Page 14 - The Noise November 2016

he musician as outlaw is an archetype deeply entrenched in Arizona’s culture. The Valley, from Bisbee to Sedona, has vibrant arts scenes and strange
destinations. Images of sugar skulls, scorpion lollypops, and mustachioed gunslingers are common-place and inspire feelings of nostalgia. These wild west bars, DIY venues, art galleries and party houses are familiar territory for local indie punk stalwarts Andy Warpigs.
With the guidance and creative brilliance of their eponymous lead singer and songwriter, the band has bombarded Arizona creatively and cemented it’s following in the national “folk-punk” scene, inspiring a yearly crust punk festival in Denver (Go Folk Yourself ), playing live on college radio in Los Angeles, and planning miniature tours with Riot Girl bands through the back roads of Prescott and Tucson.
“Gurley Street Coffee in Prescott has been an amazing spot for us this year,“ Warpigs says. “We’ve played there with weird touring bands and local friends like Sonny Morgan and Honey Danger and the I 10 Shooters. The kids in that town come out and support regardless of genre or niche because they love music and they are there for a genuine experience. The owners and workers are all chill guys that love art and music. It’s a beautiful thing.”
The band is very much a self aware cartoon of punk rock, playing on tropes of rockabilly with hilarious novelty punk songs like ‘Drown My Baby’ and ‘Ego Death.’ They channel
folk and new wave nihilism perfectly with the Morrissey evoking ‘Everybody Likes You Now‘ and the sickly sweet sting of ‘Chili Pepper.’ All the while Warpigs spends as
much time berating the audience with non sequiturs like
a punk rock Eric Andre as he does playing instruments and singing. He has a habit of directing banter to the two closest individuals in the audience, as well as pelting the crowd with candy and plastic spiders, regardless of the season. He plays the part of a host and performer perfectly, and doesn’t miss a beat with his witty and sarcastic remarks on any and everything under the sun. He’s as much Andy Kaufman as Andy Warhol.
Andy Warpigs prides it’s self on opening doors and using attention to shine a light on small businesses, arts causes, and emerging bands and young musicians. After releasing their debut record “Folk Punk Yourself ” and being named one of fourteen bands to watch in 2014 by The Phoenix New Times, they have had dozens of members sit in and plan various stunts and shenanigans at local venues.
“We’re heavily involved in weirdness at the Trunkspace. We orchestrated an imposter band with local artists Harrison Hufman and Clay Fighter for the annual Indie Five Hundred Festival. That had to be the world’s first punk show/ free all-you-can-eat breakfast. We wanted it to be like a Saturday morning cartoon came to life and we were pleasantly surprised. I drew my own moustache on my friend’s face with a sharpie and no one was the wiser.”
The music has a dadaist approach, blending performing with performance art. The songs are Americana through the twisted lens of drug and meme culture. They come offff like some alien form of stand up comedy or improv troupe. His backing band consists of a campy roster of punk rockers and art scene kids from the cultural mixing grounds of Downtown Phoenix.
“It’s like a big, fun, zany dysfunctional family that actually gets along.” Says washboardist/ booking coordinator Garyn Klasek. Garyn has helped promote and push the band since it‘s beginnings, booking them with established punk acts like Mischief Brew and Days n Daze early on. Andy Warpigs has co-headlined the Phoenix Anti Folk Festival and the Under The Bridge Folk Festival and has been mistaken for being based in other states because of their seemingly omnipresent status.
“I never know what’s going to happen next, but people like it so I don’t care,” says vocalist/ percussionist Indy Prince, a new addition to the band.
Andy Warpigs elaborates, “My bass player Jackson Bollox was an art school kid, and many of the people who gravitate around and within this band are basically subversives and drop outs. We have an open door policy with membership and have never officially kicked out a member. This band has been about bringing out potential as much as partying or mind expanding.”
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• NOVEMBER 2016