Black Pussy, Ape Machine, Spar, Cave Of Swimmers

*NOTE*
Black Pussy does not condone or endorse any sexism, racism, ageism, violence, or any other douchebaggery that has been spoiling the party since the party started. If you are offended by the band's name please refer to the following quote...

"Few people can see genius in someone who has offended them."
-Robertson Davies

When The Rolling Stones wrote their classic track "Brown Sugar" it was originally titled "Black Pussy," but record-label politics got in the way: It was deemed too offensive and the powers at work refused to put it out. So the band had to change the name to something that was easier for the general public to swallow.

At least that's how the legend goes.

For Dustin Hill, the creative mastermind and songwriter behind Black Pussy, it sounded like a fantastic band name. It encapsulates exactly what the band is: a sex-charged, '70s-influenced, hide-your-daughters-because-they're-coming-to-town rock 'n' roll band that sounds like Tarantino directing a Thin Lizzy video in the low desert. Considering the name comes from a song that directly speaks out against racism, Hill isn't willing to entertain the notion that the band intends to offend anyone.

Black Pussy's heavy, bluesy sound and clear influences of Kyuss, Hendrix and The Who have found a niche in the ever-growing, global stoner-rock movement. The band exclusively uses vintage Sunn gear, pushing a massive 44 speakers when playing live and tends to land shows with the heaviest, sludgiest bands in the Portland, Oregon scene. However, their classic, upbeat, relentlessly hooky tracks
have led to Hill coining the phrase "stoner pop," like The Cars meets Black Sabbath. The band's catchy music tends to seduce anyone, even those who walk in off the street after seeing the intriguing band name on the marquis of the venue.

Black Pussy's 2012 debut album On Blonde is Hill's baby: It was written and mostly recorded by him alone, though guitarist Ryan McIntire, drummer Dean Carroll, bassist Aaron Poplin and keyboardist Keith O'Dell were later added to the band. The record, which kicks off with the rip of a bong and sounds like a drug-riddled midnight misadventure in a '70s muscle car, has carried them through successful
and nearly endless touring of the U.S for the past year and a half, and even found its way across the ocean as well: The track "Blow Some Steam Off" ended up on the February 2013 Metal Hammer compilation.

This year will see two new releases from Black Pussy: Their contact high-inducing, 22-minute psychedelic opus "Galaxies" will appear on a split release with the band biblical proof of UFOs, and their much-lusted-for sophomore album, Less Info More Mojo, which was recorded and produced in the California desert by stoner-rock legend Brant Bjork, will be out in the fall. White Orange, Hill's heavier project, will also be releasing an EP entitled Onawa on August 6.

Additionally, Black Pussy will be touring extensively with ex-Kyuss legends Vista Chino this fall.


The name APE MACHINE is a nod to the days of reel-to-reel magnetic tape audio recording; a fitting moniker for the heavy-hitting quartet as the band plays through vintage tube amplifiers and lays down its songs using exclusively throwback quality studio equipment. With a heady mix of animal aggression and technical precision, APE MACHINE's music carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of rock's glorious early years (or your Dad's bad ass record collection) infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the mystical lyrics of vocalist Caleb Heinze lock in with the band's stone-cold groove, APE MACHINE demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true four-piece, the group has been called "a rock and roll band with a finger on the pulse of the 70's and their asses firmly in the present" and "real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation" that delivers "true guts and glory rock and roll."

Blending equal parts Rock n' Roll, Blues, Stoner Rock and Psychedelia, Ape Machine is out to melt faces and pound the apathy out of otherwise jaded listeners with a wall of heavy rock n' roll tones unheard since the days of bell bottoms, long hair and blaring tube amplifiers.

Ape Machine's mission is to combine intense melody, cutting riffs and blistering live improvisation. Where many bands rely on meticulously rehearsed, just-like-the-record-parts, Ape Machine provides a live experience that is as unique as each evening it shares with an audience.


Cave of Swimmers is a band formed by two Venezuelan kids who met in the 4th grade. After moving to Miami in the mid 2000's, they reunited to form a band with an original take on heavy music. Fast, slow, spooky, sludgy, progressive, you name it: Cave of Swimmers does it their own way.

Their self-titled debut album gained critical acclaim last year after a few tours. They made a name for themselves as a band that's real with a live show like no other, outta control, and full of raw energy. The band is currently working on their second album which is scheduled to come out in early 2015.