The Bloodplums: Bursting With Talent
Friday, January 15th, 2010
By Audra Biddle.
Houston Perry wanted to spoof the 1970’s London punk scene, and what resulted is hardly a laughing matter. The Bloodplums are to be taken very seriously.
Featuring members of Atlanta’s own hip-hop/funk band, Heavy Mojo, The Bloodplums formed just two years ago and have already developed a sizable following. These guys are slowly sneaking through the back door of our city’s indie/punk scene and stealing the show at staple venues such as Lenny’s, where they most recently played, and Andrews Upstairs, where you can catch their next show.
As for the spoof, well, the band actually did start as a joke, with vocals in a faux British accent and “Iggy Hop” as the lead singer… and they get wackier, with “Sandy Cuhnts” on rhythm guitar, “The Blender” on lead, and “Black Santa” on bass, all backed by “Tone Capone” on drums. However, I urge you not to let these minor details keep you away. The band members are all quite talented and serious musicians on their own, and together create a catchy, garage-punk sound reminiscent of the Sex Pistols, but lyrically similar to The Smithereens or The Only Ones.
Of course, The Bloodplums are not anti-establishment, youth-in-revolt punk rockers fueling angst and rebellion — they’re just pretending to be. In actuality, this band is simply trying to explore other genres of music and the limits of their own individual abilities. With influences such as Block Party and Blur, you can see the vast array of style brought to the table when this group gets together. As Perry says, “My job as a musician is to do and explore everything I can … if there is another avenue to get music out to folks who could potentially enjoy it, then that’s what I’m going to do.”
Despite The Bloodplums originally being a “just-for-fun” side project, there is true heart and finesse in each number, which is why they can get away with being a bit snarky. According to Perry, it’s all about spontaneity, and if any one song takes longer than five or six minutes to develop, they won’t do it. “The thing about the Bloodplums is that it’s all stream of consciousness… It’s nothing I have to think about — it’s so spontaneous, where as Heavy Mojo is very plotted and planned.”
Spoof or not, planned or not, The Bloodplums is a viciously talented live act that shouldn’t be missed. Lucky for us, their next show is right around the corner. Catch them at Andrew Upstairs, on East Andrews Drive in Atlanta, on January 28th. Visit the band’s MySpace for details and other upcoming shows. http://www.myspace.com/thebloodplums Photos courtesy of Matt Odom, ataricharm photography.
Tags: Andrews Upstairs, Audra Biddle, funk band, hip-hop, indie, Lenny’s, London, punk
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