A Dirty Dozen with HERMA from SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL – July 2022

According to a recent press release: “Frontiers Music Srl is thrilled to announce the release of SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL’s upcoming album Starstruck. Sick N’ Beautiful is the ultimate rock n’ roll sideshow from outer space: a unique concoction of hard rock and modern metal infused with industrial, punk, and electro-pop overtones, blending in varying influences from across the musical spectrum to create a sound all their own. Intrigued yet? Live, the band puts together a fission-bomb of a show to wow people with tracks from their self-produced albums Hell Over Hell (2015) and Element Of Sex (2018). In just a few months, SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL managed to rise from playing the tiniest bars in Rome to the huge stages of Lucca Comics and Eutropia. But whether a small club or a gargantuan concert venue, the group is equally at home, and will take no prisoners!  Extreme visuals, make-up and costumes, along with bombshell singer Herma keep the audience involved and nailed to the stage, for a performance that is truly one of a kind. But of course, all the visuals in the world won’t work if inventive, intriguing, catchy music isn’t there, so make no mistake, Sick N’ Beautiful has substance to their visual stimulation. The videos, the recordings, the outfits, the props and effects, the merchandise design… SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL produce everything themselves in-house, and everything you see is “homemade” with dedication and painstaking attention to detail. Catchy tunes along with an incendiary stage presence have helped to generate a loyal fan base which is absolutely enamored with the storyline and the characters of the band.” We get singer Herma to discuss new music, influences, and more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets you put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

This album StarStruck, our latest and first with Frontiers Records, marks a definite shift in our sound and attitude! No more Mr. Nice Guy! It’s heavier and darker, and it’s been influenced by the tougher times we live in, for sure.  Musically it lends itself to repeat listens, I believe, as we keep trying to steer the songs in different directions all the time. And yes it’s full of surprises and Easter eggs as it’s customary for our records! I’m not gonna give out any spoilers though… Leave it to the fans to discover all the “goodies” and cool references…

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

From the moment our ship crash-landed in the vicinities of Rome, Italy, we knew that the only way to survive for us would be to implement the only thing we know how to do – and that is to be performers! Rock n’ roll is our preferred choice of weapon…

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

As a band, we are into anything cinematic, with lots of sparks, flames and special effects. Musically, we can’t deny the influence of KISS, White Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails and so many others,  – but also poppier acts like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, 30 Seconds To Mars… Also, there’s definitely a component of 80’s metal like Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper… lots of good stuff!

4. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

OMG so many come to mind! James Hetfield? Lzzy Hale? Lady Gaga? Jared Leto? So much to learn from such amazing artists…

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour? What do you like to do to unwind?

Personally, I like going out for sushi and playing with my cat Proxy! But I’m a workhaolic, I can’t sit still for too long!  As a band of aliens, the invasion and conquest of the known universe is always pretty much on our minds!

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Ahahahaah! That’s never easy! The Rock N’ Roll ship of Satan in Space is one apt description, I would say! It’s hard rock with lots of electronic ear candy, occult and cinematic references. Lots of special FX too!  One reviewer once complimented our AOR sound… We really couldn’t see that one coming… I guess he got the wrong CD…

7. When your band is hanging out together, who cooks, who gets the drinks in, and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Big Daddy cooks, I get the drinks, and everyone else makes all the noise!

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it? 

StarStruck – well doesn’t happen often for me, I must say. At the end of the day, aren’t we all just regular folks , who put their pants on one tentacle at a time?

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job? 

For me, it’s not only being a musician per se, but being able to create whole worlds and storylines that go along with the SICK N’ BEAUTIFUL concept. We produce everything by ourselves, in-house, and that poses new interesting challenges everyday. As a matter of fact, we are just now in the process of creating a mini-movie with the help of our almighty fans through our kickstarter campaign! It’s going to be terrific, and you can check it out here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sicknbeautiful/sick-n-beautiful-starstruck-album-movie-preorder. If I weren’t doing this, what would be my dream job? No question: professional cat lady!

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

The most beautiful question ANYONE can ask ANYONE at anytime is “Where do I send the money” – unless we’re talking ransom notes of course! ahahahahahh As a band, I can safely say that we had enough of being asked “How long does it take you to put on your makeup for a show?”  – More to the point, it would be to ask us, “How long does it take you to disguise yourselves as regular humans?”

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over,” even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Oh well, certanly more than one situation comes to mind. I don’t want to single out any particular one now, but I  have a couple of suggestions for the young bands out there. One, choose your collaborators VERY CAREFULLY and don’t sign anything ever, if at all possible… Two, learn how to dispose of a body…

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

This is another tough and interesting question… So many to choose from! But I would say possibly the sessions for Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and Evanescence “Bring Me To Life,” two songs that I believe have shaped modern hard rock and launched it into the mainstream more than others. It would have been cool to witness such magic as it happened… Thank you for the awesome questions, it was lots of fun!  STICK WITH THE SICK!

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Category: Interviews