Interview by Chastain/Vainglory vocalist Kate French for Rockdetector.com

1) What are you up to right now?

Kate French: Finishing the Vainglory CD and video!

2) What are your present obsessions?

Kate French: Water and sex.

2) Recommend a book that has truly inspired you. Why did it make such an impact?

Kate French: Fit for Life, lots of great information about how to make your body as healthy as it can be. Made me realize food is like a drug, whatever we ingest effects us in a big way.

3) Where is 'home' and why do you live there?

Kate French: Home is in California, I don't live there. My current location is Atlanta GA. The current cost of living is too high for me to have what I want in California at this time.

4) What is the album you haven't got in your collection but really should have, and why?

Kate French: Lacuna Coil I guess, because there doing something right??

6) What record recently has really surprised you with its quality? Any album you own (and enjoy) that might surprise your fans?

Kate French: Nevermore, this Godless Endeavor......I kinda dig it!

7) Who are your musical heroes?

Kate French: Zakk Wylde, Corbin King and David Chastain.

8) If you could collaborate with any musicians to do a project album, who would they be any why?

Kate French: Rob Halford because I think he's amazing and our voices are a lot alike.

9) Name some musicians that really should be getting more attention.

Kate French: Corbin King, Metal Mike, Joe Stump, and David Chastain!

10) Other than music, what other types of Art do you appreciate?

Kate French: Maxfield Parish, he paints surreal pictures that look real. Looking at one of his works makes you very relaxed.

11) Besides the instrument you are known for, which other instruments can you play?

Kate French: Keys, Bass, Guitar, Drums, Mandolin, Baritone Horn, Trombone.....any Bass Clef horn.

12) The first concert you ever attended was...

Kate French: Berlin, you remember...."No More Words"......yer telling me ya love me while yer looking away........

13) When and where was the very first time you performed music?

Kate French: Third grade at a recorder recital. I danced in front of about 1500 people when I was three (ballet) Sleeping Beauty..I was a flower......awwwwwww

14) From a performers point of view, what has been your most memorable concert and why?

Kate French: The Foxhunt Drag Races, it was 118 on the tar mack, and the PA kept going out. There where about 2300 pissed off people there who wanted to see the bikini contest that came after us......

15) When was the last time you really felt you were struggling in your career and faced extreme adversity?

Kate French: There's always adversity, it never ends.......it's all perspective, you just do this because you love to.

16) What has been your career highlight to date?

Kate French: Touring with Chastain.

17) What do you believe constitutes the heart & soul of Rock music?

Kate French: The will to carry on and fight adversity.

18) The big three - Your favorite amongst LED ZEPPELIN, DEEP PURPLE and BLACK SABBATH. Why?

Kate French: Black Sabbath/Ozzy!

19) What's the last piece of music you made that put a big smile on your face?

Kate French: A song I wrote on my keyboard, don't know what I'm gonna call it......will have the heavy guitars in it too......"Gun", I think?

20) What's the most daring piece of music you've made?

Kate French: Speak in Tounges........it's not about speaking in tounges...........It's about getting girly gratification.....ya know!!... Kinda risquŽ A!

21) Have you ever clashed with a producer / label / manager over a particular piece of music? (That's a cue for a story...)

Kate French: Always, it's never fricking ending......you know what they say about opinions and everyone has one!

22) As a public entertainer, how much responsibility do you feel towards providing a role model for your fans?

Kate French: I do what I do, and hope people like it, im just me. If I end up being a role model, COOL!

23) Inevitable - When was the last time you were involved in a 'Spinal Tap' moment? All the embarrassing details please ...

Kate French: My zipper fell down on stage and I wasn't wearing underwear!!........I was just like, hey! Acted like I was gonna take my pants off, and said hey that's for my other job down at the Lusty Lady (haha) Got a couple of laughs....the show went on.......

24) How difficult is it to run a band as a democracy / functioning unit?

Kate French: The guitarist is always the leader, no democracy, and all of us give out input and ideas to him (or her) you cant have too many cooks in the kitchen. Their needs to be one leader, and everyone needs to accept it or your bands in trouble.

25) When was the last time you were really excited about visiting a country?

Kate French: Germany!! I was seeing a guy I was totally in love with at that time that lived there, and doing a promotional tour for Chastain.

26) Ever done a gig when you've been really ill?

Kate French: Again, all the gruesome details please...Yes....I couldn't speak!!! Went from sunny California at 70 degrees to the mid east at about 9 degrees, Cincinnati, Ohio........Got a horrible cold....just pushed my way through it....wasn't my best performance, but hey, I did it.

27) On tour, what are your daily rituals before you get to the gig?

Kate French: Sleep Sleep Sleep, eat healthy, don't talk or party too much.

28) Can you pinpoint the moment you made the decision to become a musician?

Kate French: I played in band when I was 10......I don't think you really know....it just happens!

29) What absolutely has to be on your rider?

Kate French: Lots of Disani water!

30) What is the most extravagant thing you have purchased?

Kate French: A limousine!

31) Truthfully, how important is it to you the way you look?

Kate French: During promotions, really important, on stage....not as important, I always try to wear something black, and tight fitting and classy no matter what.......but my makeup and hair is not as important on stage. I will poor water over my head to cool off ...... I don't care, as long as I feel good and am not roasting to death, and can deliver a kick ass show!

32) Rock n' Roll is famous for its extremes in the hair dept. What's the worst hairstyle you have ever sported?

Kate French: A fricking MULLET!!AHHHHHHH!!!!

33) Describe your strangest celebrity encounter.

Kate French: Martha Wash at my photographers favorite gay bar! (ya know, she sings "it's raining men", you get me!)

34) Have you ever NOT signed an autograph?

Kate French: Not intentionally!!

35) What's the biggest scar on your body and how did you get it?

Kate French: Well........I had a girl take my thumb in her mouth and bite it as hard as she could when I was younger.......the scar is still there, pretty big. Then like a dumb ass I was playing with a lighter, melting a thick string.....it was nylon! It dripped on my upper leg and melted into my flesh.....DOH!!! .....the biggest one.....I had a child, do I really need to go there!

36) Have you ever come close to death? What happened?

Kate French: I had a 240Z sports car, there was no turning lane on a four lane highway, and houses on either side. I was BSn with my girlfriend, blaring the stereo..........there was a guy stopped to turn to the left crossing oncoming lanes of traffic and had to wait for cars to pass. The speed limit was 50 mph, I looked up just in time flung the car to the right. We where less then three feet from the stopped car. Luckily there where no cars in the outside lane when we swerved to pass.........me and my friend where hi fiving all day......it was like we cheated death!

37) What subject is guaranteed to get you into a heated debate?

Kate French: Anyone who justifies hurting others in anyway.

38) What is the last injustice you saw?

Kate French: Prejudice, and it sucks.

39) What do you hope to achieve before you die?

Kate French: Empowering as many people as I can.

40) What happens to you after you die?

Kate French: I think the electrical impulses that make our body's function move on, either to find another host or to be part of where they came from....God, Budda, The light, whatever, it's all the same energy that makes us go. It's releases when the body can no longer house it. We all have the right to out individual beliefs I judge NO ONE and have friends of ALL belief systems.

Thanks for reading if you read this!!! Hope your kicking ass and taking names in this crazy life!! ENJOY THE RIDE!! Kate


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