Q&A With… Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons (Part II)

Justin Tranter & Lady Gaga

Part Two of our Exclusive with Semi Precious Weapons front-man Justin Tranter. The band has a new album and is currently on tour with bff Lady Gaga. Justin and I talked about the tour, the band’s unique and unrelenting style, and how Gaga has helped change the music industry for the better.

TDR: You guys have been working with Gaga on The Monster Ball Tour since 2009.  What’s your favorite part about touring and working with her?

JT: Our favorite thing to do as a band is playing live. You know, we’ve been touring forever… bought our own van, made the merch, book the shows ourselves, all that stuff… Gaga used to open for us in New York City, so we’ve been playing shows since 2007 – and now opening for her big tour has just been so amazing to play to a large audience every single night. Our song isn’t at radio yet, we aren’t doing TV yet. We really want to build a real fanbase for our live show first.


TDR: This tour has helped gain a lot of new fans for you guys.
JT: An insane amount of new fans. Before this tour we only ever played in bars. Even in bigger bars, you could get 500 people to show up… But no one would ever buy a ticket, that type of thing. It wasn’t like show up and party. Now whenever there’s a break on the Gaga tour we do shows of our own and we went from never being able to sell a ticket to a couple thousand tickets across the country.

“We’re in arenas and the exposure is massive. It’s changed everything.” – Justin Tranter (on the Lady Gaga Tour)

Semi Precious Weapons

TDR: You guys have a unique look and sound. Was it ever a battle getting a major record deal while staying so true to your style and esthetic?

JT: We were on an indie label for six months or something, and it was a disaster. The indie label wanted us to change the way we looked and were worried about the shit I said. Luckily now that we’re on a major label, part of it has been the barriers that Gaga has broken down for us, and the belief she has in us. When we first got signed to Ron Fair and Geffen Records, all these great people at work at Interscope and Geffen… they remember what Rock and Roll is like, they remember it’s supposed to have personality, it’s supposed to be dangerous, and excite people… the major label has been really freeing for us. I think we’re one of the few people to actually experience that, but there’s a change in the industry thanks to Gaga.

Justin Tranter & Lady Gaga in the moshpit

TDR: Do you think about being a role model now that you’re gaining noteriety?

JT: I think I’m a great role model, no matter what comes out of my mouth. There’s so much out there that’s bullshit, that isn’t real and you know, the kids that wanna love us, they understand that I would wear this outfit to the laundry mat. They’ve done their homework, and they know that I’ve been studying music since I was ten years old and that this is really serious and I’ve worked my fucking ass off and I think that (I’m) the age of being confident and comfortable with exactly the person I am, and will hopefully inspire lots of other kids to do the same.

TDR: When you were in University you helped found a Music Scholarship for young LGBT youth. Does that activist still live inside you?

JT: It still does live inside me a lot. I don’t really talk about it anymore because I want to be the person I am, not talk about it. Gender issues will always be close to my heart. I don’t relate to specifically gay rights anymore, but gender issues will always be extremely important to me. I think that’s the core of everything is gender, not sexuality. I think people are terrified of gender, gender fluidity and the fact that gender doesn’t have to live inside specific boxes really, really fucks people up and I couldn’t be happier about it.

TDR: Describe Semi Precious Weapons new album, You Love You, in three words

JT: That is tough! (Long pause) Filthy, dramatic, and honest.

TDR: What’s next for you? You’ve already experienced so much at such a young age.

JT: We want to be the biggest band in the world… have the whole world know who we are, filling up headline arena tours of our own, and just being as big as possible and change the way people think, listen and party.

Catch Semi Precious Weapons currently on tour with Lady Gaga.

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RELATED – Q&A With… Justin Tranter of Semi Precious Weapons (Part I)