A killer new episode of Don't Bother Wearing Seatbelts. This time, we’re diving into a fantastic conversation with @Honeypuppy an incredible band from Athens, GA that’s new to me but left a huge impression. Think a weirder, more psychedelic The Breeders.
We got talking about their first ever vinyl release, which sent Mathew Bell and me down a rabbit hole of our own love affair with listening to music on a record player. For me, it’s all about the connection vinyl creates between the listener and the band. Dropping the needle feels like putting your hand out to the band. Once that needle meets the grooves and the music starts, it’s like the band grabbing your hand and pulling you along wherever the music wants to take you. That connection is everything.
Honeypuppy’s excitement about releasing something on vinyl took me right back to the first time I got to press music onto vinyl with The Poison Control Center. It was all about connection for us, too. We poured everything into it, plotting, planning, recording our best songs yet, even trying to fit a little mini rock opera onto one side of a 7 inch. And the connections didn’t stop there.We split that 7 inch with Brad Davis of Oval-Teen’s new band, Lake Holiday. Brad was a musical hero of mine and a pen pal, so sharing a record with him was a huge deal. And of course, we wanted the artwork to be something special, so I reached out to Missy Kulik, an icon I admired from her work in zines and magazines. We bonded over our shared love of The Monkees on our first call, and it turns out Missy lived in Athens for years, right where Honeypuppy is from.
It’s wild how these connections keep rippling out. If it hadn’t been for a random missed connection encounter on AOL Instant Messenger with who I thought was Missy Kulik, I wouldn’t have met one of my best friends and favorite people / artists ever, Alli Arnold, who’s gone on to create so many album covers I’ve ever been involved with.
And the connections keep stacking. The first time Poison Control Center put something out on cassette, it was through PopGun Recordings, Raoul de la Cruz's label. Raul later became partners with Missy Kulik. And last week, I got to see them both in Athens, GA. Mathew was there, too.
It’s amazing how all these threads weave together through music. Just like dropping the needle on vinyl, the act of connecting to art and friends is something special and irreplaceable.Huge thanks to Rudy Fischmann, Dave Gebroe, and Discograffiti. If you’re all about connecting with fellow music lovers, join the Discograffiti Soldiers Of Sound Facebook group and Patreon. This ride is worth every spin.
Listen Here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/201a-d-fiti-of-126019438?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=web_share
By Patrick Tape Fleming