My Favourite Film.............The Lost Boys, Twilight, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hitman

My Favourite Book...........New Moon

My Favourite Memory....................Seeing Within Temptation live (with special guests The 69 Eyes) and seeing Bullet For My Valentine Live (Special guests Black Tide (missed them i was late) Lacuna Coil, Bleeding Through)

My Favourite Lesson In College..............MailMerge

My Favourite Album................Waking The Fallen (Avenged Sevenfold), Mother Earth (Within Temptation), I Brought you My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (My Chemical Romance)

Not Complete

PAL format.

Contains Dolby 2.0, 5.1 and DTS 96/24 surround sound, filmed in high definition, widescreen. Subtitled in English. Coded region-free, with a total running time of 470 minutes as it also contains both CDs of the Ahoy concert.

DVD 1:

Within Temptation & Metropole Orchestra: Black Symphony.
Recorded live at The Ahoy, Rotterdam, The Netherlands on February 7th, 2008.

1. Ouverture
2. Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)
3. The Howling
4. Stand My Ground
5. The Cross
6. What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo)
7. Hand Of Sorrow
8. The Heart Of Everything
9. Forgiven
10. Somewhere (feat. Anneke van Giersbergen)
11. The Swan Song
12. Memories
13. Our Solemn Hour
14. The Other Half (Of Me) (feat. George Oosthoek)
15. Frozen
16. The Promise
17. Angels
18. Mother Earth
19. The Truth Beneath The Rose
20. Deceiver Of Fools
21. All I Need
22. Ice Queen

Backstage Report

Documentary

Countdown Black Symphony

DVD 2:

Bonus Concert
Recorded live at The Beursgebouw, Eindhoven, The Netherlands on November 24th, 2007.

1. Intro
2. Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)
3. The Howling
4. The Cross
5. Hand Of Sorrow
6. The Heart Of Everything
7. Restless
8. Our Solemn Hour
9. Mother Earth
10. Jane Doe
11. The Truth Beneath The Rose
12. All I Need

Music Videos

The Making Of...

World Tour Impressions

Extras

CD 1:

1. Ouverture
2. Jillian (I'd Give My Heart)
3. The Howling
4. Stand My Ground
5. The Cross
6. What Have You Done (feat. Keith Caputo)
7. Hand Of Sorrow
8. The Heart Of Everything
9. Forgiven
10. Somewhere (feat. Anneke van Giersbergen)
11. The Swan Song
12. Memories

CD 2:

1. Our Solemn Hour
2. The Other Half (Of Me) (feat. George Oosthoek)
3. Frozen
4. The Promise
5. Angels
6. Mother Earth
7. The Truth Beneath The Rose
8. Deceiver Of Fools
9. All I Need
10. Ice Queen

The teenager was in a gang of five who were "acting like a pack of wild animals " as they "savagely and mercilessly" attacked Sophie Lancaster, 20, and her boyfriend, Preston Crown Court heard.

Sophie, a gap-year student, had moments earlier begged the gang to stop beating her boyfriend, art student Robert Maltby, 21. The accused had started the violence, with a flying kick to the head of Mr Maltby, the jury was told.

The gang, "encouraging each other and laughing" punched, stamped and jumped on his head until he was unconscious, Michael Shorrock QC, opening the case for the prosecution, told the jury.

Sophie had pleaded with them to stop and tried to pull them away, witnesses to the attack, on August 10 last year, in Stubbylee Park, Bacup, Lancashire, told police.

But as she kneeled down, cradling her boyfriend's head on her lap, calling for help, the accused and another teen, who has already pleaded guilty to murder, turned on her.

The second boy, aged 15, at the time, kicked her in the head, with the accused joining in to kick and stamp on her head.

One witness, a boy, 15, who had tried to stop the violence, told police, "It looked like they were running over and just kicking her in the head, jumping up and down on their head... they were kicking her all over her head."

Mr Shorrock said the gang had turned on the young couple simply because they were Goths or "moshers" - and dressed differently to them.

When paramedics arrived they could not tell what sex Sophie was, such was the severity of injuries to her face. She died in hospital nearly two weeks later.

