Lone woman

>> Margaret Doll Rod plays with herself

ROADRUNNER: Margaret Doll Rod

by LORRAINE CARPENTER

“It’s really gorgeous,” says Margaret Doll Rod, commenting on the view in Italy, where the Mirror called her last week. “It’s night-time here and we’re standing in front of the sea.”

Over 13 years, Detroit’s Demolition Doll Rods played Italy about 10 times, not too shabby for underground rock ’n’ rollers hooked on trash (more about that later). Despite the Doll Rods’ appeal, Margaret’s sister Christine Doll Rod (who had a baby last year) and guitarist Danny Doll Rod announced their retirement on the trio’s Web site in April. But Margaret, the band’s songwriter and lead vocalist, wasn’t ready to quit.

“For other people, life on the road is pretty hard, and sure, we like to make money, but it’s not always a priority, so sometimes you’re just playing because you love to play and audiences love to see you, and not everybody has that focus. But I love it, so I have to respect the others and play by myself.”

Outside of the electro and hip hop scenes, where plenty of women sing with either a backing track, preset gear or simple keyboard set-ups, the one-woman band is a rare sight indeed, and Margaret takes it a step further.

“I play kick drum, guitar and harmonica all at the same time, and I sing, and I also have a new little stage that I tap-dance on. It’s so much fun!”

The tap stage she uses in the U.S. was built with loving care by her father (Daddy Doll Rod?), but it may be too heavy to transport to Canada, where she’s playing one Montreal show and a pair in Abitibi—she’s part of the Festival de musique émergente thanks to her bud Bloodshot Bill.

Margaret will bring her tap shoes to Canada in case the stages she plays can be properly mic-ed. Or maybe some local freegan can find her a makeshift stage in the garbage, as she did in Italy. Margaret suspects that Bloodshot Bill may be the man for the job.

“He’s pretty good at finding stuff in the trash. I think that might be where he found me!”

With Bloodshot Bill at Divan Orange
on Thursday, Aug. 30, 10 p.m., $10