The sultry, swaggering supergroup known as Thunderpussy put on a fabulously glamourous show. I mean, just look at the picture above, how could you NOT be entertained?? KEXP caught up with Thunderpussy guitarist, Whitney Petty, to talk to her about the band, the attitude they flaunt, and much more!
Which came first, the band or the band name?
The name came first. I had it in my back pocket for years, but I always thought of it as kind of a joke. But when I met Molly, it became clear that we should have a project together and when I told her the name, she loved it. Everybody loved it, and I think it has really come to encapsulate the vibe of the band. Not too serious, a little over the top, but capable of rocking hard. Lena was one of our best friends and a natural choice to join up, so at that point, with the name in mind, we thought, Let's get a chick on the bass." Leah is one of my favorite musicians and the four of us happened to all be at Doe Bay for the festival last summer. We asked her if she wanted to start this band with us and the rest is history.What was it like for you during and after the first practice?
Like a heroin orgasm.
If you could assign a super power to each of your band members (and maybe even you!) what would they be?
Molly would be able to time travel. This would help her immensely because she is perpetually late. Leah would have super laser beam glasses that allowed her to make things evaporate. Lena would be a super sentient being who can usurp other people's super powers as long as she's in contact with them. And myself, I would have a high speed flying chariot of fire pulled by flame steeds that I drive with my whip, obviously.
If you had to put together a $10 meal for each of your band members what would you make? And what would you want them to make you?
Lena says she would buy me a Bundt cake and fill it with street flowers. I would get her a manager's special shrimp cocktail. Molly and Leah are vegematarians so I would buy them a brick of cold tofurky and spend all the extra money on a six-pack of Mickey's.
Does the group have an ethic, a grounding philosophy, a lofty goal?
Well, I would like nothing short of to become an icon, cure cancer, and end war. But it's only rock ‘n roll, you know. Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing.
How does sex – if at all – play a role in the band’s aesthetic?
As far as sex goes, that's what we're all about. We are trying to get off here, turn people on, and get turned on.
What do you think the next six months are going to look like for you?
Shooting for world domination, but if the rock ‘n roll thing doesn't pan out, I could become a cult leader. Molly makes a mean Kool-Aid cocktail.
Find out more about Thunderpussy on their Facebook page and listen to their song "Pick It Up" here. Hear them LIVE on KEXP on Saturday, October 11, at 6:30pm, and check out a live video of the band here:
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