Interview with Chelsey Miller, Goth Fashioner
Interviewed by Paul Dale Roberts aka The Demon Warrior
Location of Interview: The Coffee Garden, 2904 Franklin Blvd, Sacramento, Ca
Date of Interview: January 10, 2010
Time of Interview: 1500 Hours
Question: First let’s allow the readers to get to know you, can you tell me something about your personal life, such as where you were born and raised. Activities you are involved in, such as hobbies and recreational fun.
Answer: I was born in a very small cow town called Los Banos. It’s about two hours south of here in Merced County. When I was growing up in Los Banos, there was absolutely nothing to do. Everyone was either into drugs, sex, or other bad behavior. I spent my time with my now-fiancée (then boyfriend) Kyle. We started going out my freshman year of high school, but we had known each other since seventh grade. We did get into some trouble together, but we also did a lot of after-school activities together as well. For instance, we ran cross-country and were on the swim team together as sophomores. But we were also the token “Goth” couple on campus. But at the same time, we also weren’t stereotypical. We both had lots of friends and associated with people outside the stereotype. I got really good grades in high school, so I was also friends with all of the jocks and preps, believe it or not.
As for what I like to do now, I love to read. I read everything from memoirs to fiction and I also write recreationally. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, so that might explain some of my passion.
As you can see from my appearance, I also enjoy makeup and fashion. I love buying new clothes and makeup when I have extra cash, and I spend a lot of time investing in my personal appearance, particularly when I go out.
To see more pictures of Chelsey Miller, go here:
https://s643.photobucket.com/albums/uu157/PaulDaleRoberts_2009/Chelsey/Question: Now Chelsey, you are a very, very interesting and unique person. How did you get into the Goth culture?
Answer: Well, I hate to say that I am involved in the Goth culture at all to be honest. I am what I am regardless of how people categorize me. I tend to only use the label for convenience. But if you want me to be more specific, I guess my involvement would go back to my high school days once more. As I have already mentioned, there was nothing for me and my boyfriend to do, so we got really involved in the music that is associated with the lifestyle. We listened to a lot of metal and dark rock bands, and we both loved the way Goth people dressed and wanted to be like them. I guess we kind of started developing our own ways of interpreting their music, and one way it manifested itself was in the clothing we wore, which of course was all black.
Question: Do you feel there is a connection with the Goth culture and the vampire culture?
Answer: Definitely, although I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the people who associate themselves with the scene would think of themselves as vampires. I think that a lot of the people I know who are involved with the lifestyle are into the darker sides of life and mortality, although are not necessarily morbid people themselves. Bondage, sadomasochism, and fetishes are all closely linked to the lifestyle, and so vampires could definitely fall into any or all of those categories.
Question: Would you consider yourself sort of a vampire?
Answer: No, not at all. I have a “thing” for blood however. I don’t drink it or anything, but blood is definitely sexy. It’s a very intimate kind of sexy however, so not everyone’s blood is sexy. My fiancée’s blood is sexy and there are some other attractive people whose blood I would not mind coming into contact with….but that’s another story.
Question: You mentioned something about cutting. Well, even though I am a paranormal writer, I am not that familiar with ‘cutting’. Can you please elaborate?
Answer: Well, I suppose the best way to describe cutting is to say that it is exactly what it sounds like – cutting myself. Although for most people, the word “cutting” is a bad thing. Therapists warn of the dangers associated with the behavior, and while it can be a cry for help, in my case, it’s exactly the opposite. It’s something I do to feel aroused or beautiful or happy even. And it takes a lot of trust and intimacy to feel connected enough with someone to share the experience…as in, letting them cut me or vice versa.
Question: Chelsey, your outfit is spectacular!! Do you wear this outfit wherever you go? Did you make it? Pray tell!
Answer: First of all, thank you very much for the compliment. I get a lot of negative reactions as well as positive ones, so I do appreciate the compliment. I do basically wear this outfit wherever I go, but with slight modifications…or additions. I’m sure you can tell that it’s pretty skimpy; normally I don’t wear clothing this skimpy as my everyday attire. This is my nightlife wear – for when I go to clubs or to a special occasion. My everyday attire is basically the same but with some variations – I still wear super short six-inch skirts (my closet is absolutely FULL of miniskirts!), but I wear them with leggings instead of ripped tights. I also wear regular shirts that don’t reveal so much skin or my bra. I guess sometimes it’s just not appropriate to expose so much skin, and I recognize and respect that fact. For example, I’m not going to wear a shirt that shows my bra and midriff to a family reunion, but I do still dress in my style. I’m not going to change that basic part of myself because even if it might seem a little shallow, the clothes a person wears can tell a lot about who they are.
