| Meg Lee Chin stormed onto the scene like a tornado with the now-classic song Nutopia and her Piece and Love album. Then, after releasing the popular follow-up Junkies and Snakes she all but disappeared. We tracked her down, and sure enough, she's still in the UK, writing material for a new album. Between that and a few other projects, she's been keeping herself quietly busy. One thing's for certain, industrial music has been a bit too tranquil (if that's possible) without her incredible voice to shake things up. She spoke to us briefly about what she's been up to and what we will hopefully be hearing in the near future. |
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INQ:
What have you been up to since Junkies and Snakes?
MLC: EVERYTHING! Over the past few years I have made 2 documentaries about a self-help, self-empowerment, learning disabled group called “The Mapsquad” and one about a redevelopment program to MLCefit local youth in a disadvantaged London area. Making videos has been my dream and passion for a long time. I’m thrilled that the technology has got to the point where even girlies without a lot of money (like me!) can make movies! I’ve also been busy as Sys-Admin and co-owner of www.gearslutz.com. It’s a pro-audio forum where producers and engineers chat about high end studio gear – mostly stuff I can’t afford – but it’s fun dreaming about anyhow! It’s a good place to yak about audio gear, studio techniques and all that freaky, techie stuff. Music-wise, I’ve been re-building my studio. I’d dismantled everything after “Piece and Love” in order to spend time touring. Gearslutz has helped me a lot with advice on equipment and stuff. It’s all really starting to come together. I’m pretty chuffed to be getting back to making music.
MLC: It’s electronic masquer-ading as analogue! INQ: What are you singing about on the new album? MLC: Oh you know... moaning and complaining... ranting and raving... the usual stuff that has no place in polite society! INQ: Are you a one-woman show or do you have any help from other musicians on your new material? MLC: I’ve been doing lots of bonding and being real social, with profound, touching moments and all that, but mostly with machines – not too many humans. INQ: Have any record labels expressed an interest? MLC: Alas! No one has heard the new material. But they will soon.
MLC: Genetics - along with a somewhat a-typical American upbringing. INQ: Since your last album, a lot of the new industrial acts have been instrumental. Is there still room in industrial music for vocalists? MLC: But of course! (as long as they ain’t got a pulse...) INQ: How often do you work on other people's music in Egg Studio? What new gear have you gotten? MLC: I produce some of my favourite poets like Sarah Kobrinsky, Salena Saliva, Tim Wells, Bette O’Callahan and Marcus. I prefer to work with other people’s voices to my own. It’s smoother on the ears. My latest exciting piece of gear is a pair of ADAMS 2.5 speakers. I can’t begin to tell you how overjoyed I am to have acquired such a high end bit of gear. INQ: Do you still do spoken word shows? Do you plan on recording and releasing any spoken word? MLC: Yes I been trying for AGES to get a bunch of poets together for an album – thanks for reminding me!
MLC: The human race could not survive without the idealism that keeps us from killing each other. So from a survival point of view, being idealistic is a sensible thing. If being realistic is seen as the opposite of being idealistic, then being realistic is unrealistic. INQ: What are the issues that concern you most right now? MLC: America – I’m a bit worried and not sure how it will cope with the coming next few years. INQ: What is the funniest thing that you've ever seen on the road? MLC: A singer from an industrial band with a huge bottle of body building vitamins on a tourbus. The bottle was huge and it made him look like he was either Jack in the Beanstalk in the Giant’s palace or on the set for ”The Borrowers” movie. It was so funny to see this guy with all these hard-ass tattoos and piercings looking like a cartoon mouse clutching a massive bottle of vitamins! INQ: Thanks Meg! Any last thoughts? MLC: How much time have you got? ---
Many thanks, Meg, for the interview, and we look forward to hearing your new music! Have a comment on this article? Send us your feedback! |
INQ:
What does your new material sound like? Is it all electronics, or are there "analogue" instruments on it?
INQ:
I remember vividly your intense stage presence when you came to Ottawa with 
INQ:
Where does one draw the line between idealism and realism?