JADED: FOUR HOT ROCKIN' LADIES THAT KICK SOME ASSES!

This band sure felt like magic from the start. When I first heard the sound of JADED, I knew that we were into something special. An all-female band playing an exciting live show, releasing an awesome debut album and who are possibly having a great and long future ahead of them. Just like SCARLET ANGEL, TWILIGHT ODYSSEY and IGNITOR, they play the purest form of heavy metal and they already shared the stage with some of the finest bands in this scene. We simply had to interview these wild rocking ladies, because in my perception they rock like hell! Mix the best of KISS, GIRLSCHOOL and WASP and you’ll get the hot rocking sound of JADED. Besides that, they look so much better than Chris Holmes or Blackie Lawless. If you don’t know these ladies yet, then I'd suggest to read on, because JADED might be the next big thing in the heavy metal scene. Don’t say, we didn’t warn you!!!

When did JADED get together as a band, and how did you all meet up?
“JADED formed in the winter of 2004, when Hillary Blaze and Britt Lightning got together to start an all-female metal band with the emphasis on talent and the live show. Britt and Hillary met several months earlier, when their respective former bands played an all day rock show together. They both immediately knew they had to be working together. Abbey Dragon, Britt's younger sister, was a natural choice for the bass position. She is a drummer, who decided to learn bass as well to add the pounding foundation. Julie Steel was discovered through an ad for a singer. She contacted the band and said: “I am the singer you need”. She was right!”

Did any of you play in another band before you joined JADED and did you record anything with this band?
“Yes, several band members were in previous projects. Julie Steel played with an all-female group, called SWAMP KITTENS and also fronted the band LUNAR GIRL. Britt Lightning played with the band STILLWELL ANGEL. Hillary Blaze played with several bands including SMOKSTIK and TOOTSIE, both of which released a CD.”

Who came up with the band name and why did you decide to call yourself JADED?
“The name was a group decision and we chose it because we felt it was something everyone could relate to in some way. Being in the music industry can make a musician very jaded as they realize that they have to deal with a lot of business/corporate factors, when they just want to make music.Everyone has encountered something that causes them to be somewhat disillusioned and re-adjust their outlook on something. Being Jaded doesn't mean that you can't reach for your dreams. Just that you're not naiive in your pursuit.”

Maybe this is a bit of a personal question, but you all look very young. May I ask how old you are and how you got in touch with the sound of the eighties rock bands, that we hear back in your music?
“Our ages range from eighteen to mid-twenties. We all found our love of eighties style metal in various ways. There definitely seems to be a resurgence of the style, because we hear it in bands like THE DARKNESS and VELVET REVOLVER and even JET as well.”

Which bands can we see as musical influences of JADED and maybe you can also tell us a bit more about the influences of each band member individually?
“We are heavily influenced by the eighties metal style like MOTLEY CRUE, VAN HALEN, DEF LEPPARD, FIREHOUSE, DOKKEN, WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE, and KISS, but we also listen to current bands like AVENGED SEVENFOLD and SEVENDUST. Individually, Julie Steel is a big fan of LED ZEPPELIN and NINE INCH NAILS, but she is also influenced by the vocal styles of ARETHA FRANKLIN. Britt Lightning loves SKID ROW, MEGADETH and MOTLEY CRUE. Her playing shows her heavy influence of Eddie van Halen, George Lynch, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai. Abbey Dragon loves MOTLEY CRUE and ANTHRAX. Her bass style is influenced by Nikki Sixx especially. Hillary Blaze is a big fan of QUEENSRYCHE and KISS. You can hear the the influence of Scott Rockenfield, Eric Carr, and a little Morgan Rose in her drumming style.”

Who set out the musical direction of JADED, or are we dealing with a ship with four captains here?
“Our style is a mutual agreement of the styles we love. We're all four close and are all headed for the same horizon.”

How would you describe the music of JADED yourself?
“High energy, upbeat metal. We mostly sing about having a good time, cars, partying, stuff like that. We have some very edgy songs and some catchy songs too.”

Let’s take a look at your live shows, if we may. With which bands have you shared the stage already?
“We've been pysched to have played with a lot of well known bands: CROSSFADE, DAMAGE PLAN, DISTURBED, DIZZY REED'S HOOKER’S AND BLOW, GARY HOEY, GEORGE LYNCH, KITTIE, LACUNA COIL, MUSHROOMHEAD, POWERMAN 5000, SALVIA, SHADOWFALL, SHINEDOWN, SILVERTIDE, SKID ROW, STARZ, STRYPER, TESLA, VINNIE APPICE’S HOLLYWOOD ALLSTARZ, WASP and we will be playing with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN in May.”