Question: How long have you lived in Sacramento? What do you think of the Goth culture and entertainment compared to the Bay Area Goth style?
Answer: I’ve only lived in Sacramento for a few months. I used to live in Davis because I went to school at UC Davis. I only graduated June of 2009, so I moved after graduation.
The Goth culture and entertainment here is definitely better than in Davis! Davis had literally nothing to offer as it is a pretty small and sheltered community. There are a few clubs here in Sac that are fun enough, but I like clubbing in San Francisco much better for several reasons – I have friends there who make the experience more fun and the clubs themselves are just better. They tend to attract better live performers and invest more cash in their venues, so the result is a more put-together and professional atmosphere. Not to mention that more people show up to the San Fran clubs than the Sacramento clubs.
Question: What is your favorite Goth type of song?
Answer: That’s a tough question. I will have to think about that…I suppose anything by Skinny Puppy…maybe “Tin Omen” or “Fascist Jock Itch.” I’m also a huge Radiohead fan, although that’s not necessarily “Goth music.” I even have a Radiohead tattoo on my forearm.
Question: You were telling me you dig zombies, maybe I am mistaken or maybe I was drinking my latte and not paying attention to what you were saying. Can you elaborate on this?
Answer: I’m just a huge horror movie fan in general and zombie flicks are my favorite because they tend to have the most gore. I’m a huge fan of gore and in particular, blood, as I’ve mentioned. And I guess somehow zombies seem the most believable. It makes sense to me that a viral outbreak could cause people to turn into monsters. In other words, zombies can be explained away scientifically, whereas vampires and ghosts cannot. And I might add that I am also a sort of science geek…I originally went to school to be a veterinarian, so I dig the biological sciences.
Question: When people react negatively towards you, because of your style, the clothing you wear, does it bother you, or do you have thick skin and shake it off and carry on?
Answer: Nope, it never bothers me. People will think and react however they want and there’s really nothing I can do about that. I just find it sad that most people are so narrow-minded. But I suppose to a certain extent all people judge one another. Even I sometimes find myself judging. I once caught myself making fun of a guy because his car was raised so high and the wheels were so huge and he was playing his music so loudly. But then I caught myself and thought, “Well, I suppose people could say the same thing about the way I dress, so who am I to make fun of him.” So I try my very hardest not to judge people, even though that’s just the way the world works.
Question: What are your favorite books, movies and TV shows?
Answer: My favorite book of all time is Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. I read that when I was in junior high and simply loved it. But I read anything and everything I can get my hands on! Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of horror books. I am currently in the middle of Let the Right One In, a vampire book that takes place in a foreign country. It was also made into a film, which I have seen, but so far, the book is better. That tends to be the case most of the time anyways.
I am also a big movie person! I subscribe to Netflix and so I watch a movie just about every night! Netflix is seriously the best invention ever. Lately, I watch a lot of older films because that’s what my fiancée likes. But I think that one of my favorite horror movies of all time has to be Eraserhead. That movie is so beautiful and artistic, but also really creepy, even though it’s not so well-known.
I watch a lot of TV shows that are on HBO. My fiancée and I just finished watching the entire Carnivale series and right now we’re finishing up Six Feet Under. Both are really amazing shows. I also love Dexter and Weeds. I love the shows that get a little bit more artistic freedom…you know, the ones that are censored less. The ability to swear, show sex and nudity, etc. really makes the shows more real, even though some of the stuff that happens on them is really unbelievable. I am also a huge fan of The Office. I love Steve Carrell…he’s so handsome! I dig older comedians like him and Will Ferrell, for instance.
Question: Do you like reading Gothic Beauty Magazine?
Answer: I buy the magazine, but I wouldn’t say that I read it. I mostly buy it for the pictures and the clothing ads. Since I mostly buy my clothes online, I am always looking for sites for good clothes. I look for people who make their own stuff and can tailor it to my needs because unfortunately, I have no sewing experience. I guess I don’t find the articles engaging enough to read most of the time. I won’t say that I NEVER read it, because that’s not true. I just find that overall, I get bored with the articles because they are not about things I’m interested in.
