Interview with Quintron of Quintron and Miss Pussycat

Miss Pussycat on the left, Quintron on the right.
Stolen from http://www.quintronandmisspussycat.com/.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat are a great duo from New Orleans, LA. Miss Pussycat creates puppet shows and during the musical aspect of the shows she plays maracas and does backup vocals. Quintron plays most of the music, playing an organ, a modified casio, and his own home made synth/chirp machine called the Drum Buddy. Capturing the sounds of the swamps along with the party aspect of bands like the B-52s, the band makes for a party. When I listen to their music, I imagine a dance party on the deck of an airboat that's jetting around the Bayou. I got to interview Quintron via E-mail and ask him all about his beginnings and well as more recent projects. Overall, this was a great interview, and Mr. Quintron gave some great answers.

How'd Quintron and Miss Pussycat meet?

ON ST CLAUDE AVENUE ON  MY WAY TO GENE'S PO-BOY SHOP.  ITS BIG AND PINK.  A BEAT UP STATION WAGON PULLS UP BESIDE ME AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN THE WORLD SAYS, "YOU ARE QUINTRON RIGHT? GET IN THE CAR".  TRUE STORY.

Both of you seem to enjoy creating art in various forms. What are some of your crowning achievements?

I HAVE NEVER MADE A CROWN BUT YOU COULD PUT A DRUM BUDDY CAN ON YOUR HEAD AND BE LIKE A BUM KING....SO THERE IS THAT.  YEA....I'M NOT READY TO PUT CROWNS ON STUFF YET.  I DID JUST GET A GRAMMY NOMINATION FOR A STEVE RILEY CAJUN RECORD WHICH I PLAYED ON AND THEY ALSO COVERED ONE OF MY SONGS.  IF IT WINS, THAT WOULD BE CLOSE TO A CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT. BECAUSE YOU COULD MELT IT DOWN AND MAKE A VERY NICE CROWN.  HA HA...JUST KIDDING.  I WILL WEAR IT AROUND MY NECK!

What are some of your guys' influences?

ERNIE K-DOE, HARRY PARTCH, OSCAR WILDE, THE RAMONES, BRITISH TELEVISION, TALK RADIO, MARDI GRAS, THE HUMIDITY...YOU KNOW...THE USUAL.

You guys are from New Orleans, specifically the Ninth Ward. Do you think your environment influences your songwriting?

I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE I WORK BETTER IN THE GULF SUMMER WHEN THE DAYS ARE LONG, THE BROOKLYN KIDS ARE SOMEPLACE ELSE (LIKE BROOKLYN), AND WE ARE ALL CONSTANTLY COVERED IN SWEAT.  SUMMER HERE IS FUCKING LOOOOOONG...LIKE MAY THRU OCTOBER.  ITS AWESOME.  THANK GOD FOR MARDI GRAS OR I DON'T THINK I WOULD MAKE IT THRU THE WINTER HERE.

You guys recently released the album "Sucre Du Sauvage." What was the recording process like for that album?

WE RECORDED MOSTLY IN PUBLIC AS PART OF A MUSEUM EXHIBIT AT THE NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART.  IT WAS GREAT.  WE GOT KEYS TO THE MUSEUM BASICALLY AND WE COULD BE IN THERE 24/7.  THE FINAL WEEK I SLEPT IN THE PARK OUTSIDE SO I COULD RECORD NATURE SOUNDS TO MIX INTO THE FINAL RECORD.  LOTS OF DUCKS AND WATER SOUNDS.  THE PARK IS BASICALLY A SWAMP.

Do you prefer analog or digital recording?

BOTH.  THE ANALOG / DIGITAL WAR IS OFFICIALLY OVER AND THEY BOTH WIN.  ONE THING I WILL SAY IS THAT I THINK THE TREND (GOING ON 10 YEARS STRONG) OF LOOKING AT A COMPUTER SCREEN WHILE YOU ARE MAKING MUSIC IS STUPID....ITS COUNTER-INTUITIVE AND IT FORCES THE BRAIN TO THINK LOGICALLY AND PUT THINGS IN LITTLE BOXES WHEN YOU SHOULD BE DOING JUST THE OPPOSITE.  ITS TURNED MUSIC MAKING INTO A DUDE VIDEO GAME...WHICH IS AWESOME IF YOU ARE MAKING DUDE VIDEO GAME MUSIC...MOST PEOPLE AREN'T.  I'M INTO HEADPHONES BIG TIME....AND METERS THAT LIGHT UP.

