The Calamities

Axel: You are a pure women band which is quite unusual. Beacuse of that I have a question you might hear often: was it planed to be like it is or did it just happen?

Katharina: We often hear that question indeed. We run this band for about two years and in the beginning there were four women and time after time more women joined. Now we are seven and don't want to change it.

Axel: How did you come you all play in a Ska band?

Ina: I played with "Monkeyshop" before and I am here in this band because I am sure tha's the right thing.

Katharina: I did not plan to join, I dodn't like rocksteady when I joined. But in the mean time I became a ska lover.

Betsy: I always wanted to play in a ska band and was ready to initiate an own band as noone seemed to need a saxophone player.

Manuela: I wanted to experience how it wirks with women. But with men it works better.

Crissi: And I am happy they wanted me at all.

(everybody laughing loud)

Ina: But she is a real great bass player, you shoud hear her playing a real fat bass.

Valerie: Now you must tell him you won the bass and that you are usually a cello player.

Axel: You won your bass guitar?

Crissi: Yes, at a contest from a music shop nearby. my father won it really, because I wrote two cards, one with my and one with my name. And he wondered when they asked to go and get his bass. But he soon discovered that it was me behind it all.

Axel: Could you please tell me wehere you come from and what you do beside music?

Ina: We are all from Cologne and except music we all work or study. We don't earn enough money with ska music to live on it. I am involved in a project that deals with electronic music.

Axel: And what's the meaning of your band name?

Valerie: It's realted to Calamity Jane. A wild west heroine.

Ina: Or from calamities like catastrophes e.g.

Axel: Some time ago you had a concert with Mark Foggo and Laurel Aitken in Halle/Saale und tonight you are here with Skarface and Desmond Dekker who are very known in the ska business. What's your relation to those people? And who are idols for you?

Ina: Halle was great! Laurel Aitken invited us after the show and we exchange letters. Soon we will be touring with Freetown, the band who supported Laurel in Halle.

Katharina: We don't have any idols. Well, maybe the Skatalites.

Axel: What music do you like?

Katharina: Surf and classical music.

Ina: Besides Ska I listen to electronic music.

Manuela: Everything but German Volksmusik, Death Metal or New Music.

Valerie: I prefer guitar pop and dub.

Axel: You just said that you play together as a band since two years now and you had some big concerts. Are there any songs people might buy on vinyl or CD?

Katharina: Yes, we released an EP named simply "Calamities", it's got no real title like many first releases of bands. When you get to release more you start thinking about titles. On the EP you will find two own songs and a cover version of Dawn Penn's "If you don't love me".

Axel: And you run a web site too?

Ina: Yes, it's www.calamities.de.

Thanks for interview and you out there visit the band's site as you will find there pics, sounds, dates and much more!

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