Sugarcult's guitarist says new CD documents band's growth
Guitarist Marko 72 of Sugarcult speaks of how the band's music is influenced by the Clash, Elvis Costello and the Replacements. He's also aware many of Sugarcult's fans might not be familiar with these references.
"A lot of our fans are really young, teenagers, and they don't know, they aren't old enough and don't have the record collections to know what we're going for," he says. "They just know there's something about this band that's different from the hordes of other bands that I saw last summer on the Warped Tour that are wearing the exact same T-shirt and have the exact same haircuts. That resonates with people, but you really do need to see us live."
Sugarcult will perform at The World -- formerly Rosebud -- in the Strip District on Monday.
"Palm Trees and Power Lines," the band's second release, is a long way from its days as a bar band in Santa Barbara, Calif. The music, if you have to define it, is filed under alternative rock. Just don't call it power pop, a label that Marko 72 says is too limiting.
Instead, he has a rather cinematic explanation of the band's sound.
"We like to make records flow, with highs and lows," he says. "There are light-hearted moments and deep moments, parts that make you think and parts that make you just want to put on a leather jacket, drink a bottle of whiskey, smash it over a fire hydrant and jaywalk. There's the love scenes, the car chases, the explosions, the cande-lit dinner. Hopefully it's a good listening experience all the way through."
What "Palm Trees and Power Lines" is not is a record culled from a large batch of songs. When Sugarcult released its debut, "Start Static," in 2001, there were 35 songs to choose from. The 12 songs on "Palm Trees and Power Lines" were chosen from, uh, 12 songs.
But because the band is three years older and wiser -- they toured incessantly the past three years -- Marko 72 is confident he and his bandmates have made progress. The band's other members are singer Tim Pagnotta, bassist Airin and new drummer Ben Davis.
"I think we had a more refined vision for the band, and obviously we had transformed as people," Marko 72 says. "If you're on the road all the time, your life changes. All of a sudden you're not going to the same bar every Thursday night. You're in a different city every night. You don't have your friends and family as support systems, you don't have familiar street and normal routines. Your life is all about rock 'n' roll.
"So I think 'Palm Trees and Power Lines' documents the growth of our band, as musicians, songwriters, people, and focuses the vision more. It's just more confident. Maybe we're not afraid to go a little deeper, feel a little bit more vulnerable."
Additional Information:
Sugarcult
With : Motion City Soundtrack, Letter Kills, Clearview
When : 7 p.m. today
Admission : $15; all ages
Where : The World, Strip District
Details : (412) 323-1919
