SCANDALOUS & IMMORAL
A CONVERSATION WITH THUNDERPUSSY’S MOLLY SIDES
Thunderpussy is seemingly unstoppable. Despite being in the midst of a civil suit regarding the right to copyright their name despite claims of it being obscene, Mike McCreadyβs favourite new band have returned with Milk It, a stellar EP which acts as their follow-up release to their critically acclaimed full-length, self-titled album released last year. Speaking on the band, their EP, and collaborating with both McCready and Red Hot Chili Peppersβ drummer, Chad Smith, lead vocalist Molly Sides tells all on what itβs like to be in Thunderpussy at such an exciting and pivotal time.
Speaking on their latest EP, Milk It, which was released on October 25 of this year, Sides tells me βItβs kind of a little journeyβ¦ One song on there we recorded with Ruby [former drummer, Ruby Dunphy]; one song on their itβs just me and [guitarist] Whitney [Petty] and recorded in Mikes studio; another has Chad Smith; and another has Lindsey, whoβs been drumming with us for a while. Itβs an ode to the transitions, our little collection of storiesβ.
Talking about the writing, Sides tells me βI hesitate to say itβs always different but the way it comes out is always different and thatβs the beauty of it. The EP is a bit of a collection of storiesβ. She continues, βthat one, βOn The Lineβ, I wrote as a love song a long time ago to Whitney about the subtle struggles and subtle triumphs of being with your bird β a bit of a love poem I would sayβ¦ And βPowerhouseβ is a love poem for my mom βcause my mom is an incredible human beingβ.
Having recorded their self-titled album with McCready, βOn The Lineβ was initially recorded during those same sessions, making it the sole collaboration between the Pearl Jam guitarist and the band on this one. Sides reflects βtheyβre kind of taste testers; we worked with Josh Evans at one point, we worked at Republic Studios with Kyle and Tom on βPowerhouseββ¦ I like to say itβs a collection of stories, as well as a collection of experiments and working with different producersβ. That being said, it was McCready who connected Sides and Petty with Smith, who drums on βPowerhouseβ, Sides adds βMike is truly amazing and he is always willing to connect people through music and the performing artsβ¦ When Ruby left the band, we were trying out different drummers and Mike told Chadβ¦ Chad said he was interested in helping out and the joke became βwell you donβt have a vaginaββ she says with a laugh before continuing, βbut Chad was amazing. He loves being in the studio and his roster of artists heβs worked with is insane. It goes to show, just βcause youβre known for playing with one band, we all have so much to offer even though heβs just known for his one thing β and that one thing is fucking awesome!β
Expressing her thoughts on the release of Milk It, Sides tells me βwe felt ready to release some new music. This always felt like a miniature colour wheel of the shifts and transitions of our year β like a prologue or a little chapter to our next bookβ, the future for Thunderpussy looks bright. As of now, they are beginning to write and demo a full-length albumβs worth of tracks for what will be their follow-up release and are looking forward to once again hitting the road. As Iβve stated before and told Sides, there really isnβt anything like a Thunderpussy show. Despite the slow process for obtaining the trademark to their name β βwe are still waiting to hear about itβ¦ weβre βscandalous and immoralββ¦ That was the name of our last tourβ Sides mentions, there really seems to be no holding back Thunderpussy.