Former BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Carla Harvey has joined the Belgian electronic music act LORDS OF ACID. Carla Harvey stated:
“In high school, I had three favorite bands: GUNS N’ ROSES, PANTERA, and LORDS OF ACID. Each of them shaped me and uniquely influenced me as an artist. LORDS OF ACID had me hooked from the moment I heard ‘I Sit On Acid’ as a teenager, dancing the night away at Detroit’s goth industrial club, City Club.
My obsession with LORDS OF ACID only grew when I saw Coop’s artwork on the cover of ‘Voodoo U.’ Now I get to record an album and tour with my heroes! Someone pinch my 16-year-old self! I’ll be the one behind the mic in the booth. While my new band, THE VIOLENT HOUR, is set to release its first single in February, I’m adding another dream accomplishment to my list: Becoming the Acid Queen! Praise the LORDS!”
Harvey stated that she reached a point in her life where constant touring no longer suited her. She explained that for bands the size of BUTCHER BABIES, non-stop touring is essential to cover expenses, which isn’t sustainable in the long term. She mentioned that she now has a stepdaughter with her fiancé, Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX, PANTERA), and that being in a full-time band became too demanding.
In her own words, Carla said:
“There’s so much that goes into being in a band, especially as you grow older and your life changes. You have relationships, a partner. I have a stepdaughter, and the idea of being on the road 10-12 months a year became overwhelming. In a band of five people, some may want to tour all the time, while others prefer a more relaxed pace. It doesn’t always work out for the greater good of everyone.
Life changes. And another thing about the music industry—it’s not the same as it was 20 or 10 years ago. My future husband is in a legacy band. They never have to worry about having a real job. But bands like ours? If you’re not on the road 12 months of the year, you can’t support yourself.”
Carla Harvey left BUTCHER BABIES in 2024 and has already founded her new band, THE VIOLENT HOUR. In an interview with The Ward Bond Show, she also revealed that she returned to her work in the deathcare industry, recently taking a position with the cremation service Parting Stone. She holds a degree in Mortuary Science from Cypress College in California and works as a grief counselor and end-of-life specialist.
Speaking about this work, Harvey explained:
“My dad once said to me, when we started the band, something he meant as a joke: ‘I saw you singing on the internet. Don’t quit your day job.’ At the time, I thought it was the nastiest thing he could say, but I’m glad I never quit my day job. Even over the last 15 years while touring, I made sure to get more education and certifications so I could keep going.”
