Vanessa Warwick: Exclusive Interview
We're incredibly proud to share this exclusive interview with Vanessa Warwick. Vanessa shares with us her thoughts on the band, the community, her work with the band and even more!
Before we begin, we’d like to express our deepest thanks to Vanessa Warwick for accepting our invitation and taking the time to answer our many questions! Her insight & passion truly mean the world to us and to all Ghost fans. We hope you’ll like our interview!
We’d also like to extend our warmest gratitude to the team at Loma Vista Recordings for supporting fan-led initiatives like ours — your trust and encouragement help make things like this possible.
Now, let’s dive in.
1. Hello Vanessa! First of all, how did you first get involved with Ghoulbangers Ball, and what was your reaction when Ghost approached you?
Vanessa:
Well, I heard from Ghost around five weeks before the Skeletour started, so it happened very, very quickly. And initially they just wanted me to do a voiceover for one of the chapters, and of course, I jumped at the chance. I was just so honoured that they'd even thought of me for that. And they scheduled a call with me with the record company, and I had that call and Loma Vista said, “since we first contacted you, it's kind of grown in scale and Tobias would like you to come out on the tour.” And it was such a shock to me that he even knew who I was or that he thought of me for it. So I was literally shaking on the call. I was so excited, and it was just such a shock I couldn't take it all in. And then I started thinking of all the logistical issues of being able to actually go away for five weeks on the Skeletour, but I knew that it was the opportunity of a lifetime, and I discussed it with my husband Nick, and we thought, “you've got to go for it”.
And so we did. It wasn't even called Ghoulbangers Ball at that point. It was just a basic idea that Tobias had that he wanted me to come out on the tour and act as a reporter for two reasons. First of all, because of the phone ban, he wanted to provide a lasting memory for the fans. But secondly, he wanted these reports to start to educate fans about his influences and the music that influenced him and other influences as well, such as comics and sci-fi and things like that. So all of these will be integrated into the GTV content over the course of the Skeletour.
2. If Ghost had existed during the Headbangers Ball era, how do you think they would’ve been received?
Vanessa:
I think Ghost would've been received extremely well on the same level that they are now. And I'm going to put it down to one thing, and that's great songwriting and musicianship, and that is timeless. And Ghost have that in absolute abundance. And when I watch the Skeletour every night, which is an absolute blessing and privilege to do so, I just keep thinking every song is such a quality song. There are no fillers or chaff in there. Every song is quality. And I think that the quality of songwriting and indeed the musicianship is absolutely world class with Ghost. And that's before we even start talking about the imagery, the lore, the community, and everything else that surrounds this incredible band.
3. Do you remember the first time you heard Ghost? What was your impression?
Vanessa:
I do remember the first time I heard Ghost, and that was probably about 18 months ago when I had a programme on Staccs TV and it was a live streaming service in Scandinavian regions and the Baltics and my producer put in “Mary on a Cross” by Ghost. And I listened to it then, and I immediately thought, what an incredible song. But just such a sense of humour as well, particularly the line about tickling somebody internally. I mean, that to me is almost laugh-out-loud hilarity. It's so funny. You think on the surface that Ghost is a certain thing, but it's like an onion. Each layer you peel back, there's actually something deeper there, something more to discover, something more to prompt your thinking and your thought processes. And there's so much creativity there, creativity in the music, in the imagery, in the lore, in the comics, in the music videos, in the live concert. The level of creativity is off the scale, in my opinion. I think Tobias has such an abundance of ideas and he's always pushing the boundaries and challenging himself and thinking bigger and bigger.
4. If you had to describe Ghoulbangers Ball in three words, what would they be?
Vanessa:
Wow (laughs) — that's a tough one. I’d say “Fun”, “fast” and “furious”.
