Blood Red Shoes

Name, where are you from?
Hey, I am LAURA-MARY CARTER and I am from South West London.

Describe your style in three words?
Retro, casual, punk.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
NIN at the Royal Festival Hall this year. It was part of the festival curated by The Cure. The show was incredible, the sound, the lights and the feeling within the audience... I was so stoked throughout the entire show, it made me remember what I love about live shows.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Nirvana and PJ Harvey. Nirvana is a no brainier and PJ Harvey because she is such a badass and inspires us so much as a band.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
Riot Grrrl, Punk rock and Grunge are the three main subcultures that have influenced me throughout my life. Especially when I was a young teen I found punk, which led me to grunge which then led me to Riot Grrrl; the reason I picked up a guitar and make music now.
I loved the whole Kinderwhore Image. The girly image with an edge, that's always something that has appealed to me... pretty but aggressive.

I joined a group called Riot Girl London, back before the internet was really a thing, we would meet up in Hyde Park and have picnics and put on shows where all the money went to women charities. We also were part of helping with events like Lady Fest and various other female-led events. I used to make fanzines and give them out in Camden, it was a fun time and even though this was the end of the '90s /early 2000s it still felt like it was a special thing and we were doing something good, changed the course of my life really and we tried to follow on where Riot Grrl left off. I feel a sense of it coming back now too, younger girls discovering it all over again and being influenced by it!

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
It would be Elvis. Although I may be too in love to say anything in that hour, just to be near him would be a dream.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
I have to say I love playing the Electric Ballroom in London. I guess there is something about a homecoming show and I have always seen such great shows there myself like L7 and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. It is a simple venue, good size/shape and sound.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
John Reis from the bands Drive Like Jehu, Hotsnakes, RFTC and various others. People who know those bands obviously know him and sing his praises, in that scene, he is very well known and respected but I just rate his guitar playing above anyone. He has a very specific style that has influenced me and many others, his work ethic and ethos also inspires me.