INTERVIEW: IN CONVERSATION WITH WEDNESDAY 13
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
Mid-Death Crisis and Australian Tour
What does a Wednesday Addams dress, glam rock and imagery about horror, death and destruction have in common? Wednesday 13 and the coming ‘Mid Death Crisis’.
The ghoul of cool, Wednesday 13 (aka Joseph Poole), is back with new music: his fabulous new album ‘Mid Death Crisis’ and a coming tour to bring that sound to Australian shores. Wednesday 13 is about to embark on a huge concert tour across the nation with Tasmania’s own Kim Dracula. “We are super excited to be touring with Kim Dracula,” stated Wednesday 13. “We will bring our high energy show. But we are looking forward to seeing Kim Dracula and that different vibe. It’s great to see new generations getting into the music”.
Wednesday 13 was born in the mid-1990s, inspired by Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family and the unlucky number 13. “That was the name I created for my character because I used to wear a Wednesday Addams dress when I was performing on stage,” explained Wednesday 13. “It kinda stuck, and I’ve been doing it now for nearly 30 years”. Wednesday 13’s background is impressive with his beginnings in the Murderdolls alongside Slipknot’s Joey Jordison, he carved out his own space and has had a long-running solo career. He is one of the glam metal scene’s best and most charismatic shock rock’s front men.
Wednesday 13 has released ten solo albums, lots of EPs, and continues to direct his own musical journey. His new album ‘Mid Death Crisis’ is an absolute winner. The sonic landscape has the slashing guitar riffs, thumping bass lines with touches of gothic rock and grunge added to the rock ‘n’ roll palette. But it’s the songwriting with its dark sense of humour that shines through. “It’s the most fun I’ve had making a record in a long time,” said Wednesday 13. “Usually, I don’t like the recording process much. But this record just flowed out of my life experience. It was fast to write as well – just three months. I always try to write the best songs otherwise, I won’t put them out. From writing to recording, everything just clicked. For the first time, I loved every single track on the album. I left the studio and I knew, I liked it and hoped my fans would as well”.
The album ‘Mid Death Crisis’ rocks a balance of humour, darkness and honest emotion. “I can’t wait to tour the album in Australia and see what fans think of the songs,” stated Wednesday 13. “Not only do we have a lot of fun when we play in Australia, the vibe is always so good, the album of songs is good. I have a sarcastic take on life that I hope fans appreciate. I hope fans can see at the gigs that touring, we’re just getting better at it. Actually, that’s where the title for the album came from – I was complaining after a gig that I was getting old and my guitarist walked past me and said – ‘Oh…mid-death crisis’ and I really liked that phrase and the fact he was telling me to get over it. I knew it would make a good song”.
Wednesday 13 shows no signs of slowing down. His love for the music and his unrelenting drive have made him one of the genre’s most enduring figures. “We can’t wait to tour. I love what I’m doing,” exclaimed Wednesday 13. “I’ve been very fortunate, and it’s been a fun ride. And it’s not stopping anytime soon. We really want to see the generations of fans enjoy these concerts – old and young – we are going to bring that high energy performance to the table”.
So, come along and have fun singing along through murder, death and dying.
