20 Questions for Markus from Brett Sites

1. What’re you currently up to?
On tour with M!SS CRAZY! We’ve played 134 shows. We are just trying to reach as many people as possible to get up close and personal with everyone…is our objective. We are supporting our new 16 song CD and are working on new avenues that are being offered to us to have it out in every city worldwide.

2. How did this band start exactly?
Kim and I started it from the beginning and, as everyone knows, we have gone through a number of member changes. What it ultimately came down to is some people don’t believe in rock n roll like Kim and I do and we will make sure that every M!SS CRAZY fan understands that we’re the heart and core of the band. We both wanted to play arena rock and bring our music and ideas of M!SS CRAZY to everyone.

3. Who came up with the look, sound, and name?
I did. I came up with the look, the sound, and the name. It was something that we wanted, to make a look that was different than all the current bands out at the time. We took a little from KISS and AC/DC, combined the two to make a great arena rock band with a cool look and mystique that would let people look at us visually and wonder “what the hell is this?”.

It was just something we wanted to try. We wanted to see what the reaction would be and got an overwhelming response so quickly. When we created our My Space page, the Friends grew rapidly. Then people wanted to see us live and that’s what we’ve been doing pretty much for a year.

4. Besides the obvious influences of AC/DC, KISS, Cinderella, and KIX, who helped influence you in your songwriting style? Who are the guitarists who have influenced your playing the most?
You left Def Leppard out! Pretty much those bands helped us develop our sound. We wear those influences on our sleeve. We are a tribute to arena rock. It’s timeless and never dies and really fun to play.

Angus Young, Ace Frehley, Vernon Anderson, a Bay Area guitarist.

5. You and Kim Racer seem to be the anchors of M!SS CRAZY. Can you name each band member; give their tenure, and their reason for departure?
Not really. Don’t really want to spend much time on people that chose other things than hard rock. This is what we do. This is what we chose to do with our lives. Some people realize this is real. Other band members we had didn’t realize that this is what would happen. They may have gotten scared.

6. You’ve released your debut CD 3 times, each with new artwork and an additional 3 tracks, which makes the newest version 16 tracks in length. Why have you released it so many times? (I have to say that the newest version looks and sounds even better than the last release!)
The reason being is there are so many people that haven’t heard the album yet and there are so many places we haven’t toured yet and we didn’t want to do a brand new record at this time because the songs haven’t been used to their full potential, yet. We figured we’d still give them new music, too, and since the lineup changes, we have current photos.

7. You have two additional tracks available for download. Will those appear on any future release?
Probably not. We just want to keep those special and something for the fans to enjoy. Just kind of keep it a rarity, you know. ‘Cuz eventually they won’t be available.

8. You’ve currently played over 130 shows. What has the road been like? Any particular favorite place to play? Any stories of the struggling musician variety? What’s the wildest story from the road? Any punches thrown? Do you and Kim both have groupie stories? What about Tom and Jimmy? Any groupie stories you can share? Any complete “rock star moments”? Do any of the band members do anything off stage with the makeup? Do groupies enjoy the band without makeup or are they asking the members to put it back on?
The shows have been great! It’s been nice going from city to city across the country. It’s like planting seeds everywhere we play. The M!SS CRAZY fans are so genuine and real and after meeting us they realize we are just like them.

I can’t say there is a favorite place to play. They all have a special meaning to us. Every place is different. The people, the venues… We are just grateful that people want us there and want us to keep coming back.

There was the one time we were driving about 70 miles an hour and a tire blew out. We all did the Wayne’s World scream. I held onto the wheel and we pulled over and waited for a tow truck. It was funny and scary at the same time.

No groupie stories that I know of. Not me personally. Tom and Jimmy have done a couple things here and there, but I’m not at liberty to say what.

As far as punches thrown, not by me, but Kim has kicked my ass a few times.

Radio interviews and photo sessions, but other than that, not much without makeup.

9. Where has that black lipstick ended up?

I don’t think I can answer that question. Use your imagination and you’ll figure it out.

10. What’s it like being the singer/songwriter/guitarist and having a hot chick in the band getting so much attention?
It’s been great! I like the fact that all the pressure isn’t always on me, but so far I think a lot of the musician types have wondered if I can vocally keep it up after all the shows we have done. And like I said, I haven’t had any problems with my voice. Actually, I feel like I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. It’s cool to see all the male fans this band has because of Kim and her hotness, but at the end of the show I think they realize how much we rock as a band.

