DORO PESCH: 'I Think I Will Die On Stage'

Ruben Mosqueda of Sleaze Roxx recently conducted an interview with German metal queen Doro Pesch. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Sleaze Roxx: Being that you are one of the top female metal musicians of this generation, how do you feel the metal scene treated women in the past?

Doro Pesch: I think for some women it was a struggle getting the same kind of respect in the music business as men. However I found it not so difficult getting respect, from not only from the guys who I played with in WARLOCK, but other musicians at the time. If that helped, well then I'm glad.

Sleaze Roxx: Do you think your work in particular paved the way for more women into metal?

Doro Pesch: I have been told this before by many women, but also from many men as well. If my music has encouraged other women to get into music then form or become part of a band then good for them and that makes me happy. You know people come up to me after the shows and give me their demos and ask me to listen to them and let them know what I think. There are some great musicians out there and if I have influenced them then that is great!

Sleaze Roxx: Do you considered yourself a metal icon? Rob Halford has embraced the term Metal God in recent years.

Doro Pesch: (Pauses) Well, I think it's a great compliment but I don't consider myself to be better than anyone else. I do listen to what the fans have to say and I thank them for the compliment. I'm honored that people think that. I remember back in the early 80's the Canadian singer Lee Aaron was the Metal Queen, I thought she was great.

Sleaze Roxx: How long will you continue in the music business? What would you like to do once you retire from music?

Doro Pesch: Well, to tell you the truth I don't believe in retirement. I think I can do this for another 25 years! I think I will be on stage until the very end. I think I will die on stage; it's what I love to do. As long as people come out to the shows I will continue to perform. It doesn't matter if it is five people or five thousand. I have a lot of inspiration from my idols like Lemmy from MOTÖRHEAD, Rob Halford and Ronnie Dio. They are still on stage, night after night, putting on a good show for the fans. I was amazed; on the tour with Ronnie (Dio) I'd still get off stage, get changed, and run back in time to see Ronnie's performance each night. It was just amazing how much energy he has and how he still puts on a great performance. I want to be like that. I'd also like to do some film work, not more acting, but maybe helping score stuff for movies. That would be fun.

Sleaze Roxx: Do you think that online music services like iTunes will eventually replace the CD?

Doro Pesch: Well, I personally like the CD, I love having something physical, I love opening a new CD, I love looking at the artwork and reading the lyrics. I think it's old school, they have taken our vinyl away, though there are selected pressings these days. I understand that not all fans have access to music CDs and that's why there are such services. I too think that part of it is the current generation, I think people in their 30s or older have a different view than kids that are fifteen to twenty-five years old. I know there are fans starved for metal, I have heard this when we finally made it to Russia. I have heard this from the fans in China too. If the Internet is the only way to get the music I'd be doing the same thing. I hope it doesn't replace the CD though; that would be sad.

Read the entire interview from Sleaze Roxx.

Doro Pesch was interviewed on the New Rochelle, New York radio station WVOX on March 20, 2009. Watch a part of the chat below.