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W.I.T.- Electroclash’s Real Queen’s Of New York
“It’s true, I’m full time, a full time drag queen. I do have some relatively more sensible high heels but I’m pretty much a high heel girl, through and through.”
Dripping sexuality and a distinctly European style self-deprecating sense of humour, WIT’s Melissa is that rarest of rare people- a super-intelligent platinum blonde bombshell. Chatting down the line from the New York space of Mogul electro chief Larry Tee, she happily admits to wearing stilettos when she washes the dishes, to always look her best.
“We all wear our high heels all the time and we’re all available,” she laughs.
“It’s tough on the road, we’re lonely pop stars, out on the road.”
Whether she’s really a lonely pop star is open to question (not least since their new album is yet to crossover) but Melissa’s already been labelled a dungeon mistress in an S&M parlour (Village Voice) and has seen her face splashed all over billboards in New York. She’s also recently discovered Sex In The City, along with her bandmate Christine.
“I’m ashamed to say I’m a typical woman and I’m really into the show,” she admits. I relate to the different dating scenarios, they pretty much cover every type of date we’ve all been on at some point.”
Skrufff (Jonty Adderley): W.I.T. been going for a year now, how much has your life changed?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “It’s been great fun so far what’s changed is the fact that I’ve had greater access to people who I’ve admired, from going out and doing shows. It’s really nice to meet people whose work I respect, people like Tiga or Arthur Baker,… and look I get to name drop now, too (chuckling).”
Skrufff: What did you do with Arthur Baker specifically?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “He did a remix of our last single Hold Me, Touch Me, we didn’t work with him on it, he went off to his secret lab and did whatever it is he does. But he’s a great guy, he’s one of those no-bullshit traditional men. He’s nice AND a legend.”
Skrufff: Do you see the band as a pop thing?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “No, not really, we’re still underground in our own way though we’ve been pretty lucky to get as much press as we have done, so quickly. We’re stuck to playing at clubs that we like and parties that we believe in, we haven’t done anything mainstream and the album just came out the other week.”
Skrufff: Are there life sized cardboard cut-outs of you in record stores for example?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “No, not yet, though we did have a song on the Ultra 80s electro collection and I wasn’t aware that they were promoting it heavily but when I got back to New York there were all these giant posters of my head, all over the City. That was a little unnerving, I didn’t even know that was happening. You go to get milk in the morning and suddenly there’s your big head on a billboard. It’s business, right? We have a pretty good sense of humour about the whole thing.”
Skrufff: The Village Voice said in December that you once worked as a dungeon mistress in an S&M parlour….
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Yes, you know, I think it’s really funny that anyone writes rumours about us so I’ve decided to neither confirm or deny any of the rumours. If you’d like to make some up, whatever you want, please do. There’s so much speculation about us, we think it’s hilarious. I welcome all gossip.”
Skrufff: What’s been the most bizarre gossip you’ve heard?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “I don’t know. One odd thing I read was that I’m a sister of one of the girls from Chicks On Speed…
Skrufff: Larry told me that..”
W.I.T. (Melissa): “She’s not my sister, but she’s lovely. Are you responsible for spreading that one? I also heard that Christine was my sister and also that Christine and I are a couple.”
Skrufff: Where does your new member Mandy come into the frame?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Where did we find her? Mandy’s a great girl, I’ve known her from clubs and she was previously doing some costumes for us. We got along so well, she was helping us with our tour outfits. She used to model and was figuring out what she wanted to do after modelling and we invited her on our American tour. She was great, she’s so awesome and we had a great time with her. She’s survived both of those tours so she’s in.”
Skrufff: Almost all your songs are about boyfriends (‘yeah’) are you and Christine both really single?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Yeah, that’s our official line- we’re all available (chuckling). We all wear our high heels all the time and we’re all available. It’s tough on the road, we’re lonely pop stars, out on the road.”
Skrufff: What qualities do you look for in a boyfriend?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Just a nice decent guy. I like all those basic values, someone who loves their Mum, I’m not into the bad boy stuff, I don’t really go for that. But it’s pretty tough to find one. I’m looking. I like Prince William, he’s cute.”
Skrufff: Do you find that now your face is all over New York billboard posters you get lots more guys approaching you?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Are you asking me if my fame is helping me get laid? (Skrufff- yes). I don’t know if I can answer that, I don’t think I can sound good however I answer that question. Er, it’s interesting, and I’m attracting more varied people. It’s broadened my appeal, I guess.”
Skrufff: Looking at Google, Whatever It Takes links to a fundamental Christian webring, have you attracted the attention of any puritanical Christians yet?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “Not yet though I’m looking forward to it; all are welcome in WIT-world. We’ve been blessed so far though I’m sure there’s a tomato with my name on it somewhere ahead. We’ve been really lucky, we’ve not been run out of town yet, I guess it’s something to look forward to.”
Skrufff: Seemingly every girl in London avidly watches Sex In The City, is it a programme you relate to?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “It’s sad to admit it, but Christine and I actually became single around the same time and we were joking one night saying ‘What do single girls do in New York when they stay home?’ and we said ‘they watch Sex in The City’ and we’d never watched it before. So we rented it on video and actually really liked it. I’m ashamed to say I’m a typical woman and I’m really into it. It’s tough dating out there, it’s really tough.”
Skrufff: Which character do you relate to the most?
W.I.T. (Melissa): “You’re hoping I say the slutty one (Samantha). I relate more to the different dating scenarios, they pretty much cover every type of date we’ve all been on at some point.”
WIT’s self titled album is out now on Electro Mogul. They play live in London at The Egg, on Sunday May 25 (Bank holiday weekend).
http://www.electroclash.com
by: Jonty Adderley (Skrufff.com)
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