5. Has working on Ghoulbangers Ball changed your perspective on Ghost or its fanbase in any way?
Vanessa:
It was inevitable that it would change my perspective because I've been able to see much more under the veil, if you like, and to see the level of detail and care that goes into everything to do with Ghost. And as far as the fans are concerned, they're just absolutely amazing. I was a little anxious that they wouldn't know who I was, that they wouldn't accept me. They would think "who's this girl who came along here and got this incredible job". But I have been utterly embraced by them and showered with so much love and affection, and I've collected so many trinkets. I'm probably going to need a new suitcase to take them all home at the end of the tour. And I've just been totally blown away by the fans’ creativity, how brave they are, how courageous they are. And I speak to a lot of people that have found solace in Ghost's music and have used it to help them come through difficult times.
But the actual Ghost community is probably the most supportive community of any type that I've ever come across. And I'm not just talking in the music industry, I'm talking across every type of community there is. They're very inclusive, they're very caring, they're very sharing, and they support one another. And somebody said to me on Instagram a day or two ago, the Ghost Skeletour is powered by love. And I think that love is the love between the fans in the community and the love that the fans have for the band, but also the love that the band has for the fans. And I think when you come to a Ghost concert, you come into this arena of love and it's such a safe and comfortable place to be. And I can quite happily go into the crowd just with a cameraman and feel totally safe. And I'm not jostled, or people don't shout nasty things at me. Everybody is so kind and caring and respectful, and yeah, it's a big part of going to the ritual that you come into a space where nobody's judging you and people are caring and all just totally of the same mindset and just wanting to have a good time and share the love. And that is something that has really resonated with me personally as the Skeletour goes on.
6. Have you developed any behind-the-scenes rituals before filming episodes?
Vanessa:
I wouldn't say I've developed any rituals per se. I just think there's, once I've done what I call the daytime stuff, which is the intros and the fans outside the venue, and we're coming close to Showtime. Then I have my thing of getting “ritual-ready”, and that is when I change into one of my dresses that I bought for the tour. And this is a great source of enjoyment for me because there's so few places you can go now where you can actually wear what I would call a “gown”. And one of my dresses is like a ballerina dress. It's got a huge net skirt and a corset top. And there's very few places I could ever wear that. So I really love the opportunity to get dressed up just as I know the fans do in their own way with their costumes and their masks and their headdresses and face paint and whatnot. And I put a fair bit of mermaid glitter on my face and I do my hair with maybe a hairpiece or a ponytail, and that's a part of the day that I really do enjoy. And I do my little segment, I'm ritual-ready, and that's me getting ready to go into the night and have fun with the band and the fans.
7. The Ghost tour bus looks like a world of its own! Can you give us a peek behind the curtain and tell us what a day on the road feels like?
Vanessa:
Yes. The Ghost Tour Bus, I'm very fortunate. It is very luxurious and I find my bunk very comfortable. There's a kitchen which is stocked with snacks and tea and coffee and water. There is a toilet, I'm pleased to say. When it's a travel day, I'll probably wake up a bit later and then I'll go and sit in the front lounge, which is my favourite spot on the bus. And I love watching the world go by. I find it very relaxing, almost meditative.
She continues:
You can see all of my little stories that I've been posting on Instagram very often from the bus. And in one of the episodes, I can't remember which one, it might be Munich, I think I've done a tour bus tour to show you around the bus. There's very little privacy on the bus. I'm sharing with some of the guitar techs and some of the merchandise chaps. So it's a mixed bus of male and female, but we all get on very well. Some people on my bus I've never seen and I've never met because they work different times to me, but generally it really is a home away from home. And when I get into my bunk at night, usually about one o'clock in the morning after a show, I shut my curtains and switch my lights off, and I just feel very comfortable. And then the engine starts up and the bus moves off on the journey to the next place, and I just fall asleep being rocked by the bus. It is very enjoyable. I think I've adapted to it quite well because me and my husband Nick have a motor home, which we do spend quite a bit of time in, and it's not dissimilar to that. So I kind of had an idea of what it would be like, but I think I've taken to it very well, and I'm actually really, really enjoying it. And I just love the whole tour experience and travelling on a bus and seeing different places and seeing all the beautiful scenery outside the window.
