Interview with Maya from Death Cigarettes

Can you tell me a little about the history of Death Cigarettes?

Death Cigarettes landed in London about two years ago. After the initial shock of moving form quiet Yorkshire to the city we settled down and got on with making the noise that brought us here.


Your Myspace page says you sound like "none of your influences." Who are some of your influences?

Patti Smith had a big impact on me from the first time I heard her. But as a band we all have quite different influences so I don't even know how relevant my answer would be to this one. I am more influenced by an outlook or an energy than bands or songs I think. So much influences what goes into a song, the light, the noise of the city, the great bands we see play live, a photograph, everything.


Mya, what is your experience like of being a woman in a band?

I suppose my experience of being in a band is much like the lads' experiences of being in a band, except I sing and they play. I love being in Death Cigarettes, I have a voice and a vote (as it were) but obviously things are slightly different for all of us. I used to feel underestimated by people when they were surprised by my voice or by the way I like to move around a lot, I used to think 'guys get to do this shit all the time why does it shock you that I want to do it too?' I mean, we all want to sing and dance and shout and laugh don't we? It never felt like a big deal to me, I was just responding to the music. More recently in the UK it feels like women are being hailed into the music scene but as you know (from seeing your blog), we were always there, we are just as strong and loud as we always were, maybe we are just easier to find these days? If so, that can only be a good thing.


I see that we can download the single, what are your plans for future releases?

The first single 'Bleed You Dry' is out on iTunes and Amazon etc. And there is a video that goes with the B-side 'If You Take Me Apart' which you can view on our myspace: www.myspace.com/deathcigarettes

70SIX Music put out a limited edition physical run which are available through our website (below). They are rather beautiful, they look like records- even have the grooves and are just what we wanted.

The second single 'Break my Bones' was recorded with Max Dingle (White Lies /Glasvegas ) and is due out in the near future, also on 70SIX Music.

We just spent this weekend shooting the video for it. It was very tiring but great fun.

We are lucky enough to have people around us who enjoy making music and have a DIY ethic so we have already recorded a new set of demo's in a friend's studio which sound great. Hopefully these will be used in the future. And another friend of ours helped design our t-shirts which (along with our cd's) are available from http://www.deathcigarettes.co.uk/


Any plans to play in the states?

We'd love to play the US, the single sold fairly well over there but we haven't been offered any shows - offer us some shows!!



Thanks Maya! For more information on Death Cigarettes check out:

www.myspace.com/deathcigarettes
http://www.deathcigarettes.co.uk/
http://www.deathcigarettes.blogspot.com/