Justin Fricke is truly an amazing weapon! He's ultra inspired by SPW and other artists that are working hard to push boundaries. Justin translated his email via google and then sent it to me so the english reads a little broken but you still get the picture! Thanks Justin for all the info and videos and if you'd like to see more than visit his youtube channel by clicking on the video titles.
"My first "encounter" with the semi precious weapons... The SPW are to me the first time on the "Monster ball concert" noticed by Lady gaga. they were the opening. When I saw it the first time I was shocked but also excited because they were fabulous and so "different". That was so cool! SPW have rocked the show
!!
"Rock and Roll never looks so beautiful" - music video "Rock and roll never looks so beautiful" is my first video of the SPW and one of my longest videos. I had so many ideas that it hard was involve them all in the video. But I have managed it with great music and creativity!
"Sticky with Champagne" "Sticky with Champgane" was my second music video of the SPW. The song is one of my favorite songs as I need to bring particularly. So I took each quantity Champanier bottles and turned off with my camcorder on it.
"Put a Diamond in it" "Put a Diamond in it" is my third video it is not published, but a few words I say anyway it is a video with much violence and crime be! Also is there a continued "semi precious weapons". The two brand new videos will be published on this web site "semi precious weapons world" 1 week before!
My inspirations My inspirations come from the scattered directions of the entertainment stars ´ like Lady Gaga, Marilyn Manson or semi precious weapons inspire me. but their advantages and disadvantages their strengthen my life and weaken moments, thoughts or emotions inspired me especially.
Down from the stage in front of the camera Already at the time when I still was a small child, I had Role models like britney spears or other stars. I sang and danced all day my parents brought excited to the doctor because they thought I was ill. But I was not sick! I played theatre and acted in the primary school. I acted in the theater and had many leading roles. I played with 10 years Simba in the film "The Lion King" I Mogli played with 12 years in the film "The jungle book". But at some point I wanted to play no more theater, special films make. So I started to turn that are provocative macabre and sometimes a bit lazziv videos. This geviel me especially the puplikum to shock. Because the surprise is the moment is not expected.
Yours sincerely with exaggerated and swollen voice.
The video for Semi Precious Weapons' new single, 'Look at Me', was released today on Rollingstone.com
“Our concept was really fucking simple,” says Semi Precious Weapons singer Justin Tranter, describing the New York glam-rockers’ new video for the ballad “Look At Me,” off You Love You. “Have me sit on the bed of a dirty motel room, while two stunning people are making love. Kind of like I'm the narrator of their sex — but making sure it all looks as real, honest and beautiful as the song is.” Watch Rolling Stone's exclusive premiere of the NSFW video, co-directed by Tranter with Cass Bird and Nicole Erlich, above. The band, who made a cameo in Lady Gaga and Beyonce's "Telephone" video, will headline their own tour before returning as the opening act on the U.S. leg of Gaga’s Monster Ball tour in 2011.
Have you found yourself missing the days of raw, hard, true glam rock? Well time to stop reminiscing about the bands of the 1970’s — filthy, gorgeous New York City rockers Semi Precious Weapons are here! With one eponymous EP, the full-length album We Love You, and another on the way this summer, the guys behind SPW plunge a high, pointy, sparkly stiletto heel deep into the heart of New York’s anemic, bearded indie rock scene. Fronted by the ever-glamorous Justin Tranter and supported by members Cole Whittle, Dan Crean and Stevy Pyne, the band is known for giving superstar Lady Gaga her start — she opened for them back in 2007 as they played gigs all over the city’s Lower East Side and even appeared in their original video for “Magnetic Baby.”
More After the Jump.....
Now that Gaga has skyrocketed up the charts, she’s bringing along the men who first gave her a chance — Semi Precious Weapons is opening for her sold-out worldwide tour. Never a band to rest easy, SPW is using a short, scheduled break on the yearlong Gaga tour to embark on a four-city mini tour across the US, giving fans a chance to see them up close. The mini tour is with a rare assortment of true rock and roll openers including Lady Gaga’s partner in crime Lady Starlight, New York up-and-comer Breedlove, and LA favorite Nico Vega.
I caught up with SPW backstage at New York’s Bowery Ballroom before a show. Brimming with pre-show energy, they laughed and chatted away while I kept fighting the urge to stare at Justin’s eye-popping gold stiletto boots.
