NYC rockers Tragedy are a hip-shaking-heart-breaking all metal tribute to the Bee Gees. We caught up with lead singer Robin Gibbens on there recent UK tour to get the dirt!
Where are you at the moment? What’s the view from the window?
Riding in the bus from Manchester to Wales. The view is beautiful Welsh countryside. That might be an oxymoron to the English – but to an American with eyes wide open, it’s top notch terrain. And the Welsh people are sweet as hell too.
What’s a typical day like for you at the moment?
We’re on tour in the UK as Im writing this so it typically goes:
Wake up in the hotel room and make sure that the bird asleep next to me is as pretty in the morning light as she was in the late night haze. Currently on this tour I’m 5 for 6. Suit up and hit the road for a 3 mile jog. Back to the hotel for another quick workout with said lady friend. Hit the shower and get back on the tour bus by noon. Head to the next city – soundcheck – dinner – chin up contest with Gibbous Waning our bassist – shower – apply TONS of glitter – suit up for the gig – Rock Sweet Balls and Melt Faces – meet and greet fans and sign autographs and pose for pics. Chat with chicks and do it ALL over AGAIN and AGAIN!
What’s the most exciting thing about NYC at the moment?
The fact that we’re in the UK. Good for us – as it’s our home away from home and we’re always greeted so warmly here. And exciting for those left behind in NYC as our absence makes their hearts grow fonder.
How do the NYC fans compare with there UK counterparts?
There were a lot more of them in NYC but that tide has been changing on this tour. And the Brits are definitely more fashionable and physically expressive, if you know what I mean.
What song do you wish the Bee Gee’s had written, so you could then play it in your set?
Loveshit by the Wildhearts. What’s New Pussycat by Tom Jones. Believe by Cher
Whats your craziest post gig experience?
Playing the Norva Theater in Norfolk, Virginia over the summer. Best backstage of any club we had ever played. Huge hot tub, sauna, 5 private showers. We had a friend give out 50 backstage passes to the hottest girls there. Then announced from stage that hot chick, and ONLY hot chicks could come backstage to party in the hot tub. We instructed security that NO dudes NO MATTER WHAT could come backstage. Within 15 minutes of getting off the stage there were 15 girls naked in the hot tub – all of us running around like wildmen, all to a soundtrack of dirty south hip hop. It took a few hours for the party to wind down – but all of our “guest” left completely, uh, satisfied. My energy drained, I was quite thankful that the hotel was just a short walk down the street. But when I got there it was obvious that this was the hotel that all the bands stayed in, because there were smokin’ hot twins waiting for me in the lobby. It’s not very often I don’t get ANY sleep between gigs – but there was still plenty of work to be done, and I never leave a job half finished.
So I guess craziest post gig is a toss-up between that and the time I got a blowjob in the backstage stairwell of the Bowery Ballroom in NYC. By a 400 pound self described “cock loving lesbian”. While the rest of the band, venue staff and friends had to walk by to get in or out of the dressing room.
Have you ever thrown a TV out of a hotel window?
No, most hotel room windows don’t open, or if they do, they don’t open wide enough to get the TV out. I did throw my own 27″ TV off the roof my my apartment building with my best friend Stitch a few years back. Was so fun we took to picking up random discarded TVs on the streets of NYC on trash day and bringing them home and made it a regular occurrence.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever done?
Is that a trick question? We may have played in a few shit holes in our time, but just the face that TRAGEDY was rocking sweet balls means it COULD NOT have been a bad gig.
If you were on the internet for 1 hour what sites would you look at?
I’d check google alerts for new information of how awesome I am. That takes at least an hour every time Im online.
What have you regretted doing most whilst drunk?
Running out of drugs.
What has been your strangest brush with celebrity?
Me and Ginger Wildheart drinking in NYC in November 2007. 2AM in the morning and Dolly Parton comes on the Jukebox at the Rodeo Bar. 16 hours later we’re in Pigeon Forge, Tennesse at Dollywood – her own theme park – still shitfaced. And not even sure how we got there. Or back. But when we came to in NYC we had matching Dollywood tattoos. Next time you see either of us just ask to see.
Have you ever committed a fashion crime?
I create fashion laws. Civilians commit the crimes.
