February 20, 2005

VR: Who is Vicki D'Salle?
VD: Vicki is the realization of someone who has been in my mind, spirit for as long as I can remember

VR: Where are you living these days?
VD: In the Greater Cincinnati area

VR: I know this is a hard question, but can you tell us what your life has been about?
VD: Well...I've know ever since I was five years old that I had natural
inclinations towards girlish things- I vividly remember my next door neighbor, an older girl, clipping a little bow in my burr haircut when I was in kindergarten, and when my hair got a little longer in the third grade, I was able to convince another neighbor girl to put my hair in curlers...I was ecstatic! Also at a very young age, I also knew I would be a musician...so music kind of won out, and occupied most of my brain space. Growing up Catholic, repression is something that I've been fighting for years, so my feminine spirit spent a lot of time under the surface!

VR: When you were growing up and each morning you would look in the mirror, did you feel that was the wrong person looking back at you?
VD: Not necessarily the wrong person, but I could definitely see the girl in there

VR: Who was your inspiration growing up?
VD: My girl inspiration came from my cousins...some of them were pretty hip & 60's fabulous!

VR: Rumor has it you are a keyboard player, is that true and how long have you been playing?
VD: I've been playing music ever since I was five years old, but have been concentrating on being a proper piano player for the last several years

VR: Do you sing also?
VD: Yes, ma'am- my voice is in the tenor range...I don't have the ability to emulate female vocalists the way some of the other drag entertainers do, such as Grae Phillips or Jimmy James, so I just do what I can do...I guess you could say I have an androgynous voice

VR: Are you on your own or do you play with a band?
VD: I play solo, in duets with an upright bassist, and also in trio & quartet settings

VR: What type of music to you play?
VD: I specialize in blues (some of the double-entendre variety), ballads, boogie woogie & New Orleans music...I also play with a band that does 60's voodoo garage music- I've played country, funk, gospel, rockabilly- it all has a common thread

VR: Have you cut a CD yet or is that off in the future?
VD: Yes, I have a CD available- it's entitled "My Heart's In New Orleans"- I'm very happy with how it turned out- it was recorded with upright bass & drums, with some guest slide guitar and tenor sax (plus a solo piano track)- we cut it live, so there was no fussin' around...what you hear is what you get, and the energy was very fun & relaxed for the sessions

VR: Can we get it locally at one of the local stores or do we have to buy
it on line?
VD: I am selling it (the CD!) at my shows, and also at an excellent online record store called CD Baby...you can go directly to my page and order @ www.cdbaby.com/vickidsalle

VR: Do you have any regular gigs or do we have to just keep our eyes and ears open to see where and when you will be performing
VD: I do play locally at the Crazy Fox Saloon in Newport, KY and at Jacob's On The Avenue in the eclectic north side neighborhoods of Cincinnati- performances are posted at my website, which is: www.vickidsalle.com

VR: Who do you admire these days?
VD: Although I specialize in traditional music, I have a great fondness for punk rock & its varieties...my most recent infatuation is with Karen O, lead singer with the NYC group The Yeah Yeah Yeahs...in performance she ranges from meditative & serene to complete insanity-the group's energy is so celebratory, and Karen O is someone who totally "lets go", without the negative Courtney Love-type aspects (!)- Karen is someone I who admire greatly...if anyone else tried what she manages to do, they would fail miserably!

VR: What do you think is your biggest accomplishment to date?
VD: I have no idea! I have had more than a few what I would call big accomplishments in my life, but I couldn't call any of them my biggest

VR: Do you think you are a nice person or do you think you can be a bitch
at times?
VD: I enjoy being a nice person...and if you think I'm a bitch I'll cut you up good!

VR: You are extremely pretty, have you been dressing long?
VD: I've been "outdoors" consistently since '96, when I got re-acquainted with CrossPort, Greater Cincinnati's transgender support group...I did dress in public briefly when I was eighteen- I moved to Boston, where I met someone who introduced me to the drag scene at "Jacque's" and "The Other Side"...I lived in a dorm at the time, so through my friend I met someone who let me get ready at her place...the scene wasn't very wholesome though (drugs & prostitution abound), and when I went home for the summer I gave my clothes away- it wasn't a "purge", I just knew my things would be found by nosy parents! It's a shame, because at that age I had all the "ammunition"- pretty hair, no pesky facial hair, some baby fat to make me soft, and I remember my attitude towards dressing became "why bother? I'll never be as beautiful as a real girl"...it's taken me time to realize there are different types of beauty, and it's all to be admired... in the past few years I've been trying to figure out who I am, so I feel pretty comfortable now...and thanks for the compliment!

VR: What do you think makes you stand out above others?
VD: I'm a person just like everybody else...everyone has their strengths & weaknesses

VR: Do you get nervous when you are asked to speak to a group or perform
on stage?
VD: My early gigs as Vicki were nervous affairs...time has settled me in, though- my music is fun & infectious, so most times everybody gets loose pretty quick, including me!

VR: Would you ever get SRS (reassignment surgery) or when did you have your surgery?
VD: No, that's not in my nature- I have several sister friends who have done so, and they have my total respect and admiration...I've just never felt that way myself

VR: What about other surgeries, such as breast augmentation or get facial
feminization, to future your career, like some performers have done? VD: I'd LOVE to get rid of my facial hair!...but I hear so many opinions from the different camps (laser, electrolysis) I'm not really sure which way to go

VR: Are you in love now?
VD: Yes!

VR: Where do you see yourself in the future?
VD: Doing what I'm doing now, but better...and fighting gravity!

VR: As a transgender person do you think you have receive proper respect you deserve in life?
VD: I haven't had any problems so far- of course not everyone understands, and I get a little unnerved when what I'm doing is perceived as titillation- it's mostly because people are nervous...for example, if somebody sees someone who is dressed and "over the top", there's no mistaking that they're seeing a man in women's clothes, and it's theater- but if they see someone and their gender is not immediately identifiable, they feel challenged and get uneasy

VR: What do you think you have to offer the transgender community, anything at all?
VD: In performing, and especially with releasing this CD, I'm trying to "stick it out there" and be affirmative about my gender situation...it makes me sad when I see sisters that are tormented by cross-dressing- the shame, the guilt, the purging...relating to a different gender is something that I see as a positive thing- a balance, if you will...I do have my issues, though- if more than a month passes and I don't get "out of the box", I can become negative about this aspect of myself, painting an unflattering picture of myself in my head which only gets fixed when I can get outdoors again

VR: What words of wisdom would you give to someone who is reaching out for help?
VD: Don't hate yourself for the way God made you- do what you can to exercise this part of yourself, and go with nature

VR: Do you have a final statement, for our readers?
VD: Getting your face & hair on right is one thing, but attitude is everything!

Note from Vicki Rene: I have met this lady a few times, she is just a joy to be around! Someone I am very proud to call a friend!