She runs a blog that gives substance and soul to what a Metal Blog is supposed to be about and more. She tames killer cats of the homicidal variety. She is the Alpha and Omega of Metal Fashion. Most important, she is an icon of the world of Heavy Metal and didn't need a weapon of the Steel Gods (aka a guitar, bass, drum and/or mic) to stake her place in Valhalla.
Channel 13 presents today's Dialogues of the Steel Jaws of Death: Steff of Steff Metal.
I6Z6A6N – Good day Steff. First, a foreword to this interview, I wanted to say thanks for having a unique blog in Steff Metal ( http://www.steffmetal.com ), as I have encountered many Metal blogs, and while some do a good job at what they do, yours takes it to a whole new plateau on the subject that is Metal, your blog pushed the boundaries of what a Metal blog is supposed to be (and still retain those elements).
Steff Metal was one of my influences to start Channel 13. The other, is X-Entertainment ( http://www.x-entertainment.com , many thanks Matt \m/), which I have been an avid reader since roughly 2001, which is why you see so much junk on Channel 13 that can leave the biggest pack rat seething in jealousy for the contents of my blog. Have you had a situation like this before where people were motivated by your own actions to do something (not necessarily blogs, it can be anything and everything)?
Steff – I get emails several times a week from folk all over the world saying that one of the articles has inspired them in some way, or just saying, "I agree – I'm so glad somebody wrote that!" It is a very strange and humbling experience and something I never, ever expected when I started the blog.
I6Z6A6N – How did you get into Metal and when did this awakening occur?
Steff – I was a lonely 15 year old, hanging out in my room when the local radio station announced they were taking requests. Someone rang up and requested Metallica's "Enter Sandman", which was not the type of song they normally play at all, but they did. I was utterly mesmerized. I went out the next day and brought 2 Metallica albums, and it was through researching that band online and reading their sleeve notes about the bands that had influenced them that I started to discover more and more metal bands. Initially, I was really the only hardcore metalhead at my school (though a few people liked the odd band), but when I moved to Auckland – the biggest city in NZ – to go to uni I started going to more shows and meeting other metalheads, and that kinda cemented the whole lifestyle for me. I've been a metalhead now for about 15 years, and don't except it will ever change.
I6Z6A6N – When you first got into Metal, did you ever find yourself doing it for as long as you have and having the impact you created through Steff Metal, as well as your other avenues like Corpse Paint Kitty ( http://www.corpsepaintkitty.com ), the Grymm & Epic Guide To Blogging ( http://grymmandepic.com ) and Gothic Wedding Planner ( http://gothicweddingplanner.com )?
Steff – The music was one of those things that just "clicked" – it slipped so seamlessly into my life and became such a vital part of my personality that I can't actually remember ever NOT being a metalhead. As for the success of my sites, that was a huge, but pleasant, surprise! I always knew I'd be doing something with writing, but I never thought I was "good enough" to write about metal. The great thing about the internet is it gives you the opportunity to try things out. I have lots of different projects now, and I love that, although SteffMetal.com will always be my favorite site.
I6Z6A6N – Were you shocked how popular you have become due to Steff Metal ever reigning presence on the world wide web?
Steff – I'm not that popular compared to other metal sites, but I definitely have my niche group of readers, and that's pretty wicked. I'd love to be able to blog about metal 3+ times a day and get even more readers, but that wouldn't help me pay the bills!
I6Z6A6N – If you were to pick the one thing you like above everything else in your experiences as a Metal fan, what would it be?
Steff Metal – the people. Even if I went deaf and couldn't hear the music anymore, I'd still be a metalhead just because the people are so awesome.
I6Z6A6N – Now to ask the Yang to the aforementioned Yin, what would be the worst thing you experienced in your run as a Metal fan?
Steff – discrimination – which often occurs in weird and unexpected situations. How I dress and the music I love and the way I act is so normal to me that I often forget that to some people, metalheads are still a little scary.
I6Z6A6N – One aspect about your blog that really stands out are your tales of your travels as this is a natural trait amongst Metal fans, did you incorporate your travels to your blog as a means to promote “Global Metal” Travel or was it to showcase something deeper with your Metal experience?
Steff – Both my husband and I love traveling, and a huge part of our travel is attending metal festivals, and also doing other things that other metalheads might enjoy, like visiting castles and ancient ruins. As ex-archaeologists, we're more interested in the ancient history of a place than in the shopping centre and tourist traps. And coming from a teeny, tiny metal scene here in New Zealand, we're always interested in what the scene is like in other countries. So when we travel, we seek out people who can give us the inside scoop.
Like everything I do, if I live it, and it's even vaguely related to metal, I'm probably going to write about it. Plus, planning a big trip is a huge amount of effort, so I like to know that I might be helping out other metalheads by sharing information. Some of my most popular posts are the ones about Wacken Open Air.
I6Z6A6N – Have you ever had musicians and Metal celebrities who have recognized your blog and given you feedback and if so, what do they have to say about Steff Metal?
Steff – A couple of well-known musicians are regular readers of my blog (no names), but apart from that, the weirdest thing has been being recognized by some people when I went to Wacken Open Air in Germany in 2011. That was the strangest thing!
I6Z6A6N – Corpse Paint Kitty is a comic about cats that want to kill you? Is this some secret message to let the world know that your cats are murderous rampaging savages on 4 paws?
Steff – Our cat's name is Levi, but we call her Chairman Meow, for reasons that are apparently obvious if you live in our house. You don't want to get between her and my husband. Levi is an anagram for EVIL.
