"Hey sis, you can do whatever you want. Don’t let people fuckin’ tell you that you can’t do shit!"

Deconstruct stopped through town tonight to kick some ass and show Chicago what they are made of. This year has already been a successful one for them, being able to release an album off their own label Apocalypse, The Human Condition, as well as tour with nationwide acts such as Machine Head, Nonpoint, and Scum Of The Earth. You might recall that I had a phone interview with Venessa, the bands bassist. However, due to tape malfunction, the interview was lost. Luckily for me, Venessa was cool enough to sit down before tonight's show on chat with me again. It was great to finally meet her after chatting with her through email and on the phone and I'm sure through the interview you can see what a genuine, down to earth personality she is. 

Please join me as I chat with Venessa about her obsession with Yanni, The Battle For Ozzfest as well as some of her thoughts on Deconstruct's success this year. This interview left us in stitches, I know you will enjoy it as well!

Sharita: First of all thanks for doing the interview again and I will try not to ask the same exact questions. It’s good to finally meet you.

Venessa: Yes. It’s good to see the face behind the phone call. (Laughs) It’s cool, thanks for taking the time.

Sharita: Ok, please explain how you came to be in Deconstruct.

Venessa: Basically, I moved with an ex boyfriend to California because he had a band and he wanted to go back to it, so I said ok. So we go back and we’re hanging out one night and this guy is playing bass and he’s like, “Oh I’m tired, why don’t you try my bass?” I said, "Sure, I’ll try it." So, I put on the bass and it’s hanging down to my knees and I’m like, this is cool. So, the next day I traded in a keyboard I had for a bass and like two weeks later they didn’t have a bass player so that’s basically how I learned to play by joining this band. About two years later, they were not going anywhere, they were more just kind of let’s play on Friday night, which is cool, but I was like, I’m trying to go further than that. So, I met Joe and he was like well I need a bass player and you’re a superstar…yadda, yadda, yah so you need to be my band.

Sharita: All right!

Venessa: I’m like, ok. Well, actually after the first band, I swore bands off, I’m like I’m never doing this shit again in my life, because I’m a piano player originally. Obviously you play by yourself so I’m not used to having to trust and deal with other people so I’m like I’m over it and I’m through. So, I didn’t come down one time and be like it’s safe, I mean, I ended up staying, obviously and here we are now three years later and I’m like, how the hell did I get myself into this? This is where I stay (Points to the back of the truck) for a month and a half. I’m the only one back here but oh man.

Sharita: Wow, we were just talking about road trips earlier and I was like they travel across country in that?

Kimisha: Yeah, I’d be the one person complaining, I can’t do cars. I love all of you (blows kisses) I’d be taking the plane.

Venessa: Well actually I have the best seat in the house because I bought a futon thing to lay down back here so it’s not that bad and I’m the only one that can stretch my legs out. So it’s not so bad, but a tour bus would be much nicer.

Sharita: Yes, of course.

Venessa: Next time around we’ll do that we’ll get a tour bus. (Chuckles)

Sharita: (Laughs)

Venessa: I’ll get my own. (Chuckles)

Sharita: There you go.

Venessa: High five! (Laughs and gives Kimisha and me high fives)

Sharita: I know in the last interview we touched on the whole women in metal issue, gives the readers some insight on what’s it like to be the only woman in a metal band with four men?

Venessa: It’s crazy because I’m usually the only woman anywhere you know what I mean? We played with one band this whole trip that had females in it, actually two and we’ve played with hundreds of bands. It’s funny because they say, “Oh she’s just somebody’s girlfriend.” Then I come out in all this shit and then they go, “What are you doin’ are you runnin the merch?” I’m like, no I’m playing bass and they go, “What, can you even play?” So, people just assume that because you’re a female that you can’t do what a man can do but that’s been through how many fuckin’ hundreds of years with everything. It’s cool in other ways because it kind of gets people something to go, “Ok I just gotta watch just to see.”

Sharita: Can she play?

Venessa: It kind of baits people I think to go, “Well we’re gonna check this out.” As opposed to if I was a man they might be like, “Well whatever.” But with this they have to see [if] I fail or not.

