Sugarcult

 

Tim 'Pagzilla' and Suzi

On a very hot day in the middle of June, I got the chance to catch up with the lead singer of a band who have been gracing the music channels including MTV. Who would have thought that this Californian band, formed barely 5 years ago, could become so huge so fast, and sell out nearly every date of their UK tour? I am of course, talking about the wonderful Sugarcult and lead singer Tim Pagnotta. Read on to hear about the tour, cover songs, George Bush and Bowling for Soup! 

How are you today? 

I'm good how are you? 

Good thanks, how is the tour going so far? 

The tour is going… [sigh] can I be completely honest? 

Go on then 

It's going excellent! Although right now I'm suffering from a scratchy voice cus I kicked ass so hard last night so now I'm only gonna give about 3% instead of my usual 100%… nah I'm only joking. 

Good. How did Cardia and Division Of Laura Lee come to be supporting you? 

We asked them to. I think that, you know, that lots of times tours are very easy, you know the types of band that tour with each other sometimes feel like it's putting the same four bands in one show, where it's four bands that have already been on the warped tour together and come over here and do a tour and the same four bands it's not very much of a stretch, and to me I think a band like Division Of Laura Lee has more in common with Sugarcult than people think. You know we pretty much love all the same kinds of music, and I think that a good tour means that you turn a band onto an audience that they normally don't get to, and vice versa. Otherwise you're just preaching at the converted you know 

Your new album "Palm Trees And Power Lines" recently was released. Are you happy with the reaction it has had? 

Yeah you know what? I think that it's really validating cus I really like our record and I'm glad that people understand it and understand where we're going and appreciate it because it's not necessarily the fastest record out there, or the hardest record, and that's not important it's how well it translates emotions and stuff and it's good that young people can dig it 

You recently returned from Japan with Bowling For Soup. How did that go? 

It was good! We went over to Japan with Bowling For Soup so that we could maybe come over here with Bowling For Soup. And Erm. Yeah it was good. It was good for us! 

How do you think Bowling For Soup found their first tour of Japan? 

I think they really liked it they liked eating Japanese food. But it's kinda hard not to. 

You often leave audio messages on your website, 

Sure. Do you hear them over here? 

Yep. 

Cool! Are they good? 

Yep… how do you get them done and up there on your site? 

I call a number. [takes his phone out of his pocket and starts pressing buttons] I call this number on my phone and it works. This magic number that I put in has a special code and it's like calling an answer machine [shows the number to us] 

Cool, so are you going to leave any while you're over here? 

Yeah you've just given me an idea I'm gonna do it while I'm here immediately! even today! 

Yay. We have a featured French artist called Thulium who has done a cover of your song "Hate Every Beautiful Day" which we have with us. 

He's an artist? 

Yeah. 

And you have a copy with you? 

Yeah. 

Can I see it? 

Yeah it's on minidisk. 

Do you have a minidisk player with you? 

Yeah 

Ah cool can you just take a time out while I hear it then? 

Yeah sure [recording cuts while Tim fiddles with the minidisk player and listens to the song… back to the interview] What do you think of people covering your songs? 

Well that's the first time I've ever heard one! It's frightening! And you know what? It's cool but it's frightening though and a little weird. It's so weird. You know why I think it's kinda bizarre is because if you're singing someone else's lyrics then you don't really know what they mean. I like covers that are a little bit different that don't follow exactly the formula, but that's extremely flattering because I know that recording music is a very arduous and difficult task and just to record one song takes hours and hours. And he did a good job! And certain things that he sang and the way he phrased the words that I kinda of preferred more than mine. 

Now we move onto more random questions. 

Ok. 

If you weren't you then who would you be? 

If I wasn't me? Phil Spector. I'd like to be Phil Spector because he's a producer and he's famous for recording you know, oh gosh, so many so many people. and the people I respect the most are record producers 

We have Big Brother going on at the moment here in the UK. What do you think of reality TV shows? 

I think television lately is sad it's the lowest common denominator. 

You'd never want to be on something like that then? 

No. It would be terrible. 

If you only had one day left to live, what would you do? 

One day left to live… I probably would spend time with my family, play a show. Play a really good show, go sky diving have food that I've never eaten… ok I would do everything that I love to do [starts counting off his fingers] I'd eat burritos, I would spend time with my family I would play a show I would have sex I would do drugs I would spend a lot of money I would buy guitars I would go on ebay and buy something off of the internet I would put on warm underwear as they come out of the dryer. I would play with my dog bandit I would drive my car I would wash my car. Do everything I liked. 

What is the worst injury you have ever had? 

My ears. Yeah I fucked up my ears they ring really loud all the time. 

How is it today? 

It's pretty bad today. 

Louise the camera lady: If you were in a hot air balloon, and it was falling to the ground and you've got to kick someone out to stop it from falling, and I the balloon with you is George Bush, Madonna, Kylie, and Marilyn Manson. Who would you kick out? 

[Before the question has even finished] George bush 

Louise: Why? 

Because he's an idiot and an asshole. 

Louise: Fair enough.
Would you rather have the ability to fly or be invisible? 

Fly… because I don't wanna know what goes on behind closed doors. That's not my business to know.

What's your favourite question to get asked? 

Ok… What my favourite food is! 

What's your favourite food? 

Burritos! 

Aay! Before we finish, is there anything you would like to promote or add? 

Yeah we have a new record check it out. Palm Trees And Power Lines hope you like it. Thank you for coming to our shows. We're coming to take over your country! And we'll be back soon next time we'll be playing a football stadium. That's what Division Of Laura Lee said last night it was great. 

Thanks to Tim for taking the time to answer my questions. The band are very soon going to be finishing their UK tour and heading back home to start on the summer festivals. Their new album and single are available in shops right now. And to get more information on Sugarcult go towww.sugarcult.com.