GUERNICA MANCINI is ‘proud’ to be fired from THUNDERMOTHER: ‘I feel like it’s almost like a badge of honor’

In a new interview with The Whatever, Buddy?! Podcast, ex- Thunder Mother Singer Guernica Mancini spoke about the formation of her current band THE GEMSTONES. The latter group met in February 2023 when this was announced Mancini, Emlee Johansson (drums) and Mona Lindgren (Bass) were exciting Thunder Mother after a six-year term. Also a guitarist Filippa Nässil announced that she was moving on with a new one Thunder Mother Cast with singer Linnéa Vikström (THERION, IN THE CINEMA) and returning bassist Majsan Lindberg. Filippa has now also recruited Joan Massing (HONEY CREEK) as Thunder Motheris the new drummer.

Mancini said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “THE GEMSTONES started in January 2023 and was due to me being laid off Thunder Mother and the rest of the band quit because I got fired.

Asked why she was fired Thunder Mother, Guernica said, “Oh, there’s a million reasons, but I’d say the first one would be that the guitarist hates me.” [laughs] and we are completely opposite people. And I always kind of defied her; I couldn’t take their shit and it was like a constant barrage of righteous abuse.”

She continued: “Honestly, I’m not ashamed of anything, and I’ve been completely honest from day one because I have nothing to be ashamed of. I’m actually proud that I got fired because I felt like that. It’s almost like a badge of honor. That means I’m a really good person because I’m not the first person this has happened to. [We were] the sixth lineup to be fired. And now we’re actually friends with all the former bandmates, the former Thundermothers… [We have] our own little community of survivors, and we’re open when the new cast comes, when it’s time to replace them, we’re here with open arms waiting for them and knowing exactly what they’ve been through.”

Regarding the how THE GEMSTONESwhat sees Lindgren Returning to her original instrument, the guitar, she managed to release her first song: “Like a Phoenix”just four months later Mancini, Johansson And Lindgren leave Thunder Mother, Guernica said: “The thing is, we worked so hard to build it Thunder Motherthe three people who left the band, we were the ones who really pushed forward Thunder Mother in advance. We really wanted to play the big stages. We had all these big dreams and ambitions. And that’s what we did SCORPIONS Tour – in fall 2022 we did a support tour through North America SCORPIONS as Thunder Mother. I’m really proud of that. And they loved us. So they wanted us to do the whole European tour. That was because we did a great job, the fans really enjoyed our work, and we were respectful. We impressed them so much that they wanted us to do the entire European tour. So we had all these really cool things lined up that we worked our butts off to do. And so when they [Filippa] Then we went crazy and just changed everything. We just felt like it was almost our duty to use our own momentum that we had built up. Even though we were a brand new band name, we felt like these fans were our fans. We built these fans. The greatest songs this band has ever had are the songs we wrote together. These are all facts that anyone can look up. So, yeah, we just felt it was super important to make sure people understood that we have no intention of stopping music. This is something a madman decided and we will not let this ruin our dreams and what we want to achieve.”

Asked how she felt and when Emlee And Mona both left voluntarily Thunder Motherwhen they found out Mancini was kicked out of the group, Guernica said, “I love her. I love her so much and for that I am forever grateful. And I just feel like I have two really great people by my side. Because yeah, if they hadn’t done that, I would probably be stuck in a huge, dark hole of depression because we would be crying, writing songs, going through the pain of a breakup, or whatever fuel there is in writing, and You can hear that pretty clearly on the debut [THE GEMS] Album, ‘Phoenix’. And yeah, we just decided that we would work very quickly. Basically, we booked a writing session the same week everything happened. And we wanted our first single to come out even quicker, but then we got a contract within three months.”

In summer 2023 Filippa informed about the latest Thunder Mother Cast changes in an interview with Bloodstream TV and said: “Well, we were together for seven years – and that’s how it is.” Guernicathe singer, and Emleethe drummer. And it [was] great; we did so much together. But in the end we couldn’t communicate. Because you travel and live together all the time. Not even when you say “Hello” to each other. I can’t live that rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. So I spent a long time trying to solve the problem – like, “This isn’t working.” “We need to communicate and be respectful” and whatever. And it didn’t work. One person didn’t come to the meeting, so we had to move on. Because this is also a business and a rock’n’roll band, and it’s also supposed to be fun, good and loving because we have to support each other. And if that’s not the case… Well, I fired [Guernica] – this is actually the first time I’ve said this – because she didn’t come to the mediation meetings I organized. We need to be able to talk and work together. Because it’s more and more about business, and then you can’t work and then you can’t do your shows. Because it’s emails and everything – it’s a lot of stuff.”

Nässil continued: “So friendship – okay, I can buy that; you don’t have to be friends. But I think it’s much better now anyway. And I’m very happy with… Because I took the old singer… Not the old singer, but a singer that I really loved and admired for a long time Linnéa Vikström. I actually asked her for the job Thunder Mother seven years ago, but it wasn’t available. She was too busy because she was singing along THERIONa big metal band, all over the world. And [she has] a lot of experience, but we are also good friends. So it was hard for them to take on something, but it was fantastic. And everyone says it’s really good.”

THE GEMSTONES‘Debut album, “Phoenix”arrived in January 2024 Napalm Records.

THE GEMSTONES made their live debut on March 22, 2023 at Pustervik in Gothenburg, Sweden, as a support act for THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA.

Beginning of March 2023, Nässil shared a six-minute video in which she answered some of the questions surrounding the departures of Mancini, Johansson And Lindgren as well as their decision to move on with a new line-up. She said in part: “Some of the things you read online and even now read in some magazines are true, and some things have more to them,” she explained. “I mean, there’s a depth to what happened and it’s impossible to pick out a few lines or a quote from someone. And I want to assure you and tell you that I have tried my best to clear everything between the old members. I think we should be clear about what we say and trust that I did my best for peace, love and rock and roll and did everything in my power to work with the previous band members to be clear that I wouldn’t let anyone down I think this is kind of a private matter so it’s not everything that people need to know or should know because I think it’s just unnecessary to throw things at each other. “

Photo credit: Gustaf Sandholm Andersson (courtesy of Napalm Records)