11. What is it like seeing your face on so many people’s chests during and after shows? Any plans for T-shirts with other band members, ala KISS?
I think as the band grows in popularity, we will explore those options, but right now we are just going with what is working and we will continue to have band shirts and posters and what not. The band has a look that is very marketable because we don’t look like anyone else. The makeup has brought a lot of attention to the way this band is perceived by so many rockers. So many people would like to see us without our makeup but we are very selective about who we let see us.

12. You guys use My Space more than any other band I’ve seen and I have a lot of bands as Friends on My Space. What is the appeal of My Space? When did you start using it? Has My Space been a valuable marketing tool? Has there been any backlash in using My Space?
Yea, My Space is a great avenue for marketing and promotion. It’s a great way to spread the work of M!SS CRAZY to so many people across the country. And because of My Space, we have been able to meet so many fans. It’s a genius idea. We started using it in December of 2005.

Some people who add us are those people who are so personal about their My Space. When we explain to them the reason for bulletins and the promotion we do it’s because we have something to say and music to be heard. When you have a Friend that has only 30 friends on My Space, then it looks like they have a lot of bulletins. We have about 75,000 friends on My Space, so we hope they understand the need for marketing. We stay away from the haters and drama. We don’t have time for that.

13. You’re from the Bay Area so…
Oakland A’s or San Francisco Giants?
San Francisco Giants, definitely!

14. Steroid sluggers or natural power hitters? Barry Bonds or Hank Aaron?
I think that’s kind of an arrogant question, that first one there, so I’m not going to answer that. But as far as Bonds or Aaron, I’m going to have to go with Bonds really, because overall, there is no better baseball player. I don’t need to get into why because I could sit here all night long. He never gets to play to his full potential because he gets walked all the time. As of this interview, he holds the record. No one has more home runs than Bonds. He’s the best in my book!

15. Oakland Raiders or San Francisco 49ers?
Oakland Raiders. The team has some rebuilding to do, but I love them win or lose.

16. Jim Plunkett or Joe Montana?

Both actually! They were both very entertaining and won Super Bowl’s for the bay area and l loved watching them play football and they both played with Marcus Allen. (Laughing out loud!)

17. Journey or Huey Lewis And The News?
Journey! One of the best bay area bands ever!

18. Metallica or Jefferson Starship?
Metallica for sure! You didn’t even have to ask me that. You knew that one.

19. James Hetfield or Kirk Hammett?
James Hetfield! Nothing against Kirk. Love the guy, but James Hetfield is the master!

20. Gay or straight? (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
Straight! Yea, like you said there isn’t anything wrong with that, if that’s your preference, but no swinging both ways for me!

21. Slayer or Stryper? (Ok, that has nothing to do with being from the Bay.)
Nothing against Slayer, but I never really got into them. I was never into the Satan stuff. I was always into good singing instead of that metal screaming stuff. And quite honestly, I really like Stryper. I think Michael Sweet is a great vocalist. One of the best. I hope he joins Boston!

22. You and Kim are originally from Canada so…
American beer or Canadian beer, eh?
Canadian Beer! I mean, I think even Americans realize that after drinking Canadian beer they don’t even want to drink their own. It’s just damn good beer!

23. Ham or Canadian Bacon, eh?
Aren’t they the same thing? Kim’s a bigger fan of Canadian Bacon on her pizza more than myself.

24. Should there be 11 or 12 players on the field for each team in a football game, eh?
Depends if you’re watching Canadian or American football. Either way, I love football, eh!

25. Dan Akroyd or Jim Carrey, eh?
Well, they’re both Canadian. I gotta say I like them, maybe not equally, but they are both funny. I personally like Jim Carrey more myself. He’s done some weird movies lately. I’d love to see him do more funny ones like Dumb & Dumber!

26. Rick Moranis or Dave Thomas, eh?
Are those guys even Canadian? Not that it matters, but I’d probably say neither.

27. Margot Kidder, Shannon Tweed, Kim Cattrall, or Pamela Anderson, eh?
Pamela Anderson all the way! She’s amazing!

28. Rush or Loverboy, eh?
Actually, I like both of those bands. When I was little, they were like rock gods to me!

29. Avril Lavigne or Bare Naked Ladies, eh?
Definitely Avril! She’s really talented. Another great Canadian singer.

30. Maple Leaf or Meat Loaf, eh?
That’s a goofy question! I like to eat meatloaf.

31. What’s it like having only one hot chick in the band? Shouldn’t there be two guys and two hot chicks so you can pair off and then swap when the mood strikes?
No. I’m saving that for my solo band when I do a solo album. And I’d pretty much say that you couldn’t get better than Kim Racer. At least I haven’t seen it. She’s pretty much one of a kind and I don’t know what I’d do if there were two of her!

