Bad Cop / Bad Cop are a seriously kick ass punk rock n roll band from California. With top notch tunes, killer harmonies and a new record to come out on the mighty Fat Wreck Chords label it was definitely the time to get the all girl four piece into Lights Go Out…
Hi, thanks for chatting with us at Lights Go Out, first up who’s in the band, what’s your role and who’s answering the questions today?
ALL OF US!!!!!!!!
Stacey Dee – Guitar and Lead Vocals. Jennie Cotterill – Guitar and Lead Vocals. Line Le – Bass and Sweet, Sweet Backup Vocals. Myra Gallarza – Drums
You seem to have all been in bands before, what bands have you all been in? And are any of the bands still active?
Stacey – The Angry Amputees will never die, HAHAHA. The bands that I have been are; Bad Cop / Bad Cop, The Angry Amputees, Compton SF, The City, Park Royal, (London), Black Top Idol, The Returners, (Hip Hop), Knives and Gasoline and I also play out acoustic by myself. I also sing on a crap load of other’s people’s records. Which is a lot of fun for me. I think I I’ve been in too many bands, I’m a lifer!
Jennie… ah nothing too famous. I played in other people’s bands a lot. THIS is my dream and. I guess Cunt Sparrer is still technically alive, though Sara (M. Lyons) is running a one-woman business slangin’ nail decals. If she ever gets a break or an employee we could play again.
Myra – The D*Maggs, The Radio Sweetheart & Cunt Sparrer
Linh – Skinny Titties was my very first band. I’ve also been in Famous in Vegas, Atomic Mom, The Palominos, The Reach Around Rodeo Clowns, Dysphoria and I’m also currently in an Irish punk band (naturally) called Vagrant Nation.
So how did Bad Cop / Bad Cop come to form?
Stacey – We came to form in a dirty, dilapidated, freezing cold studio in San Pedro, Ca. True story. I really wanted to start a gutter punk band and sing about disgusting things. We had a different bass player, (Jen Carlson), back then and it was she, Myra and I. Then our Jennie Cotterill came along and it was a game changer. She writes amazing songs as well. We just started writing, singing together and playing as soon as we had enough material to play out with. Then we got Linh Le on bass and backups and she really was the mayo on the sandwich we needed to put us over the top. 3 part harmonies is a like a sandwich with mayo in my mouth. And I loooooove me some mayo!
Jennie – Yeah I was on a huge Protex kick when we started. So that gutter punk thing never stood a chance. Ha!
Myra: our lil’ ghetto by the sea rehearsal spot in Peedro.
I read you’re from all over the U.S. Are you actually based in Los Angeles these days and what is the music scene like there currently?
Stacey – There is a really brilliant community of punk rockers in LA and Orange County. OC has always had great punk bands come from there. Hollywood was the hair metal glam rock days of yesteryear. But we have and are building quite a raucous punk scene with other great bands like; The Bombpops, Murderland, French Exit, Johnny Mad Cap, Horror Squad, Hands like Bricks, Payoff, The Meka Leka Hi’s and the 87’s to name a few – are all great bands that deserve a lot of credit for being fucking great.
Jennie – We are mainly playing the DIY scene. And it is SO GOOD! There are lots of girls in bands, diversity, experimentation and support. No creepers or meatheads bringing everybody down. The only downside is that there’s too much to see, actually.
Myra – There’s a lot of great bands rising out of LA, Bands like, A lovely Sort of Death, plague vendor, payoff, gentlemen prefer blood, big eyes (amazing band from Seattle that play LA quite frequently) tartar control, French Exit, the black hands, pizza wolf and honey badgers to name a few.
Linh: I agree with Stacey. There LA music scene is saturated with such a diverse level of musical genres. Everything from the punk scene, to the metal scene, hardcore, hip hop, rockabilly, psychobilly, you name it. I would say that the LA music scene is like a neverending gobstopper. It’s both delicious and will last forever. And all the bands out there will certainly leave an impression in your earballs.
I’ve seen your sound referenced to bands like The Distillers, The Muffs, Lunachicks. How would you describe your sound and what bands have directly influenced you?
Stacey – Our sound is a bit more vocally driven, harmonically. Every great song I hear influences me, it could be the Beatles, it could be Jawbreaker. A great song is what makes me pick up my guitar and write. It’s nice to be compared to those other kick ass ladies. I love Brody and Kim’s voices and the bass player from the Lunachicks voice. She’s tuff as nails. I just love women that sing with everything they have inside of them that comes from a place that is powerfully unknown and honest.
Jennie – I think it’s weird that the list is generally female-fronted. Cock Sparrer’s song structures are so solid. That’s a big one for me. And the duo-lead vocal patterns of bands like Hot Water Music and Dillinger Four…
Stacey – I agree with Jennie. I think we sound like a lot of other bands with dudes in them too. I don’t think music is gender specific.
Myra – KISS, X, Pixies, AC/DC, QOTSA and Joan Jett
Linh – I love those bands and I can certainly see the relation that people would describe with our sound. But in my opinion, I think we definitely have a harder sound that those bands. And it definitely helps that all 4 of us come from a wide range of genres, but can develop a punchy, poppy, sweet pea, punch you in the baby maker sound.
I’m sure you’re getting sick of this question, but how did the deal with Fat Wreck come about?
Stacey – It was a night of debaucherous depravity 😉
Jennie – We owe it to the Bears of San Francisco! MUNECAS FOR LIFE! But really. They threw this amazing party for SF Bear Pride and invited us to play. There were bearded Drag Queens, firetrucks and police, nude bartenders…the perfect storm.
