Capital Chaos TV caught up with Courtney LaPlante and Mike Stringer of Iwrestledabearonce (aka IWABO) in downtown Sacramento to talk about their new album, life on tour, and the weird world of metal interview
On Meeting Fans, Brian Stars, and Wiener Talk
Capital Chaos TV:
What’s up everyone? We’re here with members of Iwrestledabearonce, or better known as IWABO. Or… Tur Equa?
Courtney:
Hi! I’m Courtney LaPlante.
Mike:
And I’m Mike Stringer.
Capital Chaos TV:
Let’s have a good time. If not, we’ll just make dick jokes like Brian Stars. Have you guys done his show?
Mike:
Yes.
Courtney:
I haven’t. My band might have, but I’ve never met the guy.
Capital Chaos TV:
Apparently, all he talks about is dicks.
Courtney:
There’s not much else to talk about, I guess. It’s like 15% band stuff and 85% wieners.
Mike:
69%, actually.
Capital Chaos TV:
Are you a grower or a shower?
Mike:
Depends on the day and the playlist.
Hail Mary and Merch Madness
Capital Chaos TV:
So your new album Hail Mary just dropped on Artery Recordings. How’s it doing?
Courtney:
It’s called Hail Mary, and we’re already moving into a mansion from CD sales.
Mike:
And painting our private jet.
Courtney:
We live in a van, but yeah — it’s been our most positively received release so far. Fans are actually buying it, which is amazing.
Capital Chaos TV:
Any cool merch with the album?
Courtney:
Yeah, we included a prayer candle as a pre-order bonus. Fans loved it — they kind of expect weird stuff from us.
Bonus Tracks and Japanese Editions
Capital Chaos TV:
Did you record any bonus tracks for Japan?
Mike:
We already had 14 songs. We tried to add more but couldn’t. We do have two extra tracks, though — maybe we’ll release them later.
Sexism in the Scene
Capital Chaos TV:
Courtney, do you feel like people focus more on your gender than the band’s music?
Courtney:
Definitely. People are more judgmental with women. They can’t just talk about my voice — they have to bring gender into it.
The guys in the band could gain 150 pounds, get cystic acne, or lose a limb and no one would care. But if I have one eyebrow hair out of place, it’s an issue. I’ve even been told my hands are gross.
It’s frustrating, but I think people are just used to evaluating women based on appearance — whether they’re trying to insult or compliment them.
The Troll Generation
Courtney:
There’s this whole generation of keyboard warriors who say awful things online. I’ve never hated something enough to anonymously trash it — unless it’s like… ISIS or something.
Capital Chaos TV:
Social media has made it way too easy to bully. If you’re being harassed, report it. Facebook actually ruled in my favor recently.
On Conquer Divide and All-Girl Bands
Courtney:
Conquer Divide is killing it. They get judged just for walking on stage, and they don’t care — they’re just there to have fun and play music.
There’s also this weird validation thing — people think what I do is acceptable because I have guys in my band writing the music. But in all-girl bands, that validation doesn’t exist. People immediately write them off.
Relationships, Criticism, and Tour Life
Courtney:
Yeah, I do “bone” one of the guys in the band — he’s my boyfriend. Sorry, Aunt Donna! It’s on Wikipedia now.
But seriously, being a woman in metal, your worth is often measured by how you look or if you give someone a boner. That’s the first step people take to either compliment or insult you. It’s weird, but I’ve come to expect it.
Capital Chaos TV:
As a straight male chauvinist pig, I’d rather watch a woman do anything than a man.
Courtney:
Exactly! We’re pretty — and sometimes we sweat less.
Touring and What’s Next
Capital Chaos TV:
You’re on the All Stars Tour this summer. What’s next? Europe? Modesto?
Courtney:
We’re taking things one step at a time. We weren’t even planning to tour this summer, but the All Stars Tour made sense. We want to avoid winter blizzards, so fall might be our next big move.
Mike:
We’re just grateful we haven’t flipped our van yet. A bunch of bands on this tour have.
Courtney:
We’ve been lucky. We’re also lucky to have great managers — Jason and Andrew — and to be with Artery, who are super hands-on and supportive. It’s a great team.
Closing Notes
Courtney:
We once had a half-beer backstage and almost fell asleep. That was wild. So yeah — if anyone needs Tylenol PMS, it’s in our trunk.
Whether it’s prayer candles, online trolls, or 14-track albums, IWABO continues to carve out their own chaotic, unapologetic path in heavy music. Hail Mary is out now via Artery Recordings — stream it, buy it, and maybe light a candle.
Watch the full video interview below.
Catch Iwrestledabearonceonce tour and stream wherever you get your music
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