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By Chad Olson

HM Electronic Magazine has a policy: Make the "electronic version" smaller, but better than the print version. We take a handful of great stories from the "print version" and will often times run the actual interview (word-for-word) instead of the "feature style" story that ran in the "print version." This way you get raw, uncut, in-your-face quotes from the artists themselves. Read on and learn more about this clandestine and "shocking" band -- Rackets And Drapes.

BAND BACKGROUND QUESTIONS

1. WHEN DID YOU START PLAYING MUSIC AND WHAT OTHER BANDS AND MUSICAL STYLES HAVE YOU DONE PREVIOUSLY?

Kandy-I started playing in bands in high school. I was really into the metal/glam thing back then. I have played in so many bands and so many different styles I can't even remember half of the bands I was in. I have played grunge, death, glam, metal, shock, and a little gothic.

Kalliapi-This is my first band. I have always wanted to play music but never had the chance until now. I have always deeply appreciated music and how it moves you.

2. WHEN DID YOU START RACKETS & DRAPES? WHY DID YOU START RACKETS & DRAPES?

Kandy-Rackets formed in 1994! We were originally Human Soup at the time (gothic metal). It was just me and Twitch and a keyboard. We started to wear "gothic" makeup cause that's what we wanted to be was gothic. But since the music we played was too hard to be called gothic, a lot of people told us that we need to claim another scene so to speak. So since we were both horror fre aks, we pursued the "horror" metal style.

3. WHO ARE YOUR INFLUENCES, SECULAR AND/OR CHRISTIAN?

Kandy-Most of my influences are truly older styles. KISS, WASP, early Motley Crue, Guns 'n' Roses first album, Alice Cooper, David Bowie (Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars!!) Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath. I was really into Stryper. They were really the only Christian band that I was ever into growing up. As far as stuff I listen to now, I like Klank and Living Sacrifice. I like their sounds. Wedding Party is a good band. They're just great people. Will and Sheri are so cool. Ken is such a joker.

Kalliapi-I like the earlier 80's metal: Mother Love Bone, Berlin, Depeche Mode, Switchblade Symphony, NIN, and Queensryche. Alice In Chains, too. Christian-wise, we both love the Mad At The World album Flowers in the Rain.

4. WHY DO YOU WEAR MAKE-UP AND DRESSES/SKIRTS?

Kandy-It's nothing new, really. bands have done that for years, it's not like we are the only ones who are doing this. Besides, how scary can you be without the look? It's all part of the show. Sound, image, show. Shock rock.

Kalliapi-Let me think for a minute.....(sarcastically) (WRITER'S NOTE: I GUESS ASKING A WOMAN WHY SHE WEARS MAKE-UP AND DRESSES/SKIRTS DESERVES A SARCASTIC ANSWER! :)

5. WITH SO MANY PEOPLE CROSS-DRESSING AND THE WHOLE TRANSVESTITE "CRAZE", IF YOU WILL, HOW DOES OR DOESN'T THAT PLAY INTO THE WAY YOU LOOK?

Kandy-Not even close. We had thought about going "glam" a couple of years ago, but that's not us. That is part of my history, yes, but today.....no way. Too 80's. Too weak for today's society. I'd rather stay freaky, cause that is more me than pretty.

6. WHY IS OR ISN'T THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH DRESSING THE WAY YOU DO?

Kandy-What's wrong with it? Clothes are clothes. I know a lot of people try to quote the Old Testament to us, but yet the same chapter they quote from says an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, so does that apply also? It's what's in the heart that matters. Besides, we've got your attention, don't we?

Kalliapi-At least we are dressed.

7. WHO IS PRESENTLY IN THE BAND AND WHAT DO THEY PLAY? DO YOU PLAY ANY GUITAR LIVE OR ON RECORDS, KANDY?

Kandy-I'm on vocals. Kalliapi is on keyboards. Charlotte is back playing guitar with us.

8. WHO IS PLAYING BASS?

Kandy-We just got a new bassist. His name is Larva (laughter). He's gonna work out well. Pretty cool. Cool look, too.

9. DO YOU USE A DRUM MACHINE ON RECORDS? WHY DON'T YOU USE A LIVE DRUMMER IN CONCERT AND/OR ON RECORDS?

Kandy-Yes, we use a Korg X3 in-studio and live. A great work station. We don't have a drummer and probably never will. I got too used to this machine. It never misses a beat, and doesn't eat you out of house and home. The sounds we get from it could never be duplicated from a real drummer. Maybe one day we may have someone play for us, but for now we are quite happy the way we are.

10. WHERE DID THE NAME RACKETS & DRAPES COME FROM AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Kandy-It's just a name we threw together one day at practice....We found out that Human Soup was taken by three other bands so we had to change the name. We just threw two words together. It never really meant anything until one day this person shared with me what the name meant to them and how it moved them. The Romans used to call a group of people a "racket" and Christ was draped when he was buried. So.....a group of people covered by Christ.

CANDYLAND QUESTIONS

11. WHO PRODUCED CANDYLAND AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO RECORD?

Kandy-It took a couple of months to record it, twice a week up in the studio during the winter. So sometimes the weather wouldn't let us go up there and record. A lot of hours were spent on it. But all in all, it wasn't like most recording times. Glen Ballew helped us produce this one. We never really "mastered" it. Just really wanted to get it out there so people could hear us.

12. TELL ME ABOUT THE CANDYLAND COVER AND THE TITLE CANDYLAND.

Kandy-The cover and title is pretty self-explanatory if you ask me. The world offers such sweet things, but in time those sweets (sin) will rot your teeth (pull you away from the Lord). Such a temptation is out there: money, success, greed, material things. The little green guy...I think you know who he might be.

13. BACK IN, LIKE OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER, WE GOT A DIAMANTE SALES CATALOG, AND THERE WAS CANDYLAND BEING PITCHED BY BULLETPROOF / GRAY DOT RECORDS. WE HADN'T HEARD FOR SURE THAT YOU GUYS HAD SIGNED WITH THEM, BUT HAD HEARD RUMORS. SO, WE WERE STOKED FOR YOU, HAVING FINALLY RECEIVED A CONTRACT WITH A LABEL. THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HEAR FROM MATTHIAS AND RAINER, AND THEY SAY THEY'RE RELEASING YOUR ALBUM ON MCM, WHICH IS ALSO VERY COOL. THEY'RE GREAT GUYS, AND I THINK THAT MCM IS ONE OF THE MOST CUTTING-EDGE LABELS AROUND. QUESTION IS: WHAT WAS THE DEAL WITH BULLETPROOF "ADVERTISING" YOUR DISC, AND THEN YOU SIGNING WITH MCM?

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