LunarMile 2006 Interview with singer Toni-Marie Iommi
In 2005 British rockers LunarMile started to make themselves known, opening up for Glenn Hughes on his "Soul Mover" UK Tour and also there was this mad buzz on the Internet that singer Toni-Marie had royal blood running in her veins, being the daughter of legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. I decided to ask Toni-Marie if she would be interested in answering some questions (via e-mail) for use here on Atlantis Online as well as in the 2006 issue of my swedish publication Raket Magasinet, and she was kind enough to agree. Toni-Marie is a real talent and her journey in rockīnīroll land has just begun. Enjoy the interview.
Lets begin with your name, Toni-Marie. Is your motherīs name Marie by any chance? I know itīs a silly question but this came up from a good friend of mine when he heard that I was going to interview you.
- NO!
At 22, my guess is that the grunge scene of the early to mid nineties might have had an early influence on you? Can you describe what type of music that youīve been into over the years and what artists you have enjoyed the most?
- THERE’S SO MANY, BUT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD – SCORPIONS, BON JOVI, ALANIS MORISSETTE, LED ZEPELLIN, METALLICA, SHERYL CROW, ARETHA FRANKLIN. ALTHOUGH I HAVE A RANGE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFLUENCES, MY SOUL IS STILL WITH CLASSIC ROCK AND ROLL. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER HUNDREDS THAT I LIKE AND AM INFLUENCED BY THOUGH.
Can you mention a few records that you will love forever that you have in your collection?
- I’VE GOT VARIOUS ALBUMS BY SCORPIONS THAT I LOVE. I ALSO LIKE TOXICITY BY SYSTEM OF A DOWN. THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER GOT WAS BY THE BRADY BUNCH!
How long have you been singing and is LunarMile your first band?
- I’VE BEEN SINGING SINCE I WAS 9, BUT I PROPERLY STARTED AT THE AGE OF 15. I PLAYED IN VARIOUS BANDS AND DID VARIOUS VOCAL SOLO PROJECTS BEFORE LUNARMILE.
Who came up with the name of the band and can you recall how the group came to be?
- OUR GUITARIST HAD A SPARK AND LUNARMILE WAS INVENTED! THE LUNAR BIT CAME FROM MY DAD’S NICKNAME FOR ME WHICH IS MOON. TOM AND I MET AT COLLEGE WHILE WE WERE STUDYING. AS FOR ALEX AND ROB, WE WERE IN NEED OF A RHYTHM SECTION AND IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE TWO BOYS WERE ALSO IN NEED OF A BAND.
How many concerts have you played up until now (february 2006) and how would you describe the local as well as the national (UK) rock scene?
- WE’VE DONE OVER 50 AT THIS STAGE AND HAVE PLAYED WITH A LOT OF COOL BANDS. AS FOR THE LOCAL ‘CLASSIC ROCK’ SCENE, IT’S SAD TO SAY THAT THERE’S NOT MUCH HAPPENING.
Can you recall your first time onstage and has it gotten easier since then?
- MY FIRST NIGHT ONSTAGE WAS AWFUL, I HAD THE NICKNAME OF ‘TONE DEAF’ FROM MY DAD (HA HA, HOW THINGS CHANGE!). MY EXPERIENCE ON STAGE WAS A MIXTURE OF EMOTIONS.
A lot of actors and artists never get rid of pre-stage butterflies no matter how long they have been at it. How do you handle it?
- PRE-STAGE BUTTERFLIES IS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE. I HAVE TO CHILL OUT AND FOCUS ON A POSITIVE MIND-FRAME. BUT I SOMETIMES MESS THIS UP AND GO CRAZY WITH ENERGY THEN ON TO THE STAGE!
You are the only female in the band, how do you cope with all that testosterone?
- WHAT TESTOSTERONE? THEY ARE LIKE THREE OLD WOMEN! I’VE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH GOSSIPING IN MY LIFE.
It would seem that LunarMile started to get a buzz on the Internet when you did some shows opening for Glenn Hughes in the UK. How did the band get that tour?
- THE PEOPLE IN OUR OFFICE KNEW THE PEOPLE IN GLENN’S OFFICE…
How was the response from the crowd?
- WE HAD GREAT FEEDBACK FROM THEM, PARTICULARLY AT THE LONDON SHOW.
Did you record or film any of the shows? Have you documented the life of the band in some way so that material will exist later on if need be?
- WE HAVE GOT SOME FOOTAGE. AFTER ALL, WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A LAUGH ONE DAY! (CRINGE, CRINGE!)
Did you perform original material only or do you mix your own songs with coversongs when you perform live?
- WE MAINLY DO ORIGINAL MATERIAL BUT THROW IN A DIFFERENT COVER EVERY NOW AND THEN. WE’VE COVERED VAN HALEN, ‘MILKSHAKE’ BY KELIS, ‘WHEN DOVES CRY’ BY PRINCE (MAY I SAY ‘WHEN DOVES CRY’ ROCKED-UP SOUNDS COOL!).
LunarMile was formed in 2003, how often do you guys meet and rehearse and so on? And were do you rehearse?
- WE REHEARSE THREE TIMES A WEEK IN BIRMINGHAM. WE ALSO JUST MEET UP AND HAVE ACOUSTIC JAMS…PLUS BEER!
People that visit your site at the moment can listen to a few minutes of music, how many songs have you got in the can so far and how would you describe the music in your own words?
- WE’VE RECORDED ABOUT 15 TRACKS AND ARE CURRENTLY WRITING NEW MATERIAL. WE’VE JUST RELEASED OUR FIRST DOWNLOAD AT www.overplay.com/lunarmile WHICH WENT TO THE TOP OF THE OVERPLAY CHARTS. THE MUSIC IS A BLEND OF CLASSIC ROCK WITH A MODERN SLANT.
Do you write all the lyrics or some, and is there somebody in the band that can be said to be the "motor" behind things, or are we looking at a democracy kind of a thing?
- IT’S A DEMOCRACY. WE ARE ALL THE CREATORS.
Your father is Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, but you donīt use the Iommi name a lot. Iīm sure youīve put a lot of thought into this but do you want to share these with the public or do you want things to be what they are?
- I AM WHO I AM, AND I AM VERY PROUD OF MY NAME AND MY ROOTS. BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO JUDGE THE BAND ON ITS OWN MERITS RATHER THAN ON WHO OUR FATHERS ARE.