Though you’ve previously mentioned liking Lil’ Kim and Jay-Z as a group, who inspires each one of you musically? Justin: Sharon Stone, Marilyn Monroe, Patty Larkin, Patty Griffin, Miranda Lambert Cole: Willie Nelson, John Coltrane, LL Cool J, Venetian Snares. Dan: Patti Labelle, Peppermint Patty, Patty cake Patty cake bakers man. Jokingly mention they will soon enough be renamed The Pattys Stevy: …John Coltrane as well. No Pattys.
You’re very audience interactive; do you find yourself enjoying smaller, more intimate venues like the tonight’s venue (the Bowery) or the huge arenas you’ve been playing on the Monster Ball Tour?
Justin: For us tonight is going to be about 700 people, which is huge for us. Honestly, when we’ve toured with Gaga we’ve played sometimes [up to] 12,000 people. But that’s only been very recently, before that we played many a show with just 30 people. But actually we find that they’re all the same. It’s all the same energy, you know because when you’re playing in a massive arena the space is so big that the space is so big that it feels just the same as a small bar with 30 people screaming their heads off.
Cole: I don’t know many bands that can transition form 20,000 to 300-700. But we get off on… it’s a challenge to us every night to get the audience to react as much as possible. So that gets us off no matter if it is 3 people or if we’re playing in front of label people and that’s it. Somehow we try to get people to loosen up.
Justin: Yeah, most bands hate industry showcases and we some how have a f*cking blast. Whether we’re playing to 20,000 teenagers or 10 forty year olds in suits.
Cole: There is no body ready to get more f*cking wild than an office person. And if you think there is you’re craaaazy.
What is a typical day off like for you (non recording)?
Group: We don’t remember.
Cole: The only day off I remember was one day on a sh*tty tour a year ago, we checked into a baseball themed hotel in Houston and put on robes and ate cereal all day.
Justin: Count Chocula!
Cole: Oh and we put, like, other sh*t in it like candy bars.
Justin: We made like a Count Chocula surprise. All of our days off are usually filled with traveling and interviews.
Cole: [But] The really interesting part is that later put in candy bars
Justin, you have a very glamorous look on and off stage. What’s your favorite brand of eye makeup?
Justin: I only use MAC. I only wore MAC for most of my life and then they started sending me stuff for free and then I for sure only wear MAC.
You’ve mentioned that crazy stories like one of your friend on the roof and his crazy hair after a wild night inspired songs like “Her Hair is On Fire”, what’s the craziest thing that has happened during this past tour that might inspire a new song?
Justin: Our friend Jocelyn, inspires everything. One of my favorite new things that I’ve been trying to work into a song is that she’s going to AA for the Hollywood connections. Which is true.
Cole: Job interviewing at AA.
Justin: That’s one of my favorite new things that’s happened.
(In reference to a lyric in their current single) Because we know that you all are truly f*cking gorgeous, was there ever a point in which you actually couldn’t pay your rent?
Group: OH YEAH!
Justin: Years and years and years. I literally used to collect cans off the street and cash them in at the grocery store so that I could eat.
Cole: He used to walk over the Williamsburg bridge to get into Manhattan to get to parties because he couldn’t afford the subway.
Justin: Yeah, it was really tough. I quit… these guys were smart and kept day jobs. In terms that they [the jobs] were in music but they were all real jobs, actual real jobs in music and all. But I was an idiot and moved to NY and said “f*ck everybody I’m going to be a superstar!” so I ended up having to walk bridges and collect cans. And then we kind of switched positions and roles and my jewelry was doing well and Dan was literally homeless.
Dan: Like sleeping in my car, living with junkies, slept wit people so that I could stay at their house.
Justin: Yeah, he would date girls so that he could stay at their house.
Cole: D*ck rent!
Justin, you have a unique since of fashion. Is there a possibility that you will start a fashion line to accompany your Fetty jewelry line?
Justin: No, I’m going to stay in jewelry. I feel like once people become successful in some sort of public way, whether they’re musicians or actors or whatever, they start putting their names on a bunch of bullsh*t because they can. And I’m gonna keep it at jewelry because I’m actually good at designing jewelry and I like it.
If you could chose one artist living or dead to open for you on your next tour who would it be?
