Answering these questions Ruby Roadkill, front-woman/cult-leader
Images: @rebeesnaps
1. For someone that is yet to discover in 5 words how would you describe yourself.
Divine, Obscene, Lavish, Depraved, Devoted
2. What inspired you as an artist?
I was inspired to start Dead Animals because I felt that there was truly something lacking in the current musical landscape, particularly in terms of blending genres and theatricality. I began this band in order to bring a sense of holiness and spirituality into an increasingly godless musical landscape. I don’t mean that in any traditionally religious or prudish sense – I wanted to provide the sonic backdrop to the kinky rituals of other likeminded heathens, and in doing so, kickstart a movement and a moment in music dedicated to the worship of hedonism, primarily through ceremonial magic.
3. What is your process for preparing to perform live?
My primary Diva demand is that the venues we perform in are on board with the fact that they may become home to the ceremonial spirits that we summon, both during and potentially after our performances. It’s something they have to be cool with, because otherwise the spirits might become agitated. That and the partial nudity from myself and other performers.
4. Where do you feel you fit into the music landscape?
We haven’t really found our home in the current musical landscape, which is why we are trying to carve one out ourselves. Of course, there are bands and artists in our local scenes we adore and who share a similar devotion to experimentalism, such as the Liverpool band The Ladies In The Radiator, a lynchian noise band who have recently begun hosting an avant-garde music night. We tend to perform with a lot of local rock bands, such as The Marigolds and Alright (Okay), who are both fantastic bands and good friends, but our music doesn’t really align stylistically. I don’t think there’s a project out there at the moment which does, and if there is one, I’d love to work with them.
5: What are your favourite musical genres, and are there any you dislike?
Aesthetically Dead Animals probably borrows most from gospel music and glam metal. I do think that no genre is without its genius. They all come back to the same pursuit of a higher power at the end of the day, be that ‘God’, or the connection of skin on skin in a mosh pit (which some might say are one and the same). I don’t believe that any of us actively dislike any particular music genres, but I personally have a disdain for any band or musician that lacks conviction and authenticity. If a lyric feels empty, like a hollow cliché that’s been repeated throughout popular music for decades, or the production on a track seems uninspired, I immediately lose interest.
6. What’s currently in the pipeline for 2024?
After many delays, setbacks and pressure from friends and our following, we will finally be releasing music and accompanying videos. Outside of that, it’s business as usual: conducting seances, perverting minds, and carving a path.
7 What would you say is your greatest strength as an Artist?
As a project, Dead Animals’s strength lies in collaboration and osmosis. By this I mean between one another as bandmates, as well as the fact that we depend on the audience’s interactions and the physical setting of where we perform for the essence of how a gig turns out. Music is an interactive art form like many others, and the recipient plays just as vital a role as the performer. Our visual director Scrawny Nan is also a huge strength, as it allows us to retain a consistent aesthetic and create a coherent visual language.
8. What would you say is your greatest weakness as an Artist?
Bloodlust
9.What Can Expect From Any New Release?
Big beats and bass. Distortion. Screaming. Moaning. Obscure lyricism. On-the-nose sexual references.
10. What music artiest would you say have influenced your work?
Nine Inch Nails will forever be my personal biggest inspiration, which is where our guitarist Liz and I relate most musically. Before our last gig we listened to their EP Broken for inspiration as to how we would be performing. Liz is also very inspired by Florence and The Machine, which is potentially why she is such a cocky bitch. Vocalist Mary Bellows takes great inspiration from the murder ballads of Nick Cave, which is evident in the haunted look in her eyes whenever she laughs. I’m not sure what our vocalist Guy Jean listens to, to be honest I don’t know much about him. I’m not sure he consumes food, let alone music. Lucy Loveless listens to any musician who sounds like they’re in pain. We’re a happy bunch.
11. Who would you most like to collaborate with artistically?
Boy Harsher, Crosses, The Soft Moon, CLT DRP. All of these bands encapsulate the beautiful nastiness we pursue and it would be a joy to work with them.
12. What was your worst performance?
Performing on an empty stomach with the former incarnation of Dead Animals, stinking of tequila, desperately trying not to repaint the walls of the venue and faces of the audience. According to the crowd however it was one of our best gigs at that point.
13: What was the most difficult obstacle you have ever faced and how did you overcome it?
Fear of judgement, and the fear of real world physical repercussions as a result of self expression. I’m specifically referring to the fact that Dead Animals is and will always be a queer collective. I personally have faced discrimination and intimidation due to my trans-identity. The only way to overcome this is Queer joy and power, and in my case, Trans Power. Shove it down their throats, refuse to remain quiet and docile, reject heteronormative society with every bone in your body. Unabashed heathenism and hedonism.
14: What is your creative process when making music. Do you work with others or is there just you?
Usually I produce the music. Sometimes the music produced itself. Oftentimes it won’t be me writing, but one of the Olympick spirits I have summoned. They generally do a pretty good job, but I’ve noticed their spelling and grammar is somewhat lacking, so there’s a fair amount of proofreading and editing that takes place.
15 Where do you see your musical career in 10 years?
don’t. I’m focussing on the present moment and what is directly in front of me. And what I can see is beautiful, and full of potential.
