The Danish Maids Have Become Ladies Photos: Press & Promotional Photos
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Written by: Caj Källmalm written: 25-31/3 The Danish maids have become ladies Photos: press & promotional photos ‘Pandemonium’ set some high expectations on Pretty Maids and some 30 years in to their career a lot of people thinks this band sounds the best they’ve ever have. With their most recent album, ‘Motherland, fresh out in the stores I had a little chat with vocalist Ronnie Atkins about the present, past and the future… Hallowed PDF-Magazine 230 231 Hallowed PDF-Magazine Design: Caj Källmalm Design: Caj Källmalm Source: Wikipedia Graphic: Caj Källmalm Rock stars, always late - everyone lowed by ‘Future World’ in 1987. After ‘Future World’ the band album with almost the complete and we can talk about everything. knows that. But on this occasion Around these years they also released ‘Jump The Gun’ in 1990, line-up that the band have today We just have a good chemistry, ����etty Maids diskogra Pretty Maids (EP 1983) it was actually me who was late. released the EPs ‘Pretty Maids’ Sin-Decade’ in 1992, ‘Stripped’ and after this they’ve only had and that affects the music be- Red Hot and Heavy (1984) Some 20 minutes after our set in- (1983) and ‘Red Hot And Heavy’ in 1993 - an acoustic album - and one member change, which came cause even on bad days it still Future World (1987) terview time I call Ronnie, luck- (1985). By this time three mem- ‘Scream’ in 1994. after ‘Pandemonium’ in 2010. feels good and when we play In Santa’s Claws (EP 1990) ily he’s in good spirits and isn’t bers had already left Pretty Maids In 1997 the band returned af- live then it doesn’t matter as Jump The Gun (1990)) the least upset about my lateness. and they continued to do so. ter a few years off (during which About the band much if I have a bad night be- Sin-Decade (1992) Some big apologies later we are Five more members left the ������got the rst live album from The current line-up is working cause the rest will cover for me. Offside (EP 1992) talking the new album but we’ll band in the 90’s and another th- the band) with ‘Spooked’ and really well at the moment and The difference between this Stripped (1993, acoustic album) get to that later. ree has left in the last ten years. continued by released two com- Ronnie thinks they have the best and earlier line-ups isn’t that big Scream (1994, released in Europe 1995) The current line up consist, besi- pilations - one best of in 1998 line-up they’ve ever had, or at but earlier things just haven’t Spooked (1997) The history des Atkins and Hammer, of Rene and a compilation of early and least one of them and he hasn’t worked out in the long runs. Massacre Classix Shape Edition (1999) Pretty Maids started to play to- Shades (bass), Allan Tschicaja rare material in 1999, along with felt this comfortable with a line - It’s always started pretty Anything Worth Doing Is Worth gether in 1981, started by Ronnie (drums) and Morten Sandager another studio album, called up for a very long time. good and fun but after a while Overdoing (1999) Atkins and Ken Hammer. The (keyboards) which all has come ‘Anything Worth Doing Is Worth - It really feels great at the mo- it’s become worse. And it just Carpe Diem (2000) band has gone through plenty of in to the band since 2006. Overdoing’. 2000 saw the band ment and has ever since ‘Pande- hasn’t felt as fun before as it Planet Panic (2002) members but the core with Ken The discography has seen 13 release ‘Carpe Diem’ and then monium’. I haven’t felt like this does right now. Wake Up to the Real World (2006) and Ronnie has remained intact full-length releases to date, th- they released ‘Planet Panic’ in since the 80’s and I think this You say that this might be Pandemonium (2010) through all these years. ree live albums, some EPs and a 2002 and the second live album could very well be the best line- the best line-up you’ve had Motherland (2013) In 1984, the band released their couple of compilations (see the in 2003. ‘Wake Up In The Real up we’ve ever had. All the guys but since there’s been so Live & Best of: debut ‘Red Hot And Heavy’, fol- full discography to the right). World from 2006 was the rst have the same sense of humour many different versions of Screamin’ Live (1995, live compilation) The