Exclusive Interviews Only Found Here at MetalCore!

Sapphic Ode 

Sapphic Ode were a South Jersey based band I was helping out for awhile and then they broke up a few years back. I thought back then and still think today that the band is an amazing band that should have sold tons of records. Here is an interview with the then singer Julee that was going to be in my never released issue 31. If you ever see any of this band's CD'S used, do yourself a favor and pick it up.

MC: How did the band end up forming? Where you guys in any other bands?

Julee: Well, I was introduced to Jay back in 1999. We met in July and the 1st full length cd was recorded in September called 'Sex Equals Chaos=Art". The rest was history. Before I was mingling in my own stuff back in 97 I played guitar for a punk band called Kriegskinder. I know Jay, Brad and Chris were in many other bands before Sapphic Ode.

MC: Did you have any vocal training or did you teach yourself?

Julee: I had vocal training in collage. I studied piano and voice was my minor.

MC: How long does it take you to have a song come together? Are songs easy for you guys to write? How about lyrics, do they come easy?

Julee: One of two things happen; they lyrics come first then we write the music to it, or we come up with a really great riff and then we have to plug lyrics to it. We usually don't agonize too much about lyrics. They come pretty easily. The music itself is tougher. We might come up with a few great riffs and it make take many hours of practice to get them to mesh just right.

MC: What was your first live show like? Has anything embarrassing happened to any of you while playing live onstage?

Julee: I was really psyched for our first show. I look at pictures from that show now and I think to myself, 'Gee, I wasn't wearing much make-up as I should have." I'll even listen to our first album and say, 'boy we've come a long way." EMBARRASSING? Yes, I've ripped many a garment on stage; some to the point where I've had to hold them on (like our last Halloween show). In the beginning of our career, I was looking at our set list and introduced the band as one of the song names instead. I have that one on tape. I won't tell any of the stories about the guys...I don't think they'd appreciate it.

MC: You have quite a wild stage show. Tell us about it.

Julee: Imagine a B-rated horror movie. We have freaky lighting, smoke, costumes, and overall atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, this is not an Ozzy stage setting. There is something else to that, well, you'd have to just experience it. In can't explain it.

MC: DO you feel being a female singer helps you stand out in the crowd? Have you had any unusual requests from people at all?

Julee: I never get asked to pay a cover when I walk in a club. I don't have to introduce myself? Being a girl, you don't have to stand out. If you don't, you get criticized by everyone. "She should (or shouldn't) wear this." "She should (or shouldn't) do that." I haven't had too many unusual requests. I 've had some off color requests, but that comes with the territory.

MC: Describe what the band sounds like in your own words?

Julee: Our older stuff is more metal based that it is now. We've slowed down our sound. It is still heavy, but have a more sinister feel to it. If you can imagine a creepy love song, your just about there.

MC: Tell us about the first CD you put out. How did it sell and are you still proud of it and is it still for sale?

Julee: Sex Equals Chaos-Art was our first CD. It is still available on our website and at our shows. I'm still proud of it. It's 11 songs of full power music.

MC: You recently put out a new CD. Do you think with this new CD, you will finally get a record deal?

Julee: I love the new CD, Proceeds The Rain. I think this is a full evolvement of our talents and really shows our true style. I really believe this will be the one to get us a record deal. We've also been in the studio again and recorded one single, "Like A Spider." We will be distributing that one as well. It's a real kicker.

MC; Is it touch being a band from South Jersey? What the pros and cons of being from South Jersey?

Julee: Yes and no. Yes, there are not really many places to play that are right here. No, we don't have to travel far to get to those that we can play at. New York and Phila, PA aren't too far away.

MC: Tell us about your website and what people will find when they log on it.

Julee: www.sapphicode.com has t-shirts, cd's, mp3s, photos, bios, fan mail; just about everything that a sapphic ode fan craves for. Video is coming soon.

MC: Do you have a favorite show and worst show you played?

Julee: My favorite show was at the Cutting Room in NY. We played for a benefit there. It was a good room. Clean, good lighting, and the atmosphere was very positive. We got a lot of positive feedback that night. I also really liked the Loop Lounge in North Jersey. Ah, good times. My worst show was when a club (not mentioning any names here) double booked and we found out we were not playing at all.

MC: Do all the band members get along pretty well?

Julee: Would we be together this long if we didn't? I don't think so. We all get along really well.

MC: What are you goals and plans for the rest of 2002?

Julee:: We have new management right now so 2002 looks really good for us. We're looking at some bigger shows. As for anything else, it's never good to know too much about ones destiny.

MC: Any last words to end the interview?

Julee: Thank you so much for the interview Chris and the foot massage you gave me at the NJ Metalfest was wonderful.

MC: The foot massage was my pleasure Julee he he.