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SISTER SIN : “Follow what is right in your heart!”

They are on their way to the top since 2002, the year they came together; they toured with Arch Enemy, Lordi and supported Motörhead in the USA. Those are only a few entries they can add to their biography. Next to catchy Rock music and a front lady with such a powerful voice that other girls in business go green with envy, the four Swedes offer a lot also on a visual level. Frontlady Liv Jagrell is not only a vocal talent, she also knows how to impress the audience with her looks. We talked with this smart girl from Gothenburg.

Hello Liv, you have been on a huge tour in December with U.D.O and your fellow countrymen Sister. How has that tour been for you?
That was a really good tour for us! UDOs music and fans fits our music very well, and it was almost sold out everywhere, so we were very happy to be a part of that package, and both UDO and his crew were awesome people, we all had a blast!

Do you have a funny tour experience to share with us which just comes back to your mind right now?
Hmm a lot of fun, but the most memorable was probably the first show on the third run, or the missing of that show I should say. Cuz our car broke down somewhere in Germany and we were supposed to go to Holland, we got picked up by assistance and brought to a workshop and then we waited and waited, for over 6 hours! So when they finally figured out the problem, it was too late to get to the show, so we had to cancel, and it´s not that fun to cancel the first gig on a tour, but what to do! Oh wait and then we got pulled over about 3-4 times by cops and they search thru our whole car and trailer, it´s something with us and German cops, they don´t like us!

Before going on tour with U.D.O., you toured the USA where you have been pretty successful already. When have you been there the first time and how did you manage to make it across the pond?
Our first tour in US was in fall 2008 after the release of our first album “ Switchblade Serenades”. We have an American record label, Victory Records, so our main target is the US market, so for us to hit the roads in US is a must, and we have great support from our label each time we´ve been over, we are pretty blessed with that, and very grateful, cus its hard these days to be a touring band, you normally don´t make any money of tours, you rather loose money, haha

What do you prefer then, playing in Europe or playing in the USA? What are the good and bad things about both locations?
That´s is sooooo hard to say, but right now I prefer Europe, cuz everything is a bit more in control here, catering is good and things is most of the times running smoothly. But in US we do have more fans, since we´ve been there four times now, so for us to come back is better and better every time, and I still love some of the cities so much that I just want to go back as often as I can

So 2011 has been very busy for you with touring, I guess you don´t have the time anymore for day jobs? Or do you still need them?
Dudess, damn, we need them, haha, it´s no glamour being in a band, it´s work when you´re on tour and it´s work when you get back to support the tours. We don´t have time for dayjobs, but we do it anyway, it´s the only way to survive right now, and we are not giving up!

You lately recorded a new song with Doro Pesch, a cover of Motörhead´s classic „Rock´n´Roll“. How did that come up?
We got an offer from a producer to record a song for free, and since we´ve been busy touring we didn´t have any new songs right on that moment, so we chose a favorite Motörhead song and asked Doro to be a part of it, and she said yes! We are so happy she wanted to do this with us, she is really amazing!

Does Strandh really have a lip tattoo (Rock´n´Roll) like on that picture on your website, or is this just a gag for the Motörhead release?
I can tell you it´s a real tattoo that he did it before he even joined the band!

You released your last record „True Sound of the Underground“ back in July 2010. Are you already working on a new record? Any idea when the next one will be out and what we can expect from it?
Oh yeah, we are actually hitting the studio next week! It will be a bit heavier and rawer album, but still with the Sister Sin melodies and a bit more dynamic then the last one. Check out stores in late May!

Liv, you are known as one of the hottest chicks in Metal. What do you think about that? And what are you doing to keep your body in that shape? I know that you work as a personal trainer, but are you doing some special workout every day?
I´m very very honored that someone gave me such a title, of course, it makes a girl happy to hear.
And yeah I´m working out a lot, I´m kind of a “trainoholic” if you like, I don´t do it every day right now, but about 3-4 times a week, and I try to eat healthy non-processed food, even thou I am addicted to chocolate !

It is not very easy to get healthy food while touring, so how do you handle this problem?
Hmm yeah, that is a problem, especially in US, Europe is much much better with the food and catering, but mostly when touring in US I live on Subway. I´m a vegetarian too, so that also makes it kind of hard. But it´s not everywhere in US it´s like this, cities like LA, Portland and New York have great vegetarian food

You also work as a model, is that right? What kind of modeling have you done so far? And if you would need to choose between being a singer, model or personal trainer, what would you choose?
I´m not modeling so much any more, I really don´t have the time, and if I had to choose, of course I choose Sister Sin, every day a week!! I live for my music, I live for being on stage, I wouldn´t give up that for anything in the world. And I hope one day Sister Sin will be able to live from the music too, that is our main goal, to completely dedicate ourselves to this.

People still say nowadays that females in Metal have to work twice as hard as men to get accepted. What do you think about this? True or false?
I totally agree, I do. I feel that I´ve had to struggle very hard to earn the respect I have today. And people like to put their opinions about your looks, your approach, your whole appearance sometimes, and I don´t think that happens to a rocker guy at all as much as if you are a girl. But just don´t let anyone put you down, and don´t listen to stupid idiots, follow what is right in your heart, only you can tell yourself what´s best for you, no one else!

Did you ever have some bad experience just because you are a girl singing Hard Rock?
Some people just don´t like chicks in metal/rock and they like to tell you that, but it´s just to shut your ears and don´t listen to that crap. And of course, there is always slimes and creepy ones that think they are allowed to talk to you etc however they want, but I have learned not to take that shit, if someone is really stupid, I tell them to fuck off.

Alright, back to the plans for 2012, what´s up next for the band? What goals do you wanna reach this year?
First of all is releasing the new album, and then hopefully being back on tour again, both in US and Europe, that would be the absolute best!

Which band would you like to tour with? What is the biggest dream?
I´d really like to tour a long tour with Motörhead or Judas Priest! But my dream tour/concert would be to open for Twisted Sister, I fucking love Dee Snider, he is my biggest role model as a front woman (sic!! the ed.) and entertainer!

Last but not least: Describe in one sentence why you became a musician!
Because of the love of being on stage and singing the best music in the world! Nothing beats it, nothing!

Thank you very much for your time, and a lot of inspiration and good vibes for the upcoming record.
www.sistersin.com

Sandy Mahrer

Fresh Act editor, reports, reviews, photos - - - Favorite genres? - Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Pop-Rock etc. Less Death, Black, Grind Core