32. I’ve seen and heard the names Tony Franklin and Rudy Sarzo mentioned in reference to M!SS CRAZY. Is this because of your hot bass player, Kim Racer? Any other names you care to drop that are related to M!SS CRAZY? Got any dirt on any of these people?
No, I don’t want to talk bad about anybody, not that I have any bad stories, but Tony and Rudy are great supporters of M!SS CRAZY and we are grateful that they are behind us.

33. Rate the following guitar players from 1-10 with 10 being “guitar god” and 1 being me on the guitar (I play like you type, which I’ve seen to be the two finger method, one finger from each hand.):

Neal Schon
Before we start this, I am one of the best two fingered typists I’ve seen! At least I think so anyway!

I love Neal. So I’m gonna give him a 10.

Dave Meniketti
10 for sure! And another 10 for his awesome singing! This guy totally kicks ass and has been for a long time. Very underrated.

Jerry Garcia
Don’t know a lot of his stuff so I’m gonna pass on this one.

Carlos Santana
I give him a 10 just because I know he’s a great guitar player and he’s from the bay area and a Raiders fan! But not a big Santana fan, but I do respect him.

Dave Mustaine
Megadeth is cool, but I’ll give him an 8.

Paul Kantner
Who’s that? Oh, Jefferson Starship? I don’t know a lot of their songs, sorry. But I do know they have a pretty bad ass singer! Mickey Thomas!

Alex Lifeson
Oh, yea! He’s amazing for that kind of music that Rush made so popular in Canada. He’s influenced so many guitar players including Van Halen, so he gets a 10!

Paul Dean
Oh, yea! He’s rad! I remember him when I was a little kid. So he gets a 10.

Derry Grehan
Who’s that? (Honeymoon Suite) I don’t even know who that is? Do you think I know every band that came out of Canada? It’s a pretty big place considering you just told me who it was and I still don’t know!

34. Rate the following singers from 1-10 with 10 being “vocal god” and 1 being the worst from American Idol auditions:

Steve Perry
10! And everyone knows it!

Dave Meniketti
10!

James Hetfield
For what James does, he is the best. No one sings like that. A lot of people have tried to, but regardless of their trying, they will never be the lead singer of Metallica! So put 10!

Mickey Thomas
10! Just because of that one song Change!

Geddy Lee
He’s like an 8. Very original.

Mike Reno
10 for sure! He can still sing like that! I heard him do it.

Johnnie Dee
Who’s that? (Honeymoon Suite) I still don’t know what you’re talking about!

Tom Keifer
10. Because he was the first guy to come out after Brian Johnson and had the balls to do it. And now it’s my turn! Thanks, Tom!

Bon Scott
Amazing! And the things he did on Powerage and Highway To Hell are very influential to me. I wonder what he would have been like if he’d have lived. So he gets a 10!

Brian Johnson
Definitely a 10 On the Back In Black album! His vocals on that record are everything I’ve ever wanted to be!

Steve Whiteman
Totally a 10! I love KIX! And I think he is a very underrated singer. But he’s very noticed in my life. I’m grateful to borrow some of his technique.

Joe Elliot
One of the greatest ever! He has made me want to be the best melody writer that I can be. He has taken vocals to a new level in so many people were just screaming or trying to be hard rock. He gave us melodies that are timeless. And some of the most household written songs that even my dad knows! And I’m sure that Def Leppard knows it too! They say “thanks Mutt Lange”!

35. You’ve spent a lot of time in Texas and now Iowa. What are the differences and what do you like most about each place? Which place has the hotter chicks?
Well, they are both very genuine and starving for hard rock. I think the reason that we have played both places so much is because they understand M!SS CRAZY and the music that we play. And we get along with them quite well.

The difference is there are a lot of trees in Iowa and the grass is greener and there is a lot of desert in TX to go along with the cactus and cowboy hats!

Can’t really say who’s got hotter chicks because I’ve seen hot chicks in both places!

36. What are each band members down times like? What do you do for fun on off days on the road? Any hobbies outside of music?
Well, starting with me, I’m a big sports fan! So I like to follow my teams and try to catch a game when I can. Kim likes to go shopping. For instance, we like to compare all the Wal-Marts across the U.S.! And she also likes to design new outfits. She sews quite well. Tom seems to fall in a hole in the wall bar but then again, he does that when we are on tour! I guess he’s kind of the Ace Frehley of the band! (Laughing and kidding!) And Jimmy sits on the computer and does My Space and plays Play Station.

