Nashville Pussy — the name screams rock ‘n’ roll. And it should, since the band got it from a stage rap on one of Ted Nugent’s ’70s live albums.
Actually, it screams raunch ‘n’ roll, which is the best description of the group’s metallic music — from its 1996 debut Let Them Eat Pussy up to its most recent release, Say Something Nasty. And yes, the Motor City Madman himself even likes the band — though he disdains their use of half amplifier stacks and not the more rocking full stacks.
The band, which includes vocalist/guitarist Blaine Cartwright, lead guitarist Ruyter Suys (pronounced Rider Sighs), drummer Jeremy Thompson and bassist Katie Lynn Campbell, is known for its literally incendiary stage show (Amazon-like former bassist Corey Parks would punctuate shows by breathing fire). It’s also known for the women’s penchant for playing crushing rock riffs in nothing but leather pants and skimpy bras.
The revved-up quartet, which made a name for itself on stage rather than on MTV (it has toured almost non-stop for the past six years), is currently on tour with the Reverend Horton Heat. We caught up with Suys by phone at a gas station (appropriately) as the band made its way to Dallas for a recent show.
Daily Lobo: “Have people gotten used to the band’s name yet?”
Ruyter Suys: “Hell no! We’ve still got friends who say ‘Nashville P.’ or whatever. It’s a good barometer of our friends, if they can say ‘pussy.’”
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DL: “How would you compare Say Something Nasty to your previous CDs?”
RS: “I think we’re closing in on the AC/DC thing, repackaging the same old songs with a new cover on it. [The new CD] is a little more rock ‘n’ roll. This one is a more hot rodding/air-guitaring CD. The first album sounded like a high school fuck — it’s over really fast, you don’t know what you’re doing, but it felt great when you were doing it. I recently saw where someone called us ‘explosive boogie punk.’ That’s pretty fucking accurate.”
DL: “What’s the biggest misconception people have about Nashville Pussy?”
RS: “I think maybe some women might be put off by the name and think it’s a very sexual show. Not that it isn’t, but some people seem to think it’s more of a strip show. I think it’s about as much a strip show as AC/DC is — but with tits. After the show, we always get a ton of people who are like ‘It’s a fucking sweaty rock ‘n’ roll show.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah. And?’”
DL: “What’s the typical Nashville Pussy fan like?”
RS: “It covers the entire gamut. People from every walk of life come to our shows, from bikers to surgeons to pent-up secretaries — everybody. It’s really hard to nail down the typical Nashville Pussy fan.”
DL: “Do you think you get the respect you deserve as a lead guitar player or do people just concentrate on your, uh, rack?”
RS: “Hell no! I’m constantly let down by magazines. They have ‘women who rock’ on the cover and then have a picture of Madonna wearing a guitar like a necklace. It’s the most offensive thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe Joe Satriani has to come see me play for them to give me some credit. I’m not concerned about it. But I’m not picking up a magazine that has ‘women who rock’ or ‘Top 50 Rock Girls’ on the cover until I’m on it. I’ve been playing since I was10. Not one of those guys they cover could show me something I don’t know.”
DL: “Why aren’t the guys posing topless on the inside of the CD cover?”
RS: “I don’t know. We wanted them topless — having Katie and me like that was my idea.”
DL: “They probably figured no one would want to see them topless.”
RS: “That was their argument. Katie and I have more balls than boys do.”
Nashville Pussy plays the Sunshine Theater, 120 Central Ave., Wednesday at 7 p.m. with the Reverend Horton Heat and Honky. Tickets for the all-ages show are $15 and are available through Ticketmaster outlets or on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.
