Thunderheist
Thunderheist-the name itself evokes imagery of lightning and galloping horses; but if you ask the Canadian-based electronic-pop duo to explain their name, they'll tell you," We steal thunder, so you move that ass." Like a fireball, Isis Salam (MC of the pair), commands the crowd while producer and DJ, Grahm Zilla, provides a steady flow of pulsating bass. The team even adds a touch of dirty south Hip-Hip to the mix with tracks like "Little Booty Girl", which has Isis riding the beat like a customized Cadillac.
Following an intense European and US tour, the duo is currently in Toronto performing shows in support of their debut album, which is untitled and scheduled to be released March 31, 2009 on Big Dada Records.
I managed to catch up with Grahm and Isis for an interview after a Thunderheist show in Chicago and this is what was said:
StopBeingFamous: Let's start off with a question on everyone's mind; what's the song "Jerk it" about?
Isis: I guess you could call it a liberation song, but it's not that deep. It's for every person who thinks they're too fat or ugly or skinny or not what the status quo wants them to be; it's their song. It's a free zone; you can do whatever you want. Just own it, live it and be who you want to be. It's not about sex, although you're adorable (laughing).
SBF: I've read that Thunderheist was formed after an accidental MP3 upload; what exactly happened?
Grahm: I had Isis on messenger and my friend on messenger. My friend asked for a Thunderheist track, which was originally just me doing remixes. He said, "Yo, send me that new remix," but I accidentally sent the track to Isis. After hearing it, we decided to meet up.
SBF: When you first met each other in person, how did it feel?
Isis: It was weird; it was like online dating. You meet this person you've been talking to and have a relationship with (a platonic relationship, of course) and finally get to put a body and face to them. It was strange, Grahm came to a show I did where there were no more than 20 people in attendance. It was a non-promoted show for the Montreal Jazz Festival. He came through and was smitten by my stage performance and we decided to become an act.
SBF: I'm sure you haven't always made music for a living. What was the worst job you ever had?
Grahm: I was a bartender at a curling club.
Isis: (laughing) You never told me that! Oh my God. When?
Grahm: Before Thunderheist.
Isis: Dude, that's awesome!
SBF: What's curling?
Grahm: Oh, you're not Canadian (laughing). Curling is the sport where you use sticks to push huge rocks down an ice rink. They drink like motherfuckers and the problem is they use chips to pay; they don't pay with cash they sign off on it. So, at the end of the year, they're suppose to give ten percent of merchandise sales. Those motherfuckers are so cheap. I got 300 dollars for a year's worth of work.
Isis: My worst job? You know, as a Nigerian woman, I think I was spoiled. I was never big on working a job I didn't like, which is why I dropped out of the university. I don't do things I don't like. It's kind of a gift and a curse. My worst job was working at a shoe store, Nine West. I was maybe fourteen and I only worked there for two weeks. The reason I remember that job is because during that time, I found a kitten. One day, while I was at work, my mother kidnapped it and took it to a shelter. That's why I hate that job; Kittynap (laughing).
SBF: If you could describe what it's like to be an up and coming act, how would you go about it?
Isis: I think people assume it's this glamorous life, but at the end of the day we're lucky to be able to make a livelihood off of something we both are passionate about; and something I personally can't live without. It's not all limousines and hookers, although, that's what I thought it was going to be. When I first got to the green room and found out there were no guys from Chippendales there I was really pissed off.
Grahm: I was not expecting Chippendales, but I was expecting a fucking ice-sculptured unicorn.
SBF: How have your families responded to your emergence?
Isis: Grahm's family is awesome. Grahm's Dad has been to like four Thunderheist shows. He paid for our US work visas; he bought t-shirts. He is the dad we all want. My parents are awesome, but Gramh's Dad is like, awesome. He convinced Grahm to quit his job. My parents weren't super supportive. They always were like, "You're a really smart girl. You could be lawyer or doctor." So when I decided to do music, they weren't really stoked. I used to get phone calls from my dad or I would call him and say, " Hey daddy, I'm little short on cash for rent," and he would say (using Nigerian accent), "What do you mean? If you went to school and found a nice man, you wouldn't need to ask for anything. Why aren't you going to school? Why do you want to make music? What do you mean you want to be a rapper? What are you going to do; wrap gifts? What is a rapper? (laughing)" My dad said that and my parents were not supportive. Nigerians don't do the whole "belief" thing; it's all about results. I'm at a point in my career now where I have results. Now my parents are supportive.
SBF: Isis, in the song " Little Booty Girl," you say, " I'm the black Kate Moss." How so?
Isis: (laughing) Have you not seen me? I'm gorgeous (laughing). Black Kate Moss? I guess it means what you want it to mean. I would be the black Naomi Campbell, but she's already black.
SBF : There's a YouTube video of the two of you shooting guns at the gun range, is Thunderheist secretly gangster?
Isis: (laughing) I love shooting guns. I'm a really small girl, but I always go for the biggest guns. In my time, I've dated some gangsterous men and they taught me how to pop them guns. Guns? I guess for females it's like our penises. It's our chance to have some type of phallic, manly power. The force you get from shooting off a .45; it's like uhhh, orgasmic. I'm not big on hunting. I'm not a fan of killing poor, little animals for sport.
Grahm: My answer on this gun thing is, at first I didn't want to do it. I'm one of those bleeding heart Canadian lefties, but after I did it it was fun. I would do it again.
SBF: Isis, you performed at the Apollo theater. What was that like? They're notorious for booing. Were you nervous?
Isis: The Apollo, for people who don't know, is a circus. It's no longer the Apollo we all knew growing up. It's about TV. They tell you when to applaud and when not to. The sound guy, who sucks ass, played my instrumental at chipmunk speed. So, I had to do my performance twice and the crowd was not impressed. All I can say is, as an artist being able to touch the same stage that someone like Billie Holiday touched, that for me was all I needed.
SBF: At the end of the day, is there anything about Thunderheist that you'd like the world to know?
Isis: When we're in the room with you and we're performing, everyone is allowed to do whatever they want to do. At the end of the day, as human beings, we have so much heart. If we took in how much crap that's going in world, half of us would kill ourselves. So, if you're here and you're happy, hold on to that and milk it. That's what we want people to do. End of Interview
