The Black Lips are a rock ‘n’ roll band from Atlanta that likes to keep things loud, raucous and bluesy. Their punk-rock energy, flavored with Southern accents and psychedelic haze, has given the band a rambunctious reputation for crazy live shows.
And while they’re not getting kicked out of clubs anymore, the Lips still want to have a good time.
ROCK OUT WITH THE LIPS
Time: 9 p.m. today
Location: Cat’s Cradle
300 East Main St., Carrboro
Info: www.catscradle.com
With a highly anticipated show tonight at Cat’s Cradle, Diversions Staff Writer Stewart Boss spoke with guitarist Ian St. Pé, who joined the band in 2004, to talk about the band’s upcoming plans and what to expect at the show.
Diversions: The band labels itself with the tag of “flower-punk” — would you mind explaining that term?
Ian St. Pé: Flower-punk: you know, it’s like I like making love, but I’ll beat your ass if you touch me wrong. Little bit sweet, little bit hot — sweet and spicy, like Chinese food. We came up with it, just to have journalists quit calling us ‘high octane rock ‘n’ roll.’
Dive: Did the inclusion of ‘Bad Kids’ on the “(500) Days of Summer” soundtrack help raise the band’s profile last year?
ISP: I’m sure it didn’t hurt. It all helps. This band’s been going on for so long, the only thing that’s been different is our exposure. We’ve been touring the same amount as we always have — I think the music’s been as good as it always has been — but the difference is now we’re in movies and commercials too. Any exposure is good exposure — hell, when they talk bad about us it’s still good exposure as long as they’re talking about us.
Dive: The Black Lips are known for playing in unusual places. What’s your favorite place you’ve played? Are there any plans in the works to schedule shows in more exotic locales?
ISP: I mean I never thought I’d play Israel, Brazil, Russia, Palestine, Japan — you know, any of these places. When we played in Israel we went over to play in the West Bank when there were bombings going on, so that was pretty wild.
But I like everywhere. Right now, we’re looking into Thailand, Vietnam and China. That’s probably going to be our next vacation. But see, we’re on constant vacation. I mean, it’s work, don’t get me wrong, but we do this for a reason.
Dive: What are your plans this summer? Any festivals?
ISP: I know we’re doing Coachella. I mean we’re doing a bunch of these, but I never can remember. I know how to play guitar, and I play it well. I’m excited for all of them. I really wake up every morning going, “Yes!” because I get to play a rock ‘n’ roll show tonight. I also love festivals because it’s like rock ‘n’ roll summer camp, because when we go there we all share the same backstage. When you play festivals you actually get to see a lot of your friends and get drunk and be stupid and get in trouble and have fun.
Dive: The band’s latest album, 200 Million Thousand, was released about a year ago. Are there plans to head back to the recording studio anytime soon?
ISP: We’ve actually already done two of the three sessions for our new album. It should be out by the end of the year. We did one session at our studio, we did one session with Bradford Cox and Lockett Pundt from Deerhunter at their practice space, and our last session is supposed to be in Costa Mesa, California, where we recorded in 2005 for Let It Bloom.
Dive: What’s your favorite Black Lips record and why?
ISP: Let It Bloom. A lot of bands have good songs, but the recordings sound like shit. People say our records sound like shit, but in my opinion they’re amazing. We’re into what we’re into, so when we record a record it sounds like that on purpose.
Some people say it sounds like it was recorded in a tin can. Well, tin cans are cool. I don’t have a problem with them. We’re conscious of how we record our records, and I am just impressed with how we produced it. And our friend Mike McHugh engineered that record. I like the songs that we did, and I also like how the songs were recorded.
Dive: Favorite Black Lips song?
ISP: I can’t. Songs are like children. If I picked a favorite, the other ones would get mad. They all have their ups and their downs, but they’re still mine.
Dive: The band’s sound seems to have been scaled back in recent albums. Do you like the quieter direction the band is taking?
ISP: I mean honestly, I don’t think our volume, our intensity, has changed. The songs are being played more, but I don’t think volume-wise it’s changed. There’s just not as much bullshit and gimmicks. Don’t get me wrong though, we’re entertainers and artists.
Dive: The Black Lips have a reputation for rowdy live performances. Should we expect more of the same at the show at Cat’s Cradle, or have things toned down for the band?
ISP: I think there’s more to seeing a band than having them sit there, and it sounds like you’re listening to the CD. I will say this, we’re not puppets. If y’all start getting wild, we’re going to get wild. If y’all start getting wilder and crazy, we’re going to go nuts.
We’re not just going to go bananas to go bananas, but the interaction that we’re known for is still there. We still go crazy on occasion, just not as much. We make the clubs money now, so we don’t get kicked out of clubs anymore. We could get kicked out, but we don’t.
Dive: What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done at a show?
ISP: I mean I don’t want to all of the sudden like pull my dick out and compare it to other people’s, but I’ve been to the hospital. I’ve gone a bunch. Let’s just say that if you’re going to the hospital, you’re pretty much going f--king crazy.
Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu
