SkidMcSkidder: Hi Pamela thanks for taking time out with me to do this "virtual Interview"

Pamela Hammond: MY pleasure! Thank you so much for asking

SkidMcSkidder: To get us started, let's talk about RedCell and how you guys got together - how long has the band been going now?

Pamela Hammond: Jeff Rabjohn (lead guitarist/ songwriter) and myself formed RedCell in 2003. We played together in a few bands previously.

SkidMcSkidder: And how long has the current line up been performing together?

Pamela Hammond: Jeff, Dave (the bass player), Brandon (guitarist) and myself have been together since last Summer. We recently acquired an awesome new drummer Troy, who has been with us since March of 07.

SkidMcSkidder: Cool. At what point in your life did you decide you wanted to front a rock band?

Pamela Hammond: Around the age of 12. That is all I have ever wanted to do.

SkidMcSkidder: And is singing your full time job?

Pamela Hammond: No. I work freelance as a voice over announcer in TV and Radio as well as teach music recording and voice over announcing at local Colleges.

SkidMcSkidder: Nice! And the other band members - do they do similar things?

Pamela Hammond: No. Jeff works in plumbing wholesale industry, Brandon is a plumber, Dave owns a rehearsal space (where we practice - Alleycat Rehearsal) and Troy works in post production.

SkidMcSkidder: So how has the reviews been for your debut CD release - 245t? I really enjoyed it as there are definitely flavours of some of my favourite bands in there such NIN & Ministry.

Pamela Hammond: Thank you! The reviews so far have been positive! We had a couple of slagging reviews which I loved!! I laughed my ass off!!! The Skidmark review was one of the most positive!! Glad you liked 245t.

SkidMcSkidder: Yeah, I really like the track "Kiva" - Out of interest what does the song name relate to?

Pamela Hammond: Kiva relates to an Anasazi and Hopi Native building. They are tribes of the Southwest USA

SkidMcSkidder: Ahhhh, the songs are educational as well! (Laughs Out Loud) While I'm in fact-finding mode, what was the thinking behind the album name "245t"?

Pamela Hammond: It is a substance somewhat like Agent Orange, a defoliant.

SkidMcSkidder: Cool... the lessons continue! So, have you gigged / toured much promoting the album?

Pamela Hammond: We just began playing live shows. Great audience acceptance!! We love being on stage. Have more shows booked. Looking to back larger acts. We would love to play in the USA and in fact are looking into some possible gigs in Los Angeles. Europe would also be an amazing place to play.

SkidMcSkidder: It'd be great to see you over here! What would you say has been your most bizarre gig to date?

Pamela Hammond: A gig at our guitarists birthday. Someone rented a hall.

Pamela Hammond: The feedback that night was louder than our band.

SkidMcSkidder: Heheh. Now if I was a potential groupie at one of your gigs, what would guarantee me all areas access to your hotel room?!

Pamela Hammond: you are walking a fine line here you know. Ha ha...I would have to see an all access picture of you...

SkidMcSkidder: Do you have much of a "hard core" fan following?

Pamela Hammond: I would say that the ones that were there from the beginning, are still there. We are gaining a new fan base with every gig we play, every web site hit and now since the release of our video for Nero.

SkidMcSkidder: Has the internet played a major part in promoting the band?

Pamela Hammond: Oh, for sure!! Previously when Jeff and I played in other bands is was much tougher. It was a huge effort for us to appear in Kerrang and Hit Parader, to name a few. There was really no internet music sites.

SkidMcSkidder: is your very cool website www.redcellaccess.com home grown or do you get a guy in to maintain it for you?

Pamela Hammond: Thanks again! I update some of the stuff. Chiko designed the site, played drums on 245t and maintains the official site with his company furnacefishmedia.com 

SkidMcSkidder: Have you ever played any live gigs via webcast radio brodcast over the net?

Pamela Hammond: No. But I hope to do that in the future. We will first have to find a good station to play on. I haven't researched that yet.

SkidMcSkidder: As you may have seen on SkidMark, I've had a long relationship with www.bumpskey.com who are an independent webcast radio show broadcasting out of New Jersey - Jerry the webjay is inspirational when it comes to indie music - he eats & breathes the stuff! May be worth checking out.

Pamela Hammond: Awesome!! Thanks for the info. I will be contacting him.

SkidMcSkidder: You mentioned earlier you've just recorded a video for the track "Nero" - can people check it out online at sites such as youtube?

Pamela Hammond: Yes, at www.YouTube.com/redcellofficial  as well as  www.myspace.com/redcellmusic.  The official RedCell site will have it posted soon.

SkidMcSkidder: Excellent! Will check it out myself ASAP! (I don't suppose the outfit you described for your MSN photo features does it?!!) (Laughs Out Loud)

Pamela Hammond: All I will say is, you will have to check it out.

SkidMcSkidder: Will do. You're working on new material for your next CD right? Will the next album have the same kind of vibe are will be even darker / heavier?

Pamela Hammond: Definitely! It wont have as much of a pop element as on 245t. The songs are slightly different though still keeping with the RedCell sound. So far, it is sounding pretty f$%&ing cool. The new album will be out next year. 

SkidMcSkidder: Can't wait! Is Jeff the major contributor still on the song writing scene or are the rest of the band more heavily involved?

Pamela Hammond: Jeff and I write the basic layout for the songs. The other guys come in and write their own parts. With 245t, Jeff and I collaborated, writing everything together to create RedCell's sound. 

SkidMcSkidder: So what get's you off most? Writing / recording or playing live??