Sharita: I have to see if she can play.

Venessa: Yeah, I gotta see her fail and when I don’t then there’s all, fuck…(Smiles)

Sharita: She can play, dammit! (Laughs)

Venessa: It’s cool but it’s got pros and cons like anything basically, you just try to break ground with it.

Sharita: There you go.

Venessa: I mean, most females are singers, which is cool but I can’t fuckin’ sing.

Sharita: You can’t sing a note at all?

Venessa: Well maybe I can but I don’t like to sing. (Kimisha and I both laugh) I don’t like [being in front of] the microphone girl. I don’t like that shit. I can dance on stage and I can play music on stage but please God don’t give me a microphone. I will freak out, I hate it, and I hate it. I’m like…(Venessa starts yelling, both of us laugh) it is the most bizarre thing. [Recently someone asked me] well how did you handle getting onstage in front of ten thousand people and I go, well it was awesome and they don’t understand how that could even, although the more people the better to me but if I had to talk in front of ten thousand people I would’ve died of a heart attack. I would’ve have just…mmm there’s no way. So yeah it’s cool I love it.

Sharita: Great, so talk about some of the other bands big bands you’ve toured with. I know when we talked last time; you were about to open for Machine Head. Who are some of the others you’ve played with on this tour? I know on My Space, you mentioned the Society1, Brand New Sin tour.

Venessa: Yeah, so far on this tour the biggest bands we’ve opened up for were Nonpoint, Scum Of The Earth, Brand New Sin, and Society1. All the other bands were pretty much just local acts and what not, a lot of them were good, and some were ok. Those were the biggest ones on the tour was, the Nonpoint show in Tennessee and the Brand New Sin/Soceity1/Scum Of The Earth in Virginia.

Sharita: How was the turnout and response at those shows?

Venessa: They were pretty good. The Knoxville one was really fuckin’ good. There was like probably five hundred people there and we got an awesome response and it was really cool.

Sharita: Great.

Venessa: Brand New Sin was cool but there weren’t as many people there. My family was actually there because I’m from Virginia, so that was the first time I got to play for them so it was pretty badass. I was like, wassup mom! It was so funny though because my mom comes in right and she’s talking to one of the guys and turned around. So, I go up to her and I go, “Hey wassup mom.” She turns around and goes, “ahhh!”  (We all laugh) Like she shit bricks! (Chuckles) It was hilarious; I was like, “Hi.”

Sharita: She’s like that’s my baby.

Venessa: I’m like, “Hi, it’s the other me.” So that was weird and my sister was there which is really cool, she’s ten years younger than me so it’s cool cause I was like, “Hey sis, you can do whatever you want.” Don’t let people fuckin’ tell you that you can’t do shit.

Kimisha: That’s right.

Venessa: I didn’t have an older sister so I didn’t have like somebody to kind of go, you know. I was the oldest, so I was kind of that way anyway independent, I’m gonna do it, and I don’t give a fuck what you say kind of person but she has me to look up to so it’s really cool. 

Sharita: Awesome. So talk a little bit more about the music you listen to, I know you said you were a big fan of Yanni.

Kimisha: Really?

Venessa: You know what I was listening to here in the truck?

Sharita: She was listening to Yanni!

Venessa: I’m gonna prove this to you right now. (Venessa pulls out her CD player) Yanni.

Kimisha: Oh wow!

Sharita: You have to take a picture of her and the CD. (Kimisha snaps the picture) That’s an awesome picture and we will be putting that on the page.

Venessa: There we go, that’s my man. No, I’m like well I’m a piano player first so I love all the classical artists, like Bach. I grew up playing classical piano, doing classical ballet so I’m like totally classically trained. The whole band thing is really new to me and people freak out, they’re like, “You don’t like all these hardcore bands?” I’m like, “No, I really can’t stand it.”

Kimisha: I found a friend. (We all laugh)

Venessa: If I can’t sing to it, then I don’t listen to it. I mean I can appreciate the value of what it is. If the musicianship’s good, then I can appreciate it but I wouldn’t put it in my Walkman. Like these guys are blasting that shit and I’m goin’, aw, yuck.

