It is true that there are not many female figures in rock, yet if all were as faithful and constant to their music beliefs as Dorothy Pesch has been throughout way over a decade, quality would overshadow quantity. Better known as Doro and for her leading role in the German band Warlock back in the 80s, this fantastic singer and fabulous woman has proven that through hard work and perseverance, everything is possible. During her recent tour of England in November, Doro had a space in her busy agenda to gracefully grant us this interview to discuss her new album 'Fight'.

I must say your new album 'Fight' really rocks. It contains very powerful tracks and has a great sound. Are you proud of the result?

Very happy. I am very happy with the direction we went in, more back to basics, straight into your face. I was thinking about it before we did the record, like going more natural or more technical... then I said fuck all the technical stuff! They way it came about is we were last year in the studio in Dusseldorf with Die Krupps. We met many years ago. They did a fantastic remix and then we met and we became friends and now we own a studio together. I was in the studio with the whole band and we were rehearsing for the summer festivals last year and I told the band that I wrote a couple of songs and if they wanted to check if they liked them. So I played a couple of songs and then everybody was trying to figure out the chords, just fiddling around. I thought 'This vibe is good.' We decided we should do everybody in the same room recording at the same time. Then we did the pre-production in Germany and the real recording in Pennsylvania. We were all in the same room and I could do my vocals while we were recording. The first takes of the vocals are always the best. We always redo them or fix them or try to make them better. But then they are different, but not better, so I kept the vocals from the first take. And I've got good feedback from the fans - they like it raw, not polished.

The album also features more pop oriented songs. Was that done intentionally to attract new audiences?

No, I always write many songs and then I pick the ones that I like the most. The pop aspect was not the idea at all. For many years I always had to fight with many A&R guys in the record companies because they wanted to have it more commercial so we could get radio play, and it never worked. I was always felt so uncomfortable so I said no, it's fake, I don't like it. Then they suggested other songwriters and it was always a disaster. We have now a production here, which I like so much, SPV, an independent label, and I'm really happy. Now nobody ever interferes anymore. Of course if somebody really has a good input, I am very open but way back then it was very different, the A&R guy was always in control of the power. This time I could really choose what I liked and how I wanted to do it.

'Descent', where you do a duet with Pete Steele from Type O' Negative clearly proves that you are trying to move with times and touch a more modern direction.

Actually I was not after a new direction. We wrote pretty much all the tracks for the record and then my guitar player, Joe Taylor, and me wrote 'Descent' in Germany. I thought whoa, that has such a nice dark atmosphere it might be nice if a male vocalist could sing it this way. Then we went back to Pennsylvania and Nick, my bass player, sang the male part. I said to him 'That sounds really good, but what do you think if maybe somebody with a lower voice would sing it, like Pete Steele?' He looked at me and said 'Man, that would be awesome!' But then I didn't pursue it. We went to New York for a benefit concert. We were talking to so many people and so many bands, like Twisted Sister. There was a lady, Utah, from Germany that lives in New York that was doing merchandising. So we were talking and she asked me if there was another duet on the record because on the last record we had one. I said no, not yet and I don't know if there would be one. She asked if I had the choice who would it be. I told her we had this great song, really dark and a little bit different from the rest and that Pete Steele would be awesome. And she said 'I know him really well.' I said 'You must be kidding!' She said 'No, I am a really good friend of his so I could call him.' I said no, but she did it anyway. One day later Pete called my cell phone and he said 'I talked to a friend of mine and she told me about this song. I would be really interested in listening to it, so give me a call.' I gave him a call and went down to his home. He played me his demos and I played him our demos and I played him 'Descent'. You could see his face lighting up. So he said 'Yeah, I like it. Let's try.' I am really happy how it came out. I think his voice is fantastic. He was really sweet and one of the nicest people I've ever met, and the tallest! But I was not trying to do another direction, just to fit the song perfectly.

The song 'Fight' was written for boxing fighter Regina Halmich, with whom you are friends. Tell us the story behind it.

She is 28 times world champion and we are friends for many years. I love boxing, I do tai boxing myself. She always came to the ring with 'All We Are', which was one of our anthems. One time many years ago I was sitting to watch a fight and somebody came with 'All We Are'. That was Regina. On New Year's Eve she told me she would need another song. So I sent her 'Always Live To Win' and 'Fight'. At first she picked 'Always Live to Win' but then she decided 'Fight'. There was always a problem with the TV channel in Germany because it is for normal regular people so they told her 'That's too heavy, can't you choose a pop song?' But she said no and came into the room with 'Fight'. It was great and she won!

In addition to featuring a track half sang in German, 'Hoffnung', as in previous albums, you have actually now dared to sing in Spanish on the fantastic song 'Salvaje' [wild]. How did that come about? Do you think it will push for bigger sales in Spain and South America?

There is this magazine in Spain called Heavy Rock and when they did the pop polls for 13 years in a row I was always their favourite singer, but I didn't know. Then three years ago we played in America and there was this guy Mariano Garcia and he asked 'Could you come over? One week from now there is this awards show and you get your little award.' I said 'Mariano, I think like six years ago I heard about it too, that I got an award, but the record company wouldn't pay for the flight.' And he said 'It's not 6 years ago, it's 13 years in a row!' Then SPV said 'Okay, let's do it.' We went over. It was the first time in Spain after a long, long time and there was such a good vibration and excitement. We did the Judas Priest tour in 1986 and it was so overwhelming we put a little Spanish sentence 'Hay una promesa en el sonido' [there is a promise in the sound] in the 'Triumph And Agony' album. Then there it was again, this great vibe, so I thought I would love to make a little Spanish verse. At first the song is dedicated to Lemmy, and it was in English, 'Untouchable' and then a girl translated it and we went in the studio. At first it was thought more like a B-side or a single only for Spain, but then we decided it was good for the whole world.

