So
before they venture off into the stratosphere, I thought I would grab
some time with Black Pussy and Dustin Hill (Vox/Guitar) has kindly
agreed to an interview with ourselves at Sludgelord HQ.
Hi
Dustin. Thanks for doing this. Huge fan of your band. How are things
with you today.
Hey
dude! Things are always ruling in our world of rock and roll. We
can't ask for anything more than being able to play music everyday.
The weather keeps changing in Portland, though, and it keeps fucking
with my sinuses.
For
people not in the know, can you please give our readers a brief
history of how the band came about and where it is today.
The
short answer is that I am an obsessive songwriter and needed an
outlet for a bunch of songs that didn't fit under my other project,
White Orange. So I went in the studio and tracked the first Black
Pussy record, On Blonde, basically by myself just to get the
songs out. I got the dudes from White Orange (Ryan McIntire, Dean
Carroll, Adam Pike) to do some record-release gigs with me and we all
had a blast and decided to continue jamming Black Pussy together.
About eight months in Adam got pretty busy running front of house for
Red Fang, so he stepped down and we added Aaron Poplin on bass and
Keith O'Dell on the key, completing today’s line up.
Your
music has been called a lot of different things. Stoner Rock, Fuzz
Rock, Desert Rock all the other usual suspects. How would you best
describe it.
It's
all rock and roll, but we've coined the phrase “Stoner-Pop” to
add to the ridiculous list of labels for another description.
You
have been probably been asked this a thousand times before. Why the
name Black Pussy. Any specific meaning and has that name ever got you
into trouble of any kind.
I
wanted something sexy and ‘70s, so I just imagined what Tarantino
would name his band if he had one. Partial credit goes to The Rolling
Stones for their song “Brown Sugar.” The song was allegedly
originally titled and sang “Black Pussy,” but the record label
made them change it. As for specific meaning, how much meaning can a
band name really have? It's the songs that carry meaning. And as far
as getting me into any trouble, it's brought more love than anything
else.
This
is the first rock band I’ve been in where people of color people
come to our shows and actually like our music. A lot of the music
that inspires me is black music. ‘70s black music. Black people
were also always the ones who looked the coolest. Occasionally,
black people just show up at our shows to come meet us, make sure
we’re cool, buy a shitload of merch and leave. They just want to
make sure we’re actually good people. Which is really incredible,
actually. I’m a part of this thing that’s really incredible and I
want people to know about it. I don’t want to get caught up in the
“I can’t be racist—I have black friends!” argument, but my
dream is to look out in a sea of audience and see a mix of culture. I
don’t want to just play to white, bearded heshers.
I
first became a fan of your band when you released your debut album,
On Blonde, back in 2012. What a great record
that was. Was that an easy or hard album to write and record for.
Thanks
for digging it! That record was super fun to write. Back in 1998, I
walked into a record store in Seattle that was playing the
promotional CD of Brant Bjork’s Jalamanta record and I was
so struck by it that I got them to sell it to me before it came out.
I was searching listening to so much music and I was bored but Brant
put me back on track and changed everything. It wasn’t just
re-hashed rock shit. On Blonde is a tribute to Brant—it’s
simple, true, lo-fi rock and roll. In 2011, I finally reached a point
where I wasn’t afraid to do what I wanted to do, so I wrote On
Blonde by myself.
On
Blonde came out of me pretty easy, I think those songs had been
stewing awhile in my psyche. Recording the record took a lot of
rehearsing on my part being that I tracked most of the instruments
myself, but other than that it was a blast to track.
Looking
back would you change anything about it or would you leave it the way
it is.
Over
all I got exactly what I was going for with that record. I was going
for a lo-fi, low-pressure album. The only thing I didn't expect was
that people were actually going to listen to it.
Though
we have to talk about your new album. Magic Mustache.
Finally being released in Feb 2015. I heard about this album back in
Nov 2013. Can you tell us why the long delay.
The
delay can be boiled down to offers on the table from labels,
managers, agents, publicists, fire breathers, horse jockeys, hula
hoopers and what ever else you can think of. It caused lengthy
discussions and lots of soul searching within our camp. The delay
ended up being a huge blessing leading to the decision of staying on
our own label, Made In China Records.
What
can people expect from the new album. Or do you not want to spoil the
surprise.
I
think the coolest thing people can expect is hearing us becoming a
band.
I
love the title Magic Mustache. Why did you
choose that name for the album.
It's
the closing track on the album and I feel there’s a lot of magic in
the song, so I figured it’s a good way to draw attention towards
it. Plus it's just a rad
record
title.
We
have to talk about your home-town of Portland, Oregon. Which has a
brilliant Hard Rock/Stoner/Sludge Metal scene thanks to great bands
such as Red Fang, Lord Dying, YOB. How is the scene in your own
words. Do you gig regular in your home-town or do you have to travel
further afield.
The
Pacific Northwest has always held a different take on heavy music and
we feel honored to call Portland home. All the bands you mentioned
are bros of ours and we have all shared a stage together. The scene
in Portland is very creative and not really one thing, which makes it
interesting. Touring as much as we do, we only play home field once
or twice a year. The road and the sound of the tires on the asphalt
has now become more familiar to us.
What
is your musical setup when playing live or recording new material. Do
you have an advanced setup or basic setup.
Rehearsal
and live are basically the exact setup: all vintage Sunn amps and
cabs. In the recording process anything is game for experimenting.
What
is the song-writing dynamic in the band. Is it down to one individual
or a group collective.
Basically
I write the music, words, melody, arrangement and the dudes put their
signature throughout. Mission control is really guiding the trip; we
just fly the ship.
Which
bands and musical artists influenced you all as musicians. Any
particular albums that stand out.
At
this point in my life I'm shifting through different albums every
week. I've been on a Judas Priest and Mott the Hoople kick as of
recent. Being a child of the
seventies my earliest influences come from the Sid and Marty Krofft
television shows and almost any album from the late ‘60s through
the ‘70s lend inspiation.
Some
people might not know that 3 members of Black Pussy are also apart of
White Orange. Another band that we freaking love here at Sludgelord
HQ. Can you tell us what is happening with White Orange. Any new
record on the horizon.
I
do have an album written for White Orange, It's just trying to find
that right moment when we all have some free time to get in and
record it. It's always on the
stove top stewing.
Apart
from the new record in 2015, what else is in store for Black Pussy in
2015. Anything you like to share.
We’re
playing with Sleep next month at Sabertooth Music Festival in
Portland, which we’re really stoked about. We depart March 1st for
our record release tour, which will hit the states and Canada. There
will be more surprises to announce in the coming months, though!
Finally do you have anything to say to your fans.
As
a creative person you inevitably forfeit your identity for the art. I
do the best I can to stay in a constant state of meditation to
deliver this idea as purely as I can to this dimension. I want to
thank all those individuals who have ever bought merch, gone to a
show, bought us drinks or drugs, and offered up floor space for a
bunch of long-hairs to sleep on. Without you, this rocket ship would
still be in the garage.
-Dustin
Hill
I
want to thank Dustin for taking the time out to talking to us here at
Sludgelord HQ. I want to thank Cat Jones at Southern Cross PR for
arranging this interview.
Words
by Steve Howe and Dustin Hill
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