8. What’s the funniest thing that’s happened behind the scenes of Ghoulbangers Ball so far?
Vanessa:
Oh, the funniest thing that's happened behind the scenes. I don't know, actually. There've been a few kinds of funny logistical things, which are just where things kind of went a bit wrong and we kind of laughed them off. But I don't think those are the kind of things that you're looking for. I think one of the funniest things period has been Jesus at the Glasgow Show because he was
Yeah, the fan dressed as Jesus, not of course, the real Jesus. He wasn't there, I don't think, but it was just you couldn't ask for a better fan interview because he was so funny. And I was worried that it almost looked staged because he was so good. But it was absolutely off the cuff, he was a genuine fan. He'd had a few too many sherries and he came out with some absolutely iconic lines. And he's kind of set a trend now, actually. There's a Jesus turning up to nearly every show inspired by Scottish Jesus. So I would say that's probably it. Behind the scenes.
I can't really think of anything at this point. It's all been quite hectic and very long hours. And yeah, we've just been kind of adapting and going along as best we can. I think what one thing worth saying is that Ghoulbangers Ball is going to reveal more and more as the tour goes on. So Tobias wanted us to gradually raise the intensity of it as it goes on. So I do want everybody to stay tuned because we've got some absolutely cracking behind the scenes stuff coming up that has not been seen before. So that's a reason to stay tuned.
9. Outside of music, what’s something you’re passionate about that people might not expect?
Vanessa:
Outside of music? I love open water swimming. I swim year round in the sea or a local lake without a wetsuit. I've done an ice swim, which is under three degrees. And I also deeply love animals. And I have two Bengal Tiger cats, Scotty and Solstice, who have greatly enriched my life and provide a lot of comfort and support. And both my husband and I care very deeply for animals. And we do a lot for animals, and also we love our cats, and they come on holiday with us in our motorhome. They're a very big part of our lives. So I would say those are the two main things, and probably going out in our motorhome and exploring new places, and we love going up to Scotland in our motorhome and Cornwall and Wales and places like that. So I would say those are probably the main things.
NB: We asked Vanessa if she'd be hosting Ghoulbangers Ball for the U.S. leg of the tour (question number 10). She responded that discussions are still ongoing, so she cannot provide a definitive answer at this time.
11. If you had to pick one song to define your current era of life, what would it be and why?
Vanessa asks:
One song From Ghost or?
No, no, just one song, didn't say Ghost.
Vanessa:
Probably one song that has really resonated with me is Bruce Springsteen's "Wrecking Ball", because for me, it's very much about taking on the world and letting the world hit you as hard as it wants, like a wrecking ball, and you say, “no, I'm strong enough. I can carry on, I can keep going”. And it refers to a period before I joined the Skeletour where I had quite a challenging time, and I found great solace in the song “Wrecking Ball” because it made me feel strong inside. And it was almost saying to the world, do your worst. I'm strong enough to stand it. So I do really like that. And I think the Ghost songs probably, I really like “Lachryma” at the moment just because it's such a great tune and it's such a great sing along song, but there are other songs in the set that mean a lot to me and that I'm starting to attribute my own meanings to. So that's something that I'll probably talk about later on in the tour.
12. What’s your favorite way to unwind or recharge after a long day of filming?
Vanessa:
Well, typically the concert ends about 10:00. Then I have to go out into the crowd and do the reactions from the fans and do the closing link. So I will probably finish about 11. And then by the time I've packed everything up in our room backstage, it's probably 12. And the buses don't leave till typically 2:00 AM to go to the next venue. So after a show, truth be told, I will go onto the bus, I'll sit in the front lounge and I'll take all my makeup off and give my face a really good cleanse and probably put a face mask on. And then I just crawl into my bunk and go to sleep. And it's quite interesting because when I'm at home, I very often have to read for a little while to kind of shut my brain down at the end of the day.
