Hermitage Works housed one hell of a live performance by Pussycat And The Dirty Johnsons. Lucky for you we’ve captured it all on video via Clark Kent’s Rock and Roll Revue. All that plus a mini interview with frontperson extraordinaire, Puss Johnson! Margo’s Living Room Season 5 gets better and better …
So, you guys got to support Jon Spencer and The Hitmakers, any exciting tales to tell?
Puss: It was great supporting one of Jon’s bands again, we supported The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion about four years ago, he is someone we have a lot of respect for and go to watch him whenever he’s over here. He gave us a shout out during their set and said they were in ‘good company’, which felt pretty good! We hadn’t met the HITmakers before – Bob Bert (from Pussy Galore), Sam Coomes and M.Sord – they were also super nice… it was just a fantastic evening, bucket list moment!
You seem to draw water from the same well so to speak. You sang some Elvis Presley during your soundcheck for your stint in Margo’s Living Room. Wouldn’t be difficult to imagine a collaboration between The Johnson’s and The Hitmakers at some stage. Make it happen! Tell us about your song as premiered in the blog? Tell us all about ‘Pain!’
Puss: Ha! I couldn’t possibly be so cheeky as to ask to collaborate. I’m just really chuffed that we got to support him again. Pain! is a song about the Pain! of existence in these tawdry times! The whole one step forward, two steps back scenario of life.
You took more than a few steps in that studio! What gives you the courage to perform like that, or is it a case of not wanting to intellectualise the process?
Puss: I’m not thinking when I’m performing, I’m just doing ha! Sometimes what happens is as much a surprise to me as it is to everyone else! Often when I watch myself in videos it somehow feels like I’m watching someone else, I’m quite a shy and reserved person off stage… when the music kicks in something takes over. I think there are demons inside me, help!
We can’t help, we love your act too much! Lastly, and I was talking about this with my partner the other night, your band seems able to reach an all-ages audience, how the fuck do you do that and yet have such credit in the underground community? More the point, why aren’t you rich yet? What can we all do to help?
Puss: Well thank you! I don’t really have much of a clue what kind of credit we have, sometimes it feels like we’re being ignored when we see we’re missed off people’s lists of underground bands etc. and then next thing we get recognition from musicians we respect, like with Jon Spencer, and we feel rewarded for our hard work. The important thing is that we do it for ourselves because we love it, any other stuff is a bonus. I think if you’re enjoying yourself onstage and having fun, then people want to be part of that. I also like to take the performance into the crowd, so it’s an inclusive experience, smell-o-vision! So people don’t forget they’re watching a live band and not some X Factor shit at home on their sofa! I guess people like being roughed up a bit ha!
Ace! In closing (I mean it this time), nominate three other bands you’d think could follow your act in the living room. Go!
Puss: Hatepenny, Nova Twins and 100% Beefcock and the Titsburster!
Those names! Those bands! My mind! Thank you kindly for the words, images and music!
See Pussycat And The Dirty Johnsons live:
SAT 10 NOV – The Cave at The Holly tree – Addlestone
FRI 16 N0V – The Chelsea Inn – Bristol
FRI 23 N0V – Old Bakery Studios – Truro
SAT 24 N0V – The Dead Famous Liquor Lounge -Newquay
FRI 30 N0V – New Cross Inn – London
SAT 01 DEC – The Prince Albert – Brighton
Keep up with Pussycat And The Dirty Johnsons:
In a band who wants to record at Hermitage Works? Drop Margo a line here:
Subscribe to Clark Kent’s Rock And Roll Revue for more video releases throughout the year:
Cover photo by Chris Patmore (as usual)
Next story
