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NOISE PUNKS PRINTED ON 8-BIT DISCS AND MENSTRUAL BLOOD
Unbridled, unrelenting and vicious punk rock forms the backbone of Perfect Pussy. In the last year, this band has turned their buzz from a murmur to a roar as North America has begun taking note of this Syracuse noise-punk outfit.
Refreshingly unapologetic, Shaun Sutkus, the band’s synth player and sound engineer, finds time to chat with me while visiting Montreal. In trying to unlock the secrets of this band’s success, I come across a plethora of stunts, gimmicks and shocking lack of fucks to be given.
Asking Sutkus how he ended up bringing his synth dynamic to the band, he summarizes his conversation with the other members: “This is what I do, do you want me to do this with you guys?” Lacking any kind of bullshit, it sounds as if this band was born from a pure desire to make music, hang out and smoke weed with friends. It just so happens that all these friends are overly talented and are fronted by perhaps the most noteworthy female lead in alternative music right now, Meredith Graves.
Nothing about the band seems forced. For the band’s first tape release, they modestly printed one hundred copies and, in no time at all, sold them out. I don’t know what Perfect Pussy where thinking with all the members coming from already notable east coast bands to form, dare I say, a super group. Did they not think they would sell more than a hundred tapes? “I don’t really think about it that often,” Sutkus says of their success. Humble throughout, Sutkus doesn’t help explain why people and critics are flipping out like they’ve found noise punk Jesus.
Having made waves with their initial demo tape, Perfect Pussy capitalized with some releases that walk a fine line between mega-hipster and innovative:” I’m referring to a one-off release of 30, 3-1/2” floppy disk singles. That’s some sweet 8-bit sound for that first generation Macintosh/punk rock demographic.
If floppy disks aren’t your thing, maybe you are a vinyl lover? How about a limited run of vinyl that has singer, Meredith Graves’ menstrual blood mixed in? For the band’s upcoming release, Say Yes To Love, listeners can have a little more Grave than the average person. However, if you aren’t into pressed menstrual blood, don’t worry about getting pressured into it — unsurprisingly, the box sets, limited to 180 copies, are already sold out. Hell, they sold out in 2012!
Newsworthy gimmicks alone don’t cut it for bands to become successful. The live show is where Perfect Pussy shines brightest and I have good news for kids starting their own bands out there: they have no idea what they’re doing.
That’s a bit of a lie. All the members are experienced performers but what I mean is that there is no choreography, no dress rehearsal, hell there isn’t even a sound check. Perfect Pussy plugs in and plays some of the most face-melting punk rock out there. When I ask Sutkus how they plan their shows he laughs for about 30 seconds straight. “There is NO plan,” he emphasizes, wiping away the tears to explain. “We have a set list usually, so I guess that’s the plan.”
For those of you who have had not had the pleasure of witnessing Perfect Pussy, do yourself a favour and look them up. Their live videos in Brooklyn are out of control and they have a few music videos out from their last release, I Have Lost All Desire For Feeling. Better yet, see them live as they rip up Western Canada later this March. Maybe you can score a new floppy disc single, or just end up with the consolation prize of seeing the best noise punk band going.
Catch Perfect Pussy on March 25 at the Cobalt (Vancouver), March 27 at Tubby Dog (Calgary) and on March 29 at Dead Lobster (Winnipeg).
By Sean Hamilton
