Austinist Interviews SXSW: The Hot Puppies

The BBC calls The Hot Puppies a "spiky girl-pop band hiding sharp talons and sardonic wit beneath their cool, Blondie-style new wave exterior." They have also won effusive praise from critics at The Guardian, who want The Hot Puppies to be "the next big thing." After six years together, the band signed to Fierce Panda and released their debut album Under The Crooked Moon in mid-2006. The confident and powerful Radio One Sessions tracks featured on The Puppies' MySpace have us truly looking forward to their appearances at SX.

Guitarist and chief songwriter Luke Taylor of The Hot Puppies spoke with Austinist about the perils of female vocal comparisons, having indie-rock parents, and creating a buzz.

Here in Texas, we know little about Welsh music aside from Super Furry Animals and Manic Street Preachers. Are we missing out on a great music scene?

I think Super Furries are a good example of Welsh music. A lot of Welsh bands have an absurdist element to them, and also a fairly psychedelic side. At the moment there are some really great bands around: Attack + Defend, Heck, and Victorian English Gentlemens Club are all good. The rural parts of Wales have always produced eclectic types. I've found that a lot of the Welsh groups seem to have a broader range of tastes than, say, the hip London scene. Probably because there's not much to do except listen to records out there!

How do your parents describe your music to people?

Well, my parents are quite into music, so they probably baffle various people with references to Can and Nick Cave!

While I'm sure you get lots of Yeah Yeah Yeahs references thrown at you, we detect some late 70's-early 80's influences in your sound (like Blondie and Fleetwood Mac). Who do you feel you are influenced by musically?

We're influenced by absolutely tons of stuff, from African Sanctus to Tiny Tim to Kraftwerk. We do get compared to whatever female fronted band is currently big news. That's just the way it is with girls in bands. But at the moment we're trying to make a record that sounds like a cross between Marianne Faithfull's "Broken English," Bowie's "Diamond Dogs," and African Sanctus. So if we succeed, maybe they'll be no more Long Blondes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs comparisons!

The Hot Puppies seem to be generating a lot of UK press in recent months, yet you've been gigging for over six years. What has caused all the fuss?

Well, we came from a tiny backwater town. And we were just making music for the fun of it. I think we're a hard band to get in some respects. So it always seems to take us a long time to get anywhere...but it's been an upward spiral, so we're happy! I think that the exposure of having an album out is good.

You've supported bands like Art Brut, The Crimea, The Pipettes and The Bluetones in the last couple of years. Whose audience responded best to your songs?

I'd say that Art Brut and the Pipettes crowds were probably the best for us. Especially the all-ages shows. Little kids seem to respond well to us. That makes us very happy. People forget sometimes that rock 'n' roll was originally created for them!

There are 1,300 bands playing at this year's festival. Tell us why someone should make attending your showcase a priority.

Because (aside from possibly The Stooges) we are the tightest, hardest playing live band in town! Douglas Sirk-style melodrama in pop form, played by backwater Celts. EXCELSIOR!

Is SXSW fun or business for you?

Fun is my business...and business is good. (Did I really just say that? God, I hate myself sometimes.)

Finally: Tacos or Bar-B-Q? Margaritas or beer? This is the most important question of SXSW.

I think tacos and margaritas for me. But not Beth, as she's vegan. I think she might be the only person in history who sees going to Texas as a good plan for dieting!

The Hot Puppies play SXSW 2007 at the following locations:
Thursday, 3/15 @ BD Riley's - 1am
Friday, 3/16 @ Latitude 30 -12-3pm (New Music From Wales day party)

[The Hot Puppies MySpace]
[The Hot Puppies Official Site]

Image via Barbara Donninelli from The Hot Puppies MySpace page.