Like a shot of vodka straight to the eyeball, Chicks Who Love Guns have hit the Sydney music scene with reckless abandon. Rising from the ashes of the now defunct Wahas, STD Vending Machine and Stukas, the band sound somewhat like the bastard child of Gallows and The Hives; personifying adolescent angst and looking damn fine while they do it. With a debut EP, Vomit On The Dancefloor out now, they’re sure to get critics hearts all a flutter in the coming months.
In the lead up to their set at MUM at World Bar tomorrow night, Music Feeds pulled lead singer Cass Navarro aside to find out a bit more about where the band came from, where they’re headed, and whether Rose McGowan’s machine gun leg could hold up against Republican whistle blower Sarah Palin.
Music Feeds: So first off, you guys were all at high school together, yet you’ve played in a range of other bands before forming Chicks Who Love Guns. How come you’d never thought of forming a band together before? Were you all exploring different ideas, styles of music before you decided to form the band?
Cass Navarro: We did all go to school together, but it just worked out that Xavier and I were in one band and Mody and Jack were in another. Mitchell went to a different high school and was in another band with mutual friends of all of ours. It wasn’t until after we all finished school these aforementioned bands broke up and we just went, “Hey dude, wanna start a new band?” We were all playing pretty different stuff before too. Jack was the lead singer in his old band, as was Mitch, and I just played tambourine and sang some (but not lead) vocals in my old band so we’ve swapped that stuff around a little too.
MF: Can you tell us a bit about the recording of Vomit On The Dance Floor? How do you guys go about writing songs? Is it totally a collaborative endeavour, or do some of you nut out the guts of the tracks before taking them to the rest of the band?
CN: The recording was a really good experience, done at The Brain in Surry Hills. It only took a couple of days and the engineer, Clayton had a really good ear for what we were doing. So we’re actually really happy with it. As far as the writing for that EP went, a lot of it was me and Mody drunk after parties with just one guitar to get the ideas down and then the other three putting their seed in it’s belly to finish it off. That’s how it was for those four tracks but now there are loads of different ways we write.
MF: With a title like that, it seems like just a matter of time before a fan takes it to heart and makes a mess at one of your gigs. Has anything like that happened yet?
CN: I wish! No dancefloor pukes thus far though, only a matter of time I guess. We encourage it though, so if you’re reading this: Ipecac is good for shit like that.
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MF: This Friday night you’re popping your MUM cherry (that sounded a bit wrong, didn’t it?…) and then you’re heading overseas for a while. How long will you be away? Is there any concern that the buzz around your EP might drop off a bit while you’re off travelling?
CN: I’m only gone for about five weeks to shake my ass all over the shop in London, so hopefully Sydney has a five week attention span.. I don’t, but maybe other people do. And those who don’t shouldn’t worry, we’re planning on recording again not long after I get back. We’ve been writing some new stuff and you will be able to sequel your vomiting before the year is out.
MF: I just know that some of our readers are gonna comment on the band’s fashion sense. It seems like some of them take real issue with musicians that can play instruments AND look good doing it. What would you say to people like that? Are there any considerations in the band as to the image you guys put forward physically as well as on record?
CN: I keep getting asked about our fashion in interviews and I wasn’t aware we were some sort of ‘fashion band’.. You are just as likely to find us looking like shit as you are finding us nicely dressed or trendy or whatever. I don’t think it should matter really, we’re not Lady GaGa and we’re not rocking suits and ties or anything like that. Nice clothes are nice, but we’re not a superficial band really.
MF: Who do you think would win in a shoot out; Rose McGowan from Planet Terror with a machine gun for a leg, or Sarah Palin?
CN: Rose McGowan for sure. Sarah Palin could suck the bullets out of a shotgun any day though.
MF: What’s more important, the size of the gun or the rate of fire?
CN: Neither dude, it’s how you use the motherfucker. Samuel L Jackson would tell you the exact same thing and he’s the man.
Chicks Who Love Guns play MUM @ World Bar tomorrow, Friday 2nd July. Click here for more info.