Best Of: Back To Back (1998) Hallowed PDF-Magazine 232 Pretty Maids online: Pretty Maids on Myspace: 233 First Cuts Hallowedand Then PDF-Magazine Some (1999) Design: Caj Källmalm http://www.prettymaids.dk/ http://www.myspace.com/pmaids Alive At Least (2003,Design: liveCaj Källmalm compilation) It Comes Alive (2012, live CD/DVD) Pretty Maids, is there any line-up great and then things got worse. difcult thing to answer. I think is happy, we’ve had good reac- many and it’s been some average us. It begun already on ‘Pande- you would consider more “clas- But I think we’ve gone a bit back if me or Hammer didn’t want tions so far, good reviews and it reviews but mostly good, mostly monium’ and when we started sic” or “real” than the others? to the roots with our recent sound to play and the other one did it just feels ne. Its a bit like a new great! I can’t remember when we to work with this album I re- - I think back in the ‘Red Hot and albums and I think this is the could probably work, but I don’t baby, so everyone is happy that last got this good reactions for an member thinking “what the hell And Heavy’ days when we kind best I’ve felt since ‘87. think I would want to continue we’ve had such good reactions album. It’s not too different from are we doing?” because we just of invented ourselves and found Could it be a Pretty Maids wit- without him - it wouldn’t feel so far. ‘Pandemonium’ as we’ve had al- wrote and worked with what we or style and sound - that’s proba- hout you and Ken? Could the right. But if he wanted to and Ronnie means the band has most the same band and the same came up with and there was a lot bly a bit more than the others but members that are in the band found a new vocalist, I guess it felt bigger pressure for this al- team around the album but it’s a going on and once we’d recorded we were younger then and things continue if you didn’t want to do would be ne I dont know. bum with ‘Pandemonium’ being bit different. everything I just put everything felt more important in a way then this anymore? something of a success. The cover art suggest it’s more away for a while and then took - you took everything so much - I think it would be very A new album - We have felt a bit anxious of a reecting, dark album and it up after I’d had some time off. more serious than today. I mean, strange if they did because if we With ‘Motherland’ just out in the of what people would say since Ronnie agrees. I think it’s very different from it’s easy for me to say that this didn’t want to continue the band stores the band is in good spirits we’ve felt more expectations af- - I think the music is fresh and when we invented ourself with current line-up is the best at the would probably die off, but I’ve and everyone is really happy. ter ‘Pandemonium’ but it’s re- I think we’ve gone a long way, ‘Red Hot And Heavy’ and ‘Fu- moment, but back then it was also never thought about that so it’s a - Yeah, it feels great! Everyone ally been good reviews. I’ve seen it almost marks a new era for ture World’ but it’s just the way Hallowed PDF-Magazine 234 Pretty Maids on Youtube: Pretty Maids on Last.fm: 235 Hallowed PDF-Magazine Design: Caj Källmalm http://www.youtube.com/prettymaidsdenmark http://www.lastfm.se/music/Pretty+Maids Design: Caj Källmalm we wrote it, it’s what came at the and we don’t have any problems which has turned out really well. time and maybe it’s a bit deeper doing so but mostly I would We have really good chemistry and moodier album but it’s still consider us a live band. It’s just and works really well together, what we wanted to do and we’re something standing face to face he’s very diplomatic and he’s not very happy with the result. with the fans in the audience. I saying “do this” and “do that”, like to do both things. it’s more like talking to a friend. In Controll So talking about live, when We really have great connection I think the whole concept around will we see the band on tour the and he’s a guitarist as well so we Motherland is proled in a tone next time? speak the same language. in both sound, style and look, - We’re starting the tour in I especially mention the clean which is a concept Ronnie me- May, doing a lot of summer fes- and punchy sound to Ronnie ans that the band themselves are tivals and a few different projects and he agrees.