The Iron Maidens is much more than just an ordinary cover band
of Iron Maiden, which are many. Amazing concerts that in May this year
the Ladies gave in Poland meant that I decided to reach the artists and
talk to them about the band, but also about the individual plans of each
of them. My questions were answered by the band’s guitarists Nikki
Stringfield and Courtney Cox and it’s bassist Wanda Ortiz.
NIKKI STRINGFIELD
You
are the youngest member of The Iron Maidens and you play in this band
for the shortest period of time. Your predecessor was Nita Strauss, who
then rised to stardom alongside Alice Cooper. Was it difficult to
replace her? How do you recall your joining the band?
Actually Nita and I were both Dave Murray subs at the same time. When I
moved to Los Angeles in 2012, I joined a metal band called Before The
Mourning. The guys in the band were friends with Courtney and Nita.
Courtney asked me to fill in for Nita for a show and it all went from
there. At the time the band had rotating Murray subs and I got thrown
into the mix and eventually became a full time member.
Is Iron Maiden your favorite band? What are you currently listening to most? Do you have any guitar idols?
I can’t just have one favorite band.. Maiden has always been a huge
influence and is one of my favorites for sure! Right now I’ve been
trying to listen to a lot of newer bands since I’m getting ready to
release an album… Ghost, Godsmack, Disturbed, Papa Roach. But of
course I always keep the Metal classics in like Pantera, etc. I know he
doesn’t ‘shred’, but Kurt Cobain is who inspired me to start playing
guitar, along with Synyster Gates, Dimebag Darrell and Marty Friedman.
You are currently preparing your debut solo material. What made
you decide on this step right now? What will your EP sound like? Have
you worked on it alone or with some coworkers?
Well, I released several singles a few years ago and those were a bit of
an experiment. They were recorded at home but people still seemed to
really enjoy them! So I started writing and demoing my EP in early 2018.
It’s been going for a while now and I’m so excited that it’s finally
done! I wrote and played everything except for the drums. My producer,
Jesse Billson, rocked the drums and really made the songs sound better
than I could have imagined. Patrick Kennison of Heaven Below/Lita Ford
produced and recorded my vocals and helped take things to the next
level! Each song is a bit different but they’re all rocking.. several
are very guitar driven, while others I chose to let the vocals shine. I
tried my best to focus on the song writing over anything.
In August 2017, along with Kirsten, you appeared in the
television game „Beat Shazam”. How did you get there? How do you recall
your participation in this program?
It was so much fun! The band was asked to audition so Kirsten and I went
for it. We really had no idea what to expect since it was a new show
but we decided to just go for it and enjoy the experience. It was cool
to meet Jamie Foxx! We were just happy we weren’t eliminated first,
haha.
This year, along with The Iron Maidens, you performed in Poland
for the first time. After the concert, you went to the fans, for which I
would like to thank you since I wanted to meet you for a long time.
What memories did you keep from Poland? Have any interesting stories
happened during your stay in my country?
Poland was so awesome!! We got to play 3 shows there. Unfortunately with
how much we have to travel we don’t get to see much of the cities we
play in, but we did have some time in Gdańsk to walk around and sight
see. It’s a gorgeous city! We really enjoyed getting to meet all the
fans and I hope we get to come back soon!
WANDA ORTIZ
You
joined the band shortly after its founding, after the departure of
Melanie Sisneros. Since then you have been with Linda the only permanent
members with the revolving door of guitarists and vocalists. How did
the initiation of new members look like over the years? Did you do
auditions or had you been looking among friends?
As we came to need new members we would either call on friends or hold open auditions.
Courtney and Nikki are currently preparing solo albums. Did you also think about recording your own record?
At this point in time, I don’t have plans to record a solo CD. However,
it’s something that could happen in the future. It’s not something I
have given a lot of thought to.
On the occasion of your concerts, one can get your pick with a
playful inscription „I never use a pick, you can have this one”. Do you
play with your fingers because you like it more comfortably or because
you have to use the same technique as Steve Harris when playing Iron
Maiden music?
I’ve always played with my fingers. I played the double bass before I
took up the electric bass guitar. The double bass, when not being bowed,
is always played with the fingers.
What have you been listening to lately? What are your favorite bands?
I just did an opera gig so I’ve been listening to a lot of Puccini
lately. My favorites bands are Iron Maiden, Rush, Yes, pretty much any
band where the bass is prevalent.
