Quick hits: Batwings Catwings

Place of origin: Los Angeles, California.

Personnel: Dana, Pepper, and Clay—”But we still need a bass player. Anyone out there? Our buddy Josh from Luna is Honey is filling in for now.”

Upcoming shows:
8pm Saturday, October 9, at Dem Passwords

Do you have anything special planned for the show? Ahhh, a bass drum that lights up!!

Batwings Catwings' Clay Johnson (Photo: Sean Carnage)

Batwings Catwings were the inspiration for booking this Saturday’s debut show at a brand new all-ages space called Dem Passwords. A fresh space to match BWCW’s fresh sounds. Are you ready for this? Clay Johnson tells it like it is…

How did you all meet and form Batwings Catwings?
I am from Minnesota, moved to SoCal in 2000. Dana hails from Virginia Beach. Pepper is from St. Louis. We are imports, though Josh is Glendale so he is local. Pepper and I played in TPF! since like 2004 and we went through many members. We wanted to move on then we met Dana via Kid Infinity and found out that her band Puppy Dog had fizzled so we asked if she wanted to start something new. She was into it and badda bing badda boom Batwings Catwings was formed.

How would you describe your sound to a stranger?
I guess it’s like modernist post punk/electronic dance/rock stuff. Got it?

Pepper Glass (Photo: Carnage)

What’s your favorite song on the radio right now?
On the radio right now…Mmmm. Well, not counting friends bands on KXLU I guess on top 40 I dig “Teenage Dreams” by Katy Perry or “Airplanes” by B.o.B. with Haley Williams. When I drive with Ruiko we crank Top 40. When by myself sports radio, KCRW, KXLU, or the good old iPod.

What ares some musical influences that everyone in the band agrees upon?
Man, off the top of my head…Fugazi I suppose. Old punk stuff mainly, classics and especially all of our friends bands in our community!

What’s your favorite part of being in this band?
Going out of town to play shows. We always have a blast!

What recordings have you been working on?
Just released four new songs online that were recorded by Daniel Haworth (Bi-Polar Bear, Bad Dudes, Hiking) at Infrasonic Studios. They will be available for download soon. We are in the process of writing new stuff now and hope to record again in the next six months.

Dana Poblete (Photo: Carnage)

How do you guys usually write songs?
In our space by just jammin or Pepper and/or I will have a riff or drum beat and we just crank it out. “Endless Summer” was based on that big electronic beat during the chorus that I came up with. We usually record them then get them to Dana so she can live with them for a bit and work her magic.

What’s the most insane song you have ever written and why?
Well, for BWCW “Peacock Collection,” I guess, it has a minute or so long spacey introduction. Not too “insane” but neat. I guess in one of my college school band we had a song that had blast beats, jazz beats, metal riffs, half-time beats, country guitar solos, and a trombone running through crazy pedals. You know, typical college stuff with the help of home-made smoking contraptions.

What’s your favorite BWCW song and why?
I dig “Endless Summer.” I was trying to get that beat into a song for ever.

Photo: Sean Carnage

You originally brought my attention to Cloud Nothings. What makes them so great?
They have that sound that is so popular now, you know lo-fi garage minimal with lots of reverb but that’s not why they are great…they write smart songs that are catchy as all hell and they don’t seem as contrived as other bands in the genre.

Who are your favorite new bands to watch right now?
XBXRX, KIT, Peter Pants, Michael Nhat, Woah Hunx, Foot Village, Gestapo Khazi, Luna is Honey, Narwhal Party, Kid Infinity, Heller Keller, I.E., Halloween Swim Team, NASA Space Universe, Tearist, Tremellow, Mikki & the Mauses, Fantastica Bastidas!, Abe Vigoda, The Soft Pack, Stab Cit, Juiceboxxx, and Essay oh man…too many to name. I love going to shows…too bad I am so busy. Can’t get to them all!

What’s next for the group?
Bass player. New songs. A video from Bret B. who did videos for HEALTH and Anavan. Then tour maybe, SXSW? Also get on a label to record some vinyl and to just have fun really.

Everyone loves your I.E. cover. If you could cover or collabo with any musician or performer who would it be?
Man, a collab with Foot Village would be rad, they are our buds of course but I would love to play with all those drums! Either that or with Bieber… “Baby baby, baby, ooooooh!”

Hear/download Batwings Catwings’ “Endless Summer”

Don’t miss Batwings Catwings tomorrow, Saturday, October 9 at a brand new DIY venue: