Over the past handful of years, few punk bands have ascended fairly like Model Pussy. After 2016’s Romantic put the Philadelphians on the map, 2019’s Persistence clearly primed Marisa “Missy” Dabice and her band to succeed in the following degree.
However simply because the genre-bending group had been ramping issues up (they had been scheduled to play Coachella and a number of different main occasions), the pandemic floor all the things to a halt. That delay led Model Pussy to remodel right into a trio for the discharge of their Excellent EP in 2021 earlier than including not one however two guitarists into the lineup to tear up some post-pandemic reveals.
Learn extra: 32 bands on their finest Riot Fest recollections—gallery
One such present got here in an inexplicably opening spot on a aspect stage at Riot Fest in Chicago, the place the now-quintet drew a much bigger and extra passionate crowd at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday than the principle stage noticed midway by way of the day. Early begin time apart, Model Pussy at all times would’ve been a must-see set for punk rock’s largest weekend. Their efficiency was unforgettable, with unparalleled highlights like calling an unnamed critic “a bit normie-ass bitch” for locating it “actually arduous to root for a band named Model Pussy,” the debut of a brand-new track, having the whole crowd scream again “I nonetheless love you, you silly fuck” throughout “Drunk II” and Dabice taking on Colins “Bear” Regisford’s bass so he might take the lead vocals on the set nearer “Pigs is Pigs.”
Various Press sat down with Dabice just some hours after the efficiency to talk about their current previous, current and future.
You launched the Excellent EP final yr, and also you clearly have new music within the works. Is {that a} new album or just some songs for now?
I really feel very fortunate simply to be in a band that is nonetheless a band after the final couple of years. I do not know if we need to write 10 songs or 20 songs proper now, and I don’t know what we wish them to sound like simply but. We’ve actually been desirous to experiment extra and create extra lush instrumentations and actually push ourselves in new instructions, however on the similar time, we nonetheless have so most of the similar emotions and feelings which are actually finest expressed by way of punk and hardcore music. I feel our albums have at all times been a break up between these two issues, however I do not know what the following one [sounds like]. We’re making an attempt so arduous to complete a file by the wintertime. That’s the final word purpose, and it will be so cool if it occurs. We’ve been writing quite a lot of songs, and so they’re in every single place, however they’ve been actually enjoyable to workshop and determine.
Model Pussy — and the world — have modified fairly a bit since Persistence was launched in 2019. How does it really feel to have the ability to choose up the place you left off earlier than the pandemic, albeit with some completely different members?
The final couple of years have positively taught us that change is commonly very tough, but it surely’s additionally usually very obligatory. Each change that has occurred in Model Pussy has not essentially been the simplest emotionally — like dropping a band member who you’ve got performed with to your complete life and written each track collectively. However, most often, you may actually really feel your self coming into a brand new period and actuality — and generally, our new realities can nonetheless be simply as lovely as those earlier than.
Significantly at a giant competition like Coachella or Riot Fest the place you could have such all kinds of attendees, Model Pussy appear to attract a particularly various crowd in just about each demographic. Have you ever seen the band significantly bringing folks collectively from completely different scenes and backgrounds?
I feel that is actually lovely. How can we not really feel that type of love, and the way can we not acknowledge that? We completely see that once we look out into the crowds at our reveals. All of those persons are coming collectively as a result of they’re actually all feeling these feelings — and so they’re actually heavy feelings. It’s all about recognizing that we’re not so completely different. Typically once we open for bands, you positively see a sure kind of particular person. The group is commonly some mixture of younger white guys and outdated white guys. However that crowd can also be very thrilling to me as a result of these guys like us, too, and it’s actually bringing folks collectively — together with the white guys.
There aren’t a ton of punk bands on the market that make the most of three guitars, so what was the reasoning for bringing in a 3rd guitarist?
Properly, most bands cannot afford it. [Laughs.] We couldn’t afford it for a very long time. However no, I need to play guitar much less. I simply need to deal with singing. I feel singing and taking part in guitar on the similar time is already arduous sufficient, and I don’t assume you may actually do each of them nice. Truthfully, you may be good at each, however you may’t be nice. But in addition, now we have all of these elements on our data. After we’re practising [for live shows], we’re reinterpreting the songs as they’re on our data. Our brains hear these different elements, and it would not really feel fairly proper with out them. If you understand that you just’re using extra [parts] within the studio, why would not you need folks to expertise that reside? After we had been nonetheless taking part in as a four-piece, I began to see folks singing the top-line melodies that could not exist reside as a result of they had been on keys or one other guitar or backing harmonies. If we need to proceed to be a band, we additionally have to increase and develop. We’re at all times altering, and which means increasing and rising. It simply appeared prefer it was the precise time to ask another person into Model Pussy.
Plus, it provides Bear the possibility to take middle stage and sing.
Precisely. When now we have the 2 guitars, I can go to bass and it nonetheless sounds full. We do not ever need to drop down in quantity there. It doesn’t matter what, there at all times must be two guitars, and we are able to solely try this with three guitars.
Each in your data and reside, Model Pussy have at all times blended some quieter, introspective songs alongside fairly in-your-face hardcore and punk. How do you discover that stability of not leaning too closely by hook or by crook?
[When playing live] it’s usually good to have the ability to take a breath. If you’re making an attempt to get by way of an extended set that’s very high-energy, you actually need your complete physique to have the ability to have these moments. However generally it feels prefer it’s tougher to stability as a result of I’m not making an attempt to solely lean into considered one of them. That is why we have been doing issues like placing all of our “singing” songs on the high of the set as a result of if I will probably shred my voice a bit bit on some yelling songs, I don’t need to yell a bunch first after which attempt to sing a reasonably melody. And we get to finish with the angrier stuff, which is extra enjoyable. I feel it is so thrilling that children right this moment are offended.
