The Lady Killers are being released

Black is BLACK
by THE LADY KILLERS
Tina Cross, Suzanne Lynch, Jackie Clarke & Taisha

NEW live album out April 20

THE LADY KILLERS are being released! BE VERY AFRAID!

The iconic Kiwi entertainers Tina Cross, Suzanne Lynch, Jackie Clarke & Taisha are The Lady Killers and they’re releasing their debut live album BLACK IS BLACK on April 20.

Featuring 14-tracks of pop hits including Black Is Black, Queen’s Somebody to Love, Madonna’s Like A Prayer and Guns ‘n Roses Sweet Child o’ Mine, this album is a blast from the past with a fresh spin from our fabulous stars.

BLACK IS BLACK has been produced with much love and care by the women and will be distributed by them with the assistance of Ode Records. It will be available from all good retailers nationally from April 20. As a special bonus, if you buy BLACK IS BLACK at The Warehouse, The Lady KIllers will give you a special pair of limited edition LADY KILLERS knickers for free (while stocks last), making the album a perfect gift for Mother’s Day.

The Lady Killers’ Jackie Clarke says the band decided to make a live album rather than a studio album because “we’re all about our live shows and the energy and fun that are created whenever we hit the stage.

“We have a ball and we wanted to capture that! We literally wanted a ‘record’ of a concert for ourselves and to share with our friends, whanau and fans. So when a great opportunity came along to do a charity concert at the Bruce Mason Centre we jumped at it – kill two birds with one stone – make some money for some community groups and make a live recording.

“We decided early on to record three studio singles to compliment the live tracks ….you know the story… typical women – we want our cake and eat it too.

“Number one choice was Black is Black. We all remembered it from the disco era - well not Taisha, she’s a tiny bit too young to remember it, but we don’t hold that against her! The version we knew was by a fruity trio called La Belle Époque – tres euro trash chic! But then we trawled you tube to find the original version by Los Bravos and fell in love with it’s muscular style. Then it was just a case of calling Suzie’s son Andy ( Zed, Atlas, The Feelers) to round up a band of hot young players and off to Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studio we went to record Black is Black – Lady Killers style.

“For the other two singles we turned to veteran music producer James Hall. We chose him because he’s one of the few men we know who’s not put off by the amount we can talk. We settled on Love in an Elevator which is chock full of the guns-blazing harmonies we love. Plus the song has a certain hooney quality and a ‘take no prisoners’ attitude that we really love!

“Finally we wanted something a little sweeter to round the album off. The Stylistics classic – You Make Me Feel Brand New – is just perfect. I think either Tina or Jim came up with that one. Those choruses are just bliss to sing – absolute vocal heaven.

“Choosing the live stuff for the album was a nightmare – what to include, what to leave off, editing out the constant yakking and laughing we did all night, choosing which solos to put on so all us gals get our wee moment in the spotlight – sheesh it was tricky but worth the effort – we think we got the balance just right.

“We’ve got a couple of signature tunes which were no brainers’ - Queen’s Somebody to Love and Foreigner’s I Want To Know What Love is. Both songs feature some A-grade wailing from Taisha, who can open her heart, lungs and soul on command and sing like an angel and the devil, combined.

“Taisha also does a spine tingling version of a gospel number called I Am Ready – it’s written by Dolly Parton’s sister Rachel – so we’re pleased to have that connection to a female singer/song writing icon.

“Tina’s husband Wayne chose Tumbling Dice for us – he’s a major Stones fan and Tina was looking for something rocky to get her teeth into instead of being our one-woman pop department. Like a Prayer had to make the cut because we play this at every live concert and the crowds universally go wild – its irresistible - especially the way our Tina sings it.
“Sweet Child is the same – the crowds go wild when they see Suzie tearing up this guitar rock classic – or rather half the crowd goes wild - the other half is in shock from seeing the girl who sang “I Love You Timothy” out-screaming Axel Rose. She may be small but the voice is huge. Old Man is our favourite four-part harmony piece and some nights when we sing it, it’s so delicious we have to stop and pinch ourselves.

“Piece of My Heart we chose because we love having a good old unadulterated scream, it’s a bona fide female rock classic and I just love the way the bvs sound – my bitches sound bitching!

“The ELO tune Telephone Line was one of the very first songs we put on the to-do list when we initially met to talk about joining forces. The gals say I was bossy and made them do it - I say love me, love ELO.

“We just had to include Good Vibrations by the Beach Boys. The arrangement has everything in it that we love about singing together – it’s challenging, musically entertaining and we have a good giggle at the end of it – while at the same time we pay homage to one of the great songwriters/arrangers of the 20th century.

“Finally, for posterity, we included a live version of Black is Black that owes more to the disco of La Belle Époque that the guitar pop of Los Bravos….. what was that I said about having our cake and eating it too? We were imagining ourselves as drug enhanced German female shot putters at the time, having far too much fun….. I guess you had to be there and if you weren’t, you’d better buy the CD.”

Enjoy –we did and we do.

ENDS

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