But so far on the tour, I've just been so tired. I've just literally been able to think about going to sleep as soon as I've kind of taken my makeup off and changed into my night dress. So yeah, I can't say anything other than that, other than enjoying the views when we're on a travel day and just staring out the window and appreciating the landscapes we're passing through and just taking it all in. To me, it's almost like a holiday in some respects because it's so different from my life at home, my normal life at home. So I'm just really leaning into it and enjoying it. I can honestly say I've enjoyed every single second of being on the Skeletour, and I'm just incredibly grateful to be here.
Also, a fun story, on the first night we had a show where there was a rest day the next day, it’s known as a “Roadies Friday” because the crew know that they can have a few beers after the show. And the first night that happened, a few of us, including the Guitar Techs, were in the front lounge, and basically I ended up DJing on my computer and I just went on the Bluetooth of the bus. It's got amazing sound speakers in the lounge, and I just played a load of videos through the speakers. So I was playing Danzig ‘Mother’ and Rage Against the Machine, “Killing in the Name” and Korn, “Blind” and Pearl Jam, “Even Flow” and that kind of music. And yeah, we were all just rocking out. I mean, I don't personally drink, I don't drink alcohol at all, but I was just really enjoying the music and there was a lot of banter on the bus with the guys and a lot of laughter, and it was just great fun, really and it helped integrate me into the crew, as they had mostly worked together before on Ghost tours. And then I shut down my disco and went to bed. (She laughs)
13. If you could put together your own dream Ghost setlist, what’s a song that must be on it? And more generally, what’s your favorite Ghost song?
Vanessa:
I think the only song that I feel is missing from the set at the moment, which is a personal favourite of mine is “Spillways”. And I love that song and I would love to hear it live. I think the ending of the ritual is absolutely outstanding. And obviously people will know by now. It ends with “Square Hammer”, which is such a brilliant song to be honest. I dance to it. And so do the fans. And at the end, the cameras that are on the band, they turn them onto the fans. So you get a massive backdrop of all the fans and all the plushies and all the signs and everybody dancing along to it. And it's a really special way to end the ritual. So this is interesting because as each ritual goes by, my favourite song will change, and I'll suddenly think, gosh, I really, really love this.
And there's not really one song on the set list at the moment that I don't like or I don't look forward to. So the only actual complaint I've got about the ritual is that it just goes by too quickly, two hours seems like an hour to me, and when it ends, I just want it to continue. And so many fans have said on social media that they had such an incredible experience that they're just immediately wanting it again. And I think that is the sign of a true total immersive experience that you just want to immediately go back and dive into it again. So Bravo to Ghost.
14. Ghoulbangers Ball gives fans a real sense of the live Ghost experience, especially since phones aren’t allowed. Did the band or team give you any specific goals/guidance to help capture that energy for the audience watching at home?
Vanessa:
That is a good question. I would say that everything comes from Tobias. It's his vision, but he's also somebody that will listen to other people and respect their input. And I think there's that famous saying by Steve Jobs: "you don't employ somebody to tell them what to do. You employ the best possible people and you get them to tell you what to do." And I think one of the many things that I respect about Tobias is that he is open to suggestions. He does take them on board, and he's got a very good instinct about such matters to do with the show and obviously everything to do with the band. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gotten to where he is now. But I've really come to respect his instinct and his ideas, and I believe that's mutual because I'll suggest something and he'll go, "oh yes, Vanessa, that's exactly on point. That's a great idea. Let's do that." So yes, it starts with Tobias, and then it's just a very creative process between me, Tobias, and my director, Matt Evers, and my cameraman.
I've had two or three meetings now. And it's very much a team effort, of course. And I think that as it goes on, we are learning more and more about what the fans want, and Tobias is constantly fine-tuning everything and expanding his ideas. So to my mind, it's only going to get better and better and better. But the key thing for me personally, well obviously I want to do right by Tobias and the band, but also I want this to be about the fans as well, because I think the whole ritual experience is what you get when you get the band and the fan community in one arena together, sharing the entire experience. It really does elevate it. So I really did want to capture that. And I feel that I have good communication with Tobias and also with the fans, and I will interpret that communication to the best of my ability to make Ghoulbangers Ball as good as it possibly can be.