Sharita: That’s why you have the headphones on.

Venessa:  I mean they’re listening to that, and I’m goin do, do, do, do, do, de, do, do. (Chuckles)

(Voice from the background, sounds like Skitz): Talking about me back there?

Venessa: No, they’re asking me about Yanni. So, like he is really good. He’s pretty much like a freakin’ modern day Mozart to me because, he can’t read music, he trained himself, he taught himself everything, and he writes musical parts for everybody in his band from the drums to violin, I mean he writes everything for everybody. So he’s pretty much modern day Mozart to me and I’ve seen him in concert a couple of times and he’s fuckin’ hot. I mean there’s something about his music that I dig it and everybody thinks I’m so gay but I can’t help it.

Sharita: It’s ok Venessa.

Venessa: You know how just some music just does something for you and that’s what it does for me so I dunno, it’s puts me in my zone. Like people go, “How do you listen to that shit before a show? It would put me to sleep.” Well, it does like the opposite to me. It focuses all that energy and gets me ready and shit.

Sharita: That’s great.

Venessa: Yeah, I’m a total nerd.

Kimisha: I love forty-six man. I grew up on that because my father grew up on that.

Sharita: There you go you got friends there.

Venessa: See my mom introduced me to him when I was like thirteen; she was like “You have to see this.” It was the Live At The Acropolis video. I dunno, have you ever seen him or heard him?

Sharita: No, she has. 

Venessa. Well, I was like, what is this gay shit? (We all laugh) She put it in and I’m all, wow and then I seen interviews and he talks about [the fact] he can’t read music and yadda yadda, I was like, goddamn because I play piano so I know how hard it is and dudes just like, [playing] like it’s nothing and it’s just amazing to me. Anybody that can write music like that is amazing to begin with. Like I can hear shit and my head but it’s hard for me to like put it out there. I can do it but it takes me a minute whereas he’s just like, blah, blah, blah.

I’m like I’m missing screws somewhere but it’s cool I’m getting by. I’m hmm bass, four strings works for me and that was my fuckin mistake, let me tell ya. I got my guitar because I had to do solos and it’s six strings because you’ve got to play more than one at once. I can’t play drums because I have no internal rhythm, I don’t want to sing because I hate the microphone, and so what the hell is left, its bass. I’m like, oh it’s only four strings you only hit one at once, and it couldn’t be that hard. Oops. (Smiles) (We’re laughing hysterically)  It isn’t that hard because with the drums you have to be in rhythm and with the guitar you have to hit the notes so it’s double duty all the time. Yeah, it’s always four strings but when bass cuts out or fucks up you always know it.

Sharita: Oh yeah, you’re right about that.

Venessa: You can totally tell. Guitarists can get away with it. If a guitar drops off for a minute it’s cool, but the bass goes and it’s like, “Oh, that’s not D.” I’m like what the hell did I get myself into. (We all laugh) So, it’s cool, I like it a lot.

Sharita: Last time we spoke about the “Battle for Ozzfest” competition, tell the readers about the bands experience.

Venessa: Ah. (Rolls eyes, then smiles) Ok, that was not…We went down to Los Angeles and we got there the night before and then went to get in line at seven in the morning. It took us till about 4:00 in the afternoon to get into the actual room. Well, the crazy part is obviously we’re waiting out there for hours and hours in the hot sun totally getting like naturally and physically drained and I think this is why they do this to test you. So you get in and they bring you in really fast and they’re like, “Why should we bring you on the show, you’ve got thirty seconds, go!” You’re like, uhhh blah. (Chuckles) Then they’re like “Go to the next room for an interview, then go to the next one interview here, and the next one and interview here, take a picture here, do this interview and this one.”  It’s like this…(She snaps her fingers) so they’re like, “Ok, we’ll call you the next day or whatever, you’re going to the next round.” So, they ended up calling us the next day so we’re like sitting on eggshells all night obviously, don’t get any sleep just freaking out. Finally, they call and then we’re just hype up and so we still get no sleep. The next day, we go back for like a psychiatric evaluation, piss test, and all kinds of whack shit.

