Chatting With Lindsay Schoolcraft

(Photo Credit: Marc-Antoine Jean.)

Cradle of Filth is a band that I’ve held in high regard since 1999. I own all of their albums and have had the pleasure of seeing them live a few times. You could imagine my excitement when Lindsay Schoolcraft, their current live session keyboardist and female backing vocalist, granted my first opportunity to interview a professional musician.

Lindsay joined the ranks of The Filth about a year ago. Given that Cradle of Filth is a UK based act, it caught my attention that someone from Ontario was joining them on the road. I’m from Michigan, so folks from Ontario are our neighbors, in a manner of speaking. Since joining the band, I’ve had a few opportunities to chat with her and, after traveling the world with a prominent extreme metal outfit, she still displays the humble nature of a regular girl from Ontario that speaks to everyone as a peer. Aside from being a remarkable musician, that’s one of her greatest strengths.

Below you can read her responses to  a few questions I asked regarding her time as a live member of Cradle of Filth and her solo project, Schoolcraft.

Cradle of Filth is the first internationally prominent band that you’ve been a part of. How has the experience impacted your life?

Lindsay Schoolcraft: “It changed everything for me in the best way possible. It was the first time I got to work with fulltime professionals. Whether it be the guys in the band or our tour crew, they had so much to show me. I got so see the world and meet a whole new fan base. The experience on stage was by far the greatest rush I have ever felt and working and performing with the guys in the band really gave me the confidence boost I needed a singer and performer. What we did in 2013 was a dream come true and I hope I can do it more with the guys in 2014.”

Cradle of Filth has had many skilled musicians come through its doors over the years. How does it feel to be placed among a pantheon of such great talent?

LS: “It was and is an honor. I am aware of the band’s history and to be part of that even for this short time has been the upmost privilege. I was a little nervous at first because the female singers and keyboardist before me left big shoes to fill, but once I put my own spin on things I became more comfortable. I also like how with this band I can embrace my darker side. It’s cool that I can say I can still be the same Goth girl I was in high school, but make a career out of it!”

In addition to keyboards, you pull double duty for live shows by providing female vocals. In fact, one of the first things I ever told you was that I preferred your rendition of Nymphetamine (embedded below) to the album version. How have fans responded to you?

LS: “At first I don’t think they knew what to think before I performed. Especially since my lighter solo music was all that was available to stream online at the time, but I had a trick up my sleeve. I have been studying not only opera, but jazz, musical theatre, folk, and rock styles of singing for up to 6 years now. I was able to manipulate my voice depending on what was needed in each song. Especially since the band’s catalogue has such a wide range of different female voice types. Once we started on tour I think everything smoothed out and the fans were very cool and accepting.

“I’ve had great feedback and reviews from all over about the Nymphetamine cover I did. I love covering other people’s music in my own way; it’s how I process my songwriting through my own mind. With Schoolcraft I plan to do at least 2-3 out-of-my-genre covers a year and bring them into my own sound. Kind of like a thank you to those songs and the artists who wrote them for making the piece in the first place and it helping get through a tough time. It’s not like I’m trying to do the song better, just in my own way.”

What Cradle of Filth songs do you one day hope to perform that haven’t been included in the live set during your tenure?

LS: “Definitely “The Death of Love” from the album Godspeed and The Devil’s Thunder. I even learned the keyboard leads on my harp for fun!”

What can you tell us about what the future holds for your solo project, Schoolcraft?

LS: “Many great things. A bigger, more orchestral sound that is almost borderline rock opera has been forming. I’ve had huge inspiration from musical theatre and Andrew Lloyd Webber lately. I have including an electric cellist in place of guitars and have been doing my own bass guitar work in the studio to fill out the sound. There are lots of plans for 2014. I hope I can deliver them all!”

I’ve noticed that two of your biggest passions seem to be music and Native American studies. Seeing as how I mostly write about geeky things, do you have any interests that would be classified as “geeky”?

LS: “Oh gosh, totally: I love to draw mostly for the sake of my own planned tattoos. I make my own jewelry now and also have crafted many beautiful headdresses with fake flowers or feathers and other gifts from Mother Nature I find on the forest floor.

“A cool hobby I had that turned into a lifestyle is veganism. Truly, I love animals and it’s also a spiritual experience for me finding harmony with animals. Alissa White-Gluz of The Agonist was my first inspiration and then I started by doing my research as a vegetarian and found more and more reasons to make the switch. As I fight fiercely for First Nations rights I also fight for those who cannot speak: Animals. And eating meat to me just never seemed right. It’s a never ending battle, but I feel I’m fighting the good fight and there is a constant stream for inspiring stories and issues to attend to. My favorite part is looking for cruelty and vegan beauty products. Yes, I am that girl who reads the label and takes forever in stores, but I feel better doing it.

“If there was anything else it would be collecting Black Milk Clothing leggings, you know, the cool print ones. Looking at art, mostly darker artists, and just enjoying a day with my favorite set of symphonic songs whether it’s metal bands or pop artists…. Or Bjork. Whatever genre she fits into!”

“Nymphetamine” featuring Lindsay on keyboards and backing vocals.

-Eric Joseph