The Rock Dose Interview With Fifi Larue, The Gothic Killer Clown OF Rock N' Roll

Some of you may be saying Fifi La-who? Fifi Larue, The Gothic Killer Clown Of Rock N’ Roll. The self proclaimed ‘Heavy Metal Messiah’. He may not have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame and he may not be selling records by the millions on a major label or touring the world over, but Fifi Larue has made a name for himself. Hated by some and loved by many more, Fifi Larue and his band follows along in the faded, yet still relevant foot-steps of some legendary musicians such as KISS, Alice Cooper and Twisted Sister.

Fifi Larue has played at ‘Rock The Bayou’ (even though the turn-out was weak because of the hurricane), opened for W.A.S.P., has a CD out on electronic distribution sites (without a label), and has even been joined onstage by Gene Simmons (ok, well it was an impersonator, so what). So you can call him fat, a joke, a poser all you want, but what have you got to show for yourself or your band?

I had the opportunity to fly out to Beverly Hills this past Friday and throw a few questions at Fifi. Ok, that’s a lie. I actually just sent him an e-mail and he was cool enough to get back to me the same day with his answers. Seems like a very genuine and nice guys to say the least.

The Rock Dose: Fifi, You’ve been doing what you do for a long time and have even said you’ll do it until your “old”. Do you ever feel that at some point that it’s becoming redundant and not fun anymore or is it just as fun as the day you began?

FIFI- Nothing gets old when you’re wearing make-up and dressing up like a Killer Clown! And who said I was having Fun? This is a job, to bring back Heavy Metal to the youth of today! The only redundant thing nowadays is Rap Music and Cookie Monster Metal…Ha! I serve a purpose I’m the Heavy Metal Messiah.  It’s better than the day I began! I have better musicians in my band now then when I started. You have to settle for what you can get in the beginning but, when you reach a certain popularity you always have the opportunity to get better musicians in the band and be a and become a better band later down the road!… but, I’ve always had great material and songs so, it’s always fun and it never gets old!

The Rock Dose: I like some of that “Cookie-Monster” metal, there is some really good stuff out there. You just have to be open minded as you have to with any music…except country.

The Rock Dose: You put a cd out last year. Has there been any label offers and is a new CD in the works?

FIFI- I put this Cd out on my very own! and I was fortunate to get it into a major record chain F.Y.E. Stores to start! Now, it’s all over the place and all over the Internet on iTUNES, RHAPSODY, AMAZON, CDBABY and a bunch of other Internet companies… so, I don’t think a label is the place for me yet but, I do have a producer who works with Sony who still has a lot of interest in the bands recordings!

The Rock Dose: Who is the biggest or favorite band that you have opened for and if you could open or co-headline with any band/musician, past or present, who would it be?

FIFI- I fortunately have had the opportunity to open up for bands such as W.A.S.P., Quiet Riot, Ratt, Faster Pussycat, L.A.Guns, Lizzy Borden, Angel, Murderdolls etc.  I almost had a opener slot with Alice Cooper a few years ago at the Grove of Anaheim… good things happen to people who just wait and I’m still waiting for a call from KISS someday! You never know? Stranger things have happened for this band! I think all these bands should get together before they all die… a Monster Rock Show KISS headlining, Alice Cooper second, Twisted Sister third and Fifi Larue opening up the show!… I’d pay to see this show wouldn’t you???

The Rock Dose: I’d hate to feed the KISS bankroll, but yeah I would pay to see that.

The Rock Dose: There is no secret that Alice Cooper is one of your influences.

FIFI- Who told you??? You know… they call me the bastard son of Alice Cooper? At least that’s what I’m told. I told Alice that once at Ryan Roxie’s house and when he was getting ready to leave after a recording session he said to me… “See you Later Son!” Pretty fucking cool… Ha!

The Rock Dose: How do you like his latest release “Along Came A Spider”?

FIFI- Great Band, Great Material, Great Songs from “The Godfather of Heavy Metal” what’s not to like?

The Rock Dose: The Fox “Reality” show ‘The Next Great American Band” was a crock of shit and I think everyone kind of figured that out in the first episode. The judges sucked and it was obvious that it was geared towards a more mainstream, radio-friendly, Pop oriented audience. Do you think your appearance on the show did you guys any justice?

FIFI- I had over 100,000 hits on my web-site during the first week the show Aired… so, 100,000 people now know who FIFI LARUE is including “YOU”!

The Rock Dose: Would they have been better off auditioning the bands in some sort of venue during a real live show?

FIFI- They did the 1st audition during the hot summer in Vegas and during the orientation the day before they did say’ it’s all about T.V. so, when the camera is shooting you… act like fucking Rockstars! that’s why you saw more of me and my band more than any other band on there during the first episode! You and I know that show would have done a lot better if I went through to the next round in Hollywood… but, I did go perform without a guitar player (Marcus couldn’t get off of work for the show!)and if they let us go on it wouldn’t have been fair and it would have looked like the show was rigged! So, I’m a T.V. Star now! but, at least I had a few words with Shiela E… I practically stole the show on the first episode… you should have seen all the other bands after we performed and talked with the judges! they all gave us a standing ovation! The bands loved us more than the judges go figure… What are those judges doing now??? I’m still getting on T.V. shows where are they now??? Hahaha!

