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Foxy ladies-in-waiting
Mirror:
Given the relatively esoteric nature of your band, are you surprised
with how well your records have done commercially? MF: Looking
back, I guess it’s not all that surprising, but at first it was,
’cuz basically we were just a group of friends that got together
to sing for pleasure. But after six months of mucking about playing
gigs for friends and in graveyards and whatever, we suddenly got a record
deal, and as soon as the album was released it went straight to the
top of the British classical charts, and yeah, we were totally taken
back by that. But we were totally unique. You know, classical music
in Britain is very staid, and most of the people performing medieval
music are coming from an academic background. So there we were with
our slinky little dresses, sashaying across the stage singing religious
music and I think it just took the world aback. M:
Do you still run across much snobbery from classical music aficionados
because of the babe-a-liciousness of your ensemble? MF: Actually, less and less. Initially we did. Of course, in the press we were continually being referred to as the medieval Spice Girls. People had this idea that we were put together by a record company, that it was all a big ploy and we didn’t really have any interest in that period of history. But I think the music stands on its own. We aren’t doing strictly medieval music, although we do sing some traditional songs. A lot of what we do is sort of take medieval texts and set it to music in a medieval style, so it’s really contemporary composition. And classical music is so revered, isn’t it. But we get a lot of goths coming to our performances as well and I love those guys. They’re usually the most lively people in the audience. I think our music crosses over because we’re tapping into a romantic yearning that so many people have.
Wine-soaked
wagtails M: So much
of the press on you guys focuses on this supposed hybrid of spiritually
and sexuality found in your music. But personally, I don’t find
13th-century Gregorian chants to be all that erection-inspiring. Should
I? MF: (laughing)
Well, maybe a lot of Catholics get off on it. But the whole sex and
religious music thing was a great angle. It got us a lot of publicity
because I suppose it’s quite controversial. People thought that
we were being irreverent just because we are young women. And, you know,
there might be something to it because we definitely are a naughty bunch
of girls. M: What’s
the deal with your song “Lick the Maypole”? MF: Many
people don’t know that that is a rude title. M: Really?
I thought it might have been a cover of an old Dead or Alive or Frankie
Goes to Hollywood
song. MF: (laughing)
No. But I grew up listening to that music. M: How’s
life on the road with all them broads? Are you finding that touring
can wear you out after a while? MF: Well, it can get a bit insane. This band likes to party. There’s a fair amount of drinking that goes on. (laughing) I mean, I drink every day just at home. I love alcohol! Last time we were in Canada we were doing pretty well two gigs a day and constantly flying around everywhere. I just ended up drinking nothing but alcohol, and that, combined with putting on make-up three times a day and all of these flights that sort of dehydrate you, well, my face blew up to practically twice it’s normal size. Too many nights spent at the Bovine Sex Club. Fortunately, it happened on the day we were flying back to Britain because there was no way I could’ve called myself a baebe in that state. : At Club Soda
on Friday, May 3, 8pm, $13
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The
Mediaeval Baebes are nine heavy chicks, bound by a common taste for
booze, pleasure-seeking and all things ancient. The biggest thing to
hit classical music since ELO, on their fourth album, The Rose, the
Baebes may have finally shed their “Ye Olde Spice Girls” connotations
for good while demonstrating to the world that they have a lot more
to offer than just 18 fabulous breasts. The Mirror spoke to the charming,
talented and delicious Marie Findley over the phone from New York earlier
this week, where she was busy suffering from a nasty case of jetlag.