Mr Maltby survived but has not made a full recovery.

The accused, and four other youths, two aged 17 and one 16, have already pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm to Mr Maltby.

But the accused denies murder, saying he took no part in the attack on Miss Lancaster.

None of the teenagers involved can be named because of their age.

Live-Metal: Hey, Josh, how ya doing?

Josh Todd: Alright. What’s up?

Not too much. First, I just want to say I’m really excited that Buckcherry is back. I think we really need bands like you guys.

Thanks, man.

Before we start talking about the new album, can you tell me why the band broke up originally?

I wish I could tell you that it was just one thing, but it was a lot of things. We had a breakdown at our record label, we had bad management and internally as a band, we were not on the same page as far as it being a group effort. Three of the guys quit when we came back from the Timebomb tour. Then it was just Keith and I writing songs for the third Buckcherry record. It’s funny because we had come full circle. Keith and I started the band, we write the majority of the material and we’re the core. And it was back to it just being me and him again without a record deal, and we were just writing songs. It was getting really discouraging, so eventually we just called it quits.

After the breakup, you stayed pretty busy. You worked with the guys that became Velvet Revolver.

Actually, the Velvet Revolver thing was never Velvet Revolver when I was involved in it and it was me and Keith. That happened before Keith and I split.

OK. Then you did the solo album and played a lot of shows supporting that. During this time, was Buckcherry completely dead in your mind or did you always think that you would reform the band?

I didn’t really think about it. Like you said, I made a record and toured. I just kept working on my craft, songwriting and being a performer. I didn’t really think about it. I just got home, and the whole Josh Todd project ended in a really bad way. My relationship with my business partner ended really bad. So that was really disappointing. Keith and I just started talking because we had some personal stuff going on in our lives. We were really good friends, and we just kind of started rekindling our friendship. We didn’t really talk about Buckcherry.

When you did get back together and start Buckcherry again, what made that the right time as opposed to some time before or in the future?

I think the time away made us really appreciate what we have. It was our baby. We were very passionate about it. And I think Keith and I realized that we have a really good songwriting chemistry. Not that I didn’t realize that before, but absence does make the heart grow fonder. And we had some really good guys in particular that we wanted to play with that were good friends of ours that we always wanted to be in a band with. It’s as tight as it ever was and it’s the band that we always wanted it to be. And the record is the best record of our career.

It’s named for the number of days it took to record it?

Yeah, we had a very small budget and we tracked it in 15 days. When we listened back to it, it just sounded so damn good.

Did you enjoy working that fast?

Oh, it was great. Yeah, I really like to work fast. I love deadlines. You can only work that fast if you have a great band behind you. The rhythm section in particular in this band now is so much better than it was. It made the recording process so much easier. It was solid and we didn’t have to do too many takes to get it.

How long did it take to write the album?

About five, six months. But we write really fast. We wrote 30 songs.

And it was you and Keith who wrote most of it, right?

Keith and I came up with the majority. I write all the lyrics. He comes up with the majority of the music. But we put it all together as a band. It’s a collaborative effort. The other guys write songs, as well. They write music, as well. Songs like “Out of Line” and “Carousel” started with Jimmy, our bass player. And there’s a song called “Back in the Day” that started with our guitar player, Stevie. It’s a collaborative effort.

You also worked with Marti Frederickson [Aerosmith producer, co-writer] on a couple songs. How did that come about?

The whole record was written. We were just like, “Fuck, it’s great, but I think these two songs could be a little bit better.” And we’d been writing so much and we were so close to it that we thought we’d get an outside opinion. Keith mentioned Marti because of the Aerosmith tie, and we went in and met him and it was just instant chemistry. He’s really a rock guy and he’s really cool. We tried writing with other people in the past and it never worked out. He just instantly got it. We had “Sorry” and “Next 2 You.” They were finished songs. We just went in there and he polished them up a little bit, and there you have it. It just made the record that much better.

You said this is the best album you’ve made so far?

Absolutely. No question about it.

Is “Crazy Bitch” about anyone in particular?

