Killer Pussy

Killer Pussy was a satirical punk rock/new wave group from Phoenix, Arizona. They are best known for their 1982 song "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage".

History

Lucy LaMode, who eventually became Killer Pussy's lead singer, became a fan of punk rock following high school and found herself moonlighting in a Phoenix punk band called "The Roll-Ons" with Les a Go Go singing about pantyhose and feminine hygiene.[1] The Roll-Ons" were backed by Feederz drummer John E. Precious.[1] LaMode met musician Robert X. Planet and began bonding over singer and actress Edith Massey who was part of the John Waters ensemble.[1][2] Planet later joined the group, as well as guitarist Gary Russell and bassist Dale.B. Sari. The expanded group "Killer Pussy" was named after Les a Go Go's cat.[1] Their first EP "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage" was produced by and recorded by Bruce Liddil at Behemoth Studio.

The group became fixtures of the early-80s Phoenix punk scene, where the group became noted for its kitsch.[1][3] They sang "off-the-wall, "wacky", "smutty" joke songs such as "Pocket Pool", "Dildo Desire" and "Herpes".[3] The group's attire and stage background parodied punk acts.[1]

In May 1982, a hastily recorded four song EP was released. "Teenage Enema Nurses in Bondage" from the EP was soon the second most played song on Los Angeles radio station KROQ.[1] Their popularity continued to grow during a California tour.[1] The band then made a television appearance on USA Network's New Wave Theatre via their manager at the time, Scott Hatch. Actor Dennis Hopper, a fan of the group, painted a portrait of Lucy LaMode that was prominently displayed on the sitcom Square Pegs.[1] A full-length album Bikini Wax[3] along with a single "Moist Towelette", which was a parody of Grace Jones' cover of "Warm Leatherette", was then released.[1]

John E. Precious died in 1985.[1] During the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s the group occasionally toured and worked on reissues of their back catalog.[1]

In 2010, they played their 30th anniversary concert in Phoenix.[4]

In 2014, Teenage Enema Nurses In Bondage was ranked #9 in the "10 Most Influential Punk Records of Arizona".[5]

Personal lives

Despite Lucy LaMode's self-described "whore" public persona, she remained a virgin during the height of the group's popularity. She was not a drug user, did not have her first beer until the age of 26, and is now a mother.[1]

Gary Russell currently lives in the San Diego area. Robert X. Planet and Dale B. Sari both currently live in Scottsdale, AZ.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Killer Pussy: Old-School Phoenix Punk Parodists Gather For 30th Anniversary Reunion Phoenix New Times May 27, 2010
  2. ^ "Edith Massey". IMDb. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
  3. ^ a b c allmusic Bikini Wax review
  4. ^ Pela, Robrt L. (2010-05-27). "Killer Pussy: Old-School Phoenix Punk Parodists Gather For 30th Anniversary Reunion".
  5. ^ Reardon, Tom (2014-11-25). "10 Most Influential Punk Records of Arizona: #9 - Killer Pussy, Teenage Enema Nurses In Bondage". www.phoenixnewtimes.com. Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2024-03-31.