Cole: Patsy Cline!!!!
Justin: To open for us though?!
Cole: F*ck yes!!
Justin: All the people I love I’d feel so weird if they opened for us. However, our friend Breedlove is opening for us now and it is a dream come true! And Nico Vega is also opening for us and they’ve been one of our favorite bands for a long time, she’s amazing. But, yeah Breedlove is not only one of our best friends but one of the greatest… I don’t even know what to call it.
Cole: I know! If the Loveboat crashed into a rapist’s basement.
Group: Yes!
What is your favorite song to play live?
Dan: Loud ones!
Justin: I guess I would say, well it always changes but when we did Magnetic Baby in Chicago, it was really f*cking amazing because after all this with Gaga we went back to headline Chicago on our own there we so many kids there, obsessed and waiting for us and when it got to Magnetic Baby they all just screamed the words so loud that I just stop singing and let them sing it. It was really, really amazing.
You’ve mentioned that you write a lot of the songs on piano, though you do not play it live. Have you considered incorporating a piano into your stage show or into future songs?
Justin: I don’t play piano nearly well enough to play it in Public. Some people might disagree with that but I believe that if you’re not the best at something you shouldn’t do it in front of people.
Cole: (To Justin) My opinion is that when you’re behind a piano you can’t really see your legs. That’s the purpose of this band.
Justin: Yeah, the band would crumble if you couldn’t see my legs. But yeah, on our new album that comes out in Summer there is, well piano isn’t like featured, but there is piano on the album and we do use some songs that people aren’t really going to expect it. We have a ballad with a full orchestra and a really like subtle, vulnerable creepy quiet song that like finishes the record. So I think those elements are starting to show up but it’s not going to show up in the sense of me playing piano.
How has the reception to your music varied from country to country? I know that New Zealand went nuts for you guys.
Justin: The Kiwi’s lost their minds! Australia was amazing too. They’ve all been; the audiences have always been over the top and insane in parts. I think what has been different, especially in New Zealand and Australia is that Pop radio stations have started playing our music and you know in America pop radio is only hip hop and pop. And for us to have our actual, real, rock and rock on the radio made our trips o New Zealand and Australia very good.
Cole: And I think in those countries, and Japan too, Rock and Roll isn’t that different from the main stream.
What can we expect from your new album (dropping this June)?
Cole: You can expect to have a lot of sex to it.
Justin: Yeah! The album is made to f*ck to.
You recently toured with (Iggy faves) Far East Movement in Japan with Lady Gaga. How was that?
Everyone: Great, yeah!
Dan: It was great they were really nice guys, they had like bear costumes and even a monkey costume and even these space helmets.
Cole: They have really good energy.
Justin: In America there were three people on the Gaga tour and we were first and then in the UK there were three and we were first, so the for all of New Zealand and Australia it was just Gaga and us. So with FEM it was the first time someone was on before us, so it was FEM, SPW and then Gaga so it was actually really awesome to have a band before us to kind of warm us up.
Dan: They did a great job.
Had you heard FEM’s music before the tour?
Justin: Yeah, I had because we’re on the same label (CherryTree). We just did the CherryTree House with Martin, and he’s so f*cking cool and with the CherryTree House it’s just great times. And so we heard about Far East Movement through Martin and CherryTree.
Did you get a chance to try on their amazing light up space helmets?
Group: No.
Justin: No, we didn’t get to try them on, sadly.
You’ve known Lady Gaga for several years now, and you had even performed together back in the day. How do you feel about her enormous rise to fame?
Justin: It’s amazing, you know I think every single day I’m more and more surprised by her talent and her intelligence. She just keeps getting better and better. And I think the mainstream was so boring and Pop music was so boring and the fact that this girl came along that not only writes unbelievable songs but also is so fashion conscious and insane. It was just perfect, everything she does is at the perfect moment for someone like Lady Gaga to exist.
Cole: She’s an icon for behavior, fashion and music.
How do you feel about the tables turning and opening for her now?
Cole: I don’t wish that she was just opening up for us for just 400 people.
Justin: No, it’s a dream come true and she loves our band soo much and she’s so gracious to us and she has the balls to bring a real filthy rock and roll band on tour with her is…
Cole: Loyalty!
