Hi Valerie, thank you for doing this interview. How are you doing?
I’m very well. Thanks Ed.
Who is Valerie Gentile?
I’d like to think I’m a collaboration of everyone and everything that has ever inspired me to do anything… I’m not very original but every now and then I have a cool idea.
When did you decide you wanted to be a musician, what is the thing that spurred your interest?
I don’t know.. haha. Ever since I can remember; music was something I always wanted to pursue. As a child mom always had the radio on, MTV was a big deal, Jem and the Holograms was my favorite cartoon, Madonna was an up and coming artist and Cher was still a bad ass!
Think it was just timing. I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to do.
What does music mean to you in general?
Music is the ultimate weapon in my WAR AGAINST SITTING DOWN!
You played in several bands when you were younger, how do you look back on those days? What were your goals and dreams in those days?
Well actually when I was a pre-adolescence I wanted to be an X-MEN. Then I realized that was never going to happen. That’s when I decided to stick to the original plan on pursuing a career in music performance so I can dress like I was in X-MEN.
I really wanted to be in a band all thru out high school.. I was in “fake bands”.. Where we just played music in our bedroom. In Brooklyn, New York (where I grew up) the local bands were all metal bands or mediocre pop punk bands. Only guys played music.. And wasn’t cool if girls wanted to play in bands… I was really disgruntled by it. I just wanted to play music but couldn’t … unless it was at school or at home.
Then I went to COLLEGE!!! I was an audio recording tech./music business major. (Kids do not be an audio recording major…. Unless you have a massive trust fund or a lot of ambition, patience and REALLLY love the process of how music is into a song. Anything is possible. That’s my advice)
In college I met Kevin Rankin, creator of Twilight Vision. I met him the first day there. We started Putty Root, which was my first real band! I was 18. I finally reached my dream of being in a real band. In the six months Putty Root existed we opened for Bile and Mindless Self Indulgence and recorded over 20 songs. I could never thank Kevin enough for making my dreams come true in such a short about of time. We’re still good friends. Since the adventures of Putty Root my goals and dreams just got bigger and better.
Most people go to know you when you joined The Crüxshadows, how did this happen?
Rogue made a post on The Cruxshadows website looking for a new keyboardist; this was right before they started writing for “Dreamcypher” I wrote him an email applying for that position. Clearly I didn’t get it. Rogue gave it to a much more deserving girl! However in the email I told him how I was really a guitar and bass player. 2 years later Rogue writes me BACK! Basically asking me if I was interested in playing guitar for CXS.
6 months after that I found my self living in Tallahassee FL “living the dream”. It was a totally awesome experience.
Touring with such a big name in the goth world must have had its influence on you, what kind of Influence did it have on you?
The tour influenced me to be a better person.. Sounds lame, but I learned the importance of taking better care of myself, the importance of practice and how to entertain people. You can’t really learn that in school and you never realized what you can do until you give it all you got.
.. I also learned how to rock out 5 inch platforms. Now that’s a skill I can appreciate forever!
Every tour has its pro and cons, with The Crüxshadows you did a big tour, what is a memory that you will treasure forever?
My most treasured memory of the “Immortal Tour” was when Jessica and Rogue told me to that my new spot on stage would be center stage; as opposed to back right. I couldn’t sleep that night I was soo happy.
Then of course DragonCon… damn … everyone should go to DragonCon at least once in his or her life.
Shortly after the tour you left The Crüxshadows, what made you decide to leave the band?
I really didn’t like living in Tallahassee Florida. It was nothing like New York. The down time killed me!!! I felt like I went on this great journey only to come back to do nothing. So 3 months after my last CXS show I decided to leave. It was the most difficult decision I have ever made. As Obi-wan said “Those were the dark times”. I love those guys. However, after making that decision I never looked back and never regretted it.
When you left the band, did you fall into a gap, was it easy to pick up your life again? How did you do this?
I decided to travel the world and tried learned the ways of the material art Hokuto Shinken… once I realized I couldn’t really learn the ways of making heads explode, I moved back to the mother land of Brooklyn NY. There I spent a lot of time with my friends and family to whom I haven’t seen or spent any time with in 2 years. During this time I had fallout with my love of playing guitar. I felt like it was this terrible curse / blessing thing. Then someone shipped me back my Daisy Rock guitar I used in the CXS. It was like I got my Mjöllnir or my Excalibur back. Told my self it was my destiny.. got an apartment with my best friend since college Sarah… met 2 nice boys named Joey and Dave and we started WATER TEMPLES.
