Krysta Cameron, the front woman of metal-jazz-experimental noise enthusiasts iwrestledabearonce, sips an energy drink in preparation for her upcoming performance and the long day ahead. Her wrinkled and worn wardrobe gives the impression of a young, brunette Courtney Love while her bizarre and colorful tattoos seem to scream, “I don’t give a fuck!”

Krysta, are you the one who wrestled a bear once?

No, actually, it was our drummer. He is in ju-jitsu and he gave him a nasty headlock.

Wow. So, how would you describe your music to someone who has never heard it?

We’re for a certain special amount of ears. Some people get it and some people don’t. it’s a mixture of anything from really heavy to really soft. If someone doesn’t like something about it, they might like another thing about it.

Would you describe it as esoteric?

Definitely.

Where do you find your inspiration for this unique music that you write?

Beer and horror films.

I don’t see a better combination if there was one. Is it you who writes all of the music?

No. Most of the music is written by our guitarists, Steven and John. They also do a lot of the programming. I’m completely the vocalist, but with this next album we have something else in mind. We talked about it the other day and I got really excited. We’re going to change up instruments and add some more instruments and try to pull that off live.

What is different on your full length as opposed to the EP?

It’s a lot more progressive and sounds better, I think.

How do you feel about Warped Tour now that it’s almost over?

It is. I think everyone starts to get a little lazy at the end of it. People are like, “Oh, I have to wash this but… whatever, I’ll wear the same underwear as I did for the last four days.”

Do you think the performances suffer as well because of it?

It depends. You can still have a really great show. There will be days when I’m like, “Ugh…” But then you get out there and see the people and you get inspired.

How many shows have you hit on this Warped Tour?

We’ve been on it for about a month. We hit the second half of it. We started in late July.

What was your favorite part of the tour since then?

They closed down a water park for us.

You played at a water park!?

Actually, it was next door to the venue. It was a theme park that they closed down and let us use the water slides and pool, which was really nice. Everyone is just drinking and going on the slides. Causing a ruckus. Every band was their bringing beer in…

Where was that?

In North Carolina.

What are your plans after Warped Tour with the band?

We have a well deserved month off to rest and see the boyfriend. Then we go out on a headliner tour across the U.S. with Vanna, Chelsea Grin, The Chariot and Eyes Set to Kill.

What’s the name of that tour?

The Ghost Bust Tour.

The Ghost Bust Tour! Is Bill Murray involved in any way?

I hope he gets involved. He is my hero.

Special guest star, Bill Murray!

He would probably be on my Mt. Rushmore next to Michael Keaton.

Right on. What is the name of the new album?

We haven’t recorded anything. We don’t know. We’re going into record in the Winter.

So it was just the idea of it that got you excited. Do you have anything written?

We always have little things written down. But we’re on tour so much that it’s really hard to write because you take everything out and start writing and you have to leave again in a day. We’re going to wait and worry about that after the headliner.

Sounds exciting. I’m excited, you’re excited. I can’t wait to hear things from iwrestledabearonce.

Yup!

Photos by Pamela Lin