Interview with The Great Kat

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THE GREAT KAT:
Ragin' at Cyberspeed

Interview by R. Scott Bolton - December 1998

She was born Katherine Thomas in Swindon, England and began her classical music education at the age of seven on piano and at nine on the violin in Long Island, New York. She won a full scholarship to the revered Julliard School and graduated with honors. She has toured internationally as a classical violin soloist, won the illustrious Artists' International Competition and debuted as a soloist at Carnegie Recital Hall.

But then Katherine discovered heavy metal, picked up an electric guitar, and changed her name to The Great Kat. With blistering speed and impressive metal chops, The Great Kat has injected classical music with "cyberspeed," bringing it into the 20th Century. She has released four CDs, a critically acclaimed CD-ROM (A PC Magazine Pick Hit) and talks almost as fast as she plays.

We asked the Great Kat for an interview and, by God, we got one. It's as much an infomercial as it is an interview but, hey, that's half the fun.

Rough Edge: When you were playing classical music, did you ever feel complete? Or did you always think there was something more you wanted to reach for?

The Great Kat: THE GREAT KAT IS THE NEW BEETHOVEN/GUITAR GENIUS/ JUILLIARD GRADUATE VIOLIN GOD/VICIOUS DOMINATRIX and The MUSICAL MESSIAH!!! The Great Kat HAS ALWAYS been on a mission to be a Classical Violin Virtuoso/Guitar Goddess AND TO REVOLUTIONIZE ALL OF MUSIC!!!! Now RUN to The Great Kat Web Site at http://www.greatkat.com to HEAR, SEE AND WITNESS the NEW MUSICAL MESSIAH!!!!!!!!!!

The Kat Web Site features:

1) The NEW "BLOODY VIVALDI" CD!!!-Get EXCITING, EAR-BLEEDING Music
Samples (Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons") from the GROUNDBREAKING new Great Kat CD "Bloody Vivaldi"!!!!!!
2) The Great Kat LIVE Music Video "The Great Kat LIVE at the Expo of the
Extreme!"
3) MUSIC VIDEO "DOMINATRIX”
4) KAT CD "GUITAR GODDESS
5) Cyberspeed Music: The Great Kat, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Wagner, Bach, Sarasate, Rossini, Chopin, Rimsky-Korsakov AND MORE!!!!!!
6) Kat Slave Club
7) Kat Club Guestbook
8) Kat Body Parts
9) Kat Paparazzi
10) Kat Merchandise
11) AND MORE!!!

Rough Edge: According to your bio, at one point you realized that classical music is dead. Tell us about that moment.

The Great Kat: After graduating from The Juilliard School, I realized that NO ONE EVEN listens to Classical Music ANYMORE!!!!!! Classical Music has been DEAD for AT LEAST 100 YEARS (since the destruction of tonal music and the introduction of atonality in the 20th Century)!!!!!!!!! I THEN decided to take Classical into the 21st Century with modern popular music. After hearing ALL forms of popular music, I came across a Judas Priest video and realized that Classical Music mixed with Metal is the music for the future!!!!!! I then picked up the electric guitar and began systematically transcribing all of my violin solos to the guitar, thereby INVENTING the NEW Music of the 21st Century: CYBERSPEED CLASSICAL/METAL!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Why the jump from classical all the way to heavy metal?

The Great Kat: Heavy-Metal is the CLOSEST form of popular music there is to Classical Music!!!! Classical Music AND Heavy-Metal BOTH use virtuoso motives, screaming vocals, morbid lyrics (in Operas) and layers of thick instrumentation, counterpoint and arrangements!!!! Now HEAR For YOURSELVES the UNIQUE blend of Classical Music AND Metal Music on the NEW KAT "Bloody Vivaldi" CD OUT NOW!! The NEW "Bloody Vivaldi" CD is the FIRST CD to combine a speed-metal band with an ACTUAL Chamber Orchestra (violins, violas, cellos, double basses) on The Great
Kat's Cyberspeed Version of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons"!!!!!!

We first recorded the MIDI drums, LIVE drums, bass, The Great Kat's 4 Guitars AND then added The Great Kat's SOLO violin, 1st violin, 2nd violin, and viola with a MIDI cello and MIDI Double Bass cello. ALL THIS INSANITY, PLUS THE GREAT KAT conducting!!!!!!

Produced by The Great Kat, "Bloody Vivaldi" is a groundbreaking 4-Song CD featuring:

-Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" -- an extraordinary 2 minute and 12 second Cyberspeed Classical/Metal version of Vivaldi's famous piece, with an ACTUAL Chamber Orchestra (Solo Violin, 1st Violin, 2nd Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass, and Conductor) AND full metal band. The Great Kat performs all violins, viola, guitars and conducts.

-"Torture Chamber" -- Kat tantalizes you with a little S&M on this mini-opera -- with crazy vocals, industrial sounds, screams, guitar wailing and abusive Kat lyrics.

-"BLOOD" -- The Guitar Dominatrix blows you away on this insane 39-second wall of guitar shredding - guaranteed to draw blood from your ears.

-Sarasate's "Carmen Fantasy" -- a Cyberspeed version of the Spanish Classical virtuoso violin piece with an electric guitar duet. Violin AND guitar virtuosity performed at unbelievable speeds.

RUN to the Kat web site http://www.greatkat.com to BUY IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: What was your transition from violin to guitar like?

The Great Kat: After being a violin virtuoso and playing complicated violin solos with millions of notes to perfect and memorize, picking up the electric guitar was SIMPLE!!!! The Great Kat and Niccolo Paganini are the ONLY two composers in HISTORY who have combined violin and guitar virtuosity!!!!!!!! Paganini first became a guitar virtuoso, THEN a violin virtuoso and The Great Kat first became a violin virtuoso, THEN a guitar virtuoso!!!

Rough Edge: Which classical composers transpose best to heavy metal? Which ones just don't?

The Great Kat: Best composers for transposing to Metal: Beethoven; Wagner; Bach; Paganini. Worst: ALL MODERN COMPOSERS WHO HAVE KILLED CLASSICAL MUSIC with THEIR BORING, LONG-WINDED "MUSIC" !!!!!!!!!! (Cage, Glass, Schoenberg, etc.)

Rough Edge: Tell us about your instruments. Any brand names you want to recommend?

The Great Kat: KAT Electric Guitars: Flying V Jackson;Flying V Gibson; Guild Strat; 5 other various electric guitars. KAT Violins: Italian 18th Century Acoustic Violin; Irish 19th Century Acoustic Violin; Alvarez Electric Violin; Several other acoustic violins

Rough Edge: There's an undeniable fury to your music that may be unmatched. Tell us about it.

The Great Kat: WAKE UP!!!!! The Great Kat's CYBERSPEED Classical/Metal Music is the ONLY Music that COMBINES These UNIQUE AND EXCITING ELEMENTS: RAGE; POWER; GUITAR GENIUS; VIOLIN VIRTUOSITY; GENIUS COMPOSITION SKILLS; Classical, Complex MUSIC; VICIOUS METAL RIFFS; Screaming VOCALS; SHORT, NO-NONSENSE, TO-THE-POINT, INTENSE EMOTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THAT'S WHY THE GREAT KAT IS GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Your amazing speed may also be unmatched. Is there a point that you consider "too fast?"

The Great Kat: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just because the REST OF THE SO-CALLED "Guitarists" Can NOT play technically FAST and ACCURATE, DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE GREAT KAT HAS TO SLOW DOWN TO LET THEM CATCH UP!!!!!!!!!

NOT ONLY The Great Kat's MUSIC will be faster in the future, but so will EVERYTHING in the 21st CENTURY!!!!!!!!! Faster Computers, Faster Internet Access, Faster Shopping, Faster Everyday LIVES!!!! You WON'T HAVE TIME IN THE 21st CENTURY to listen to SLOW LETHARGIC, BORING
MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Do you know heavy metal violinist Mark Wood? If so, what do you think?

The Great Kat: WHO??????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Great Kat is the ONLY VIOLINIST/GUITARIST/COMPOSER IN THE WORLD THAT MATTERS!!!! WAKE UP, PEASANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Have your professors/alumni from Juilliard heard your new music and, if so, what do they think?

The Great Kat: WHO GIVES A CRAP what those STUFFY, 16th Century, ARCHAIC, BACKWARDS, OUT-DATED, INFERIOR, "PROFESSORS/ALUMNI" from Juilliard think!!!!! You think Beethoven, Wagner, Paganini, Stravinsky and ALL THE OTHER PSYCHO COMPOSERS GAVE A DAMN what their PROFESSORS thought when they were REVOLUTIONIZING Classical MUSIC??????!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: When did the Dominatrix image come into play?

The Great Kat: The reason The Great Kat became a SEXY, DEMONIC DOMINATRIX is because ALL of you PENIS-OBSESSED, MACHO, CHAUVINISTIC PEABRAINS CAN'T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ELSE!!!!! The Great Kat HAS to WHIP YOU FAGGOTS into SUBMISSION to MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND CLASSICAL/METAL GENIUS!!!!! NOW BOW AND LICK MY GODLY FEET, SLAVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Have you played any guest appearances on other people's records?

The Great Kat: DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO OTHER PEOPLE'S RECORDS EVEN EXIST when the MUSICAL MESSIAH/REINCARNATION of BEETHOVEN/ BLOOD-DRIPPING HIGH-PRIESTESS of GUITAR SHRED IS HERE BLASTING OPEN YOUR DUSTY BRAINS with BRILLIANT CYBERSPEED MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Tell us about a typical live Great Kat show. Who the audience is, their reaction, etc.

The Great Kat: Kat Audience: Genius Kat Slaves who think FAST, MOVE FAST and REACT FAST!!!!!! VICIOUS, VIOLENT Brilliant Thrashers. Hyperactive, FAST-THINKING Computer Nerds & CyberFreaks. Classical/Metal Lovers GENIUSIZED by CYBERSPEED MUSIC!

Typical LIVE Kat Show: Kat fans proclaiming Kat's Godliness. Slaves rubbing Kat's back, licking Kat's feet, bowing and worshipping--on stage. Kat Whipping SLAVES! Shackling! Handcuffing! Chaining! Roping up of submissive victims in Kat's TORTURE CHAMBER. Shredding Kat Cyberspeed Guitar Solos. Kat's "SlaveMaster" and "Executioner" carrying out Kat's orders of abuse. Kat ritualistically baptizing slaves with blood on stage. Kat conjuring up the devil with demonic violin solos.

Rough Edge: Tell us about your CD-ROM, "Digital Beethoven on Cyberspeed"

The Great Kat: The Great Kat's interactive, multimedia CD-ROM "Digital Beethoven On Cyberspeed" is the FIRST Interactive, Multimedia Classical/Metal CD-ROM that EDUCATES, ENTERTAINS and EXCITES!!!!!!!!!!

GO CHECK OUT a PREVIEW of The Great Kat "Digital Beethoven On Cyberspeed" INTERACTIVE, REVOLUTIONARY CD-ROM FOR YOURSELVES at The Kat Web Site at http://www.greatkat.com.!!!!!!!!!!!

The Great Kat’s “Digital Beethoven On Cyberspeed” CD-ROM FEATURES THESE POWERFUL CYBERGOODIES:
1) CyberComposers
2) Kat TV (TV shows in the 21st century according to Kat)
3) CyberOrchestra: Play with 3D rendered Classical instruments!!
4) KAT IQ Test
5) Lifestyles of the Neurotic & Psychotic Music Geniuses
6) Kat Ride through Time
7) Kat Slave Club video
8) Five KAT Classical/Metal Songs: Cyberspeed Versions of Wagner, Bach,
Paganini, “Cyberspeed,” “Goddess”!!!!
9) MUCH MORE MULTIMEDIA CRAZINESS!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: What musicians do you admire? Which are you sick to death of?

The Great Kat: Musicians The Great Kat Admires: Beethoven. Bach. Paganini. Wagner. THE GREAT KAT.

Sick to Death of: NO-TALENT, FLACCID, LOSER MUSICIANS and THEIR DISGUSTING, SO-CALLED "MUSIC"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GIVE IT UP!!!! YOU ARE ALL LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rough Edge: Future plans? Goals?

The Great Kat: The Great Kat's future plans and goals: TO TAKE OVER THE MUSIC WORLD BY THE YEAR 2000 WITH CYBERSPEED CLASSICAL/METAL MUSIC AND MAKE EVERY ONE OF YOU PEONS INTO A GENIUS WITH CYBERSPEED MUSIC--WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW WAKE UP AND START SPEEDING UP YOUR BRAINS WITH CYBERSPEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOW TO YOUR GUITAR DOMINATRIX: THE GREAT KAT!!!!!!!!!!!! The Great Kat Guitar Goddess Web Site at http://www.greatkat.com.

Email The Great Kat at greatkat@greatkat.com
Write to The Kat Slave Club at P.O. Box 20554, Columbus Circle Station,
NY NY 10023
CALL TOLL FREE: 1-800-KAT-9199

WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE GREAT KAT IS GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Read the Rough Edge "Bloody Vivaldi" review. Click here!

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