37. Give me a personality profile of each of your band mates and a funny story about each of you from this tour.
I don’t like this question! Let’s come up with a new one! (What new one do you want to come up with?) Nothing. That will be the answer. Let’s just skip that. All four of us are obviously crazy enough to be in the band called M!SS CRAZY so that should tell you something! We’re all weirdos!

38. Any last parting shots you’d like to offer to readers?
That we will continue to tour until we reach everybody! Because as we’ve realized, M!SS CRAZY fans are very loyal and genuine and they make it worthwhile for us to keep doing this. And myself in the band will continue to write the best songs we possibly can for them and we won’t change for anybody for any amount of money. Because this is what we chose to do with our lives and we won’t stop. We plan on carrying the torch until it’s time for us to pass it along to someone else. And we will do everything that we can possible to make sure hard rock never dies! And God Bless everyone! Now go buy the freakin’ CD!

Bonus 10 Questions with Kim Racer!

1. You have your face on T-shirts, the web, a CD, and every place the name M!SS CRAZY pops up, how does it feel to be “the face” of M!SS CRAZY?
Probably the same as it feels to be the ass of M!SS CRAZY, but we don’t see that on everything. (Joking!) It’s pretty exciting and kind of weird at times.

Well, this one time, I was parked outside a gas station and decided to clean the van out. A lady and her son blocked us in, but I wasn’t concerned as I was just dumping the garbage. On the way back from the dumpster, the lady motioned me over and said, “Oh My Gosh! Are you Miss Crazy?”, which was weird because I didn’t have any makeup on! I said, “no, I’m not M!SS CRAZY, but I play in a band called M!SS CRAZY.”

2. Did you ever think that you would be touring all over the U.S.?
Yea! Fuck yeah! I love to play bass and I want to play bass for people.

3. Looking forward to playing Canada?
Heck, yes! Cuz’ Canadian people are generally pretty friendly and I can’t wait to be among them again. I can’t wait to be playing for a bunch of rowdy Canadians. I know they will love our music.

4. M!SS CRAZY is playing hundreds of shows across the country; did you think that Markus might lose his voice?
It was a valid concern of mine before we started because I’d heard so much about older singers (Brian Johnson & Tom Keifer) losing their voices. Markus is a long way from being old but as of right now he hasn’t shown a single sign of even beginning to get tired!

How does it feel to be endorsed by Fender and have 13 basses, knowing that 13 is an unlucky number?
Pretty freakin’ amazing! As far as 13 is concerned, only 11 are Fenders. Therefore I am safe! Screw you Final Destination!

5. Do they all have a special meaning to you?
Yes, they do. They all have special meanings. A lot of them have stories of when, where, and why and I’ve also customized the pick guards on several of them because I hate tortoise shell. I think it’s ugly! I even did a custom paint job on one of them!

6. How in the world did you get a bass endorsement right out of the gate?
Our producer, Ronnie Borchert, has a way with words. He could sell bleach to a bald woman. And though I’m neither bald nor in need of bleach, he managed to get me an endorsement. Thanks to Brian Clinton for originating the “selling bleach to a bald woman” statement!

7. Who are your main influences?
My dad and my mom and my step dad. The way of the pussy and the way of the ass…no don’t go there… Are we talking musically? (Yes.) Classical musicians and composers and the music of the early 90’s until present. Cliff Williams. D’Arcy. Kim Gordon. Sean Ysealt.

8. Who has the smelliest farts in M!SS CRAZY?
That would be me. Hold on…don’t write that. Don’t write that! Well, since I don’t fart… my ass has been known to have the smelliest farts, but Markus has broken a toilet bowl in his day.

9. The U.S. or Canada?
Canada. Well, it depends on what for. You see, I am pursuing music in the U.S.. However, choosing a place to live, I would choose Canada.

10. Texas or Iowa?
Texas or Iowa? I can’t answer that question! I plead the fifth!

11. You and Markus have been the faithful two in M!SS CRAZY. What are you doing to all those drummers?
I think it has something to do with…well, there is this one move that Markus asks them to do. It’s called the reach around. I don’t know what it is about drummers these days, but they don’t seem to want to do what it takes to be in a band. (Laughing hysterically!)

12. Anything else you might want to say to the M!SS CRAZY fanatics across the USA?
Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do because I’ve learned not to do them for a reason! I’m looking forward to seeing and meeting all of you out on the road. Keep in touch! Rock out with your cock out or glam out with your clam out!

Brett Sites