Kimisha: Seriously?

Venessa: Yeah, we had to take this funky ass test that’s like, “Do you ever feel like hurting small animals?” Uh no. It’s like five hundred questions, but they alternate the way they ask the question so you make sure you answer them right. Like it will say, ‘Do you feel like hurting small animals? Then twenty questions down, “Do you feel like you want to step on small animals?”

Sharita: Oh wow.

Venessa: It was really weird. Then they’re like, “Ok we’ll call you back tonight if you’re going to the next round.” Of course we don’t sleep again and they call us and they say, “Ok, you’re gonna come back and play just one song.” We’re all hyped up and we haven’t slept in like three days and we’re all delirious goin’, “Uhhh this could be it.” We go back and I swear to God they rigged this shit because they had the crappiest shit you could imagine.

Sharita: Really?

Venessa: I’m sitting there going, “Dude, I know you can afford better than this.” No, they had the bottom of the line, just shit equipment, the drum set looked like it had been thrown across the street fifty times, I mean all of it looked like it was just falling apart.  So I know it was rigged for them to go, “Ok lets see what this band can do if they get in a situation or whatever.” Well I swear they rigged it to fall apart because halfway into our song, like thirty seconds into it, the bass pedal broke.

Sharita: Wow.

Venessa: Yeah. I know they rigged it to go, “Oh what’s this band gonna do if they’re on Ozzfest and shit goes wrong are they gonna stop?” I know it was rigged, so the next day they’re like, “Ok, we’ll call you back.” So, they called us and they were like, “Well you’re going to be considered, blah, blah, blah we’ll call you in a month to let you know.” Month goes by, two months go by, they still hadn’t decided. Finally, three months later they’re like, “You made it in the top ten but we’re sorry you didn’t get picked.” (Kimisha and I both sigh)

We were just bummed, man but then the show came on and I see that they’re picking one person from each band to this wash laundry and eat snot shit. I’m like, what happened to the battle of the band part?

Sharita: Right.

Venessa: So, I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and it’s hard to believe that sometimes when you get disappointed and things go badly. After that I’m like I’m a firm believer now because if they would’ve picked me which I know they would’ve, I’m the only girl and they picked the girls in the band. I would’ve been like, “eh, fuck you I am not doin’ nobody’s fuckin laundry, it’s bad enough that I gotta put the fuckin toilet seat down when I wanna pee.” I’m not fuckin doin it and I would’ve got let go but it was cool.

Good things could’ve happened for us if we won. The band that won is on Ozzfest this year, they got a recording contract really good things happened for them, I’m happy for you but I’m glad I wasn’t on it. (Laughs) Washing nasty drawers, girl I’m telling you what. (Hysterical laughter)

Kimisha: Oh hell no.

Venessa: This is me, ah hell no, ah where’s my plane ticket cause I’m going home! So that was an experience, but all things are experiences you know? All things make you stronger as a band, the tour is something that has made us a lot better as a band, you know playing thirty-five shows in a month is a lot of shows. Like last week we played seven shows in six days. So our performance level has gone like way up and our ability to function…(She pauses and crosses her eyes, hysterical laughter erupts)

Touring is…It is one thing if you have a big label behind you and even then it’s hard because even if you’re on a tour bus and you have financial backing, even then it could be difficult. You’re dealing with a manager, this person and that person. This is all ourselves, all the financing and everything, we did it all ourselves and it was difficult. We made enough money to get from town to town and get hotel rooms so it’s pretty much supported itself.  

Sharita: That’s what I was just gonna ask you about, traveling in that truck all the time, oh my God. You guys sleep in that?

Venessa: You’re like, where are they sleeping. (Laughs) The first date of this tour, we had to be in the next town which is fourteen hours away. So right after the show, we had to drive fourteen hours and then after that show we another fourteen hours, so hotel rooms were not an issue at that point. Then we were in Virginia and we had a couple days off so we stayed at my moms, so that was cool. All the rest of the time we’ve been able to get hotel rooms, get food like McDonald’s once a day or whatever.