Justin: …Cool. That idea of making all of these 15 year old pop fans watch a filthy rock band is an artistic choice unto itself.
Cole: That’s the kind of shit people talk about like “Oh many he’s so cool that someone would just put there foot down and do this” and she has the balls to that.
Justin: Yeah it’s just like if Madonna had had Guns N Roses open for them before they came out. It would have been just amazing.
You’ve been spotted at several events mingling with Gossip Girl’s Taylor Momsen. Have you heard her band, The Pretty Reckless, and is there any chance of a collaboration between SPW and her band?
Justin: I have heard her band. Well we’re touring with Gaga for about the next year.
Cole: Well he’s good friends with her so…
Justin: Anything is possible!
Can you tell me something I don’t know?
Cole: I busted my head open in Tokyo that first night! And bled all over myself and had a naughty Japanese nurse mend me up.
Justin: And there is something you didn’t know! A naughty nurse mended his face with latex!
Wickedgoodscene.com's newest project Destination: Rock Show went behind the scenes of the SPW Video Shoot for 'Semi Precious Weapons' to interview our boys. Check it out:
"We recently put our heads together to create a new web series based on the culture surrounding local music called Destination Rock Show. Through a friend of Sidehatch we got the opportunity to hang out with Semi Precious Weapons on the set of their first major label video shoot. Lucky for us the shoot was exactly what we were looking for. The inspiration for the video was their life and experiences together as a band, which translates to: a rock and roll party at an intimate venue in New York City.
What are Semi Precious Weapons? In the words of lead singer Justin Tranter: “filthy, violent but beautiful rock and roll.” Picture four dudes from Berklee; now picture one of those dudes in skin tight leggings, high heeled stiletto boots, flashing his nipple while shouting obscenities and how he’s going to sleep with your girlfriend after the show… More on this later. First let me tell you about their video shoot.
We arrived on set; where they were shooting at the Studio in Webster Hall. A cool 300 capacity venue our friends KID:NAP:KIN recently rocked. We were greeted by Matt from Interscope who explained how they were currently shooting in a decked out men’s room. I thought to myself….ah, ‘filthy glamour.’ Since we were all feeling pretty famished we went out to grab a quick bite before meeting up with the band. When we came back we were hustled through the crowd and squished into the green room, amongst suit cases spilling with batty get ups, makeup artists, feathers, sparkles, masks and champagne bottles plastered with Justin’s face, hairdressers and friends of the band primping to rock out in full glam. The band piled onto the couches to answer a couple questions with us. I didn’t even have time to think as Matt introduced me to them. Wait, have I ever interviewed a band before? Who are all these fantasticallydressed people hanging out in here? Didn’t I prepare a bunch of questions for these guys- where did I put those? Fallon was standing there, flip cam in hand, waiting for me to start so I had to say something. Eek! “How is it playing at Radio City Music Hall?” “Magical.” So we were off, our first webisode for Destination Rock Show. It was great hanging with the guys; Justin, Dan, Stevey and Cole; they were fun to talk to, sweet, genuine and undeniably charismatic. We chatted with them for a couple minutes before they had to shoot the next segment in the “gentlemen’s room.”
While they finished shooting in and around various parts of the venue we checked out the bands on the bill for the night in the Studio. When the set wrapped up everyone was cleared out except for those “who had the look.” “You know who you are.” Now the only inhabitants of the venue were folks of truly unique creativity and flamboyancy.Dan came by to make sure we were sticking around to party. We assured him we were pro at rocking out. No extras were hired, the band called up their friends and said ‘hey we need to show everyone what a rock and roll party with SPW is like, get here!’
While the cameras, track, and lights were set up we were left to party to some good jams, hang with some of the band’s friends and really just have a good time. For the remainder of the night we were encouraged to rock out like our lives depended on it, no, really rock out, ‘not like some NYU dorm party.’ Everyone was dancing like mad. At one point, while a member of the crew kept pushing us back into the crowd away from the camera track, we found our selves jumping (via fist pump) and rocking right in the thick of everyone with Justin smack dab in the middle of us. Everyone was awesome, each person added to the aura with an extravagant outfit or unrivaled dance moves. There were ladies in giant feathered wings, go-go dancers (male and female) in underwear, boas, faux fur, fauxhawks, masks, make up for all genders, sparkles, sequence, you name it. Glam rock is back.