Question: Fun question. If you had 6 dinner guests, 3 fictional and 3 historical. Who would they be?
Answer: The fictional ones would be Michael Scott from The Office, Brundle Fly, and Dexter (from Dexter). Michael Scott would make everything interesting because he is so damn awkward! It would be hilarious to see him interact with everyone. I would invite Brundle Fly because Jeff Goldblum is hot, even if he is a mutant fly. And Dexter is just way too amusing not to invite. It’s hard to not like him, even if he is a serial killer.
The historical guests question is going to be a hard one! I guess they’re also not really “historical” either. They’re more of contemporary figures. My first would be Ogre, the singer of Skinny Puppy. I’ve actually met him before and he was the nicest guy. He treated me just like a real person even though I’m sure he could tell I was so nervous to talk to him. I would also invite Tim Curry because he’s another one of those sexy, older men that I just can’t get enough of. His laugh is the most unique and interesting laugh I have ever heard. He could just laugh through the entire dinner and I would be happy. He wouldn’t even have to say anything! My final guest would be Jim Carrey because he would make the entire thing really fun. His face is so expressive and flexible. I would love to have him around to make people laugh. He’s another one of those men that I find attractive just because they can make me laugh.
Question: Thank you for this fantastic interview. Do you have any words of wisdom for our readers?
Answer: Keep a positive outlook on life. It’s important not to get too hung up on the small things when there’s a whole world out there to explore and be a part of. Also, don’t take yourself too seriously because when you start to do that, you take something away from yourself and people will miss out on the best parts of you. Also, if you can laugh at yourself, it makes it okay for you to make mistakes.
Question: Damn it Chelsey, I was going to say we were done, but there are a few more things I want to ask. So, let me ask it all here. Don’t bite my head off, but here goes.
Do you have any pets and if you do what are their names and what kind of pets are they? Do you have a nickname? Do you have a website and if you do what is the URL address? How can someone contact you?
Answer: yes, I absolutely have pets! I love, love, love animals. Like I said, I was going to school to be a vet, but found something else I was better suited for. I have two cats named Ratchet and Gus. I could go on and on about my cats because they are like children to me. Ratchet is an orange tabby and Gus is white. Ratchet behaves like a human though, so I almost think of him as my best friend. I also have a gargoyle gecko named Abner Irwin. I named him that because I got him right around the time Steve Irwin died, so I wanted to honor him. Steve Irwin used to be one of my heroes – when I was younger I always wanted to wrangle crocs! I also have a corn snake named Judas. I got him when he was no larger than an earthworm and now he is about four feet long!
My nickname is Chez, but only the people I am close to uses it. It started out when my little sister Eden was young and couldn’t say my name and then it just stuck. Now my step-dad (well, technically he’s not my step dad anymore because he’s no longer married to my mom, but I still refer to him as my step dad) and Eden call me Chez Whiz and a few friends call me Chez Pez. I also used to be called “Wretch” by my family on my mom’s side – I guess because I was a wretched little child. I whined a lot! They used to call me by my full name but with an added “Wretch” – it came out “Chelsey Arianne Wretch Miller.” I used to hate it, but now I find it kind of endearing.
I also have a homepage on
www.examiner.com as the “Sacramento Goth Culture Examiner,” although I don’t take my title too seriously. I am not and will never claim to be an authority on “Goth culture.” I just write for the site because I enjoy doing it and it’s something I feel comfortable talking about. I also have a Myspace page (sorry, I don’t do Facebook…well, at least not yet!). I believe the address is
www.myspace.com/far_too_frail, but if that doesn’t work, then just search “Chez” which is my screen name. And if those two methods of contact don’t work for you, my e-mail address is
freak-on-a-leash@mindless.com. (I used to be a massive KoRn fan…well, I guess I still like them, even if they’re short two band members).
Paul: Now, I will say thank you for the interview! What a wonderful interview Chelsey! Good luck in your upcoming marriage and I look forward to seeing you on one of my ghost hunting adventures!
End of Interview.
Paul Dale Roberts aka the Demon Warrior
Shannon McCabe's HPI
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Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:10 am