Mar Bar
this is part of a photo series i’ve been working on since 2011. it is a collection of photographs of badass women involved in metal, hardcore and the borderline metal/punk/avant-garde worlds. these are the people who make up the music scene. these are my friends.
What was your first metal experience?
Mar Bar: I’ve definitely always been into dark sounding music. I remember in junior high going to my friend's house and watching MTV and seeing Portishead’s “Sour Times” music video and thinking, this song is for me. My music listening throughout my younger years was kind of all over the place. I was an orchestra geek and played Clarinet and really got into Benny Goodman.Not till high school did I get into any metal. It was 1999 and I was 16. I got into Hole and Marilyn Manson. My friends and I formed a band, Lotus, and we wanted to sound just like a Hole/Manson combo. So when I heard they were touring together it basically blew my teenage mind. What stands out most for me was the theatrics of Manson's show. Him rising up from a TV glowing cross, the pyro, fake snow and the stilts --- I'd never seen anything like it. Hole was definitely not as exciting. Although I did love the amount of shit talking [Courtney Love] did on stage. Both her and Manson hated each other. Also I think she took her top off. Pretty sure that tour ended shortly after that show. So I'm glad I got to experience it before it died.
How did Rituals begin? The flyers are soooo good.
MB: Thanks!! I do motion graphics for work so flyer design kind of fits in with what I do for my career.Rituals started out in late 2011. I had been going to a lot more of the Wierd parties that year that used to happen at Home Sweet Home and thought why wasn't there something like that in Brooklyn. Me and my buddy Scott Ward decided to start DJing a monthly at K&M bar (RIP) where my friend bartended. We basically could do whatever we wanted there and mostly paid people with booze since we didn't charge a cover. We finally started having bands play and eventually people started showing up. There were some amazing nights there. But it was too good to be true of course. The bar got new management and turned into a sports bar so us freaks were no longer welcome there. After that we were just floating around to whatever venue would have us. Scott exited soon after and then it turned into mostly me just booking shows and less into a DJ/ dance night. I think some of my favorite moments were from when we did some shows in the loft space at Public Assembly (also RIP) and the shows we booked at St Vitus.
Since you DJ, do you still listen to music for enjoyment. Or does listening feel like research?
MB: DJ is probably too nice of a term. Hah. I play mp3s sometimes. I wish I had the patience to DJ vinyl.100% still listen to music for enjoyment. I need music to live. Music can change my entire mood and state of mind in an instant. I love how one song can trigger certain feelings or memories. Maybe it reminds you of a moment in time or a specific person or relationship. No day goes by that I'm not listening to music. I fall asleep to music. And my day to day music is like the soundtrack to my life. Corny, I know, but it is. And I love listening to soundtracks. Composers like Phillip Glass, Danny Elfman, Yann Tiersen, and John Williams have made movie scenes unforgettable moments just by using music to evoke a specific feeling.Researching new music doesn't feel like a chore. I love finding new bands to listen too. Or old bands that are new to me.How did you get into motion animation and design?MB: Ever since I was able to convince a history teacher in junior high to let me and my friends create "history videos" instead of write a report, is when I started to get into film/video/motion graphics. It started with me getting into editing my videos way back then and filming titles for them. Flipping a light on to pretend it's a sunrise was probably the first visual effects I did. Not till I was older did I finally figure out that those things were actually jobs I could do.
What are some California bands you love(d) that never got/get enough attention?
MB: COAL CHAMBER! Haha But honestly I think most of the California bands I love all got or are still getting attention today. I'm definitely not one of those "let me tell you about this super obscure tiny band from this tiny town". I grew up in the California suburbs and I was the only person in my friend group really interested in finding new music so a lot of the stuff I like I got from MTV and Beavis & Butthead. Haha so most of those bands already made it. But some of my favorite CA bands are Christian Death, Gun Club, The Cramps and of course my love for nu-metal ... =P Korn, Deftones, System of a Down.
And now, for Fred, rank your beloved Korn albums from your favorite to least favorite.
1. Life is Peachy
2. Self-titled
3. Issues
4. Follow the Leader
5. Untouchables
Unfortunately, I stopped listening to their new stuff after high school so can only rate that far. But all you really need are the first 4 albums.