George Orwell, Dungeons & Dragons, John Cougar Mellencamp
Sounds Like
Bang Sugar Bang come at you with dueling coed lead singers Cooper Gillespie and Matt Southwell, who trade off sarcastic lyrics about the state of the union on “That’s O.K., Civil Rights” from their upcoming CD, Victory Gin. With Gillespie and Southwell’s soaring harmonies, “The Sky Is Falling” sounds like the vocal exchanges of a more politically conscious version of John Doe and Exene Cervenka. It’s pretty exhilarating stuff: They’re trying to kill the radio in order to save it. -The LA Weekly
BANG sugar BANG's now-road-honed coed punk poems are delivered with fist in the air and tongue in cheek. -The LA Weekly
They aren't exactly gutter punks, but Los Angeles trio Bang Sugar Bang uphold every bit of the DIY ethic that helped predecessors X and the Germs rise from obscurity with street cred firmly intact. The two guys and a girl first gained notice as workaholic rock & rollers who wrote, recorded, engineered, released and promoted 2003’s Greatest Hits through self-booked shows with random death metal and country acts. When club owners shot them down, they started their own scene Kiss of Kill, a thriving night of nitty-gritty debauchery that’s “all about the music.” There, audience members scream along to every “yeah, yeah, yeah” and “whoa, whoa, whoa” off 2005’s Thwak, Thwak Go Crazy!! and other anthems by bands who share BSB’s vision—one that helped land legendary engineer Steve Albini for their next full-length album. -Salt Lake City Weekly
Bang Sugar Bang are very loud, love their three-chord monsters, and are produced by Geza X on their second album, all of which more or less serves to describe Thwak Thwak Go Crazy!! pretty well. But to add more detail: co-lead singer Cooper can be, as needed, simultaneously bratty and exuberant in her vocals, which is actually a pretty neat twist -- these days, it seems, it's not all that common to hear sheer joy mixed in with snotty anger -- while her pipes are sharp enough that it's almost as if Pat Benatar had finally learned to really rock out. That helps set Bang Sugar Bang apart from the pack a bit, as does their love of anthems Cheap Trick-style... -All Music Guide
A crowd-pleasing band-of-the-people...Bang Sugar Bang pour it on with rare passion and panache; their labor-of-love attitude says punk louder than any Mohawk or motto ever could...This band can grace stages for as long as they choose to. -The LA Weekly
L.A. garage-rock trio Bang Sugar Bang gives you a lot of X attitude to go with the Buzzcocks-style numbers on its latest release, "Thwak Thwak Go Crazy!" -The Los Angeles Times (Buzz Bands)
Buy a Bang Sugar Bang CD and play it for all your friends and marvel at the fact that the radio plays such awful shit when there are bands like this around. -Lollipop Magazine
Those who like their rock'n'roll to have balls, apply here. -Punk Planet
In the tradition of the Buzzcocks, Cheap Trick, the Pixies, and X comes southern California’s BANG sugar BANG. Since the band’s inception in 2001, the foursome has consistently led the attack with their irresistible frenzy of punk, rock n roll, and swaggering power pop that would nurse The Replacements hangovers. In a trusty Dodge Ram known as the “Land Ship,” they have toured the United States again and again, recruiting a faithful alliance with their growing army of fans, and proving themselves to be what the L.A. Weekly calls “a crowd-pleasing band-of-the-people.”
After two independently released records--Greatest Hits (War Room Records, 2003) and the critically acclaimed Thwak Thwak Go Crazy!! (SOS records, 2005)--, a three-month national tour with UK’s The Adicts, and songs featured on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and MTV’s Road Rules(to name a few), BANG sugar BANG are releasing their third full-length album this September, entitled Victory Gin (2007). The album’s title, taken from George Orwell’s 1984, shows perhaps a more serious side of L.A.’s favorite band to drink with.
Victory Gin marks a musical departure for the band, as their songwriting and musical style has broadened far beyond their grit-rock roots. The tracks are still infused by the wild energy of L.A. punk and while many of the tracks contain BSB's signature snottiness, songs such as "Farewell to Arms" and "Seventeen" are evidence of deeper, starker, more personal songwriting; getting drunk with pals has been replaced by reflections on conformity, futility and senseless death.
It’s clear, however, that the inspiration for Victory Gin involved more than current events. In the months leading up to the recording, the band faced a diabolical series of calamities that came to be known as “Disas-tour!”—the loss of a drummer (Vancouver), hotel fire (Illinois), burglarized van (Seattle), skunk permeated lodging (Indiana) and finally, guitarist Southwell severely breaking his hand while loading gear (California). Despite a tour that would have broken up most bands, BANG sugar BANG have proven to be as indestructible as their songs, finishing the record and finally performing again after a nine-month rehabilitation period for Southwell’s hand. If nothing else, Victory Gin is a simple testament to one band’s stubborn refusal to accept defeat. This 12-track offering is sure to hit home with fans, and like Lollipop Magazine, make them “marvel at the fact that the radio plays such awful shit when there are bands like this around.”
wtf? a friend was asking if u guys were still playing(together) and I had no fukking clue! I haven't seen you in like 9 months! so I come to fox's very exciting myspace dot com where I know you all keep a page, but there is no clue here to be gotten... so WTF?!?
Matt Nice show Saturday at 10th Avenue! Had a blast! It was good to sit back and BS with ya at players last night as well. Fly safe and see ya at Xmass Brian Mandenberg
ABSOLUTELY FOOCKIN' MEMORABLE to see you guys monday nite!
....such a great fuckin show too!!!!
just wish we could frollykk mor uften!!!!
MATT, COOP, I LOVE YOU BOTH STILL 2 THIS DAY (AND I EXPECT 4EVER) LIKE A BIG BRO AND SIS!!!! I WOULDN'T B WHO I AM TODAY IF IT WASN'T 4 THE TWO OF YOU!!!! THANK YOU GUYS!!!!
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