The Rock Dose: You have a huge KISS collection. What other band memorabilia collections do you own that perhaps people would not expect?

FIFI- I just got my Gene Axe bass guitar signed by everyone in Gene’s Family and I got my Ibanez signed guitar by Paul and I’m waiting and hopeing to get Ace to sign my Gibson Ace guitar too… I got these’s after the Family Jewels show aired… so, maybe in another Documentary you will all have a chance to see them? I also, Have a cool Alice Cooper Hockey jersey signed by everyone in Alice’s band and Eric and Ryan Roxie gave me a cool Alice cane after a Alice show on my birthday! And Eric also, recently gave me a another Alice cane… pretty fucking cool shit! I would love to get a black signed Top-hat from Alice and a Paul Stanley signed firehelmet from them later… that would end it for my collecting this stuff! I’m all ready happy with all that I have… not to mention all the cool FIFI LARUE Memorabilia! maybe you’ll start seeing some FIFI LARUE stuff get on Eday soon! Their are a lot of personal gloves and Bloody baby dolls out there… that’s one thing I believe in, that’s giving things to the FIFI LARUE fans!!!

The Rock Dose: You mentioned in an interview awhile back with SLEEZROXX, that you intended on losing some weight after a lot of people insulted your weight in an earlier forum. Not that it is necessary, but have you made an attempt to lose any and just out of curiosity, what is your true height?

FIFI- do you think a Clown really needs to lose weight??? dontcha’ think it part of the character now?  I’m 6′ 2′ and I weight 235. If I’m going to lose weight I think I should get paid for it? maybe Jenny Craig will pay me to lose it, or how about Vh1’s Celeb. Fit Club??? I’m game…

The Rock Dose: You appeared on an episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels. Seriously, was that scripted or was it really a surprise to have Shannon Tweed show up at your place asking for KISS items?

FIFI- not at all scripted… I was told it was for a KISS Documentary for KISS fans and their KISS collection’s… I even had a guy come over (producer of the show) who looked like he was scoping out my collection before hand… kinda made me a bit nervous! But a couple of days later, the same guy came over with a camera crews! Then he told me to wait before you answer the door! The knock came… and their she was Shannon Tweed and next to her Tracy and Sophie… also, you asked me if it was scripted? When I knew a camera crew was coming over to my house for whatever reason, it stopped being about KISS and started to become all about FIFI LARUE… you should have seen Shannon’s eyes-roll over every time I plugged FIFI LARUE… as a matter of fact there is a about maybe another couple of hours worth of me just mentioning and talking about FIFI LARUE that I bet just hit the editing floor! Ha!~ and if Gene got to see it he was probably laughing his head off! what do you expect from “The Gothic Killer Clown Of Rock n’ Roll!”?

The Rock Dose: Follow up, is Shannon as beautiful in person as she is on television?

FIFI- Very beautiful!

The Rock Dose: The music business is a tough industry. How often do you get gigs these days and what else do you do for grocery/rent/beer money?

FIFI- I’ve been self-employed for 12 years now painting custom homes in the valley and orange county area’s alot of Celebs homes too… do you know FIFI LARUE painted a house once owned by Jane Mansfield? True, I did and I guess that’s why FIFI LARUE always has a Female Celebs decapitated head on stage with him at all times… her spirit is always around me! Hehehe…

I got a none pay to play gig to perform at Rock The Bayou in Texas a month ago… we just got on a plane and performed… too bad Texas had a Hurricane that same week… we just played another none pay to play gig at 14 Below in Santa Monica, and now we are performing Halloween Night at a Stadium Show in Lake Elsinore, Ca. for a Halloween Haunted Stadium, another none pay-to-play show. The only reason I mention this stuff about pay-to-play, there are a lot of people who think everything is about pay-to-play in this world and my world is always changing! Ha!

The Rock Dose: Do you ever watch Metalocalypse? If so, do you think the character Dr. Rockso, the rock n roll clown, was spawned from you?

FIFI- I looked it up real quick! Not sure what it is but any character who want’s to be a spawn of the Great FIFI LARUE, so be it? The more clowns the better…

The Rock Dose: Lastly, where do you see yourself in, let’s say 10 years and what plans do you have next for The Gothic Killer Clown Of Rock N Roll?

FIFI- Like I said before… I’m The Heavy Metal Messiah of Rock n’ Roll! I will be roaming all over this planet even when everyone is gone…I will be right next to Gene Simmons the only two living Cockroaches on this planet! Me and Gene…

The Rock Dose: Fifi, thank you for your time and good luck to you. Thanks.

FIFI- Thanks!

You can check out more of Fifi Larue at http://FifiLarue.com or at Myspace

Image used with permission from Fifi Larue