The Vancouver music scene has regretfully lost another bright star, talent, & dear friend ...Ms. Tarja "Thundermonkey" Ridgewell 1974-2010. Tarja and her band The Electric Demons were only a week away from releasing their debut CD entitled "Rip Your Heart Out" , when the truck that she was driving, somewhere outside of Kamloops, B.C., lost complete control. Tarja, unfortunately forgot to put on her seatbelt. It is an easy oversight to make on the way to the nearest convenience store, ( which is apparently where she & her boyfriend were headed when the accident occured!).. Sadly, many serious accidents happen less than a mile away from our homes!! Tarja was helicoptered to Kamloops General Hospital. While in a coma in critical condition, the doctors operated on her broken, shattered leg successfully, as well as drain the blood from her brain which was hemoraging, Tarja's back was also broken! ..It is at times like this when one can't help but
question the unfairness of life! ! Against all of the odds, Tarja fought the good fight, and was without a doubt a true contender in the "Ring of Fire", here in "No Fun City", otherwise-known-as "The Vancouver music scene!" ! Tarja succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday, April 14th ,2010 on the night of a full moon. She may be gone from this PUNK GLOBE , but our THUNDERMONKEY R&R Goddess is far from being forgotten!!!...
The Fabulous Ms. Ligaya & I first met Tarja at our JP5 shows back in the mid 90's!! We could always count on Thundermonkey to be at our shows front center stage as our "#1 BEER DRINKIN' MANEATER Fan" bravely leading the mosh pit into a frenzy with her wild sense of anti-fashion & wreckless punk abandon !! When Tarja Ridgewell made the scene she had the flair of Linda Blair, the beauty of Marianne Faithful & has been known to make Courtney Love look like an extra on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood!! ...Ha! It wasn't long after we met that Tarja formed her own first band called "The Liplickers", together with North Vancouver's "B-MOVIE/SHOCK HORROR" Director, Vince D' Amato on guitar who's films list to date "CORPSE-O-RAMA" & "VAMPIRES Vs. ZOMBIES"!! ..THE LIPLICKER'S put out a rockin' 5 song EP intitled "HALF ASSED BANSHEE ANTICS" recorded at " N.A.L. Sound" in 1998 with Tarja's "Tongue Firmly Planted In Cheek" Humor shining through in the discs
rumproastin' rockers with songs intitled "Tar-Tar the Ass", "Hey Asshole", & "Jerky Ass"!!!...In fact Tarja won a "Billy Bob Drive In Award" in 2001 for her role as "Chubby" in D' Amatos "VampiresVs. Zombies" ! . Ms. Ridgewell recieved the celluloid kudos for "Actor With the Most Unlikely Name for Her Character!" Tarja has also been one of the many cast of characters/rogues, actors, and musicians employed with Coco Moon's " Double Agents" Casting Company. Tarja & I spent many an hour professionally having a blast making asses of ourselves doing background "Movie-Boog-a-Loo" in various club scenes for the "L-Word", and countless other productions filmed here in The Couve!
On Saturday, April 17th SUCK UP TO GOD, THE STOOLIES, & THE L.G.A. (Little Guitar Army) stepped up to the plate to play emotionally charged sets to a fullhouse at The Princeton Pub for Tarja's Memorial, & The ELECTRIC DEMONS CD release. "RIP YOUR HEART OUT" was co-produced by Murray "Metal Murr" Howes & Tarja "Thundermonkey" Ridgewell. Local Low-Brow Pop Art Guru "The Rev. Rot In Hell" does some of his best CD cover art to date for The Electric Demons rocking debut! Rev. Rot is presently working on a painting inspired by Ms. Ridgewell. Tarja's vox are soul wrenching , thunderous, & demonically melodic in all 10 of these fast & furious E.D. tracks. T's voice is a cross between Mia Zappata of The Gits, Janis Joplin & Motorhead on an estrogen bender! The metal guitar riffs get the blood flowing in "Social Uproar" & "Punk Out" especially! Warning: This disc may literally "Rip Your Heart out!" PLAY LOUD! Tarja may have been taken away from us far to
soon, but her legacy shall live on forever!! Thanks for being such a cool friend & the fond memories Sister!! VIVA LA "QUEEN OF ROCK N' ROLL".....
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