I6Z6A6N – In all seriousness, what was the motivation behind Corpse Paint Kitty? I find the whole comic to be extremely effective with its simple approach and it really tugs on a lot of Metal fans previous experiences.
Steff – Shoggi the cat was a character I drew randomly one day, and I would often draw little cartoons of him doing "metal" things for friends for their birthdays (I try to make handmade birthday cards instead of buying them). It was my husband, actually, who suggested the webcomic, and I loved the idea so got the site up and started drawing the cartoons. Most of the ideas for the comics come from real life situations I've been in, real cats I've met or stories my friends have told. I don't think metal – even black metal – has to be serious all the time, and the cartoon is meant to show the lighter side of the darkest metal culture. Also, I love cats, and so do lots of metalheads I know, and showing the metal world through a cat's eyes is a unique challenge!
I6Z6A6N – One element of Channel 13 that I have touched on are the dress shirts and this aspect of my blog was influenced by the fashion posts on Steff Metal. What sparked your creativity to do posts on Metal fashion?
Steff – Being a girl, fashion is always something I'm a bit interested in, and in New Zealand it's very hard to find decent stuff. We don't have underground shops – everything you buy has to be ordered in from overseas, and the shipping costs are ridiculously high. So part of it was that I wanted to show people different places to buy their gear so they can get more variety and don't have to resort to buying from the same 3 stores all the time.
The other reason is that aesthetics are important to metalheads, even if we pretend they aren't. We like to look a certain way, and we go just as crazy over a really mean t-shirt design as fashionistas go over the latest Louboutin heels. The whole reason behind that kind of fascinates me, so I like to write about it.
I6Z6A6N - The deadly 13 sins of Steff, aka your 13 all time favorite Metal albums. Are these the albums that turned your cats into homicidal maniacs?:
Steff – this is SO hard. It is impossible to choose all-time favorites, because they change SO often, and I always forget some when I make these lists. But here's a futile attempt, in no particular order:
1) Bathory – Blood, Fire, Death
2) Metallica – Creeping Death
3) Blind Guardian – Nightfall on Middle Earth
4) The Shining - Blackjazz
5) Accept – Blood of the Nation
6) Epica – The Divine Conspiracy
7) Rebellion – Arise – Volume 3
8) Black Sabbath – Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
9) Amon Amarth – With Odin on Our Side
10) Skyclad – the Silent Whales of Lunar Sea
11) Eluveitie - Slania
12) Mezarkabul - Unbroken
13) Iron Maiden – Seventh Son of a Seventh Son
12) Dio – Holy Diver
13) Goatwhore – Funeral Dirge for the Rotting Sun
I6Z6A6N – Since you have visited many Metal fests, we're going to have a word association game. You can go single word or Saga of the Icelanders with these fests description, Steff Metal style. I know you haven't been to all these festivals, but it's always a kick ass conversation topic amongst Metalheads:
Steff Metal -
Wacken Open Air: metal and beer, that's why we're here.
Metalheads Mission Festival: paradise – this is next on our list of Euro festivals.
70,000 Tons of Metal: rub a dub dub, 2000 metalheads in a tub …
Brutal Assault Festival: 70Euro for THAT lineup. Woah nelly. Might be attending this in the not-so-distant future
ProgPower USA: bad haircuts
Hellfest: great lineup – pity about the French.
PPM Fest: Belgium … slightly too close to france for my liking … J
You can tell I'm married to an Englishman …
Heavy MTL (Both Montreal and Toronto): if you could schedule all the crap bands to appear on the same day, this would be well worth a ticket.
I6Z6A6N – I also noticed you have recipes for good chow on your blog. Was this inspired by Annick Giroux (Of Hellbent for Cooking book fame and Morbid Tales zine fame)? Or was this something that Steve Hughes put it, “I was angry but I needed to eat”?
Steff Metal – It was an idea I had originally for the blog, and was actually inspired by the Metalcakes blog and a silly Youtube video I saw once for "Metal Chef". But Annick does it much better than me, so I've kind of left it off the blog.
I6Z6A6N – Is there anything new your audience can expect from Steff Metal?
Steff – yes, actually. I haven't posted much about this yet, because there isn't much to post, but my husband and I have recently purchased four acres of land in rural New Zealand, and we're building our home – inspired by a medieval castle, of course. There are turrets, battlements, a great hall, a library, a music studio and even a secret passage. I'll be sharing some of the in-progress details of the build – once we actually start building – and all the challenges that moving into the country entail.
Also, I'm going on a road trip around NZ with some friends and the band Alestorm in January, so expect some crazy stories from that to emerge.
I6Z6A6N – That's all the questions I have for this soon to be epic fitting for the tales of viking lore. Any final words before splitting like an axe to the back of a skull?
Steff Metal – Thanks for having me, and stay metal \m/
Photos courtesy of SteffMetal.com
Steff Metal
Writer - Blogger - Heavy Metal Maiden
42 Shoreham Street, Blockhouse Bay
Auckland 0600, New Zealand
+64 27 414 7016
http://twitter.com/steffmetal
Steff Metal blog: http://steffmetal.com - The Cosmo of the Dark Side
Grymm & Epic Copywriting: http://grymmandepic.com - content marketing solutions for bad-ass businesses.
Gothic Wedding Planner: http://gothicweddingplanner.com - plan the wedding of your dreams ... or your nightmares! Special price of $15!
See my webcomic about heavy metal cats at http://corpsepaintkitty.com
Hey liked the print on the t-shirt... Looks cool
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