Nita Strauss Talks Metal Gatekeeping: ‘I Am So Used To Fans Being Up In Arms Anytime Something Changes’

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Nita Strauss: Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
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While Nita Strauss is back playing with Alice Cooper, the guitarist took some time to play as part of pop star Demi Lovato‘s backing band. During her time with Lovato, Strauss got to experience a whole different musical world, and one thing she says she noticed is how pop fans seem to be more open to change in music than metal fans.

At one point during a conversation with Loudwire, the interviewer brings up to Strauss how touring in Lovato’s band provided an opportunity for heavy music to reach other fanbases and genders. Strauss is then asked what she has picked up on in regard to “changing outdated misperceptions.”

In response to this, Strauss talks about her experience performing in Lovato’s band and what she has seen from pop fans, versus what she’s seen from metal fans. Among the points she expresses about metal fans, she shares how she’s “used to fans being up in arms anytime something changes.” Here is what Strauss had to say:

“It was an amazing experience working with Demi. Obviously I come from the rock/hard rock/metal world and I am so used to fans being up in arms anytime something changes.

“The cool thing that I found is that Demi changed her entire style. She changed her clothing, her musical style and she reworked all her huge hits. She has a song ‘Cool for the Summer’ that has billions of Spotify plays and she did a full-on rock version with a little Metallica thrown in there for good measure. And the fans loved it.

“The fans supported her and absolutely screamed their faces off until the end of the show. There was no pushback. There was no, ‘This is not what you’re supposed to sound like. This isn’t what we signed up for. We want the old Demi back…’ type gatekeeping that we see in the style of music that we’re more used to.

“It was beautiful to be a part of this evolution. Demi was so happy on the road. You can really tell this is where she wants to be as an artist and to get to be a part of that along with such a great band — an all female band, so many women on the crew (lighting director, production assistant, wardrobe, Demi’s day-to-day manager) — there are so many women in high positions on that tour as well, which was so unique.

“It being a largely sober tour was huge for me too. I’ve been sober a long time and being in that more healthy atmosphere and environment was really nice. It was a win all around.”

What do you make of Nita Strauss’ points?

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