No. It’s just about a chick where you have this really great mutual attraction, but the communication factor is awful. But you keep going back there for sex. You just can’t seem to stop fucking her.

You recently toured Japan with Mötley Crüe. How did that go?

Fun, as you can imagine. Us two together was mayhem, debauchery and fun. The shows were great. We had a really great time.

What has been the fan reaction so far since you got back together? Do people still remember the band?

Overwhelmingly great. The shows have been packed. We just sold out Irving Plaza [in New York City] last night. We sold out Harpo’s in Detroit. It’s been fuckin’ awesome.

How are the new songs going over live? Are people getting into them?

Yeah, a lot of people had the record because they bought it as an import. They’re going over great.

You’re playing in Maryland tonight. How have the fans here treated you in the past?

They’ve always been great. Baltimore has a radio station [98 Rock, WIYY-FM] where they were the first people to play “Crazy Bitch.” They edited it themselves. They got it off the Internet and started playing it. Did you hear that?

Yeah.

OK.

Do you have any specific memories of playing shows here?

No. I wish I did, but it’s starting to become a big blur. I’ve been touring for 10 years. So I just take it one day at a time.

What is life on the road like for you guys?

On the road, you really try to find a pace because if you start thinking about too far ahead it can fuck you up. I just try to stay in the moment. Every night’s a new adventure. Some nights are crazy and some nights are just totally overrated. You never know.

Do you have something that you consider a personal highlight in your music career so far?

Absolutely. Playing with AC/DC was a dream come true. Meeting those guys was awesome. They were really amazing guys, very humble. It was the best rock n’ roll experience of my life. Playing Woodstock ’99 was amazing. And anytime we play Japan, it’s like a homecoming for us because they really love us. They’re very loyal fans. They were with us when we were down and they’re with us now. They were the first people to come to the plate when we got back together as far as giving us a record deal.

In general, what do you think of rock music today?

I don’t think there’s much rock music. I think a lot of the so-called rock music is, like, emo or punk-pop-rock or whatever you want to call it. It’s just way too straight. It’s very boring. There’s not any real genuine frontmen, and I don’t think enough people take risks in rock n’ roll. They take risks in rap, but not in rock. I don’t necessarily mean risks like saying “fuck” all over your record or something like that or talking about chicks. The last great rock band of our generation taking risks was Rage Against the Machine. Unfortunately, they’re not around anymore. I like to be taking risks. I just feel like that’s what rock n’ roll is all about.

What bands are you listening to these days?

My mandatory list or new bands?

Let’s go with your all-time favorites.

AC/DC, Rage Against the Machine, Slipknot. I like some old school gangsta rap, like N.W.A. and the Geto Boys, stuff like that. As far as new stuff out there, the last record I really liked was The Killers record, and that’s kind of like old news now. But that was a really great record. I really like this new Flyleaf song, “I’m So Sick.” I really connect with the lyrics and I think it’s a really cool song. That’s about it.

Now that the band is back together, is there an ultimate goal for Buckcherry?

I have lots of goals for Buckcherry. Wanna hear ’em?

Yeah.

I want a multi-platinum record. That’s a thing I haven’t achieved and I want that. I want this band to be recognized for what it is, a great rock n’ roll band that has its own sound that definitely got out there when there was nothing, there was no rock n’ roll, and made it on their own and continued to do it. And I want to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at some point with a catalog of music.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I want to encourage everyone to go out and buy our new record. Fifteen is out in stores right now. Go to Buckcherry.com and check in. We’ve got street teams you can join, message boards, Buckcherry radio. We always update our touring schedule on the front page so you can always know where we’re at and come check out a show.

Though common in Europe for years, women in metal bands have been a rarity in the United States—until recently, that is. Italy’s Lacuna Coil, with singer Cristina Scabbia, has led the way in showing the typical male metalhead that a female can rock as hard as any man. Exhibit A: The “Hottest Chicks in Metal Tour,” featuring Lacuna Coil on its first full U.S. headlining run, as well as Holland’s Within Temptation on its initial U.S. tour and American acts In This Moment (labelmates of Lacuna Coil at Century Media) and the eclectic Stolen Babies. In the end, though, it’s all about the music, and the package is dynamic and entertaining because each band brings a unique vibe and energy to the stage.

At the tour’s recent stop at Jaxx in Springfield, Va., Live-Metal.net’s Greg Maki sat down with Scabbia and In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink on Lacuna Coil’s bus. While Lacuna Coil is nearing the end of their current touring cycle, In This Moment is just getting started, having released their debut, Beautiful Tragedy (READ REVIEW HERE), in March. The two ladies discussed the tour, Ozzfest, the highs and lows of life on the road, and more.

So the “Hottest Chicks in Metal Tour,” they’re calling it. Who came up with that idea and how did it come together?

Cristina: Well, I think that the management together with the promoters came up with the idea because it’s connected with the Revolver magazine issue of hottest chicks in metal. So it was a good idea promotional-wise to get the same name, even if I like to look at it in an ironical way, especially with a lot of preconceptions that some people have about females in the band. I look at it in kind of an ironic way, like, “We’re chicks, but we can kick your ass,” basically. [laughs]

Yeah, I was wondering if you were comfortable with that name for the tour.

Cristina: I don’t think of any of us has this kind of problem. Maybe it’s a problem of somebody else if they misjudge the name or if they get another meaning out of it.

So you don’t ever worry about that overshadowing the music?

Cristina: If you start worrying about that stuff, it’s over.

Is it fun—because it doesn’t happen too often—being out on the road with other women?

Cristina: I like the idea, especially being on the road with guys all the time. That’s nice sometimes to do.

Maria: Yeah, it’s a nice change. It is.

Did you know each other before this tour?

Cristina: We met once during a photo session, and the vibe was already good. I hope that we’ll be able to spend more time together because with this kind of schedule it’s so busy every time. They are either doing promotion or we do the same thing, so it’s kind of hard.

The tour just started this week, right?

Cristina: Yeah, this is the fourth date.

How have the first few shows gone?

Cristina: I think it was good.

Maria: Yeah, they’ve been awesome.

Cristina: The reaction of the people was good.

Maria: Good crowds, good vibe.

Have you had any strange encounters with fans?

Cristina: Do you have a couple of hours?

[laughter]

Cristina: No, on this tour, nothing happened to me. I don’t know if you had any—

Maria: No, nothing odd or crazy on this one, no.

Cristina: They’re usually really nice.

Maria: I can’t even imagine some stories, maybe, you have.

[laughter]

Do you have a good one?

Cristina: I don’t know, I mean, starting from people that jump on stage even when there’s tons of security and I always wonder how they can. But it’s nice because they’re just showing love, then you freak out because you’re just singing and you’re not expecting somebody coming, like, “What the fuck is going on?”

Maria: Smelling your hair.

[laughter]

Right now, more than ever before, there seems to be a lot of women in heavy music. Do you think there’s a reason for why it’s happening now?

Cristina: Well, coming from Europe, I don’t find it strange. Within Temptation are from Europe. The Gathering are from Europe. There are tons of bands with a female in the band, so it’s probably more common over there. So I was kind of surprised when I came here and it’s like, “Ooh, wow, you have a woman,” and I was like, “So what?” There have been bands for, like, years and years.

Maria: Yeah, I agree. I mean, it’s a positive thing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a woman or a male if it’s a good band and they’re doing what they’re doing.

In This Moment is playing Ozzfest this summer. Are you looking forward to that?

Maria: Yeah, of course. We’re so excited. We can’t wait.

You have a two-time Ozzfest veteran here. Have you given them any advice?

Cristina: Is it your first Ozzfest?

Maria: Yeah, our first one.

Cristina: Oh, you’re gonna love it. You’re gonna love it. It’s like a summer camp.

Maria: Yeah, that’s what everybody was saying.

Cristina: A lot of barbecues going on. It’s great. And the crowds are always amazing, even if at you play at 9 in the morning, the people are right there already. It’s unbelievable.

Maria: We’re so excited. We’re still a new band. Our first album just came out in March, so we’re really honored to be playing it and doing all these tours.

Is there anyone you’re really looking forward to meeting or seeing play?

Maria: Of course, Ozzy every night, I can’t wait. But I like Lamb of God, Hatebreed. Yeah, there’s a bunch.

What was it like going to the main stage last year?

Cristina: It was different. [laughs] Of course, it was more prestigious from one point of view. But from another point of view, it was a little less fun because on the second stage, it’s definitely more rock. I mean, you definitely have a different relationship with the people in front of you. They can mosh, they can do whatever they want. On the main stage, there was always a big distance between you and the crowd. People are sitting. The majority of the fans are up in the lawn, so really, really far from you, and so it’s kinda weird. I mean, it’s not that I want the people to stay on me when I sing but definitely not that far.

You mentioned your album just came out. How cool is it to go into a store and see your CD there?

Maria: Oh, it’s awesome. We’re total dorks, too. The first day we were running into a bunch of different stores, looking for it [laughs], buying CDs at random stores and stuff. It’s amazing. We’ve worked for this for a long time, so we’re just excited. We took pictures. [laughs]

Cristina: And I love the booklet. I never told you that.

Maria: Thanks.

In the last couple years, one of the things that’s been big in the music business has been MySpace. I know that was big for In This Moment. How important do you see it being?

Cristina: I just thought that it was growing constantly. I don’t know how much it helped the band because we were already a little bit popular with the promotion and the magazines and stuff. But I definitely like the fact that you can find people that you haven’t heard in a while and the connection you can have with fans. It’s almost impossible to reply to every message you get ’cause every day it’s getting bigger and bigger, but still you can post blogs, you have the chance to say whatever you’ve gotta say without any people in between you that can misunderstand what you’re saying and write something completely different. So I think it’s good because of that. I actually started it as a joke, my page.

Maria: Really? That’s crazy.

Cristina: Yeah, and it’s so out of control now.

Maria: And I think for bands who aren’t signed and who are trying to do things for us, it was good because before we were signed or had managers we actually could tour the whole country, just from MySpace. ’Cause there’s no way that anyone in, like, Texas or Connecticut would have known who we are without it. So, for us, it helped us in the beginning like that. And, also, our managers wrote us on MySpace and said, “Hey, how are ya?” And then they wound up coming over to our house. So I think it’s a cool tool for musicians if they can make the best of it.

So this is Lacuna Coil’s first full headlining tour here in the United States?

Cristina: Yeah. We already did a sort of headlining, but it was more like a radio tour. We came by, we did a few shows, but we basically went into the radio stations and did acoustic songs. We toured a lot in radio stations, but this is the first headlining.

You did the poll on the web site for some of the songs in the set list.

Cristina: Yeah, we did that because, of course, we have a very loyal fanbase, and they were always coming to the shows, like, “Why don’t you do this song from the first EP?” So we just decided, OK, we’re gonna do the first headlining tour and we’re gonna do something special. So we’ll let them choose the songs—I mean, not completely because most of the people coming to the shows, of course, knows Comalies and Karmacode. There is a small amount of people—I’d say 20 percent, 10 percent, whatever it is—that knows the old songs. So it’s kind of a gift. We want to give to the fans but without letting the other people, like, “What the fuck are they playing?” So we’re playing old stuff, as well, but, of course, we’re more concentrated on the new stuff.

I guess a lot of those old songs you’ve never played over here before.

Cristina: Yeah, we wanted to give something special.

Were you surprised by any of the results?

Cristina: It depends because in some clubs there was a huge ovation for the old songs, and some other places, of course, that were going crazy for more popular songs like “Heaven’s a Lie” or “Our Truth,” more recent songs.

Are there any songs that you’re just sick of playing now?

Cristina: “Heaven’s a Lie.”

[laughter]

Cristina: I still love to play it because I can see that people like it and it’s a classic of Lacuna Coil, but I don’t think there is a show where we didn’t play “Heaven’s a Lie,” probably a couple because we switched it with “Swamped.” So, basically, “Swamped” and “Heaven’s a Lie” are the songs that are just like yeah, I like them, but—

Maria: Did you guys actually sing one at a time the other day? [Referring to Cristina and fellow Lacuna Coil vocalist Andrea Ferro singing the chorus of “Heaven’s a Lie.”]

