A Bunch Of Softies

Jaz popped down to King Tut's Wah Wah Hut to interview San Diegans, The Soft Pack, for Q Magazine on a freezing Wednesday night. If anybody in Cyberspace knows some decent ice-breakers for approaching semi-esoteric raw post-punk bands who are battling with a bout of flu, send them on a postcard. Most of what Jaz knows about Los Angeles and punk-y scenes was gauged during a two week period working at Kerrang!'s Green Day special. That's to say, very little. And for reasons related to Green Day and not because that fortnight was spent debating the respective qualities of various now discontinued chocolate bars, e.g. Texan vs. Wagon Wheel.

Before they played a straight-to-the-point, short and punchy set comprised of material from their eponymous debut and their earlier album under a much-maligned previous bandname, The Muslims, the foursome revealed their affections for hip hop, Barry Manilow and Prince. When it comes to their own three-chord garage punk sound, though, their motives are completely non-political:

"We're all about simplicity. I think it's partly by necessity. I can't really do much musically, so it's gotta be simple." - Matt Lamkin

For the full interview, which includes analysis of many a California buzz band to listen out for, head on over to qthemusic.com: http://news.qthemusic.com/2010/02/interview_q_couch_potatoes_wit.html

All photos can be found on Jaz's Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boomerangkid/sets/72157623501146646/

I leave you with their ultra stripped-back video for C'Mon:



Jaz x