Interview with Singer Elkie Gee of Front Row Warriors (Germany)

March 18, 2024

Interview with Singer Elkie Gee of Front Row Warriors (Germany)

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.

Elkie Gee: Hi Mick, thanks for having me, it´s my pleasure.

CV: Do you feel Heavy Metal music in general is viewed differently by fans in Europe compared to fans elsewhere, especially in America, and if so why?
Elkie Gee: It's difficult to judge, there are a lot of fans from all over the world at our metal festivals in Germany, including many from the USA, and I always see a big family that is united by the music. What I've heard from some bands from America is that they really like coming to Germany to play, because the scene here is still relatively big.

CV: What do you feel makes Heavy Metal music so alluring to the fans? What is it about the music that personally resonates so strongly with you?
Elkie Gee: Our music has so many different varieties, it is loud and fierce, honest, sensual and live it seduces you to move, to sing along, to escape everyday life for a few hours. And it is and always has been also for the outsiders, a home so to speak. For me, she has been my companion since a young age, in her I found myself and was allowed to be who I am.

CV: Has Metal splintered into too many sub-genres in your opinion, thus, making it harder for newer bands to actually classify themselves as one style over another? Is it confusing for fans as well?
Elkie Gee: Yeah, I think you can recognize a huge amount of creativity in the metal scene by the countless subgenres, which is great of course. On the other hand, it's honestly sometimes confusing and difficult to categorize a band's style. You can see that many reviewers classify us completely differently. But the transitions are also a bit fluid, which makes it difficult for the fans at times.

CV: What do you feel makes your band and its particular approach to songwriting work? What keeps the band together and making music?
Elkie Gee: I don't know if you can call it successful, but we work on our songs in a very band-oriented way, which means that everyone can and may present their ideas, some of them are used immediately, some of them lie in the drawer for the time being and many of them arise spontaneously while jamming together.

The fact that we've all known each other privately for a long time and really like each other, go to concerts together and celebrate our idols, that's probably the secret of FRW.

CV: On a more global view, how do you see your band’s music and songwriting separating itself from just being another Heavy Metal act?
Elkie Gee: That’s a tough question, maybe because we are a female fronted band, but this is nowadays nothing very special…. I think we do what we love and what we listen by ourselves, melodic old school rock and metal with catchy melodies and a lot of great guitar solo.

CV: Can an artist truly be unique? Some would argue there is no such thing as being unique; that it’s nothing more than a compounding of influences making an artist who or what they are. Would this then say that artists today are destined to be just copies of those who have already come to pass.
Elkie Gee: On the one hand you tend to compare, unfortunately we all do that again and again... On the other hand, there are heaps of very authentic, dazzling figures in the metal business, very idiosyncratic players both visually and stylistically. I would speak of uniqueness, it always surprises me how imaginative people can be and reinvent themselves. Sometimes you stand in front of a stage and are fascinated by a very young band that sounds totally fresh and new and is also incredibly innovative in terms of their stage acting.

CV: Are there life lessons to learn being in a Heavy Metal band that you feel cannot be taught elsewhere? If so, what are they?
Elkie Gee: I think anyone who has ever played in a band knows that there is a constant threat of surprises of all kinds, you always have to keep the ship and the crew on course. In every case it would be an advantage when you have a psychologist in the band, especially in younger years.

CV: What do you feel makes someone a “rock star”? Does being a rock star automatically make one iconic or are the two completely different in your opinion?
Elkie Gee: Every rock star is an icon as well - for me. When I for example think about guys like Steven Tyler or Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford only to mention a few, those guys have such an extreme glamour, such a special tone and a very special aura.

CV: What's next for you?
Elkie Gee: Next we'll be playing a lot of concerts, we're incredibly excited to finally be able to present this album live. We play with a few American bands like Wings of Steel, Vicious Rumors and our dear friends from Riot V, which is something we are particularly proud of. At the same time, we are writing songs for our second record, which will be released in 2025.

CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
Elkie Gee: Thank you, it was a pleasure, stay healthy.

Check out Front Row Warriors at:
Official: https://frontrowwarriors.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FRW.official

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.