'Salvaje', as well as 'Sister Darkness', was co-written by Crown of Thorns' Jean Beauvoir, with whom you have also worked in a tribute song, 'Freedom', to the victims of September 11th, featuring different German artists. Was that an emotional experience?

He is a super great guy and we became very good friends. When I was in Germany he came to our studio and with the whole band we did a little jam session and it was when 'Sister Darkness' came out. Then we went back to his hotel room and we wrote so many songs. He is very talented, I was always a big fan of the Plasmatics when he was in. All the people I work with are friends. I couldn't work with somebody that was not sympathetic or where you don't feel there is a good connection. He came to one of our gigs on the 'Calling The Wild' tour after driving for 5 hours and then we talked and we said maybe if we do a new record maybe we should try and sit down and write some songs together. My tour manager, Dirk, was also his and before the 'Calling The Wild' tour Dirk said to all have dinner and that's how I met him. We had so many laughs and then we stayed in touch.

Like many other musicians, in your new album you have included a mention to the 11th September events in the track 'Fight By Your Side'. How do you feel about that?

Probably we all feel similar. It changed our lives completely. I was in Germany when that happened and I couldn't get hold of anybody from New York because the telephones didn't work anymore. I was very concerned. Now I try to appreciate everyday much more than before. Live it definitely to the fullest. I must say it was so shocking and so fucking scary. It changed the record as well. I didn't feel like [recording] happy or superficial songs anymore. That's the reason why it sounds a little bit darker. 'Fight By Your Side' was written many years ago when there was the war going on in Yugoslavia but the A&R guy didn't want any political lyrics and we had big discussions about it but I couldn't get the song on the record. And this time I thought it's the first song I want to put on. I am totally against war and violence. I don't think it can solve problems at all.

'Legends Never Die' was written by Gene Simmons, and previously sung by Wendy O'Williams. Can you tell us why did you decide to include the track on the album?

I always loved it. I heard it when Gene produced one of our albums in 1990 and then he gave me a little tape and the song was on it. Wendy sang it and I loved it. Because the record this time felt so earthy and natural I felt like putting it on. On other records I thought the acoustic guitar wouldn't fit, but this time I thought the song would be nice and also to keep Wendy's spirit alive as I loved her so much and maybe some young people don't know so much about her. Also our guitar player Mario Parillo, a great guitar player and a great person, died two years ago. We were on tour with Ronnie James Dio in the States and at the last concert, in LA, Gene Simmons came to see our show and he talked to him. That was the last time I saw Mario. He went to hospital. We didn't think he had anything serious but he had cancer and he didn't know it. Then a couple of months later he died while we were on the European tour. He is not a well-known name, but to us he was a true legend.

In Germany you are one of the biggest rock stars and constantly play big stadiums, yet the story seems to be different in the UK. How do you feel about that?

It is good to be back here and I don't mind if it is smaller or bigger venues at all. If people are excited and happy like today it doesn't matter. I'm just really happy to play, and to make people happy the size doesn't really matter. Sometimes I have the best times in smaller clubs because the people are right there, whilst on big festivals there are huge gaps so you don't get personal connection.

For a considerable amount of time, you are maintaining the line-up of your band. Lead guitarist Joe Taylor has been with you since 1993, bass player Nick Douglas since 1990 and Johnny Dee on drums since 1993. I assume your relationship with them must be pretty good.

It is very good, we have a good vibe. We get along very well, everybody respects the other person. We have a good understanding, sometimes without words, which is so cool, even in music you don't have to explain things.

What do you think is the main difference between Warlock and Doro as a solo artist?

Actually, I never planned on doing a solo career. Our name was taken away by our manager. In Warlock there was a constant change of the band members, of which the band didn't have any control over. It was totally out of our hands and it was really terrible. That's the big difference. I realised that no person is really replaceable, with their thoughts, spirit and ideas. So when the first guitar player left or got fired that was the end of having a good time. All became really stressful.

Due to your many years in the business and your perseverance, how do you feel about being an inspiration and an example to follow for many women in rock?

I always try to give my best and if I can inspire somebody in a positive way I am more than thankful for that. It is always a big honour to play in front of people. Even when I write a song I think this may be meaningful to some people. I think that's why I'm here, to make other people happy. Life is hard so I'm happy that for 5 minutes or one hour or whatever I can uplift their spirit.

I know you have been asked this many times during your career, but why do you think so few women have made it in rock? Do you believe it is a chauvinist world?

I could never really understand why because it's so much fun. It's great. I always felt I was treated really good and respected a lot from the fans from day one. It's the greatest job in the world, so I really don't know. I love it so much. The girls from Girlschool were here in the dressing room and they seem to have a good time. Definitely girls and women should go for it because it's good. It's always hard, but it's good.

Can you tell us how is a normal day in Doro's life?

Everything is always connected with the music: interviews, promotion, go on tour, rehearse, write more songs… And I am doing tai boxing when I have time. That's it.

You are not married, are you?

No, I was never married. It would be nice, but no one would put up with this for a long time, going on tour and so on. They would lose their patience. Maybe that's not in the cards, but it's okay. I love music so much I can do without it.

Finally, any messages to your loyal fans in Europe?

I want to thank them with all my heart for believing in us. I could always go out and do what I love doing because they were there. I felt so supported and always try to rock them 150% and treat every concert like it would be the last. I want to thank them for all these years. It's the best thing in the world. I love them. That's why I am here, for their love. There is a mutual love going out, almost unexplainable but that's the power source that gives me energy to survive even hard times when metal wasn't going so strong and I still felt loved, even in the UK. We didn't play here for so many years but I always perceived so much motivation and inspiration. I thank them.