When was the last time you saw a band that is trying to change the world’s view on music, fun, sex, gender, rock and roll, and glamour? Unless you have been transporting to and from Brit rock shows in the 80s featuring AC/DC, you haven’t seen anything like this. Watching Semi Precious Weapons on stage is like a rock and roll Altoid; curiously strong, you want to spit it out at first, but it’s just so good you have to keep sucking it. Sitting in the orchestra section at Radio City Music Hall where SPW opened for Lady GaGa, the night after the shoot at Webster Hall, we witnessed the initial disorientation first hand. The facial expressions on the folks around us were priceless. They sat there with their jaws on the floor, speechless, once in a while you’d hear a “what-the-f is this?!” from one of the dudes whose date was out perusing the GaGa merch. The outrageous behavior of SPW is an absorbing dose of the car crash effect. You can’t turn away. You MUST watch; and then, miraculously, you realize you’re getting your face melted off by unrivaled raw intensity and glam slammed like its 1983.
The band recently signed to Perezious, HausOfGaGa, Streamline, Geffen, Interscope records. They are a filthy glam rock band out of New York City who just recorded their self-titled EP at Ocean Way Recording with producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig. You can get your hands on three songs off their EP released January 19th; the remainder of their “You Love You” album is set to drop later this spring.
CK: How will touring Europe, Japan, AUS & NZ be different from touring in the US? Where are you most pumped to play?
CW: In the nicest way possible, touring overseas is exciting because the rest of the world isn’t as boring. We want screaming kids that still love exciting music. Japan is gonna be troublesome because Stevy may assemble a harem and disappear. Also, the UK is filthy fun and Aussies are big sex.
CK: What do you like best about touring together?
CW: We are like a family, the way real rock & roll bands should be. Touring is like a bad beach vacation.
CK: Do you guys have any pre or post show rituals you would like to disclose to our readers?
CW: Before the show every night, Justin sings opera and ghetto rap while doing splits. Dan barks like a small dog. Cole does muay thai and drinks whiskey. Stevy plays guitar. Truth.
CK: What is one thing EVERYONE needs to know about SPW?
CW: Something everyone should know about SPW is that we expect you to like us, but if you hate us, we still expect you to like something f-ing exciting. We hope you all get laid!"
Today on "Fab Friday" we're featuring Lady Starlight!
We chose Lady StarLight because I, being a major music buff was so impressed with her extensive knowledge. As soon as I learned she had the band Sparks on her podcast, I was in love.
(FYI. I went through a phase where I was listening to really Japanese inspired pop music like Aneka and then found Sparks & was just obsessed)
But nevermind all that, Lady Starlight is an indescribable artistic phenomena that's also part of the precious empire. We looked to her fansite for a proper description and they hit it on the head perfectly referring to her as "The queen of downtown New Yorks nightlife"
They write "she's been an influence on the Lower East Side club since since the early 2000's. Starlight is also known for her extravagant and unconventional street style. Inspired by the glitz and glitter of Ziggy Stardust to the spandex and leather of Iron Maiden, her look is always rooted in the sights and sounds of rock! Lady Starlights mission: to push rock n roll back into the pop culture spotlight while introducing this decadent world to a new generation of fans. "
And she is doing just that, with her outstanding knowledge of all things rock and her Fucking Fabulous store, Consume, Lady Starlight is the perfect rep. for anything fab.
Wanna rock some vintage SPW style? Visit consumestore.com to get your fab fix!
Good Afternoon Weapons! Sorry we haven’t updated in a while. Jawsh is starting hair school and I’m on P90x so i’m sore like 99% of the time. But… While we were out (i’m sure you knew this anyway, but i’ll post it regardless.)
SPW PREMIERED THEIR VIDEO!
We thought it was going to be on the 13th but those skalliwags released it on the 12th. (Jawsh and I, being broke had no internet at the time and made up an excuse so we could use our neighbors computer to watch!) and it was soo worth it. The internet is a buzz with the new filthy fucking glaMOURous video and here is an article we plucked by a guy who has a column called Burger With Relish… and his last name is BURGER! Get it??? here it is:
“Buzz-builiding neo-glam band Semi Precious Weapons premiered their new video for their track Semi Precious Weapons Feb. 12 on MySpace and it is currently ranked as the No. 1 video on the social networking site.