Do you also play any covers live, or do you stick to your own penned material only?
“We sometimes throw a cover in our live set. The ones we will do are SKID ROW's “Youth Gone Wild”, “Nightrain” by GUNS N’ ROSES and “Panama” by VAN HALEN.”

Have you ever played abroad?
“JADED has not yet played outside of the US, but we are working on it right now.We can't wait to get over to Europe!”

What’s the metal scene like in your area? Are there many clubs where you can play live or is it difficult to find a good club, where you can rock the joint?
“There is a good metal scene here in the US. We have several cool rock clubs and halls in Boston and we've played in great places all over the Northeast. There are a ton of metal fans that support up and coming, original bands too!”

Which other well-known bands come from your area, and do you visit many live shows yourself?
“Quite a few well known bands are from Boston and the area. AEROSMITH, GODSMACK, POWERMAN 5000, ROB ZOMBIE, SHADOWSFALL, as well as none metal bands like BOSTON, THE CARS, and LETTERS TO CLEO. STAIND is from western Massachusetts. We try to go to live shows as much as we can. We're pretty busy with JADED, but we go to local shows and concerts as often as we can.”

What’s the last big live show, you attended?
“Britt and Hillary saw TWISTED SISTER and DISTURBED two separate nights at the winter NAMM show in L.A. last January. Julie Steel recently saw HIM, Britt and Hillary also saw TWISTED SISTER, SEBASTIAN BACH, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, and GEORGE LYNCH on one bill last November.”

Do you use any special effects during your live gigs or is your show purely based on good music and loads of sweat and energy?
“Fog!!! We love fog and lights! We also have a giant 'Jaded' sign with lights on it similar to what KISS uses. The whole rest of the show is loud, headbanging, sweating and tons of energy.”

I read, that you already played with big names like TESLA, STRYPER, WASP and GEORGE LYNCH. What was that experience like and did you learn anything from these quite experienced bands?
“It was incredible to be able to share the stage with those bands. Not only was it very inspiring, but we found those guys to all be very open and friendly. Members of STRYPER and GEORGE LYNCH made a point to come out and catch some of our set, while they were getting ready backstage. They were very supportive and great all around people.”

Maybe you can tell us some stories about life on the road? You must have experienced some funny or hilarious situations on tour? Can you share these nice moments with us here?
“We've had some fun times! There was a night, when we were rocking out and got into it so much that Julie Steel slammed head first into Britt Lightnings guitar headstock. She split her eyebrow open and we had to take her to the local ER for stitches. To pass the time in the waiting room the rest of us played rock-n-roll trivia. Julie was getting stitched up, telling everyone she was struck by lightning and handing out JADED cards with our website to all the doctors and nurses. Then about two months later we were doing a radio interview and got a little rowdy. This time it was Hillary Blaze, who split her eyebrow open and had to go to the local ER again. So two of us have needed stitches in the face so far. We're just waiting to see who's next!!”

Are the male groupies lining up in a row after your show, or have you never witnessed that boys want more than just a drumstick, a guitar pick or an autograph after the show?
“Yes, we definitely have male groupies and some of them will travel huge distances to catch a show.”

What’s the reaction like of the press towards your self-titled CD?
“It's been really positive so far. We're happy the press and media likes it, but we're more psyched that the fans like it so much! It's really about the live show for us! We love playing live!!!”

I rewarded your CD with a full score [10/10] and I am sure, that your band can possibly grow out to becoming the next big thing in the history of hard rock. Are you satisfied with these compliments?
“Thank you so much! We are thrilled, that you have given us such high praise.You are carrying the metal torch and we plan to be around to fan that flame for a long time!”

What’s your favorite JADED song and why?
“We all have different favorites but it honestly keeps changing too. We love the high energy, double bass frenzy, fretboard shredding tunes but we also love to kick into a rockin groove and interact with audience.”

Did you also get any negative reviews (why?), and how do you deal with them in general? Do you try to learn from it, or do you forget about it as quickly as possible?
“It's impossible to pleae everyone. We've had some less favorable reviews, but it doesn't really bother us. We read what they say to see, if there are any constructive comments in there. If it's just a matter of the reviewer's opinion. We don't worry much about it. We do what we love and stick to that.”