Sharita: Life on the road. (Laughs)

Venessa: We got to do some other cool shit like eat a real philly in Philly, we got to it a real Maine lobster in Maine, I’m like the food was the best part. (Laughs) We went backstage at Ozzfest and met Iron Maiden, Rob Zombie, Slipknot and Mudvayne. So we’ve met a lot of cool people and made a lot of contacts, it was beyond worth it. You gotta think once ok, where do I play, what about this town, what time do I play, and who should I play with. That first time you have to figure all this shit out. Some of these towns I’m like, man and we’ve only got fucked twice too. Like our show in Dayton, Ohio we were guaranteed one hundred and fifty bucks, which isn’t shit, our guarantees have been at least double [that amount]. Dude tried to give us thirty dollars after we extended our set a half an hour.

Kimisha: What?

Venessa: Yeah, after we extended our set a half an hour because one of the bands dropped off at the last second and they said we had to play till two a.m., which wasn’t our obligation to begin with. We played that extra half an hour, balls to the wall, kicked fucking ass, then this asshole tries to hand us thirty dollars.

Sharita: Oh my God.

Venessa: Joe’s like, “This is an insult!” He’s like, “No, give us our fuckin’ money bro!” So we ended up having to call the cops, they came and we ended up getting our money. That was one time.

Then, we had another situation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the promoter said; “I didn’t bring the money to the show.” 

Kimisha: What?

Venessa: We were like, “Well, mother fucker you’re going to get the money, we will follow you!” He said, “I’ll go to the bank and bring you your money back.” We said, “Oh hell no you won’t cause we’ll follow your ass!” So we’re following him and he was in a Camaro and at first he would go slow, then he’d turn real fast and try to lose us and shit but we’re like, “Fuck you bro we’re on your ass!” We followed him to the bank and he went withdrawing it we’re like, “Give us our fuckin’ money man!” I mean if you cannot promote the show, it’s one thing if we’re in our hometown, but we don’t live there. We done our job, we sent out flyers, posters, and we’ve done online, I mean it’s your fucking job [to get people to the show].

Sharita: Exactly.

Venessa: You’re the fucking promoter! Hello! It’s not for you when you can’t make your crank payments! (We all laugh) Ok, I’m not feeling sorry for you man when I’m eating my Chicken McNuggets.

Sharita: (Laughs) There you go!

Venessa: It’s been fun though. I’ve been ramblin’, sorry about that.

Sharita: No, that’s ok, this is good reading for the fans and I was just gonna ask you was there any tour stories and you just answered it. (Laughs)

Venessa: (Sighs) Girl, let me tell ya! (Laughs) The whole thing is we’ve only had two blow-ups within the band and they were only like five minutes and they were over. So, nobody’s jumped out of the car, I’ve been tested a couple of times to open this back window and jump out. (All laugh) Get me out! Nobody’s been pushed out either. It’s been decent, we’ve maintained our composure as best as we can, it’s been cool. We did the NAMM show, went to Indianapolis and just came from there today and I talked to Schecter, who does my guitars and shit. I hooked up [with them to get] another bass and I talked to GK to get some other stuff, so it was cool.

Sharita: Congratulations.

Venessa: We came in the top ten on the D’Addario contest so we got a bunch of free shit. It’s been cool and we’re stoked! It’s awesome and it’s like I’m ready to go [back home], but at the same time I’m not.

Sharita: You’re homesick though.       
                      
Venessa: The most I miss is my cat and my bed. I miss my damn cat! (Laughs) Oh, and I miss my food. I can’t wait to go home and make my own food. I look at McDonalds now and I’m like, hush! No more, it like hurts my soul.

It’s cool though because you only work when you play, which is what I wanted to do anyway. So, the worst part is not being in your own bed, seeing the same four faces every single morning…

Kimisha: They don’t put the toilet seat down, do they?

Venessa: (Laughs) Yeah exactly. As much as I love you, God I cannot wait to not see your face again. (Everyone laughs)

Sharita: I love you but…

Venessa: Exactly. When I go home, wake up and see my walls I’m gonna be like, Oh my walls! I’m gonna run around naked for a week! (Laughs) I’m just gonna go everywhere naked, to my job everywhere. All those things you take for granted, when you get on tour you miss them. The only thing I don’t want to go back to is my job. I think about that and go, uhhh!

