The Purple Cow Story grew up idolizing fellow Oklahomans The Flaming Lips and were further influenced by local Norman, Okla., band the Chainsaw Kittens; the former for their sound and the latter for their energetic live show. “I remember the first time I saw the Chainsaw Kittens,” PCS drummer Austin Stephens recalls. “After just one song their drummer looked like he was going to die. He was playing with so much heart and soul and it wasn’t like they were playing punk rock music–it was just straight up rock ’n’ roll but he was still going at it.” Since that show, Stephens and his bandmates have been committed to bringing energy to their live performance so that, as Stephens explains, “even if people don’t like us, at least they can tell that we gave it our all.” Further separating this peculiarly titled trio from the other ensembles in the indie-psychedelic realm is the band’s lack of a bass player and two lead guitarists. “It wasn’t exactly by design,” Stephens admits. “But we’re really comfortable with the two guitar setup, and we’re big fans of groups like The John Spencer Blues Explosion that have the two guitarists and no bass player. We feel like there are still things we can explore. We can compensate for the lack of a bass player by me using more floor toms and kick drums and with Alex (Stephens) playing some pseudo bass lines on occasion.” PCS’ debut, self-titled album provides ammunition for musicians who believe D.I.Y. is the only way to go. With no producer or engineer, the band has managed to put together a collection of tracks that are as clean-cut as they are chaotic. PCS draws from many indie icons but are most readily comparable to bands like the aforementioned Flaming Lips and NYC’s Sonic Youth. The brothers Stephens and additional guitarist Brian Hagmann are touring all over the country, playing shows in small towns like Huntsville, Ala., and Milford, Conn., as well as big city gigs like their show at the Annex in Manhattan. The Purple Cow Story will visit Albuquerque for the first time, parking their van at the Atomic Cantina for a 21+ free show on Saturday, April 14. For more on PCS, visit their MySpace page.
The Purple Cow Story
Playing Each Show As If It Were Their Last
3 min read
