'The New Playful Missdemeanors of Barbara'

Born under the Sagittarius sign, in Sicily, Italy, 1975, Misstress Barbara (spelled with 4"s" to understand 'miss' and 'stress') moved to Montreal at age 8, where she has lived ever since. She holds a degree in Communication Studies, specialized in Film, and obtained a license to fly gliders and Cessna airplanes at age 16. Her creative involvement with music began when she picked up the drums at age 12 and started playing in bands. For the next seven years she was absorbed by classic rock, by punk music, and all the hard music of the time.

In 1994 her musical interests shifted to electronic music. While attending numerous events, she literally fell in love with watching DJs work. Amazed by the beauty of the movement of their hands, she wanted to achieve the same talent and make everyone dance, so a year later she traded in her drum kit for two turntables and a mixer. In the spring of 1996, she got her first booking and hasn't looked back since; playing all the major cities from North to South America, Europe and Asia, along with Australia.

Bounding out from her techno roots, Misstress Barbara takes off in this new release, showcasing her love for all that is good music. Refusing the standard one-genre-one–sound that most DJs get pushed into, she walks over her own boundaries and treads off into the world of other genres. While stripping away the hard driven beats her fans relate her name to, she moves through an electro funk minimal spell, throwing in the occasional floor hitter that she will never really leave behind.

With her new release ‘Come With Me’, Misstress Barbara asks her listeners to remain with her through this adventure of techy rhythms, fusing together a sound from the past and her present adventure. This mix is complete with two of her own new tracks ‘I Love You’ and ‘Eleven O Seven’ that represent the new fashion of once deemed queen of Techno, this is Misstress Barbara at her best.

Chatting recently with Misstress Barbara, I first wondered at what point had she decided to leave her techno beats and roots behind to expand her own musical boundaries and journey into the world of other genres to make this new album? "I didn't really decide this at all. It's not something I sat down and thought of and then did. It just happened slowly with time as the more time was passing by the more my record cases were getting fuller and fuller of more minimal and electro tunes as opposed to techno. So, it all came naturally over the last year and a half or so. Besides, I still play Techno, do not get this wrong, it's just not as hard as before!"

What turned out to be the hardest part of doing such a thing? "Well, nothing was hard about it, but obviously the fear of confusing people and of disappointing my fans has been a big worry for me for quite a while. But I had to deal with this because my love for the music is stronger than any fear."

Being that this is new album is entitled 'Come With Me,' I'm wondering just where it is you would like us to follow you?! "In my musical trip, leaving all your boundaries and prejudices behind."

At what early stage did spelling your name with 4 "s" become the thing that just made most sense to you? "As soon as I decided to call myself MISSTRESS BARBARA!"

Since you have held a license to fly since you were 16, how often do you actually get to fly Gliders or Cessna Airplanes these days? "Not much at all unfortunately, like once every few years."

Out of curiosity, where and when did your love for all things "DJ" first originate? "From being a clubber back in 1994-95 in Montreal. I was always checking out DJs and fell in love with it!"

Also, whatever happened to "Barbara Brown"?! "She is asleep!"

For fun, and taking the titles of your own two new album tracks on this CD, please let us know:

'I Love You' - Are you currently in love with any one ... or any thing?! "I LOVE YOU" has nothing to do with love, but more with hate, believe it or not. It actually comes from a moment when I was not in love with anyone at all and I was actually hating someone very, very bad!"

'Eleven O Seven' - Has anything ever happened to you at 11:07 am or pm ... and if so, please tell us all the gory details?! "No. This track has been done on an 11th of July!"

What '80s (and possibly cheesy!) pop song would you love to cover today if asked ... and why?! "'Physical,' from Olivia Newton-John. Because it has a strong potential and it is very cheesy indeed!"

Lastly, I like Penguins ... do you?! "I love them!!!!!! Especially after watching 'March Of The Penguins'!"

Interviewed by Russell A. Trunk

If you would like to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of Misstress Barbara's brand new CD, just answer this easy question: On this new CD, Misstress Barbara hauls out all the hard hitting tech house tracks first, then after she breaks out a 1992 acid house classic by whom?!

Send me your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these great new and AUTOGRAPHED CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before May 15th with your answer and the subject title 'MISSTRESS BARBARA SIGNED CDs' to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net