Ask the Mistress of Metal what album she’d take with her to a deserted island and you’d be asking a lot. Bring up her radio show Powerchord’s upcoming 25th anniversary concert at the Rickshaw (May 21), however, and her veil of indecision is lifted.

When the Mistress, the third person to host the long running heavy metal program, realized that 25 years had passed since Metal Ron and Gerald Rattlehead first started Powerchord on CiTR, it was obvious to her that they had to commemorate the occasion. The milestone is especially impressive, given that Powerchord is the longest running metal radio show in Canada. “Kind of a big deal,” is how she put it.

She further describes the concert as “Canadian head-banging history.” Featuring a of diverse ballot of Canadian metal talent—Woods of Ypres, Titans Eve, Scissortooth, Scythia, Magnus Rising and Auroch—the concert represents what Powerchord’s all about: bringing metal to the masses. All proceeds from the concert will benefit the Music BC charitable foundation, bringing the gift of music to classrooms across British Columbia.

Discorder: What’s been your most memorable on-air moment?

Mistress of Metal: I had a guy who thought he was Ozzy Osbourne. He came on and had this album he recorded himself, and it was just off the wall. He sounded like Ozzy. He was actually really good, I have to give him credit, but he was a little weird. He actually stood up in the studio and was looking up at the ceiling and was just so into it. But the song was playing on-air and he was singing just to himself, not knowing I clicked the button on-air, and it was awesome. He sat down and the song changes and he says, “Wow, I just had a moment,” and I said, “Well, that moment was just caught on-air.” He was like, “Ahhh, really? Love you!” It was more just having someone who literally thought he was Ozzy Osbourne. Plain and simple. He was not his own person; he was Ozzy Osbourne [laughter].

D: Who’s been your best guest?

MoM: Best guests would have to be Titans Eve, who are on the show ballot. Funny guys. The stuff they come up with is good content and just makes people laugh. They’re just lighthearted, funny guys and it’s just a pleasure to interview people who just go off on their own tangents.

D: Which album would you bring to a deserted island?

MoM: Wow. That’s a hard question. It’d have to be Megadeth. All the way, Megadeth. Dave Mustaine, I love him. Nobody’s voice can make me feel as good as his. He hits all the right notes. It’s very well done. I can’t remember which album it is…OK, it’s United Abominations, but The System Has Failed is so good too. Just say whatever Megadeth album I can grab first.

D: What’s your favourite CiTR Show (aside from your own)?

MoM: Generation Annihilation. Why? Because they have always been so supportive of Powerchord. And the show is well put together, showcasing a great array of punk rock talent.

D: What is the future of Powerchord?

MoM: That it will continue for many, many, many more years. I believe that if one of us can’t continue doing it, there’ll be another person that’ll come along that’s a metal lover who will do just as good a job. It’ll live on forever. As long as CiTR is around, Powerchord will be there. If it happens to go tits up, wow…that’d be a sad day.

Powerchord can be heard every Saturday from 1-3pm on CiTR 101.9FM or any time via podcast. Visit www.citr.ca for details.