL BLADE HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DELAY.
FIB MUSIC: Who produced "The Bitch is Back"? Who engineered it? What was it
like working with them?
Betsy: IT WAS PRODUCED BY JOE ROMERSA AND ENGINEERED BY BILL METOYER. IT WAS GREAT
WORKING WITH THEM, AS THEY ARE BOTH LONG-TIME CLOSE FRIENDS AND BUSINESS
ASSOCIATES, AND GREAT PEOPLE TO WORK WITH. I ACTUALLY USED TO GO TO
HIGH-SCHOOL WITH JOE, AND BITCH HAS BEEN WORKING WITH BILL FROM DAY-ONE OF
OUR SIGNING TO METAL BLADE.
FIB MUSIC: What was the reason behind the band changing the name from Bitch to
Betsy for your next release?
Betsy: BACK THEN THE WORD/NAME "BITCH" WAS MORE TABOO THAN IT IS NOWADAYS. WE
THOUGHT CHANGING IT UP WOULD AFFORD US MORE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. IN THE
LONG-RUN, IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE, SO WE WENT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL AND BETTER
NAME OF BITCH.
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FIB MUSIC: In retrospect, do you think it was a good idea? If so or not, why?
Betsy: IT WAS OKAY FOR ONE RELEASE...IT MADE ME FEEL "SPECIAL" - IT BEING MY NAME
AND ALL - AND SINCE THE SOUND AND FEEL OF THE RELEASE WAS SO DIFFERENT, I
GUESS THE NAME CHANGE WAS APPROPRIATE.
FIB MUSIC: What was it like working with producer Chris Minto?
Betsy: I
THOROUGHLY ENJOYED RECORDING THAT RELEASE. CHRIS WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL, AND
HIS PACKAGE INCLUDED HIS WIFE JANET AND HER SONGWRITING PARTNER WHO SORT OF
FINE-TUNED THE MATERIAL AND PROVIDED EXCELLENT BACK-UP VOCALS. CHRIS HAD
PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH PAT BENATAR AND WAS ATTRACTED TO OUR BAND BECAUSE OF
THE SIMILIARITY OF MY VOCALS TO PAT'S.
FIB MUSIC: Any memories stand out from those recording sessions?
Betsy: I REMEMBER SOME VERY VERY LATE NIGHTS THAT TURNED INTO EARLY MORNING HOURS.
I SLEPT ON THAT STUDIO COUCH QUITE ABIT!
FIB MUSIC: The final 80's Bitch recording is entitled, "A Rose By Any Other
Name". Why wasn't it a full length release?
Betsy: "ROSE..." WAS SOMETHING WE RELEASED STRICTLY OF RE-MIXES AND PREVIOUSLY
UNRELEASED MATERIAL. WE JUST PUT IT OUT TO KEEP THE WHEELS IN MOTION AND
THE BAND OUT THERE UNTIL OUR NEXT RELEASE.
FIB MUSIC: Do you play any shows after its release, or does the band break up?
Betsy: WE NEVER STOPPED PLAYING SHOWS AND WE NEVER OFFICIALLY BROKE UP. WE ALWAYS
PLAYED, EVEN IF WAS SPORADICALLY AND WE JUST SORT OF WERE ON "HIATUS" FOR
A BIT.
FIB MUSIC: What were the 90's like for you? What did you do during this time?
Betsy: THE 90'S WERE SORT OF A NON-DESCRIPT TIME FOR ME IN TERMS OF MUSIC. SINCE
BITCH WAS ON OUR "HIATUS", I DID SOME OTHER PROJECTS, ONE OF WHICH WAS AN
ALL FEMALE BAND CALLED "SISTER STRANGE". WE RECORDED A DEMO AND PLAYED ALOT
OF GIGS. I ALSO DID SOME STUDIO WORK DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, HELPING
FRIENDS' BANDS OUT WITH BACKING VOCALS AND SUCH.
FIB MUSIC: Which Bitch / Betsy release sold the most copies? Do you know how
many sold of that title?
Betsy: I BELIEVE THE BEST SELLER WAS "THE BITCH IS BACK". I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY
COPIES SOLD.
FIB MUSIC: What is you favorite Bitch / Betsy release and why?
Betsy: I AM PARTIAL TO THE "BETSY" RELEASE BECAUSE THE SONGS ARE GREAT, THE VOCALS
STAND OUT AND THE PRODUCTION IS STELLAR. I PREFER MY HARD-ROCK ABIT MORE
COMMERCIAL, MELODIC, CATCHY AND POLISHED, AND THAT RELEASE FILLED THE BILL
FOR ME
FIB MUSIC: Betsy Bitch is transported back to the year 1983 and you are able to
redo your entire career, but you have to do three things differently.
What would they be and why?
Betsy:
1) BETTER TOUR SUPPORT, BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE FAN BASE OUT OF
LOS ANGELES, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE
2) BEING ABLE TO TAKE MORE TIME IN RECORDING OUR FIRST RELEASE "BE MY
SLAVE", AND NOT BEING SO "UNDER THE GUN" THAT IT HAD TO BE RECORDED WHEN I
WAS NOT IN THE BEST OF HEALTH. I WOULD'VE LIKED OUR FIRST RELEASE TO HAVE
SOUNDED BETTER IN TERMS OF VOCALS AND PRODUCTION.
3) LOOKING AS GOOD BACK THEN AS I DO TODAY(!
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THE FAST 5
FIB MUSIC: What is your most disgusting habit?
Betsy: EATING FROSTING RIGHT OUT OF THE CAN
FIB MUSIC: What is the most masculine thing you do?
Betsy: WORKING OUT. THESE DAYS, I'M MORE "CUT" THAN SOME MEN I KNOW
FIB MUSIC: If there is a God, what is the first question you would ask God when you arrive?
Betsy: "DO YOU THINK I'M HOT?"
FIB MUSIC: Greatest Rock band of all time?
Betsy: IT'S A TIE BETWEEN ALICE COOPER AND CHEAP TRICK
FIB MUSIC: What were you doing 40 minutes before you sat down to do this interview?
Betsy: WATCHING "I LOVE LUCY" AND FEEDING MY DOGS.
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