Exclusive Backstage Interview: Melora Creager - Rasputina's Neo-Victorian, Corset Wearing, Cello-Rocking Lead Singer
It is a rare thing to experience, the feeling of just being completely and unexpectedly blown away, knocked out, feeling the Earth move in orgasmic, rhythmic, pounding, sweaty, musical ecstasy, but it's something that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. That's what I was thinking as I bundled my inadequate for warmth, but hella cool looking, fringed leather jacket tighter around me after just having witnessed a performance by three piece rock band Rasputina.
I was being led back towards the band's dressing room for an exclusive, intimate interview with Melora Creager, who alone is Rasputina on albums; writing, playing and producing everything herself. It is only when Rasputina hits the road that it becomes a band.
I had heard of Rasputina. I had been seeing rave reviews of their latest album, Sister Kinderhook, popping up all over music websites, and I had heard their music--yet I was not at all prepared for the awe-inspiring performance I witnessed that night. Afterward I felt as though I had been enlightened, let in on a profound secret. I had found finally, the hidden entrance to the other side of the looking glass. Mentally, physically and spiritually: I was totally affected; changed.
The intimate dressing room interview didn't quite work out as planned. The band played until well after midnight and Melora, who was pregnant during the recording of Rasputina's latest album, Sister Kinderhook, was now on the road with a baby--and baby was sleeping sweetly in the dressing room, so we headed out back to talk on the porch. It was a cold night, and the wind made me fear that we might lose the audio (thankfully we didn't) but Melora and I did have fun talking about recording the album pregnant, the filthy language and Rocky Horror Picture Show antics of the audience, the phenomenal bands she's worked with and the new Rasputina documentary called Under the Corset which was filmed and produced by Dawn Miceli as she traveled with the band on tour.
Rasputina - Backstage Interview - Melora Creager - Interviews From The Edge
I did my very best to try and capture a bit of the Rasputina experience when I was preparing the video of our interview, so along with the footage shot as was sat and talked outside that night I've added some live performance clips as well as a bit from Under the Corset. I can honestly say that no video can do justice to Rasputina's actual live performance, but I think it goes a long way towards expressing exactly how hard rocking this band is. Check out Rasputina playing Tom Petty's "American Girl" live at the very end of the video interview.
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