Getting Glittery with Glam Skanks

Photos: Sandy K. Moz

The Amersham Arms, Star Wars Day. Something magical was brewing. Definitely out of this world, Glam Skanks had arrived from America ready to support Adam Ant on his Kings of The Wild Frontier tour and, for once, I was lost for words.

They are the girl band you always wanted to be in. The girl band you play loud in your room imagining you ARE them. They are lead singer Ali Cat, guitarist Veronica Volume (who goes by V.) Bassist Millie and drummer Cassie. They are Glam Skanks.

Our best smile and wink later, TheZineUK photographer, Sandy and myself had been allowed to chat with them. (We are not worthy!)

Becoming Glam Skanks...

Ali: Me and Veronica started the band about four years ago, we met on Craigslist

V: I've met some weird people on Craigslist, believe me - but, Oh my god, Ali was by far the most normal.

Ali: We both wanted a band so bad, and what was so weird was we put almost the exact same ad.

V: Yeah we both listed the same influences, we both put we wanted an all girl band and we sent each other emails at the EXACT same time.

Ali: ... we thought it was meant to be. We went to each others houses, jammed on some covers, and the rest is history...

Cassie: We all kinda knew each other and we were in LA to pursue music. I got into the band through V.

Millie: I actually had a friend who told me about this band that were looking for a bass player and I met them and we bonded so, so much.

A typical day in LA...

Ali: We go to the beach a lot back home, we go thrift shopping A LOT.

V: We eat good food, by the way there is REALLY good food in LA. Ali: We love to explore, you know?

V: We love going to The Hollywood Cemetery, they do AMAZING movies there, we're missing it so much right now.

Touring with Adam Ant...

Ali: I actually didn't grow up listening to Adam Ant, it's only recently I've got into his stuff, and it's really - really cool.

V: Actually, my dad, Bruce Witkin (acclaimed music producer and musician) was in his band back in the 90's and I used to go and see Adam play when I was a kid, all the time. We've always been really close with his family, my aunt is his daughter's godmother. It's still a HUGE thing playing with Adam Ant though, I mean he's a fucking rock star.

Ali: I'm a new Adam Ant fan but... now I'm hugely into his music.

Cassie: Me too. After seeing him live, it was like 'WHAT HAVE I BEEN MISSING OUT ON!'

Visiting the UK...

V: I've actually been here before, I toured here with a band I was in when I was in high school called Blame Ruby, I was 18 and we opened up for Babybird. We toured for 10 days up and down the country here.

Ali: I've been here when I was like 15, I wasn't touring though, just visiting.

V: The weirdest thing about the UK, is that we're so used to going into venues back home and being super talkative to everyone, people are so reserved and polite in venues here. (They've not been out with TheZineUK team, obviously!)

Ali: I was hanging out of the window on the drive here tonight just sorta saying hi to everybody we passed and they were not having it. Looking at me like I was crazy. In LA they'd be screaming back.

V: The beer here is not as bad as everyone says, but it can't compare with Germany, when I went there - damn it's good.

Ali: I had my first Guinness here though, and I know it's everywhere but it was really, really good.

Glam Skanks Live...

Ali: So far, Webster Hall has been the craziest show, ever. I jumped off the stage, fell.

V: She didn't realise it was as high as it was!

Ali: I got so many bruises and then I got back up and started singing, but I had totally screamed as I feel off the stage, in front of thousands of people.

V: From our perspective, it was so funny, we saw her go towards the audience, and then she like... disappeared.

Grrrls to the front...

Ali: Being in a girl band is the most important thing you could be doing right now.

Cassie: You just don't see enough of girls anywhere.

Ali: People say, oh women have taken over the music industry and that might be true in a way in the pop stuff but you don't see all girl rock bands really, that needs to happen more.

Ali: I mean we're influenced by pretty much every older band from the 70's, everything that came from the UK, Bowie, T.Rex, punk.. Queen.

V: But we also realise and love the importance of people like Joan Jett, the riot Girl scene, Garbage, Hole...

Ali: Any riot Grrl, really.

V: We LOVE Courtney Love, seriously. She is so important

Glam Skanks recommend:

V: I mean everyone is in a band in LA, it's so overly saturated - so it's only those ones that stand out that are interesting.

Ali: The Blessings are so cool. The Lemon Twigs I love so much right now. They come here a lot, you should check them out. They're gonna be so big. Our friends Hammered Saturn are like, so so cool too. They're straight up junk-shop glam.

Ali: If we were to recommend any three songs to anyone, it'll probably be Rebel Girl - Bikini Girl

V: Life on Mars, which is the most beautiful song ever written

Ali: ... and It's Late by Queen.

V: Oh, and Bad Bitch by The Glam Skanks.

Catch them live:

* glamskanks.com *

psst! After the interview, a crowd winning show; 'Bad Bitch' live at TheZineUK Star Wars Day music social filmed/edited by David Gomes of Electric Owls films.