Here is an interview I had with Sibylle Colin-Tocquaine, the first extreme female vocalist from France about the Thrash/Death metal band, Witches.
Greetings Sibylle and thank you for this interview, how things are going?
Hi Carla. Thanks to you! Everything is fine! We just played in 3 cities in France, another one will be confirmed tomorrow for the 20thNovember and we just announced that we will play in the biggest French festival in 2016, Hellfest!
Tell me a little history when did Witches was formed.
Witches was formed in 1986! Yeah, almost 30 years old! Witches was supposed to be an all-female band as we were 3 girls at that time playing together! But unfortunately we never found a girl drummer. My brother Alex who is guitarist / singer in Agressor, played drums with us in order to help us. So in 1991 I moved to Paris where I found some musicians, and at that time I decided that Witches will not be all female band. The quality of music was most important that the gender of the musicians!
You’ve released an EP this year under the name of “The Hunt”. Tell me something about it.
We planned first to record a full album for a release in October/November 2015. But besides that a tour with Venom inc and Vader was proposed to us, beginning on 20 September. So we decided to record “The Hunt” as a 6 tracks CD. So that we have time to do a good job and release it just before the tour. So we put in it the most violent songs that Witches ever composed!
There exist two albums as well, ”3.4.1” (1994) and “7” (2007).
Yes, “3.4.1” was our first full album (before that we had recorded only demo tapes (4 in total)). 13 songs recorded in Germany. This album came out in 1994 as self-produced, and a 2nd edition was released in 1995 on French label Abathrash was 1st issue was sold out. “7” was our 2nd full album (between the 2, there was demos CD). It contains 9 songs. Recorded in France, it came out in 2007.
Did you start writing materials for a new album?
Yes! Indeed! We had some others songs when recording “The Hunt” that we didn’t put on the CD. It is important for us to release a new album in 2016 because 2016 is the 30th anniversary of Witches! We are also working of older songs which will be improved … a version 2016 of the old songs!
What are Witches’ influences?
For sure: Thrash Metal, Death Metal. But nothing in particular! We just compose as our feelings, our hearts, our bodies, our envies want us to compose!
Witches was inactive from 1999 to 2006 then you got back, why was that break?
In France it is hard to find the right musicians, motivated enough to continue the adventure when it is hard to do albums, do shows etc… Some Past musicians had others projects beside Witches. So they did some albums, some shows with their other bands, then our paths went away. So I decided to find some other musicians.
Are there any shows confirmed for this or for the next year?
After our tour with Venom inc, Vader and Divine Chaos, around Europe, we played the next months in different parts of France, in little clubs. In order to reach more people who can’t go in big cities! A special show is planned next month in a hospital. For music therapy! Yes it’ll be great experience I think! And as I said before, we are just confirmed to play in Hellfest next year! Of course some other shows and festival will be confirmed soon!
Talking about you, you are considered being the first extreme female vocalist from France.
Yes, you’re right, people consider me like this. Because I began to sing like that in 1986 at the beginning of Witches, as you might know not a lot of girls were even listening to this kind of music, even less playing it, and even less singing it! So maybe yes, in December 86 I was the first in France to sing like that.
Sometimes you take part for live shows with the German Thrash metal band, Holy Moses, right?
Yes! Every times Holy Moses comes in France in Paris, I sing with Sabina on Stage, my favorite song is “Current of Death”, first time we met in 1990 in the south of France, when Holy Moses played in Bordeaux and Toulouse, she invited me on stage to sing with her this song! A great souvenir!
A last question, do you have a message for the fans?
First of all: Thanks a lot for your support! During all these years for the people who know us from the beginning! And of course a big thanks also to the younger who sometimes discovered and appreciated our music during our last tour!
Thank you for your answers Sibylle, all the best and keep rocking!
Thanks to you Carla to spread the name of Witches! Keep on Thrashing!
https://www.facebook.com/witches.fr/
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