Pamela Hammond: When I'm doing one specific thing I am in the mood for, I bask in it. Playing live is like making love to the audience. So I guess, writing/recording is the foreplay. (Laughs Out Loud)

SkidMcSkidder: Sorry... Imagination took over for a mo there! (Laughs Out Loud) So what's the music scene like in Vancouver?

Pamela Hammond: Hope you are in the audience some evening. The music scene has dwindled since the 90's. There are a ton of bands here but not enough venues to play in. Seems as though more and more bars are closing to make room for condos. The die hard fans DO turn out though for the bands they like.

SkidMcSkidder: It must the same globally - it's the same over here... Do you get many high profile bands visiting your neck of the woods?

Pamela Hammond: Oh yeah!! I had tickets to The Cure but they just cancelled due to recording commitments, have tickets to Satellite Party and Sham 69 are coming. Kiss etc etc.

SkidMcSkidder: I saw from your FAOTM info that Ozzy & the like used to hang out at "club Soda" - what kinda club was it?

Pamela Hammond: Oh man, it was awesome!! That was my favorite club. We used to play there a lot, Jeff and I, in our former band Love Junction. It was always SRO and THE place to be. We saw Ian Astbury, David Lee Roth, the guys from Aerosmith, Jon Bon Jovi and Motley Crue hanging out there. Sometimes, they would be in the audience when we played.

SkidMcSkidder: Very cool! God, the last time I saw Dave Lee Roth was when Van Halen supported AC/DC at the monsters of rock in '84... showin' me age now! (Laughs Out Loud) Sounded like an awesome place to hang!

Pamela Hammond: If it were around today, I would book us there! It was nerve wracking seeing your idols turn up at your shows!

SkidMcSkidder: I bet! On the subject of which... if you could put together a "dream team" backing band (without offending the guys of course!) who'd you front??

Pamela Hammond: It would be RedCell. I like writing my own stuff and Jeff is a great person to write with. We bounce ideas off of each other and it's very agreeable. Not much conflict. All of my favorite bands are mostly due to their singers so I would not be a good fit. If we were to BACK a band on stage, I would love to play with Ministry, Killing Joke, Rob Zombie and NIN.

Pamela Hammond: In addition, I love the guys in my band.  We now have the perfect line up.

SkidMcSkidder: I'd definitely pre-book me tickets for RedCell backing Ministry & NIN!

Pamela Hammond: I will book you tickets, backstage too I might add. Wear something sexy.

SkidMcSkidder: Loose fitting too?

Pamela Hammond: Do you own spandex pants ? ie the 80's?

Pamela Hammond: And a half top

SkidMcSkidder: Heh heh. Now that's something I couldn't picture myself in!! Perhaps back in the 80's I'd have got away with it butt-wise (Laughs Out Loud)

SkidMcSkidder: I've got leather?

Pamela Hammond: Yes, now you're talking. but cut out the ass cheeks.

SkidMcSkidder: Humm... not very practical at high speed on me bike....

Pamela Hammond: Bike? own a Harley? 

SkidMcSkidder: No way. I haven't the beer belly for one! I've a couple o' Kawasaki's

Pamela Hammond: (Laughs Out Loud). BEER belly! noooooo,,,fit guys like yourself ride Harleys too. Ian Astbury rides one I think. He lives here in Vancouver I hear

Pamela Hammond: I ride!

SkidMcSkidder: Bikes?

Pamela Hammond: I am not talking bikes though

Pamela Hammond: Ha ha

SkidMcSkidder: Great minds.. eh? (Laughs Out Loud)

Pamela Hammond: (Laughs Out Loud)

SkidMcSkidder: Still, we digress...

Pamela Hammond: Yes

SkidMcSkidder: Okay, if you could organise a world tour for RedCell, which countries would be at the top of your list to play & why?

Pamela Hammond: England, Germany, Italy, Spain etc etc. It seems as though the music scene is favored towards the heavier side of things over there. The US is also on the list which is why I am looking into Los Angeles. New York, Chicago, Detroit, Texas and of course Seattle. And, I would love to play Japan.

Pamela Hammond: I think that those places welcome heavier music and on an alternative scale. The music fans there are supposed to be on the wilder side.

SkidMcSkidder: We try our best!!

SkidMcSkidder: What would you like to see RedCell doing this time next year?

Pamela Hammond: Promoting our new CD, touring and backing up some larger acts in arena sized venues. AND, receiving a lot more fan mail of a naughtier nature. Underwear too, clean, not worn

SkidMcSkidder: Well I could definitely organise 2 out of 4 which ain't bad! (Laughs Out Loud) (Would that be male or female underwear though?).

Pamela Hammond: Hey now!!! 100% male!!!! for ME. The other guys, well.............who knows WHAT they're into.

SkidMcSkidder: Well Pam, as usual, I'm starting to flag after being at it for a couple of hours...wink, wink! Is there anything in particular you'd like to discuss?

Pamela Hammond: Our CD is available on itunes.com, and can be purchased at www.cdbaby.com/cd/redcell  additional topic... if anyone is interested in setting up an interview, CD review, booking or featuring RedCell they can contact us at [email protected]

SkidMcSkidder: Cool. Well here's wishing you luck with the success of "245t" - I sure as hell have enjoyed spinning it in the SkidMark audio system recently & I'm looking forward to the next release impatiently.

Pamela Hammond: Thanks Marko. I will also have some new photos to send you as we have another shoot tomorrow. Hope I have enough whipped cream for that one!

SkidMcSkidder: Ummmm. yum - whippped cream - I can lick that stuff all day! It's been an absolute pleasure talking to you Pam and I'm looking forward to "doing it" in the flesh with you when you jump the pond...

SkidMcSkidder: Take it easy Pam and keep in touch.

Pamela Hammond: Yes, thanks again. ttyl