15. In 2025, it’s pretty rare to go to a concert without phones but Ghost made it work brilliantly. What’s your personal take on phone-free shows? Do you think it changes the way people experience the music and the moment?
Vanessa:
I think it was very brave and courageous of Ghost to ban phones because it was inevitable that some people and some fans wouldn't like it, but it's inspired to do so because it means that you are much more in the moment, there is a much higher level of engagement with the band, but also with all the fans around you. And you're not watching a concert through a sea of mobile phones and you're not fiddling with a phone. You're actually focused on the band and everything around you, and there is so much detail to see on the Skeletour. There's pyro, there's fireworks, there's the Grucifix, there's Mummy Dust, there's so much to see. And why wouldn't you watch it with your own eyes going straight into your brain than watching it through a screen? You could be sitting at home watching on a television. You're not fully engaged in the incredible atmosphere that there is at these rituals.
And remember back in my day at MTV, we didn't have mobile phones. It was before then. So what Ghost is really doing is they’re gone back to the old school where there weren't mobile phones and that everybody was there for a full great time to fully engage with everything going on and to create memories in your brain because you can never lose those memories and to create friendships because you're not fiddling with your phone and those friendships could last forever. And yeah, it's a good thing. It's taken it back to the good old days where there weren't phones disrupting or interrupting the flow of a concert. And I think anybody, or I've not spoken to a single person who's been to the ritual that said, "dammit, I wanted my phone there." They've all said, actually, we're so glad that the phone ban is in place because we got so much more out of it. Then on top of that, you have got Ghoulbangers Ball from each concert as a memory. So you really do have the best of both worlds that you can attend the ritual without a phone and fully engage with the entire experience that is on offer. And then at your leisure you can watch the video that of course includes some clips from the live show that you were actually at yourself. So I think it's a very good idea. It's working and I am going to predict that other bands will start to follow suit.
16. Last one: what would you like fans to know most about you: beyond the screen, beyond the show?
Vanessa:
I think probably, first of all, I'd love you all to know how grateful I am to be here in this position and how honored I am that Tobias wanted me. And when I had my first Zoom call with him, he was extremely gracious to me. And he said, Vanessa, the music that you played on Headbangers Ball influenced me as a young musician. And if I hadn't watched that, which he was exposed to by his older brother, he said, I may not be where I am now. And I was absolutely overwhelmed that he said that because he remembered me from 25/30 years ago. He wasn't aware that I'd recently started my own YouTube channel Trust in Rock with Vanessa Warwick. And I said, “oh, did you get in touch with me? Because you saw I was back on YouTube?” And he said, “no, I didn't even know.”
He said, “you literally just popped into my head as the ideal correspondent to come out on tour with us. And he said, I wanted you to recreate the vibe of the nineties, the heyday of Heavy Metal, when all these incredible bands that influenced me, like Kiss, like Def Leppard, like Metallica, all these bands were around and thankfully many still are. And I wanted to bring back the old school vibe of the nineties”. So yeah, every day I count my lucky stars. I think how fortunate I am, and I will never take this for granted and my role, I see it as being a conduit between the band and the fans. It’s a big responsibility and I will do my best to honour it at all times.
I want to be part of the whole fan community and the missing link between the fans and the band and the Skeletour. So yeah, just for everybody to know that I am having an absolute blast. I'm having literally the time of my life. I'm laughing so much, I'm having so much fun, and I get to see an incredible show every night, and I get to meet incredibly inspiring, interesting, and creative people every day and night. And quite frankly — it doesn't get much better than that in my book.
Huge thanks again to Vanessa Warwick for her thoughtful answers and generosity.
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