The video was shot at Trash, a premiere NYC nightlife club. Below is a note from frontman Justin Tranter about the “Semi Precious Weapons" video
“We really, really, fucking really, wanted to make a REAL NYC party video. Every band, pop star, guitar player, and girl group has made a quote unquote Party Video. But we wanted ours to be real. So we asked DJ Jess if we could take over his “Trash” party downstairs at Webster Hall since we had played that party so many times before. And then we had our actually bff’s and true fans fill the place. Lady Starlight, Darian Darling, Breedlove, Knehans, The Jocelyn, Mz Eddy, Stormy Leather and obviously us, Semi Precious Weapons all hung out, changed outfits, and lived life to create the best party video of all time. Champagne was spit, sex was had, filthy glaMOUR was created and The Precious Empire reigned supreme to create our dream rockNRoll party video.”
According to members of Semi Precious Weapons, the band will be making a cameo in Lady GaGa & Beyonce’s new video, “Telephone”. It’s being shot in the desert! All I know is Beyonce, Lady GaGa ANNNNNND Semi Precious Weapons in the desert is going to make for the PEACHIEST fucking video we’ve ever seen. Stay Tuned for Updates.
Couldn’t make it to Friday Night’s Shoot? Been depressed while watching everyone tweet about it? Well don’t worry. We feel the same way.
Thankfully drivenbyboredom.com was there to fill all the unlucky fans in on all the filthy deets:
“Friday night was pretty nuts. My boys Semi Precious Weapons are back in town doing a bunch of dates with Lady Gaga at Radio City Music Hall. They decided to turn the weekly Trash party into a shoot for their song Semi Precious Weapons. I figured the song was called I Cant Pay My Rent, But I Am Fucking Gorgeous being as that is the hook, but clearly I am wrong. Evidently its self titled. My fault.
Anyway, after hearing the song 25 times in a row Friday night I probably should be sick of it, but its a pretty serious song. They have done a video for it before, and used it as the sound track to a Beatlemaniaesque promotional video. It was also on their first album, and their EP and I guess it will be on their next album too since they are doing a video for it and all I am sure they are sick as hell of it, but thats how the music industry works. You have to promote the same 5 songs for three fucking years. Its pretty awful, but at least its a rad song and I am excited to see the video.
I did a pretty epic stage dive off a monitor into a crowd of 18 year old girls. Everyone moved out of the way and I landed on my back but not before putting my hand into the lovely Suicide Girl Bettinas face. Woops. Justin from SPW announced to the crowd that I had done that the last time they played Webster Hall and informed me that I had broken his friend Kristas wrist in the process. I felt pretty bad about that since Krista is my birhday twin (May 29th, 1980). No one broke anything this time, but my back still hurts like hell two days later. I hope it makes it into the video, but I have my doubts…”
Continue reading this fabulous article HERE… and also view the hanus gallery of fierce pictures fom that night!
“Whos broke and tours with Lady GaGa? Semi-Precious Weapons. I cant pay my rent but Im fucking gorgeous sings lead singer Justin Tranter. But with a new album out this spring and tour dates with the perpetually pants-less Lady GaGa (as part of her worldwide Monster Ball Tour), the glam-rock band may soon be able to afford things far more fabulous than rent.
Uncensored Interview sat down with the spotlight-grabbing front man back in 2008, and its no surprise the band has come so far in less than two years. Catchy guitar riffs combined with his flashy onstage antics have garnered comparisons to AC/DC, Queen and David Bowie. Rolling Stone suggested Tranter is like Adam Ant, T.Rexs Marc Bolan and Ziggy Stardust wrapped into one, singing lead on AC/DCs Back In Black.
Formed in New York City in 2004, the band released a new EP January 19 that includes three songs from their upcoming full-length, You Love You. The tracks were produced by Joseph Puig (Green Day, Beck) and executive produced by tourmate Lady GaGa. (We bet there were some fashion tips exchanged in those studio sessions, too).
And if you're wondering where Tranter gets all that sass, he borrows it from talented rock stars who have proven themselves worthy of admiration, in addition to tabloid trash who havent done much of anything.”
uncensoredinterview.com is currently down but the interview will be posted later.