The new album seems to be more elaborate than previous albums to me. Was there any reason behind this? Was there more at your disposal?

MORE TIME.  I REPORTED TO WORK AT THE MUSEUM 8 HOURS A DAY 5 TO 7 DAYS A WEEK...I COULD GET REALLY DEEP INTO THE SONGS.  IT KIND OF DROVE ME CRAZY...WELL IT LITERALLY DROVE ME CRAZY, BUT WHEN I LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM I CAN HEAR THE RESULTS AND IT MAKES FOR A BETTER RECORD.

You guys are going to be playing on the Bruise Cruise in February. What are your feelings toward that?

I GET THE FEELING THERE IS SOME SORT OF FAKE SUBCULTURAL INTERNET CONTROVERSY OVER WHETHER OR NOT THE BRUISE CRUISE IS COOL OR NOT.  FUCK THAT.  IF SOMEONE ASKS,  "DO YOU WANT TO GET PAID TO GO ON A BOAT AND PLAY ROCK MUSIC WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND THEN HANG OUT ON AN ISLAND DRINKING BEER AND LISTENING TO BOOTLEG REGGAE ALL DAY?", THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS "YES".  I DO NOT BELIEVE IN GOD OR AN AFTERLIFE AND I REALLY DO NOT CARE WHETHER ANYONE THINKS THIS ENDEAVOR IS RIGHTEOUS OR NOT.  I AM GOING ON THE BRUISE CRUISE WITH JOY IN MY HEART AND MUSIC IN MY MOUTH.  THIS IS NOT A CORPORATE EVENT.   ITS A CRAZY IDEA THAT A COUPLE OF FRIENDS OF OURS (MICHELLE FROM PANACHE BOOKING AND JONAS FROM TURBO FRUITS) HAD AND THEY MADE IT HAPPEN.  THAT SAID, WE PROBABLY WON'T DO IT AGAIN...TOO CLOSE TO MARDI GRAS.  THIS ONE SHOULD BE FUN CUZ WE LOVE THE SHRINES AND NEIL HAMBURGER!

Your music has been self-described "Swamp-Tech." Care to elaborate on the label?

SWAMP POP + GHETTO TECH = SWAMP TECH.  SOMEONE WROTE IT IN AN ARTICLE ONCE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS NICE...AND FUNNY, LIKE HOW BRITISH PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS MAKING UP A MILLION WIERD NEW NAMES FOR WHAT IS BASICALLY HOUSE OR TECHNO.

What's the music and art scene like in New Orleans?

REAL GOOD. ART DOESN'T SUCK, JUST MOST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND IT.

What's a record that you feel like everyone should hear?

FRED LANE - "FROM THE ONE THAT CUT YOU"
FANG - "LANDSHARK"
MOTO - "RAW POWER"
ERNIE K-DOE - "EVERYTHING HE EVER RECORDED"

Were there any projects before Quintron and Miss Pussycat?

NO.

Random Zone:

Please make up the best way the band would've met (be as imaginative as necessary).

OUR REAL ONE IS PRETTY GOOD...PASS.

When you were a kid, what was the worst/most fucked up thing you ever did?

ALL OF 8TH GRADE.

What's the one thing that the Fonz (Happy Days) has that you want?

LEATHER TUSCADARO AND RICHIE CUNNINGHAM (I BET EVERY ONE YOU ASK SAYS THAT ANSWER!)

Please explain your feelings toward Richard Simmons in five words.

I LOVE RICHARD MUTHUWHOMPIN SIMMONS!!!

Fill in the blanks: I want to stuff a ______ into a ________ only because ______ _______ ______.

I want to stuff a YAM into a BUTT only because I'M KAREN FINLEY.


One of the most fun interviews so far! I saw dying at the idea of some homeless guy running around with a drum buddy on his head in order to be king of the streets. Check out Quintron and Miss Pussycat's tunes though. They're a lot of fun, and super foxy.


Website-http://www.quintronandmisspussycat.com/
Myspace- http://www.myspace.com/mrquintron
Drum Buddy Video (Warning, catchy non-lyrical intro song)- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko7TPYJg6Jw