Balancing Professionalism & Individuality in the Music Business
By Willie K. (Spring 1998)

It is not uncommon, in this day in age, to see the images of pop superstars plastered on magazine covers and record store windows. Various types of media bring adoring fans stacks of interviews and press releases concerning the performance techniques and private lives of pop sensations, but these articles rarely give the public a glimpse of the intensely personal nature of the performance. Recently I had the pleasure of an exclusive interview with Britain's latest pop success story, the Prima Donnas.

After years of playing local pubs and "buckets of blood" in their native country the Prima Donnas finally began to see success with the release of their breakthrough "B.O.D.Y.H.E.A.T." EP on Euro No No, a major European label owned by eccentric gay billionaire Sigourney St. James. Though the album only sold around one million copies, "Everyone who heard it started a band," commented Otto Matik, the group's abrasive lead singer.

Their follow up effort, the Drugs, Sex, and Discotheques triple LP, went platinum several times and continues to sell. These and other releases reinforce the band's claims of being the most influential and adored British supergroup in decades.

The Prima Donnas do not hesitate to call the UK home, though they were exiled from their native Sussex England several years ago, reputedly for serious drug crimes, and forced to disguise their identities. I caught up with Otto Matik and Nikki Holiday of the Prima Donnas in Austin Texas, after being given the usual run around by various members of their management team including, publicist Leia Parsiphone, assistant manager Boris Brodsky, and manager Sir James "Precious Gem" Kieke. The results of several weeks of persistence finally paid off in an exclusive interview. During the interview I attempted to gain insight into the deeply personal nature of the group's performances by inquiring about their pre and post performance regimens.

Their rapid rise to stardom has changed the band's outlook on life, as well as several of their pre performance routines. Matik recalls the group's early performances as being particularly stressful due to the intense competition of the local club circuits. He compares those days to the children's game Man on the Mountain, commonly referred to as King of the Hill in America. Their newfound success and professional management help the Prima Donnas deal with many of these past issues.

Success, however, is accompanied by new pressures and problems that must be dealt with before a performance can take place. "One of the benefits of money is its ability it help the band handle stress indirectly," explains Holiday. An example of this is Roger, the bands personal masseuse.

Matik sums up the benefits of success by stating, "Climbing the ladder is harder than kicking the people behind you off the ladder."

Success, for the Prima Donnas, also includes an intense pressure to perform for their fans. Matik claims that no such obligation exists, but he can't help feeling it. To meet this obligation the Prima Donnas have radically altered their personal habits. Holiday insists on abstaining from yeast and adhering to a strict diet of greens, especially celery, before performances. Meanwhile, Matik regularly feasts on pasta, for carbohydrates, twenty-four hours before a performance, and makes a point of avoiding solid food during the nine hour period that directly precedes the show. The only nourishment Matik gets during these nine hours is derived from tea and honey, which help preserve his voice.

To help them deal with the intense nervousness that accompanies a performance the Prima Donnas consume inordinate amounts of Valium. According to Matik this nervousness results from knowing the show will end, rather than fear of producing a below par performance.

The most unusual ritual of the group belongs to Holiday. Apparently on the group's rise to superstardom he inadvertently impregnated two fans who sneaked on stage during performances to take advantage of his boyish good looks. These pregnancies and their accompanying paternity suits plagued the group for several months, and turned Holiday into nervous wreck. During the ensuing litigation the court required Holiday to wear a condom at every performance. This issue traumatized Holiday, and though litigation is over he still insists on wearing his lucky prophylactic. Several shows have been delayed due to the occasional misplacement of this item, but the group stands behind Holiday's decision. It's this group loyalty that keeps the Prima Donnas from going over the edge. By selflessly dedicating their lives to their art, and their fans, they manage to handle their success with a dignity that other performers lack.

Preparation for performances leaves The Prima Donnas with little time to themselves. Once a performance ends the band members generally seek private time to relax, celebrate, and reflect on the evening. Julius Seizure, the parliamentarian of the group, is commonly sighted around the town driving one of a number of fast vehicles, which follow The Prima Donnas' tour bus in a rented lorry. Driving fast is Seizure's way of reliving the emotional intensity that accompanies a performance. Matik relates several humorous anecdotes that have resulted from Seizure's speedy exploits, one of which involves a jet ski incident on the canals of Venice.

Meanwhile, Holiday takes a break and gives himself a present after a successful performance. He rewards himself by partaking in activities involving shopping and chocolate.

Matik, on the other hand, is the group's goodwill ambassador to the public. For him the performance never ends. He is frequently sighted at after show parties kissing babies and their mothers. Though these activities involve an element of celebration, Matik is continually working. Much of the band's success can be accredited to connections he makes at social mixers and industry conferences. He is always "pressing the flesh," and keeping abreast of the latest trends in the industry.

Maintaining this intense lifestyle takes its toll on Matik, however, and when he speaks one notes a tinge of weariness in his tone of voice. When asked about this he responds, "A turtle has its shell, but there is still very soft skin underneath that."

Occasionally the entire group will attend an after show reception to address the local media. These events can be particularly stressful at times. Holiday recalls a reception after a show plagued with keyboard malfunctions, in which a reporter from the New York Times threw a Bloody Mary in his face. The reporter later tried to apologize, but Holiday would not hear it. Rather, he ordered bodyguard Rick Lozano to escort her out of the reception.

The pressure that constant media scrutiny and togetherness generate causes a yearning in the individual band members to spend time getting in touch with themselves and their true feelings. The only time they have to be individuals occurs after performances, and it is their actions during this time that define each Prima Donna as an individual with unique thoughts, feelings, and aspirations.

Pop stardom is not easy to handle. Talking with the Prima Donnas reveals both the trials and triumphs of success in the entertainment industry. The continual pressure to perform exerted on the band by themselves and their fans at ever increasing levels of intensity take a toll on all of the individuals involved in the project. The undying adoration of their fans puts The Prima Donnas in a very sensitive spot. All three of them must constantly try to balance their personal and professional lives, but these distinctions are not always clear.

The Prima Donnas, however, are learning to adapt their pre and post performance regimens to their individual needs. Though oneness is essential to the Prima Donna's success, the group realizes it will self--destruct if their individual needs are not meet. They realize that the only way to achieve togetherness is through compromise and helping each other. At times each member's unique quirks can become intrusive, but by working together they are able to satisfy everyone's needs and continually improve their performance.