This lady is phenomenal! A beautiful infusion between Billy Idol, Blondie and sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll; the perfect uproarious vixen with vociferous vocalization. Pipped at the post for Rock Star Supernova, Storm Large, the Portland singer, actress and writer is highly articulate and intellectually adroit. If this lady does not gather a cult following after Edinburgh, we’re all asleep!
You can see Storm Large and her band, “Crazy Enough” at the Underbelly (Belly Dancer) from the 10th to the 29th of August (no performance on the 16th & 24th August) at 22.25 pm each evening throughout the Fringe.
1. What inspired you to become a musician and singer?
I’ve always loved singing and making people laugh. When I was very young, I didn’t think I was pretty at all, and didn’t have a lot of friends, so to combat my loneliness I sang and swore and tried to be funny CONSTANTLY so people would want me around. Essentially, I annoyed the crap out of everyone for years, but from those years of practicing, now I’m pretty good. Plus, NOW, I have boobs….so the world is my oyster!
2. What’s your show about and where are you taking your show after the Edinburgh Fringe?
My show is about combating mental illness with being crazy. My Mother’s doctor told me her mental illness was hereditary and I would start to lose it in my twenties or when I had children, whichever came first (he told me this when I was 9). So I ran away and did everything in my power to be as unlike my Mom as possible, and did stupid, crazy things, (that so many kids do), to not end up like her. Sex, drugs and werewolf fantasies. It’s a little heavy at times, but I live at the end….I hope I didn’t just spoil it for everyone…….
3. What are you most proud of?
Pride is a sin, and I am far too awesomely humble and incredibly wonderful to list all of my outstanding accomplishments in print. How dare you!
4. If you had a chance to work with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?
Yikes. Alive or dead? Alive (as of this writing) : John Cleese, Dave Grohl, Helen Mirren, George Clooney, Sam Shephard, I have a weird fantasy about challenging Tilda Swinton to a staring contest, does that count? So many…not a fair question.
Dead (as of this writing) Lon Cheney,(Sr. and Jr.) Peter O’Toole, Mae West, Audrey Hepburn, Richard Burton, Steve McQueen, Keith Moon….again even more are dead….terrible question…..but isn’t it wonderful to think about all of the amazing people who are and who have been? So many incredible people to make you feel like you haven’t accomplished diddly-poo.
5. What kind of questions do you most like to be asked about your work and why?
I love being asked “How?” As in, how does the creative process work, how do you write songs and come up with the stuff you make into shows, etc. I love it because I haven’t the slightest idea how. For me it becomes, ‘how do I answer this question of “how” without sounding like a blond with a brain injury? How can I convey the magic of making something out of nothing (like this very answer) and then….how do I get the interviewer to pay for my lunch?’
6. Do the reviewers of Fringe shows do a good job?
I don’t know, I haven’t read any… they haven’t reviewed me yet. But, I’m sure they are all stunning writers with a discerning eye and palette, AND, might I add, they look like they’ve lost weight and are looking quite fit, aren’t they?
7. What do you feel about the current state of Arts funding available?
It’s miserable in The States. Public schools all over my country are dropping music and arts programs as if they don’t matter. I love my city, Portland, Oregon, because we work really hard in preserving our artistic community and arts education in the schools. It is so important for kids who are creative visually or musically, to feel like they have something to offer society. We treat artists like bums or lazy people who don’t want REAL jobs. I say you go ahead and dance a mile in my boots and see how you do, cowboy!
8. Which three famous people would you invite to dinner and why [dead celebrities included]? And what tasty treat would you prepare?
I would have Jesus Christ, Dick Cheney and George W Bush. I would give Jesus a squirt gun full of cat pee….no….a low voltage taser gun… that he could zap those fuckers with for every time they had pretended to do something in his name.
I would make a braised lamb shank with carrots and parsnips, salted barley and a lemon kale salad…..possibly paired with a deep sultry malbec.
9. What do you do to relax?
Hot bath, eyes closed, count as high as I can before I drift off. Boxing is nice, too. I’m so mellow after a sweaty few rounds with a heavy bag. It drains away all my rage for hours.
10. What would be your dream come true?
So many already have. Corny as it sounds, in my case, sometimes I find dreams have come true that I didn’t even dream myself. It’s like Inception, or something…..seriously, though, I’m just so thrilled I get to do what I love as much as I do. I love my crazy job.
Tags: 2010 Edinburgh Fringe, Portland's Storm Large, Rockstar Supernova Storm Large, Storm Large, Storm Large and her band Crazy Enough