Check out a lengthy, comprehensive Q&A I conducted with Seattle rock band Thunderpussy during their stay in Boise for the March 2017 edition of Treefort Music Fest. Drowned in Sound originally published the interview, but it went out of print after DiS closed its doors. Today we resurrect the out-of-print feature for your reading pleasure.
What do exploding tacos, France’s Bordeaux region and a trio of musicians who play so-called “egg punk” music have in common? Well, a five-year-old band called Tacoblaster, of course.
Based in Bordeaux, the project is led by Tom Caussade — for whom the mere word “multi-instrumentalist” doesn’t do justice to the 11 instruments he plays on his band’s just-released fifth album, Digital Fun-Zone! (Howlin Banana Records).
In his first interview with an American music journalist, Caussade recalls how the colorful and wacky band came together, and how he landed on the smile-inducing name for it.
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The Dandy Warhols surely had a blast creating PIN UPS, a collection of cover songs they’ve recorded over the years. Coming March 20 via Beat the World Records and Little Cloud Records, the reputed psych-rock band take on The Beatles, The Cure, Gang of Four, The Clash, Bob Dylan, The Byrds, The Runaways and more.
That said, one member of the Dandy Warhols – synth-bass player Zia McCabe – is equally if not more passionate about spending time with her dog than making music. The exuberance she feels when with 6-year-old Alice is clearly evident in the above photo. Those emotions are probably heightened due to the fact that McCabe recently lost her pet cat.
We dare you not to smile at the words and photos McCabe generously gave to us for this joyous entry in Pet Sounds.
Continue readingICE is building “detention centers” (synonymous with concentration camps) across the U.S. this year thanks to an influx of $38 billion. ICE, CBP and other federal agencies are snatching kids from classrooms to the horror of their classmates. The same crew recently executed two U.S. citizens in broad daylight, onlookers be damned.
These horrors and others committed by the Trump Administration are enough to cause fear, resignation and paralysis among the populace. But while those feelings are understandable, history will not look kindly upon U.S. citizens who opted to stay on the sidelines, kept their head buried in the sand, denied reality and/or waited for democracy to naturally restore itself post-Trump.
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In the 81st edition of Pet Sounds, we learned a little bit about the music that Products Band produces – and we learned an awful lot about bassist/vocalist Wooley’s two cats: Casper and Disney. There are more pets in Products Band, and one of them, Lucy, got a bit jealous and felt she wasn’t getting the attention she deserves.
That stare you see in the photo above is Lucy saying, “Can I please be in Pet Sounds too?”
Lucy belongs to Konner Johnson, who handles drums, percussion and synths for the Minneapolis art-rock band that is signed to Solid Brass.
Products Band consists of Johnson, Woolsey, Jo Kellen (guitar, vocals, synths) and Alex Hanson (guitars, vocals, piano). Woolsey and Johnson jumped at the opportunity to participate in the one and only – or at least extensive – online series in which musicians gush over their pets.
And boy did Johnson gush. Here’s our email conversation about Lucy, Products Band and … lots more Lucy. Enjoy one of the most tender entries so far in Pet Sounds.
Continue readingIf you watch only one installment among the 112 we’ve published so far in this series about artists responding to fascism, make sure it’s this one featuring Low Cut Connie. The rock musician’s impressive intelligence, history of engaging in protests and fearless bravery in speaking truth to power raise him to oracle status. Most Americans are confused, afraid and paralyzed by the federal government’s unconscionable, vicious and deadly assaults by a paramilitary force that answers only to Donald Trump. Low Cut Connie is calm, focused and clear-eyed about fighting fascism with unflinching strength and unwavering compassion simultaneously.
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The Bad Penny (beta) 