IN THIS MOMENT Frontwoman: BLABBERMOUTH.NET = Immaturity

HADES and NON-FICTION founding guitarist Dan Lorenzo conducted an interview wth singer Maria Brink of Southern California's IN THIS MOMENT for Steppin' Out magazine. A couple of excerpts ftom the chat follow below.

Steppin' Out: Tell me about growing up in Schenectady, New York.

Maria Brink: I had a really young mom. We lived in, basically... the projects. My mom was a rock 'n' roll mom. She took me to concerts and she was definitely filled with energy and fire. I love my mom. I think my mom is responsible for me loving music and being in music because she subjected it to me at such a young age.

Steppin' Out: Did she take you to the club Saratoga Winners?

Maria Brink: Oh yeah. I went to so many concerts there as a little girl.

Steppin' Out: One of my favorite albums of all time is THE PLASMATICS' "Coup D'Etat". When I listened to your new CD, I was so happy because there are parts that I thought you were so influenced by Wendy O. Williams or am I wrong?

Maria Brink: I never really listened to her. I always loved her because of her because of her rebel attitude and obviously that's always appealing. Somebody who is so free. I haven't really listened to tons of her. I do kind of see what you're saying, though, in a certain way, so I'm going to have to get off the phone with you and go back and listen to it more.

Steppin' Out: I saw your grandfather at one of your shows. You acknowledged him and then you went into your song "Whore". Is that uncomfortable?

Maria Brink: No. My grandfather knows the meaning of the song "Whore". "Whore" is a really empowering beautiful song for women. Everything that the word "whore" means, that song rebels against. That song is sarcastic. It's kind of about learning how to let go of the power that we let other people hold over us with their words with their belittling. Nobody can control us, nobody has the power....kind of freeing ourselves from the vulnerable week parts of us. When somebody calls you something demeaning or hurts you, we're the ones letting them hurt us by letting their words be that powerful. It's about letting go. If you listen to the words: I am the dirt you created. I am your sinner. I am your whore, but let me tell you something — you love me for everything you hate me for. It's all reverse psychology. We're going to do a really powerful charity for this song. The W.H.O.R.E. is Woman Honoring One Another Rising Eternally. My grandpa is proud of me. I must say to you, in one way, I'm a mother [laughs], so this album, really, I get to free myself as an artist. I do tend to fall to the dark side of things visually sometimes. I had to talk to my son about that. I had to make sure he understands the way I express myself. He was comfortable with that. It was important to myself on this album not to put "mommy boundaries" on myself and look at this as an artist.

Steppin' Out: I'm going to give you a few words. Tell me what word pops into your head. BLABBERMOUTH.NET?

Maria Brink: Immaturity.

Steppin' Out: How about the Rolling Stone magazine cover featuring the Boston bomber?

Maria Brink: Unfortunate.

Steppin' Out: How about Anthony Weiner?

Maria Brink: I don't know who that is.

The entire interview will appear in the Steppin' Out issue that will land on August 7.

For more information, visit www.so-mag.com.