Sharita: What was you day job again?

Venessa: I work in a restaurant and I hate it! When you do stuff you’re not meant to be doing, like, I believe everybody has a certain purpose in life everybody is different, but [I know working in a restaurant is not what I want to do]. People are like, “Oh you’re in a rock band I think that’s so cool, I wish I could do that.” I’m like, you have something you could do, everybody has something that they’re here for. When you have to do other things to supplement what you really want to do, it kind of bums you [out]. It pays the bills but it doesn’t fulfill your soul, it drains you. I’m like; I just want to be a rock star.

Sharita: You’re already there.

Venessa: Thanks.

Sharita: Ok, I have to ask you how are the sales for the CD going?

Venessa: We’ve sold a thousand of them. We are going to go home with no CD’s.

Sharita: Awesome!

Venessa: Even for the shows where there was only fifty people there or whatever, they’re still buying shit. That tells me something’s going great somewhere, getting us attention, and they like the music. If the music sucks then you’re not going anywhere. Yeah, we’ve been doing great with merchandise, selling the crap out of everything, to me that speaks for itself. I don’t go off of what critics say or what labels say, I go off of how many people are at the show, what they say, and if they buy shit cause in the end that’s what matters.

I mean, we’ve ran into industry people and they say, “Well you’re really great but you’re not what we’re looking for right now.” I talked to some guy the other day and I was like, “You know what dude, that’s why we don’t wait around for people like you.” I mean, if you don’t want us, it’s your goddamn loss; it’s not my fault you’re retarded.

Sharita: That’s a great attitude to have.

Venessa: How many times did some bands get passed over before they got signed? Like a million times. Then somebody woke up and they sold like twenty million albums. If you’re good it will happen.

Sharita: Your time is coming.

Venessa: We’re getting there. Like I said, we don’t wait for anybody, we just keep doin what we’re doin and eventually something will crack. I just want my five million dollar signing bonus, so I can’t have money for my costumes and…

Sharita: Buy glitter! (Laughs)  

Venessa: That’s right for every show! I’m not trying to gross out the readers here but I literally have to peel my pants off after every show. Not pull, peel them. It is gnarly! (Laughs) I told Joe (Fraulob, guitarist) that I’m having a glitter/shoe/pants burning when I get home. (Laughs) The people at Hard Rock Café want me to donate them, I said they better be in an airtight glass case. (Laughs) I mean, I don’t feel glamorous but I make it look that way. I have enough perfume to kind of ward it off. That’s what’s gonna be in my in my signing bonus, pants for every show and glitter abound. I’m like how did Kiss do it for so many years? It’s one thing if you play a show a week but six shows in one week? I have so much respect for them now; they did the whole thing with shit. It’s all worth it.

Sharita: Awesome. Ok, I have a couple of Speed Round Questions for you. These are quick and painless and it’s good for our readers to know more personally stuff about you. What’s your favorite color?

Venessa: Well, it’s two, silver and black. Is black even a color?

Sharita: Yeah. I love black. What’s your favorite food?

Venessa: Pizza!!!!!! One good ting I’ve gotten so much of it this tour. Everybody else is like, “If I eat pizza again I’ll barf.” I’m like, more please. (Laughs)

Sharita: What do you like on your pizza?

Venessa: I eat it with only pepperoni or everything. It depends on the mood.

Sharita: If you we’re stranded on a desert island, what band member would you kill first?

Venessa: (Pauses) That’s a good question. You’re gonna get me in trouble.

Sharita: Oh, come on. You can be honest.

Venessa: Myself, because I’d never get off. I’d be like I’m swimming or drowning. I can’t be with you mother fuckers all this time. (Laughs) (Kimisha and I laugh as well)

Sharita: Wow, that’s interesting. Ok, Venessa thank you so much for the interview it has been fun.

Venessa: Thank you for taking the time honey.

Thanks to Venessa for interviewing with me again and being so entertaining!

               Click here to read the article from the first interview.

                                   Click here to see the review for
                                 The Human Condition