RPS Writer Interview: Akuma
| Interviews by Fans | |
|---|---|
| Title: | RPS Writer Interview: Akuma |
| Interviewer: | |
| Interviewee: | |
| Date(s): | 2002 |
| Medium: | online |
| Fandom(s): | RPS, Metallica |
| External Links: | interview is here, Archived version |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
RPS Writer Interview: Akuma was posted in 2002.
Others in This Series
- RPS Writer Interview: Akuma
- RPS Writer Interview: Cinna P.
- RPS Writer Interview: Claudia
- RPS Writer Interview: Slimslash
Some Excerpts
Why do you think people especially women write slash fiction about famous people? I’m especially interested in it being about real people but also the quality of some of the stories puts it above people just writing out their wet dreams (nothing against that, it just interests me that slash seems to be becoming/has become dare I say it, a serious genre of fiction but using real people).
I’m not really sure why other people do it. I only know that I’ve always written slash and have always written about real people --- normally my favourite band at that time. I’ve written Rush, UFO, Waysted slash to name a few. I always thought I was the only one to write slash. I didn’t even know it had a name until 4 years ago when a friend stumbled on some Trek slash. As much as I searched, I couldn’t find any real person slash (by this time, I’d moved onto Metallica slash) so asked around and found that it was considered taboo. I admit to not understanding why. You could say that I was one of the first people on the net to make it open and obvious. I started Tallifc three years ago (we’re celebrating our third birthday next week, in fact.) Because of me posting a short Metallica slash fic to a multi-fandom slash list, the list mom opened up RS-X and it went from there. Since then, it’s been much easier to find. Writers and readers are becoming more open to it.
As for why --- I’m not really interested in being held by the bounds of a TV show. With real people’s lives, I don’t have to worry too much about keeping to canon. It’s much easier to write AU --- which is my real interest, but I don’t have to worry too much about trying to find new characters. It helps that Metallica, in particular, are a very ‘slashy’ band. They’re always kissing, hugging, saying inflammatory things about themselves and each other. For me, it’s just a natural progression. I don’t see a lot of slash in TV shows because the men/women involved are playing a part. It’s written for them. With real people, the feelings and pictures are genuine --- at least, they are with Metallica in particular.
Is there anything you wouldn't write about, like some people won't do incest. Also on your list it says you won't allow fics about their wives, is that because you see them as not in the public domain, therefore not fair game to slash?
That is exactly the reason. They are only married to famous men. They are not in the public eye themselves. Personally, I think that James or Lars or whatever wouldn’t give a rats ass about what’s written about them because, as public figures, they expect it --- but, imagine James coming across the Metslash archive and reading fiction about, not only his wife, but his children too … He’d be after them with a Uzi. (They came about when some people on Tallific argued with me about the no wives rule. I told them that if they posted it, I’d unsub them. They left of their own accord.)
How would you explain the homoerotic appeal of Metallica. I mean I see it, I did a Metallica slash in my zine Bambi back in 1996 and everyone said I was mad but I knew I was just ahead of my time, ahem. It's more that Metallica may be perceived as a macho or even homophobic band so is part of the challenge of writing slash about them the chance to subvert that to see if it can be written or would you say it's more a kind of I want to show what really goes on? I won't get into whether or not I think any of the boys are actually gay/bi but I don't know if that's relevant to the fic.
I said some time above that the homoerotic appeal of the guys is because not only does each member appeal to someone, they’re also very open with their relationships with each other. I think that is the appeal. I don’t think they’re homophobic (some of the stories about the guys I know through my own work in the music industry would make your toes curl) but heavy rock bands do give that kind of impression - it’s part of the music. I’ve known an awful lot of bands in my time and I’d say that impression was rubbish. In fact, I’d probably go out on a limb and say out of all the genres of music, they are the most open to homosexuality and experimentation.