The Coathangers Interview: SXSW 2010

Posted on Feb 17th 2010 11:17PM by Peijean Tsai
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With songs like 'Gettin' Mad and Pumpin' Iron' and 'Nestle in My Boobies,' Atlanta-based band the Coathangers mixes indie rock and experimental punk with a fun, feminist sass. Band members Julia Kugel, Stephanie Luke, Candice Jones and Meredith Franco are known for their party-infused shows, complete with confetti, balloons and homemade cookies. The quartet of friends, now in their mid-20s, has recorded two albums, with plans to release a 7-inch of remixes this summer. The Coathangers have performed at SXSW every year since forming in 2006. Spinner recently spoke with singer-guitarist Kugel, the group's unofficial frontwoman, and bassist Franco from their hometown of Atlanta.

Describe your sound.

Julia Kugel: Our sound is like Christmas and cupcakes. It's like a hodgepodge of punk and post-punk and riot grrrl and rock 'n' roll and reggae and metal. It's whatever comes out. Our sound is the sound that we make when we play instruments, so it's not like a defined sound. We're not trying to sound like any particular band or any particular genre. We have slow songs, we have fast songs. We have silly songs. 'Nestle in My Boobies' -- one of the silliest songs we could have made -- was inspired by Peaches, not in terms of being political but in terms of having fun with sexuality.

How did your band form?

JK: About four years ago, Candice and I lived together. Stephanie stole a drum set from somebody that owed her money, and we moved it into our living room. I had a s---ty guitar, and we got Meredith to play bass -- she'd never played anything before. Candice had always kind of dabbled on keyboard. We started going to Margarita Mondays, playing afterwards, which was a huge mess. We recorded our jam sessions, and just kind of formed songs out of that. We didn't think we were starting a band until we got asked to play a show, and we said no. We were super-terrified. But then we did it, and then it kind of snowballed from there, and we got offered to do a 7-inch. It was just really surreal and amazing and unexpected.

What are your band's musical influences?

JK: Every [kind of] music. Everything. Interpersonal conflict is our musical influence. Parrots are our musical influence, cockatoos. Sugar cookies.

Meredith Franco: We all listen to different kinds of music. Stephanie is really into pop music. Candice, '60s hippie music. I listen to anything, really. Like I love Lady Gaga, and the new King Khan [BBQ Show].

How did you come up with your band name?

JK: We had gone to an anti-Bush rally in [Washington,] DC, and we basically had just enough time to drive up there, go to the rally, and drive back, so we were really delirious. We hadn't slept in a while. We were driving back, [thinking up] band names. So we went through Abortion Rules or Get an Abortion, and more crass things, and ridiculous things like Levitating, That's So David Blaine. We came up with Coathangers and kind of loved it. We were much more in-your-face. As long as we thought it was hilarious, that's all that mattered.

Are there feminist themes to your music?

JK: There's feminist themes in our lives, so it's going to translate into music. It's pro-woman, definitely, but it's not anti-man or anti-heterosexuality. It's not anti-anything. It's just [about] doing what you want to do. We try to be as true to ourselves as we possibly can, and that in itself is a feminist statement.

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