Cristina: Yeah.

Maria: That was beautiful. It really was.

Cristina: Yeah, I wonder what people think when we’re singing. [laughs]

Maria: Oh, it’s beautiful.

About a month ago, I went up to the show on the Jäger tour in Philadelphia and you did the in-store acoustic there. Was it hard to rearrange the songs to play them like that?

Cristina: No, it’s not really hard. Some songs definitely needed a lot more work. But with other songs, it came out natural, like “Closer” is completely different than the album, and the acoustic version came in like—you just try and see what happens.

I guess it’s getting toward the end of the touring cycle for Karmacode?

Cristina: I think so, yeah. Unless a big support tour comes out, like, in the fall ’cause before we have to do the summer festivals. I think we’re definitely gonna go back home and write the new album.

In This Moment is really just getting started.

Maria: We’re still babies, yeah.

How long do you think you’ll be out touring for this album?

Maria: Just as long as, maybe, it seems like people are still biting. I hear that you can just really tell that once it’s kind of played its course, the time comes to do a new album. So whenever the label thinks and we think that, you know—

Cristina: You can never tell ’cause there is something that can happen that will keep you working for years.

Maria: Right. Some people tour one album for years.

Cristina: Yeah, we toured Comalies for, like, four years ’cause we did two years in Europe and then it started to become popular here, so we had to start a promotion from the beginning here. So four years’ distance between the albums is not a normal amount of time you should have in between albums.

Do you think it’ll be a lot sooner this time for the next album?

Cristina: I don’t know. [laughs] I don’t know. I’m assuming that next year there will be a new album, but you can never know.

Are you thinking about new material yet?

Cristina: We’re collecting stuff, but we don’t have songs ready yet. We don’t usually write on the road. We’re too lazy to do that.

[To Maria] Do you guys have a lot of stuff that either didn’t get on the album or—

Maria: Actually, no, not tons of songs, and the ones that we didn’t use we wouldn’t use again on the next album. But we’re writing little things just acoustically here and there, and I have a little mini recorder if I think of chorus or a verse, [singing] in the corner of the van, six people around me. So we’re just collecting little, tiny things.

So you said you haven’t really had a chance to hang out yet, you’ve been so busy.

Maria: Yeah.

Cristina: Whenever we can do that, we love to. We usually to love to invite people on our bus to offer Italian coffee—actually, if you guys want one when we’re done—’cause we’re really proud. As Italians, we’re really proud about our food and our real mocha coffee.

Maria: Aw.

Cristina: We’re stupid.

Maria: And they have all been very sweet and very, very nice.

Cristina: I hope we’re gonna do more barbecues all together. I definitely like this family idea. That’s what it’s all about.

What other kinds of things do you like do on tour, especially when you’re just driving all day?

Cristina: Well, when we have spare time we watch movies, we stay on the computer, we try and stay in touch with the people we left home—family, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend. We have video games. We sleep a little bit here and there. But there’s not much to—Whenever I can, I like to walk around the town if we’re in a place where you can actually go around, like New York or San Francisco.

Maria: I always go hunting for a coffee shop.

Cristina: [whispers] Starbucks.

Maria: There’s one up the street. I had to go hunting, like walking around.

Cristina: If you want a Frappaccino, we have them in the fridge. [laughs] I just said that I’m proud of Italian coffee.

[laughter]

Cristina: That’s a real mocha. If you ever wondered what is a mocha, mocha coffee [gets up and points out a small coffee maker], here it is.

Maria: Oh, really?

Cristina: That’s the mocha machine. This is the electric one, actually. But that’s how you do the mocha coffee.

What is your favorite part about touring?

Cristina: I definitely like to meet different people, meet different cultures. I just look at myself, I grew up so much being on tour, being used to little things that people very often forget, like to stay in touch with reality, to go out, spend time with other people, realize that there are so many more important things in life than stupid things you’re thinking every day about. So I definitely like the whole package. Sometimes it’s hard for me to go back home ’cause when I go back home after a month, I’m just like, “I gotta go.” And then I love to travel, so it’s not a problem at all for me.

