By Crimson Kitten

DOLLSQUAD – Ash (Drums)

CK: It's the bad-ass babes from Doll Squad! How are we ladies?
DS: Ready to rock'n'roll!

CK: It looks like leather and long locks with the beehive is the uniform, right?
DS: Of course, I can't wait to get into my catsuit again (laughs)

CK: So can just anyone don the leather pants and rock like Doll Squad?
DS: Well.....they can try, but I believe we are the only women around at the moment who like to get around in a catsuit whilst playing Rock'n'Roll. And boy is that fun!

CK: Where did the musical talents come from for each of you?
DS: I started drum lessons when I was 12 after I saw a guy play the drums at my high school. I couldn't believe how good they sounded. I basically had lessons for 10 years, and I've been playing in bands for that whole time as well. I even studied Kit at Uni. Amazingly, I didn't have a real Rock Drummer teacher until this year! I've had a few lessons off Tanya Cavanagh and she has taught me some great technical things which have completely helped me sound louder and tougher.

CK: What kind of genre would you call your music? It's kind of like 60's pop music that was slammed through the garage for a bit of edge.
DS: That's a great description. I think everyone in the band brings their own bag of tricks and influences. For example, Joey brings her 60's soul and rock, Yolanda brings her 80's Punk, Lulu throws in some Rockabilly, Aleks has played Metal for years and I bring my love of solid ACDC grooves. This thrown in with Alice's interests, it becomes quite interesting.

CK: Are you following a certain scene, or sound, or doing something off the beaten track, so to speak?
DS: I think Joey had a particular sound that she wanted to go for, she wanted something like The Supremes, but with women that actually played instruments as well. Joey even said herself that she tried to sing like the guys she was hearing on records, so that in itself gives the band a raw sound at times. In a word, I would say that we are Rock. You can't just call us 60's, as some of our music clearly lacks a 60's influence, in fact that was more of the old line-ups genre. You can't just call us just Punk, as some songs are solid Rock n Roll, and you can't simply label us Pop as I've never heard Beyonce sing like Joey! Its definitely unique, though, we don't just wanna sound like a band straight out of the 60's, nor do we wanna sound exactly like the Donnas.

CK: What should adoring fans get excited to see from your performance at Red Bennies?
DS: Catsuits!! The Peanut Duck, and Big Hair!! (laughs)

CK: As an all-girl gig, do you consider yourselves role models for young women out there?
DS: Yeah, I mean it is a male-dominated industry, as far as being an instrumentalist. But I didn't learn drums because I was seeing girls play drums, I didn't see that til later. I just liked the sound. I was listening to Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine and going to underage gigs, where all the musos were guys.

CK: So perhaps some last words of advice for aspiring acts out there, like how best to get into a catsuit?
DS: Take a long hot bath, melt Dark Chocolate in your mouth, watch Beyonce's video for Kitty Kat and then you'll slip right in.

Ash, Drummer from Doll Squad will perform at Red Bennies Friday 3rd September