SLUDGETTE OF THE MONTH

Amanda Moeckel

Our final Sludgette Of The Month for 2002 is our first Sludgette Vegan! No, that doesn't mean she's never had sex before, it means she eats what Rikki Rockett eats, whatever that is. She's also a painter and discovered the site thanks to Tracii Guns!

Congratulations to Amanda for being our December 2002 Sludgette Of The Month!

Amanda's Data Sheet

1. Name and age: Amanda Moeckel, 23

2. Height, weight, and measurements: 5'1 and a half (!) Weight and measurements? Puh-leeze, what's in a number? It's all in how you carry yourself. Truthfully, I have no idea, and I ain't gonna get off my ass to measure LOL.

3. Where are you from?
Right now? Northern Cali, but I bounce around a lot, mostly to Mass and D.C.

4. Ambitions: To become Sludgette of the Month, duh! It's all downhill from here.

No, really... To pay the bills doing what I love, to work as hard as I possibly can for animals, to help make the world worthy of being home to my future children, to look back on my life and say I didn't waste a single second. Oh, and to finish writing this zine I started, called "Diary of a Feminist Groupie." It's gonna be really interesting, I think. People will dig it. And I wanna host a Metal Sludge extravaganza. And maybe once all that's done, marry a rockstar. Just for the hell of it.

5. Turn-ons: Slender boys with pretty faces, good hair, hot style, torn shirts, peircings, nice smile, nice lips, full sleeve and hand tattoos, bedrooms decorated with style, people who play with my hair (puurrrrrr), spontaneous back massages, laughing, someone forgoing the whole courtesy of a greeting and just saying "oh...my...god..." when they see me, dudes who can't get it up because they're all over-excited and nervous. Humility, honesty, snuggling, staying up all night talking, letting me in on something you've never told anyone else, crass sense of humor. Alpha males and musicians (unfortunately) or a lethal combination of the two.

6. Turn-offs: TV addicts (yawn...), condescending attitudes, unwelcome physical contact (ugh, token cocky drunk dude at any given show, that means you...), people who take more than they give and don't notice what I give em, dudes who can't get it up because they're wasted on booze or coke, quickies with no strings attached, not returning phone calls, breaking plans.

7. Favorite bands: Skid Row are my BOYS!!! with or without Baz... ever since I was 10. I can't really pinpoint why, maybe it was timing or something, but I just LOVE that band. Amazing ballads and great guys ta boot, total sweethearts. Motley Crue, Aerosmith, Poison, Faster Pussycat, Bon Jovi, Cinderella, LA Guns, Kiss, AC/DC (and Hells Belles, hot!!! You NEED to have them at the next Sludge bash), Iron Maiden (holy, have you heard that Cradle of Filth cover of "Hallowed be thy Name"? Insane!!!). I'm not too into the newer stuff, but then again I don't go out of my way to listen to it. I do like System of a Down, though, and the Flaming Lips. Go figure.

8. What exactly do you do for a living?
Got my own business doing freelance artwork, mostly painting and illustrating. I paint portraits of people's animals, and am currently doing illustrations for a stock art company and a couple children's books. All you sludgeaholics- check out my website, www.MyAnimalArt.com, and order a painting for your honey for the holidays!!! Or a gift certificate, since there's not that much time left. ...Add an extra $100, and I'll paint it naked. Add an extra $1000, and I'll send you a photo of me painting it naked...

I'm also a nonviolence trainer (for activist hellraisers), interior decorator extraordinaire, dancer, and glam-rock-cover-folkstyle-guitar-playing virtuoso! But those things I don't get paid for.

9. How did you get into painting animals?
I self-destruct with the 9-5 thing, so I figured I'd go into business for myself. Did a portrait of my friend's dog as a gift when I was in college, and I was like, "I bet I could just DO this and pay the bills." It's worked alright so far. It's similar to music in a way. It's like, people always rag on bands who are kinda washed up but still touring... if you can pay the bills doing something you love, why the hell not? I know I'll never be rich, but it sure beats cleaning toilets, working at Starbucks, or sitting behind some neon-lit desk in a cubicle. Blech... not for me.

10. Being that you are a vegan, is Rikki Rockett your role model?
Any rocker who makes sure there's soymilk in the catering fridge is a friend of mine! Rikki's cool. He's even got some of my artwork. Can't say he's a role model cuz I don't aspire to be a rockstar, but he's definitely an awesome guy and I gotta give him props for taking on the animal cause as his main issue. He's done a lot for animals. Ooh wait! I take that back... I do aspire to be a rockstar. I wanna play Vince in an all-girl Motley cover band. Yes!!!

11. When did you lose your virginity and how was it?
I was in my mid teens, it was a three-stroker and we spent WAY more time talking about how cool it was afterward than actually doing it. It was fine, I wouldn't take it back, I'm still friends with the guy.

12. If I could change anything: I would make this world a kinder and more compassionate place for animals. The fate of farmed animals is pure hell, especially in this country, and it really doesn't have to be. Many people have no idea, because animal suffering is very much hidden from public view. (If I may plug another site...) Please check out www.TryVeg.com, and get yourself a free vegetarian starter guide. It takes 5 seconds, and it just might change your life... or at least you'll be better informed. For me, this is something I've dedicated my life to. I'd do anything for animals, even jailtime... and have.

13. How did you find out about Metal Sludge and how did you end up feeding fruit to Phil Lewis?
Ha! Tracii Guns told me about it. Phil probably doesn't even remember that... a couple years ago in Philly I think, I'm eating some fruit on the LA Guns bus. Phil comes over and offers to peel my orange if I peel him a grape. So we peel some fruit and we're havin a fun time feeding each other, then Tracii spots us and yells, "Hey now, no Metal Sludge!" I was like, "Huh? Metal Sludge?" The rest is history. Thanks for nothin', Tracii! LOL...Hey, at least I wasn't trying to shove the grapes up Tracii's keister like some other people were doing that night...

14. Have you ever painted a naked chick?
Yeah, myself. Wanna buy it?

15. 5 CDs I can't live without: mostly nostalgic stuff
Skid Row - self-titled
Motley Crue - greatest hits
Gn'R - Appetite
a mix I burned of metal ballads
Lil' Kim - Hardcore

16. Are there any animals that are just too ugly to paint?
Never!

17. The way to my heart is: Don't break it. Be honest w/me, respect me, show interest in what I do, make me a priority, be my friend, love your dog. I'm a HOPELESS romantic sap, though, one right word or gesture and I'm head over heels... if you're the right person, mind you. I'm verrrry picky. But referring to me as "my queen" will get you pretty far.

18. How do you feel about being our December 2002 Sludgette Of The Month?
I'm so honored to be handed the crown by none other than Zippy!!! She's one tough act to follow... *steps on stage and grabs the mic*... If I may send a shout out to everyone who made possible this first step to ImMorTaL SuPeRStaRDoM: all my girls on the Ho Board- Ette, RikkiSixx, Starzcross, Zippy; my trusty sidekicks Kirsten Nisha and Suzy, my dad for teachin me how to ROCK before I could WALK, and of course my photographers (cuz I know you just go by the pics, BBF...lol) Adam Fischer (my incredible web dude), Dan Newman (Nisha's favorite dude) and Phil Varone (just some dude :-b).

19. Personal Motto: Depends on the day, really...
"No regrets" and "Love like you've never been hurt" are a couple I try to live by.

Thanks, Sludge! Love you bastards.
xoxo, Amanda

If you want Amanda to paint your pet, be sure to check out her website. Congratulations to Amanda once again!