You have recently played in Poland. I was at your concert in
Cracow and I talked with you after the show, during the meeting with the
fans. What memories did you keep from Poland? When will you come back
for more concerts?
The people in Poland were pretty awesome. We also got to visit a few
historical sites that we will never forget . While we hope to play there
again soon, we don’t have any news shows booked yet. I would like to go
there again on my own just for vacation.
COURTNEY COX
How did you started to play the guitar?
I started to play guitar at around the age of thirteen. I went to my
parents one day and just told them I wanted a guitar. They were confused
as it was random and unlike me to ask for such a thing. I didn’t know
why and didn’t have any life changing event that led me to play, I just
wanted a guitar for some reason. After a week of having the instrument,
I was already playing along to the bands I was listening to at the time
such as Metallica, Judas Priest and Pantera. I taught myself and from
doing that it was more interesting to me as I was finding my own style
of playing, my own voice with the instrument.
Nita Strauss said in an interview with Nikki Sixx from Mötley
Crüe that her very first song which decided about her will to play the
guitar was Megadeth’s „Trust”. What Was Your first one and why?
The first two songs I ever learned how to play were Metallica’s ‘One’
and Anthrax’s ‘Metal Thrashing Mad’ ( I have that song titled tattooed
on my lower stomach funny enough). It wasn’t just those two that
inspired me to continue on, it was the whole metal genres of classic
heavy metal and thrash that really pulled me into what would fuel my
playing from then until now and into the future.
Previously you played for Queen Diamond, the all-female King
Diamond tribute. Then you switched to The Iron Maidens, an all-female
Iron Maiden tribute band led by former Phantom Blue drummer Linda
McDonald. How was your way into this band and why then you decided to
play covers?
I played in Queen Diamond during my teenage years in Philadelphia and
that is where I’m originally from. The Philly music scene was dead
around that time and I wanted to get out as fast as I could and gave my
mother a week notice that I was moving to California. She of course was
upset but encouraged me to go as I’m from a town where it is difficult
to get out and make something of yourself. I left home at nineteen with a
guitar,a suitcase and a dream. I found the Iron Maidens through Myspace
at the time and saw they were auditioning for their Adrian position.
Since I was new to California, had no friends, and no money, I went
ahead and auditioned. I could not have asked for a better opportunity
for me then and with the situation I was in. The band had formed in
2001, so I was stepping into a band that already was a force in the
music scene. It is not just a tribute band, they are family. I don’t
care if I’m playing covers or my own material, I want to play up
onstage, tour the world and any chance I get to do that is a blessing.
Currently you work at your debut solo album. How is it going to be? Have you already decided about it’s final form?
My debut album is still in the works. It has been a difficult journey so
far since the Maidens have been touring most of the last year,but it is
coming together piece by piece. It’s going to be a heavy metal album
with an instrument or two thrown into the mix. I never knew how much of a
critic I was on my own playing until I started writing the tunes. The
perfectionist has definitely come out. The hardest challenge I have with
this project is not the playing or writing but knowing when the songs
are truly finished. I know it will come to a point where I just have to
hand everything over to the engineer and walk away haha. You have to
find the happy balance between less is more and more is more. I’m not
rushing the release so everyone is just going to have to hang tight for a
second, you shouldn’t rush creativity. It is scary letting people hear
what goes on inside of your mind musically and I look forward to hearing
the responses. Your mind is the last thing you can truly keep to
yourself. Handing that over in the form of an album is letting the world
hear your thoughts, fears, dreams, successes, failures and everything
in between. I will have a proper announcement when it is ready to be
released for all to hear.
You are endorser for Caparison guitars. What convinced you about their quality?
I knew about Caparisons from watching Andy Larocque from King Diamond as
he used to play one of their Horus models. It wasn’t until I had the
chance to play one that I knew I had to have them, I’ve never played an
instrument that played so fast with such resonance and tone and one that
fit me perfectly. The head designer of these guitars is a master. I
beat my guitars to death on tours and these instruments handle every
second of it. I’m a Caparison artist for life. I highly recommend them.
They also treat their artists like family and not a number like a lot of
other companies do and that is something that means a lot to me.
And last but not least, This year you played in Poland for the
first time. I attended the show in Cracow. What is your best memory from
Poland?
Poland was a blast. My best memories are hanging with all the fans and
crew at the venue before and after the show. We had a warm welcome in
Cracow and I look forward to returning soon! You guys rock!
Questions by Patryk Pawelec
Live photos by Maryline Stein
Photos from the author’s archive by Łukasz Prajzler
