The Mercyground: All Things Faith and the Muse

Star Vox: Women who Rock:
Interview with Monica Richards/2001
~by Adrian

One of the hardest working women in the business. That is what should be beside Monica Richards name. Really. If anyone deserves to be noticed as a "woman who rocks" it has to be this beautiful and talented artist who, like a seductive siren, lures you into a hypnotic trance with a whisper that would make a Tsunami pale in comparison. From poetry and fine art to songs of ancient myths and legends, Monica leaves no stone unturned as she explores every avenue of creativity and shows us the many faceted jewel of her soul and makes no apologies. Being a fan since her days in Strange Boutique I have seen her maturity and growth as an artist, storyteller, modern shaman, and philosopher, weaving magic in both song and print. With such books as The Book of Annwyn and The Garden Booke of Ghosts , Monica takes the reader into magical lands of fantasy and dreams, where reality can be whatever you want and hopes are spun like spider webs under the moon. Delightful characters and images populate her stories and her original artwork that accompanies her work only heightens the beauty and talent that springs from her imagination. Musically she has the power and might of the deities and heroes she sings and writes about and she has never ceased to amaze me with her live shows and magical stage presence.

Fronting the beautiful group Faith and the Muse, Monica reflects all the raw passion and energy of her band, putting it right back into her audience who is usually mesmerized from her performance. From her early 80's punk debut with Madhouse to the haunting and atmospheric energy of Strange Boutique, Monica has earned the respect and gratitude of her fans worldwide and deserves everything that blesses her path. Instead of droning on and on about who and what Monica is and isn't, I decided to let her speak for herself on such topics and enlighten us with a brief, yet personal interview about her ideas, desires, and friendly beasts that lurk about within her world.
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StarVox: Give us a brief history of Monica Richards and who she is.

Monica: A brief history is hard, actually spanning from 1981! I am a long struggling artist still on the path to finding that out. But you can check out my bio anytime!

SV: What kind of philosophy do you have with your music and your life?

M: I believe one must follow their heart, one must respect, and be true to, oneself. One must do what makes them happy. I place no boundaries on my music other than creating something that I am proud of, no particular genre or formula (quite evident on F&TM), just self and life expression.

SV: That is quite beautiful and I agree with you 100%!

SV: Next question, what is the process you use to write your music? What kind of influences do you look for?

M: Each process is involved with the mood and current inspiration. When I am inspired, I find a melody and try to put words to remember it, or create a rhythm that may manifest its own melody. I don't really look for influences, they come to me while the song evolves. At that time, it is choosing the instrumentation, whether or not this part or that should be loud guitar or soft piano, to carry out the music...

SV: Can you describe the kind of spirituality that you look for within the music you create?

M: Hmmm, that also changes depending on the song. Almost always its a call from the past to regain life in the present, but nothing organized, more beyond words.

SV: Do you feel that spirituality is an important thing in this day and age?

M: I feel that spirituality is linked with truly being centered, grounded if you will, with one's place in the scheme of things. I think everyone needs that, but it's certainly hard to attain.

SV: What artist, male or female, influences you the most?

M: I have always had a soft spot for Marlene Dietrich, her ground breaking sexuality and confidence. I find I am more influenced by a person's life story, who they were, rather than just their body of work. I look to find what influences created the work, how they dealt with life's webwork within their own perception. That kind of personal strength influences me more...

SV: To me, a lot of your music is strong and powerful, almost sexual in nature. What role does sexuality play, if any, in your music?

M: It doesn't play a conscious role, I can tell you that. I allow different songs to take on different personas or moods, and I may try to get a particular emotion across through how I sing, though more often than not the persona is feminine and often in search of personal strength. I enjoy whispering into the listener's ear, speaking directly to them to deliver the song's message, which may cast a sexual tone.

SV: How did you get into music? What was the turning point that created the Monica that we see today?

M: I was a punk in Washington D.C., and joined a band that considered the uniqueness of having a female singer in the harDCore genre. Those were very hard times for me, because there weren't many female singers in the scene, and I put up with a great deal of criticism and blatant lack of respect. I moved over towards the more arty scene which landed me in the Strange Boutique style, as much through my art school influences as my musical path. The turning point would have to be around 1989, when I realized that we were getting an audience who enjoyed what we did, (as opposed to many years of singing from which I didn't have that luxury). I finally began to think that maybe what I was doing was the right thing - just being myself and progressing my own way, rather than changing to please the crowd.

SV: What books are resting on your night table these days?

M: Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Love and Other Demons, Elliot's The Wasteland.

SV: From his book, On the Heights of Despair, Cioran writes, ... "I am displeased with everything. If they made me God, I would immediately resign..." If you were God, what would you do first?

M: Place some lovely catastrophic storms upon all arsenal and testing facilities that deal with nothing but ways of destruction. Wouldn't that be beautifully ironic?

SV: Do you have any side projects at the moment? Future projects ? M: My writing - I'm finishing up the Book of Annwyn.2 and working on a volume of poetry, my painting - I'm creating the covers to the Vera Causa CD... I'm in the process of negotiating a solo appearance at a festival in Germany
this Fall. I'll bring a couple musicians with me and do a more tribal/vocal approach. That's more than enough for me right now.

SV: Where were your best live performances? Worst?

M: My best live performances were when I felt connected to the crowd, and that's been quite a few, luckily. My most recent favorite performance was our last show on the 2000 European Tour, where we performed at a festival in Austria and the audience was just so into it; as I started singing the beginning to "Scars Flown Proud" an entire contingent in the front sang along with me, and it felt wonderful... Worst performances, ugh, there are many of those as well, when I wanted to leave the stage rather than continue, and the latest memory I have of that was also from the European 2000 Tour, our show in Denmark. Most of the audience sat at tables and ignored us, a number sat with their backs to us at the stage, and someone shouted "Israel!" in between songs. I was taken back to my early days of this type of thoughtlessness, and really was ready to walk off...

SV: Do you think there will ever be a "Behind the Music...the Monica Richards Story" on VH1?

M: Oh no! That would mean I'd have to walk on the beach for the "after all the ________, she's now happy and looking forward to the future..." scene.

SV: Strange Boutique did so much for me in my younger days and I often pull them out for the memories that they hold for me. Any thoughts of a Strange Boutique reunion?

M: I'm so touched to hear that! We're thinking of a 2003 Washington DC reunion show, but it's really up in the air. We do plan on releasing a "Best Of" CD with some live tracks and unreleased material.

SV: What is in your cd player right now?

M: The Best of Cat Stevens.

SV: This may be a tad silly, but, if you were a muppet, which muppet would you be and why?

M: Funny you should ask, we have a three-legged German Shepherd named Fozzy Bear. I suppose I would probably want to be that cool blonde Jazz chick, because I'd love to just say "Oh Wow" and "Super Cool" and be really hip.

SV: What are the plans for Monica in 2002 and beyond?

M: Next year, we have a new album to finish and release and a large scale tour to do. Then I have a play and a book of short stories I'd like to publish. beyond that, who knows? I'm up for whatever I can fathom...