What are your future plans?
“We plan to tour worldwide and keep making music. We want to reach as many people as we can!”

Did you write any new songs yet, and if yes, what can we expect from it comparing to the songs on the CD?
“We already have quite a bit of material for our next CD and judging from the reaction we get, when we play some of them out live, they won't disappoint. The style is very much like what we recorded on our first CD. We stretch out a little more too on the newer tunes. Some are heavier and hard hitting. Some explore a more melodic vein. Some are straight out, raunchy rockers. We're excited by it!”

Are there any interesting and important gigs on your calendar?
“We have a few coming up in May. We're doing the official KISS Expo in NY/NJ on May 6, opening for TRACI GUNS the next night and opening for YNGWIE MALMSTEEN a few nights after that.”

Is there any chance, that JADED will spread their wings and fly over to Europe to play some live shows one day (PLEASE!!!!), or is it to early for that?
“We can't wait to reach Europe! We are working on tours, festivals and anything else we can put together to reach your shores!! We've already gotten a lot of support from metal fans all over Europe and can't wait to get over there and rock out with them!”

Does the fact, that you are an all-female band have any major advantages or disadvantages, or are you treated like any other band in your opinion?
“It goes both ways. It's an advantage, because it makes us stand out from the pack and get attention. But it can initially work against us, because sometimes people assume we are all gimmick and no real talent. We hope those people will check us out before writing us off.”

We are an online magazine from The Netherlands, that is completely focussed on the female musicians in the hard rock and heavy metal scene. Do you feel, that women still need this special attention, that we give to them? Or do you think, you already get all the recognition, that you earn so much as a lady rocker?
“We feel that women in general are still under represented in metal especially. There are many more female rockers that are benefitting from the road paved by JOAN JETT, LITA FORD, GIRLSCHOOL and VIXEN, to name a few. But there is still not a ton of focus from the industry in general on female musicians. Bands like ARCH ENEMY and LACUNA COIL for example, are really breaking through the barrier for strong, talented women and giving young girls a positive influence.”

Like I told you already, we are based in The Netherlands. What else do you know about our country, besides the fact that we have colorful tulips, tasty cheese and beautiful windmills?
“Britt Lightning and Abbey Dragon? You are the two, who know Amsterdam, right?

What’s your goal with JADED?
“We want to make music and tour worlwide!”

Do you have any other hobbies or interests, besides playing music in an all-female rock band?
“We all have various interests: Julie (?), Britt loves muscle cars and owns a GTO, Abbey likes cooking and Hillary studies sharks.”

To what kind of music do you listen to in your sparetime?
“Metal!! We listen to a variety of music. We love eighties metal, glam, rock, and border on some industrial and jazz too.”

Do you prefer to listen to vinyl or CD’s and which one of you has the biggest music collection at home?
“What's vinyl? (laughing) We all listen to CD. I think Britt probably has the biggest collection in her Ipod alone!!! We share tunes a lot.”

I see the name of JADED pop up every once in a while, in context with some KISS conventions. What’s your link to KISS, and do you play KISS-covers at these conventions?
“We are playing the official Expo again for the second time in a row this May. The organizer, Richie Ranno, is a big fan. We play live at these and do our original music.”

Where can people find you on the internet, and how important is the internet for a band like JADED nowadays?
“Go to: http://www.jadedrockers.com or www.myspace.com/jadedrockers. The internet is a huge tool to reach millions of people worldwide faster than it would be to tour all those places. It's a very valuable recource for any musician or any business for that matter.”

What’s so special about JADED, that people should buy your CD instead of all the zillion other releases, that come out every month? In other words, please go ahead and advertise for “Jaded” here, it’s for free!
“We play high energy rock. It's all about partying and living life to the fullest. See us live and you'll go home sweaty, exhausted, probably drunk and exhilarated. We want everone to have the time of their lives!”

Do you want to add something to this interview here? Maybe there’s something we forgot to mention, which is essential enough for the story of JADED?
“Watch out - we're coming to invade your town!!!”

Any messages for our readers?
“Thank you for all the love and support you've been giving us and keep rockin'! Don't ever stop! We can't wait to come party with all you crazy metalheads!!”

The last words are for the ladies of JADED....
“Keep the metal flame burning!”