Professional dominatrix & musician – M.O.F.R / Madelleine, Meanjin
What is Piss Parade?
Piss Parade is white trash noise, mummy issue music, industrial wet dreams and a nightmare
Can you discuss how Piss Parade came about?
I’d never considered making music in a real way. I’d flirt with the idea and defeat those flirtations before I could start. I had a very traumatic three months a few years ago, I was isolated and addicted to pharmaceuticals. I was bored of taking drugs to feel more/less disconnected. Too unwell to work at this time and with work as my primary creative outlet, I felt like I needed another form of expression. I found a microbrute on gumtree for $200, went to a boys house and played with it in the dark on his mattress on the floor. It was consuming and comfortable. The name Piss Parade is from a rubber urophilia porno mag.
What hardware do you currently use?
My beloved baby brute, always. I was gifted an MS20 by one of my pets but I haven’t touched the edges of its capability yet. SP-404, too many peddlez, some contact mics and about 6 cassette players. There’s a pile more but I rotate gear like panties because I have ADHD ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Is there anything on the horizon for Piss Parade? You have been a fairly quiet and private artist, perhaps due to the nature of and dedication to your full time job; could you please describe your professional work? How long have you been on this career path?
My horizon is +7 days. I’d like to lock myself in my room and jam this week. I would also like to release one of the multiple tapes I’ve recorded one day. I’m very sporadic with my intent, my motivation and dedication between music, work and my other projects. I’m an independent professional dominatrix, I’ve just entered my sixth year in the profession and I’ll never ever ever ever ever leave. I guess finding the time to fully immerse myself in my music is becoming increasingly difficult as my career progresses. Timing is everything for me.
How does your professional work inform your musical practice? One would imagine it has a large influence, can you please discuss?
In session I use my voice, my breath, the sound of my latex or implements or even my stilettos to manipulate the scene and instil emotion in my subject and I think that male manipulation via sound is super cute. I don’t know how this resonates with my music, but most of what I make I would work to. I like to use my own recordings from work as tape loops sometimes too.
The aesthetic of the Dominatrix seems to be becoming somewhat normalised within pop culture, how does this make you feel? Are there pros and cons to this?
Lol. It’s funny, it’s weird. We still live in the shadows. I think that sex work in general is somewhat normalised and that, while we still face stigma, abuse and violence (not only from clients) is laughable. My job is difficult in a myriad of ways. I know that fetish fashion will always be ~edgy and cool. While it’s strange seeing white bread civs cosplaying as us, I’d have to be a really miserable person to get upset about it. You can wear the clothes and say the words but you’ll never be one of us. On the other hand though, this normalisation acts as a gateway to me.
Can you discuss any possible collaborations for the future?
I’ve been having fun just fucking around with friends. Two friends and I started a dirty noisy black metal project called Vatican Fucker or Roman Shower or something which only lasted a couple months before the obligation of doing anything for or with anyone made me wince. I’ll do the things when I’m ready.
Do you find that with having ADHD producing music and artwork can be more difficult than is considered normal? There has been a lot more study on women with ADHD and we still have a lot to discover about neurodivergent conditions in women. Did a lightbulb go off when you were diagnosed and has there been any specific tools or strategies you’ve implemented that have assisted you with keeping the creative process moving?
What’s considered normal isn’t understood by me, I feel like I live in a constant state of underachievement. I find that I titillate between being entirely consumed and forgetting it exists. For example when we moved house, I had my equipment downstairs instead of sprawled across my bedroom; I didn’t touch it for months because I never go down there. I was diagnosed as a child and again as an adult, it wasn’t really a lightbulb moment as much as a relief as I’d been misdiagnosed with multiple personality and neurological disorders prior to my adult diagnosis, they were obviously treatment resistant because they never existed. I know that for me if things are out of sight they’re out of mind so I leave things out to keep them relevant. I can’t force myself to do anything but I can trick my brain into wanting to do it.
Do people treat you differently due to your profession? How do you feel your position as a professional dominatrix has impacted you within the music community? Being surrounded by male dominated spaces do you face any particular prejudice or social expectations?
I’m entirely out with my work and I think it can be intimidating for some people as I exist in a world that isn’t experienced by most people. This might not even be work related; I can be coined as a bitch and a cunt for being outgoing and sometimes men are scared that I want to fuck them up the ass when I look at them which is cute. I don’t exist within the music community so I can’t answer that one but if I feel social pressure I will tap out.
The community you are in up north is diverse, could you discuss what sort of projects people are doing up there? Who would be the ones to look out for and take notice of?
Dairy Queen is my favourite band, they remind me of Korn. “Brisbane loves that Harry Pussy shit” – Tommy Gunn
https://tropicalcancerrort.bandcamp.com
Check out: https://pissparade.bandcamp.com
Beem it @opheliafatale
Verna Bloom Electronics 