You always put on a high energy show, how do you combine this with still playing so well, what is the secret?
It’s my secret X-MEN mutant power!.... and practice.. LOTS OF PRACTICE.. and a lot coffee.
How do you prepare before a live show, do you have any rituals?
I call upon the spirits of ROCK! May the spirit of George Harrison help me be awesome. May the spirit of Sid Viscous help me destroy the venue and make kids dance.
After the Crüxshadows you joined Water Temples, can you give a brief introduction to this band?
Water Temples is not a band. It’s a Shaolin Training Academy of ROCK! WE ARE NINJAS OF METAL!
Water Temples is composed of some of my bestest friends! There’s Sarah Reinold the bass player who I met at Five Towns College. We met maybe the first week freshmen year and we just clicked.
Through her I met Joseph Sanci, the mastermind bandleader. He was starting a new project and asked Sarah and I play with him. Then along came the “heart throb” drummer Dave Weinstein. Sarah met him at a party and knew he played drums really well.
How would you describe the music of Water temples, do you have influence on the music?
It’s like me in stereo grabbing you and shaking you…screaming AAAHHHH!!! Bands like Moonsorrow, SWANS, and Isis play a big roll for inspiring our music. It’s just doom metal pagan goodness.
Being in a band is often compared to a marriage, how would you describe the relation you have with the other musicians, what is the chemistry that makes it work?
I believe band chemistry is all about putting the right people in the same room at the right time.
Also a little ago you were asked to join “Black Tape for a Blue Girl” for their new tour, what was your first response when they asked you?
I think at first I was like.. “eh?! How did you get my email address o_0?” then was pleasantly surprised. I received an email from Athan and Sam requesting I try out for the band. I think I called my mom all giggly and excited.
You were not just playing guitar onstage but also doing vocals, how was this for you, to have a role more upfront?
I’m really honored; Ed. It’s just awesome. I sang lead vocals in my college band in Putty Root but that was 8 years ago! I was originally suppose to sing the songs Nicki Jaine sang live but her style was almost impossible for me to replicate. So Sam had the idea of changing the set around and having me sing other songs off their album “10 Neurotics”. Sam suggested I perform the songs Laurie Reade sang on. I love Laurie’s vocal performance on the songs “Caught by a Stranger “ and “Inch Worm”. It’s makes me really happy I get to sing them.
Can we expect more of this collaboration of you and Sam or was it just this tour?
I’ll be in Black Tape for a Blue Girl for as long as Sam will have me! Every few weeks Sam or Athan will email me asking for my available to play shows and those emails are like opening presents!
We’re playing the Knitting Factory in January (next month) in Brooklyn, NY. Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls / Botanica, who played drums, guitar & bass on “10 Neurotics” will be joining us for this performance!
Brian is one of most talented musicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. We’ve been figuring out guitar arrangements for the performance since we’ll both be playing guitar on some songs. This show is going to be EPIC! Brian is amazing!
I really enjoy playing in Black Tape for a Blue Girl. Athan is an excellent front man who always has a spot on voice and I love Sam’s attitude on performing his songs. It’s a lot of fun. They’re all such a pleasure to work for.
We know you like wrestling, if you could build your own wrestler, what would he be like? What things of your favorite wrestlers should he have?
HAHAHAH! Big muscles, eye make-up, high flying top rope maneuvers and fantastic mic skills!
Can we expect more collaborations of you soon?
YES! Actually. I’ve been working with Zoog Von Rock from Angelspit. They are experimenting with HIGH VOLUME SHOCK WEAPONRY to reduce humans to jelly, buildings to rubble and speakers into ash. I recorded guitar and some backing vocals on their new EP coming out in March called “Carbon Beauty” on Metropolis Records. I met Zoog at Triton Fest and he was looking for someone to play guitar on the new tracks on the EP. Angelspit is also working on an album to come out in the fall of 2011 and I’ll be laying down some guitar tracks for that as well. It’s going to be brutal!
Any last words for the readers?
Life is what you make out to be. “Extraordinary people have extraordinary good days and extraordinary bad days.” – Nick Fury
Also thank you so much for believing in me!
Fun links:
www.blacktapeforabluegirl.com
www.angelspit.net
www.brianviglione.com
www.twilightvisiontv.com
www.facebook.com
www.cruxshadows.com
the studio photos were taken by Amsel Zoë Wickrath