Maria: Yeah, I agree. I love traveling. I’ve never been to Europe, and we’re going to Europe for the first time and we’re so excited. We’re so excited to go to Europe and do all that. We have fun. We have it a little bit more tight. [Points out the window to a van.] That’s our little house that we’re all in. Actually, we’ll be in a bus in Europe, so we’re excited about that. But just traveling and, yeah, keeping in touch with our loved ones, too. We have fun times. Sometimes we get a little stir crazy in there.

Cristina: And then they talk about women. “Oh yeah, women, how it is to be on the road.” Sometimes they [points to Cristiano “Criz” Mozzati (drums) and Marco Coti Zelati (bass)] are the ones that are like, “I wanna go back home. I want a proper bed.”

[laughter]

Criz: How to be on the road with women, that’s the problem.

[laughter]

Cristina: Oh yeah, that’s the problem. That is the problem. ’Cause we have too many shoes, that’s why, and they’re always in the hallway.

Maria: The funniest thing is I wear dresses on stage a lot and I love my dresses, and we don’t have anywhere to really put it, so we have this pole that hangs—you can’t really tell because of the back door—and I have this big zipper-up, hanging closet in the middle of the van.

[laughter]

Maria: And I love them for letting me take it, though. It zippers up and I have a bunch of dresses in it, so that’s pretty funny.

Cristina: You can’t help, you can’t help. I left from Milano with two bags, one into the other, completely empty because I was like, “OK, I’m gonna pack light. I’m gonna go back home, and I will not have stuff.” In, like, two weeks, it was completely full, both of them, and now I have three bags. I have to get another one.

On the other end, what’s the worst part about being out on the road?

Cristina: The worst part for me is when I’m not able to take a shower every day. That’s the only thing that bothers me.

Criz: And us, also.

[laughter]

Criz: Just kidding.

Cristina: Oh no, you can eat on these armpits.

[laughter]

Cristina: I think that’s the only part that I don’t like. The only thing I’m really picky about is my bunk. I keep it clean with cotton sheets ’cause I can’t sleep in the synthetic ’cause it really bothers me, I can’t sleep at all. So that’s the only thing I’m really picky. So I have to be clean whenever I can.

Maria: For me, probably missing my son. I’m a mom. And he’s coming on Ozzfest with us, but sometimes when I’m not with him that’s kind of torture sometimes. But beside that, always, showering. Sometimes if we have to drive really far and I’m stuck in the van until, like, 9 o’clock in the morning like last night and I didn’t get to wash my face after the show and I’m still in my clothes, and I wake up and I’m like, “This is hell!” [laughs] But then I get used to it, take a shower and I feel better.

How did you end up working with Megadeth [on the new version of "A Tout le Monde" on United Abominations]?

Cristina: They just asked me. I just got email from their management—no, actually, from my management. But it was like, “Megadeth would like to do a song with you.” I was really surprised because, I mean, I met Dave [Mustaine] once in Italy , Milano. He was playing in a club close by my house, so I went to see the gig and I met him briefly. But I don’t even know how it happened. He probably heard about me. I mean, I assume that ’cause it was the first time that he did a duet, so I was actually really happy ’cause doing the first duet with a woman, that’s the sign that something’s changing, especially for [the metal market]. I mean, they’re an historical band and a respected band, so I’m really happy that I opened that little door for other women. I’m really happy about that. I always loved the original song, and I think that the result is pretty good.

Maria: I can’t wait to hear it.

Is there anyone else out there that either one of you would like to work with or tour with?

Cristina: We once toured with Type O [Negative], so I think that we would love to go back, maybe Europe ’cause we did a tour in the U.S. It would be cool to go back to Europe doing a tour with them ’cause they’re like family.

Maria: We haven’t been on as many tours as them by any means, but we love 36 Crazyfists. We’re just fans of their music, so we toured with them, and it was so fun.

That was with Kittie and Walls of Jericho?

Maria: Yeah, and Walls of Jericho and Kittie, they were all nice and sweet. Walls of Jericho was great to watch every night, too.