Australian modern-metal outfit The Last Martyr recently dropped their latest hard-hitting single and eyecatching video Hindsight. Today, vocalist Monica Strut truly earns her status as a martyr by taking one for the team and gracefully suffering through my dumb questions. In hindsight, a little foresight might have saved her a lot of trouble. Read on:
Introduce yourself: Name, age (feel free to lie), home base and any other details you’d care to share — height / weight / identifying marks / astrology sign / your choice.
Hey I’m Monica Strut, the vocalist of the Australian heavy rock band, The Last Martyr! I’m a Sagittarius Sun (which means I’m adventurous and have a problem with authority), Gemini Moon (which means I spend more time thinking about emotions rather than feeling them) and Scorpio Rising (which means that when you first meet me I seem dark and mysterious … but I’m actually I’m pretty happy-go-lucky)!
What is your musical origin story?
I have always wanted to be in the entertainment industry since I was a very young child. I thought it would be as an actress but someone introduced me to rock and metal when I was 14 and I have wanted to be a musician ever since!
What’s your latest project? Tell us everything we need to know.
The Last Martyr are a four-piece heavy band about to release our new EP and a bunch of singles. It’s weird, nu-metal influenced with a touch of trap. Basically it’s heavy and melodic and a bit odd.
What truly sets you apart from other artists?
I think every artist is unique and has something different and valuable to bring to the table. For me, I hope that I can use my voice to inspire others to live life to the fullest and not feel pressure from external sources to be anyone other than who they truly are.
How will my life improve by listening to your music?
I hope to inspire you by being raw, vulnerable and who I truly am.
Tell us about the first song you wrote and / or the first gig you played.
Pretty sure the first song I wrote officially was when I was 12 and someone stole my school bag with a bunch of my favourite things inside. It was quite a jazzy number and I can still remember the tune to this day! I performed all the time in front of anyone who’d look and listen when I was a kid but officially when I was 15 I performed at a local Christian music festival in my all-girl punk band The Vinyl Dolls. We didn’t really fit on the bill to be honest!
What is the best / worst / strangest / most memorable performance you have given?
In my old band I played on top of a mountain at this outdoor festival on an island in Bali. We were completely secluded except for all these punks that emerged from the forest. It was wild.
What is the best / worst / strangest / most memorable performance you’ve seen?
There are a few but watching the vocalist of The Bloodhound Gang chug a jug of beer, throw it up back into the jug and drink it a second time does stick out.
What living or dead artists would you collaborate with if you could?
Chester Bennington was a huge influence on me when I was younger, so a duet would have been amazing! RIP.
What artist or style of music do you love that would surprise people?
It wouldn’t be surprising to anyone who knows me but ’80s glam-rock probably!
Tell us a joke.
Donald Trump.
What useful (or useless) skills do you have outside of music?
I’m a digital marketer and music journalist so I help other bands learn to promote themselves properly which is pretty useful.
What do you collect?
Crystals … don’t judge me!
What would you like to be reincarnated as?
A cat. All they do is sleep all day. It’s a good life.
What’s your idea of perfect happiness / total misery?
Perfect happiness is being able to wake up and do what I love all day. I’m happy to say as I’ve just taken the leap into working for myself (with my band coaching and marketing business) and with my band being active again, I feel pretty lucky! Total misery was going to a 9-5 every day where I was understimulated, underpaid and miserable.
What’s your greatest regret?
Everything that’s happened has led me to where I am now — no regrets, just lessons.
What are you afraid of?
I used to be afraid of the word moist, but I did exposure therapy on myself and now I’m cool with it.
What would the title of your autobiography be?
New Age Rebel Girl … I have no idea tbh!
Who should play you in the movie of your life?
Rob Schneider.
What’s your motto?
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t — you’re right.” – Henry Ford.
What’s always in your refrigerator?
Olives.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
As much as there may be a few things I have wanted to change in the past, when I really think about it, I wouldn’t change anything! I think everyone is an individual and that’s beautiful.
What’s the silliest thing you believed as a child?
That those older than me knew more.
What world record would you like to break?
Most dogs owned by someone.
What’s the best and / or worst advice you were ever given?
I have been given so much good advice but something that stands out was from my Dad who told me to find what I loved and figure out a way to get people to pay you to do it!
Check out their videos above, hear more from The Last Martyr below, and keep up with them on their website, Facebook and Instagram.
