Dirty Blondes @ Magic Hat Brewery this Saturday
Words by Sarah Frazier.
Another band participating in the Sound Proof exhibit at Magic Hat Brewing Company is the Dirty Blondes. Their sound is raw, with vocals that take you by surprise. With heavy guitar, and fast paced undertones, the Dirty Blondes are intense and unforgiving. Just the way their fans probably like it.
The Dirty Blondes got involved with the upcoming event through their own personal connection. When I asked them how they became part of it, Reverend Blonde jokingly replied, “Matt Thorsen! We love him. Especially me, because I married him. He's been a part of the Dirty Blondes extravaganza from very early on. He has thousands of photos of us, which is kind of scary, because none of us will ever be President… [And] well, it's a brewery... so... you know... we'll be there with bells on. If it was a vodka distillery, we'd already be there.”
From the get go, I found that they weren’t afraid to say much of anything. What’s great about that though, besides the fact that interview wise, that’s gold, is that you get a more honest and truthfully brutal music from a band that way. The Dirty Blondes have an attitude that is distinct, not only through interviewing them but also seen in their music as well.
When I asked them about their music I remarked that it reminded me of early Pixies, and how they would describe their own sound, they replied, “That's quite a compliment. In a street fight between us and them, I think we'd probably win, but I'm sure they'd put forth a valiant effort… [In describing our music] I used to like to say it was punk rock with a cocktail lounge twist. Drunk rock? I dunno… We've been together for 12 years, but only play out once in a blue moon these days. We're getting set to release our premier CD, 'Sex the Elastic,' so hopefully that will expand our audience. I smell a Grammy.” The humor continues to ring true. Which is great, because I’m pretty sure that I laughed throughout reading their responses. It is that bluntness that makes it such an intimate thing with them. Humor is universal that way.
We continue talking about other influences to which a clever response is, “The Blondes are a Renaissance band, if you will. We like a little bit of this, a little bit of that.” I continue on the track of influences, turning towards how lyrical inspiration occurs to them, especially in songs like "Slut and Drunk" and they poke fun at themselves saying that it comes from their own experience. Basically, at some point we are all the drunk and the slut. It is meant to take the shameful away, bring the truth forward and look back without hating yourself. Of course, it isn’t worded in such a way with them, “It might be hilarious to some, but it's real life to us. We're all drunks and some of us have been sluts. Our songs are a reflection of our lives.”
As for their own live performances, there is an energy that can be seen on the stage. They told me, “We love the energy that comes from a live audience. Even when we don't know where we are. We like to mess with people's heads.” It is the attitude the band projects that creates a charm that others are drawn to.
The Dirty Blondes are punk band with their own noncoforming attitude. It makes for an energetic, fist pumping, brutally honest show that adrenaline junkies will love.
Come see the Dirty Blondes perform this October 15 at the Magic Hat Brewing Company in support of Big Heavy World's Matthew Thorsen SOUND PROOF SHOWCASE featuring photography of local VT bands taken in the 1990s. Support Big Heavy World, and show your love for Vermont music by joining us for live music, brewery tours, beer gardens and bitchin' BBQ.