"Hot Names"

RACHEL ARIEFF
"It's fun pretending to be someone you're not."

Text: Senen Armengol                          Photo: Nani Serrano

The “antikaraoke” that this North American produces at Barcelona's Sidecar has become a huge success. The repertory is based on the rock-n-roll of Guns ‘n’ Roses and The Ramones, and the hostess parodies Madonna and Michael Jackson.     

How did you first come to Barcelona?

I came from the United States to do my show "How to Be Happy All the Time" in the Sidecar lounge, while enjoying a short vacation in Barcelona. I fell in love with the city and I stayed.

¿How did the idea of“antikaraoke” come about? No one had ever though of doing a karaoke with punk-rock, hard-rock, and heavy metal songs…

When I lived in New York and Los Angeles, I always did karaoke with my friends who were comics and singers. We always did it with an irreverent attitude, goofing around a lot, and I missed that here. I wanted to create a show like that in Barcelona: creative, experimental, freaky, very open to all kinds of people. It's also been a good place for me to keep my comic skills sharp, by parodying celebrities as well as presenting the show. .

Speaking of parodies, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Sinéad O’Connor and Axl Rose have all been your víctims. You've also invented characters like Salvador Dalí Parton. Is it a question of admiration, love or hate?

It has nothing to do with hate or repulsion. I do it because these people are huge, and they're in our lives. Everyone in the “antikaraoke” audience knows who these people are. They're demigods. It's always fun to pretend to be someone you're not. It's all in fun. It's also a good excuse to change my wig at least three times every night. .

¿What are the freakiest situations you've experienced since this show started?

Something's happened which I had hoped would happen, which is that very original people come to the show. Weirdos, eccentrics… Sometimes they come in costume and they've rehearsed the songs. That's awesome. At first I thought that only foreigners would come, but I've realized that in Catalunya and Spain there are very creative people. Four example, four guys from film school came dressed up as Devo. They made their own costumes from yellow trash bags! They call themselves Anal Intruder and they come every Monday. There's also a guy called Syd Barretina and he does an imitation of Rob Halford [singer of Judas Priest, that rides a Harley onstage], with a ten-speed bike! There's a woman named Marta who comes almost every Monday with her daughter, and they both sing. Older people, gays, and rockers all come to the show, and there are always lots of women. We have everything. One thing I love to see is a heavy metal dude dressed up in full metal regalia rocking hard while a gay guy sings ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell. I love that. In this show there are no barriers or politics with the music. There are no social classes. Everyone's in it together at “antikaraoke”.

We've seen some rock-n-roll heavyweights show up, from desde Billy Duffy [The Cult] to Sean Yseult [White Zombie] and Bob Vennum [The Bellrays]. Even people from the porno industry. The Sidecar's going to end up like The Roxy in Los Angeles!

I'm very happy to have a show with such a friendly, open, creative, and cool vibe. I think artists feel comfortable there.

Do you intend to tour Spain with “antikaraoke”?

I'd love to. Right now, I'm doing small tours of my show ‘How to Be Happy All the Time’. I was recently in the Basque Country. In the fall I'll bring the Anti-Karaoke to Andalucía. Anyone who wants to get in touch with me about it can contact me through my website.

Are you afraid someone will copy your idea?

Not at all. I'm happy if people are creative. Anyone can do their own karaoke. Of course, they'll miss my parodies …