Linh – Drag Queens, Bears, and booze. Party
How did it feel to be asked to join the Fat Wreck family and what other bands on their roster are your fans of?
Stacey – When I found out, my ears got clogged up, and stayed that way for a few weeks. When Mike called me to tell me, I was like, “Excuse me…um, can you repeat that?” I’m pretty sure I am a fan of every band on Fat and have been for a long, long time. It’s like being part of the US Olympic Gymnastics team. We all go for the Gold! This is something I always wanted to happen in my lifetime.
Jennie – Tilt! Cinder Block was my HERO as a teenager. Super smart, great voice, great role model, killer band.
Linh – full on brain sharted
Your 7” EP, “Boss Lady” is out in April, what can we expect from it?
Stacey – Really good, honest songs that are fun and filled with angst, humor and harmonies.
Jennie – Killer artwork. Hehe.
Linh – what do YOU expect from it? 🙂
Also, is it coming on any fancy coloured vinyl at all?
Stacey – We were really shooting for gold! I hope we get it. I just found out that all color vinyl is sold out already, just from pre-orders. That’s promising.
Linh – ummmm sure!
Is there a full length in the pipeline as well?
Stacey – Fuck Yes! We are writing it as we speak. I am constantly writing….CAN’T WAIT FOR THAT SHIT TO DROP!!!!
How would you describe a Bad Cop / Bad Cop live show?
Stacey – Highly energetic and we make people dance who also want to sing along….it’s fun, it’s funny. We have a good stage dynamic between all of us and I think it is because we honestly enjoy doing this with each other. According to Skippy Simon, it’s like a vagina with balls.
Jennie – It’s definitely fun. Maybe a little loose. Ha!
Linh – dick-punchingly awesome. Yes, i just created a new adjective.
Have you got plans to tour this year and any chance of coming over to our shores in the UK at all?
Stacey – I WISH!!! Not this year. We are gonna tour through Europe In late August and early Sept for a few weeks. But we are not coming to the UK yet. But I can’t wait to come back. I have played some great shows all throughout the UK. I need a Kebab and a Veggie burger with that burger sauce you can only get in the UK.
Linh – Yes, in the foreseeable future…. not this year unfortunately, but we will make it out there.
Stacey, you used to live in London, whereabouts were you based and what did you think of the punk scene there?
Stacey – N19 baby… I lived off of Archway Road in North London. I LOVED IT! I miss London a lot. I miss my friends and band mates. Plus I miss the way of life over on your side of the pond. I think the punk scene is strong and will never die in the UK. I was in a band with Lee Erinmez and Loz Wong who are both in Snuff. We played two radical shows in Camden; 1 with Capdown and The King Blues, The 2nd with the Misfits…. then I moved to LA. But there are phenomenal punk bands in the UK. The old school and the new. I love Snuff, I love their side band Guns and Wankers, The Pistols and of course the Clash. But new day stuff…. Gallows when they were going, and of course Capdown when they were going. There is a girl by the name of Perky over there that I absolutely love. She is a real punker and a real singer. I hope she goes on to do big things. I know the Skints are doing well now, yes? They’re good and really cool people. I know the King Blues broke up, but I like the stuff Itch is doing on his own now with the Hip Hop shit. Oh, and of course Frank Turner…. He is, Off the chain! I remember when he first started playing acoustic, and his fan base from his old punk band followed him. Shit seems like the whole world is now. It’s pretty cool to see. Great guy that Francis.
So, Fat Mike is a fan of the band, were you or are you fans of NOFX at all?
Stacey – Fuck yeah… I am. Been a fan almost my whole life. Mike writes songs like only Mike can. The way he makes words fit is a testament to the importance of what he’s talking about – Funny or serious. Plus their musicianship is so good. Mike is a genius songwriter.
Jennie – Hell yes. Thank God for NOFX and Fat Wreck Chord’s extensive distribution. It was some of the only music that was accessible in the area I grew up. You’d better believe those compilations were on HEAVY rotation. As soon as I was in a place with real record stores, those were the names I looked for. THANK YOU FAT MIKE!
Linh – Oh yeah, I’m a fan of NOFX for sure. I’m also a fan of all of Fat Wreck bands, so there you go
Myra – Since I can remember NOFX has been in and out of my life since 89′
What music did you grow up listening too and what was the first album you remember owning?
Stacey – The GoGo’s Beauty and the Beat was my first record and first concert. I grew up listening to The GoGo’s, Joan Jett, Billy Joel, Springsteen, Michael Jackson, Cindy Lauper, Madonna, The Clash and The Ramones…. shit like that. My parents were always into rock n roll. Thank God!!!! I also grew up listening to a lot of bay area punk bands before they made it big… we all know who they are as well as a shit load of hip hop… I know it’s hard to understand, but there are people like me in the world, A lot of Reggae as well. Plus I was lucky to have a singer / songwriter father around me my whole life. I think I am probably most influenced by him. Go Ed Dee! He’s a boss, still gigs all the time and teaches. He is my Superhero.
Jennie – I was raised on my parents’ Motown. Learned guitar to Nirvana’s Nevermind. Grew up going to local punk shows with my brother. My first VINYL RECORD was Swingin’ Utters’ A Juvenile Product of the Working Class. Still one of my favorite albums! At some point I inherited a friends’ mom’s nearly complete collection of Elvis Costello records. Those are hugely influential.
Linh – I grew up listening to virtually every type of music there was out there. From Cinderella, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, to Descendants, Agent Orange, DI, to Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. Tom Waits is by far my biggest musical influence
Myra – mine was Madonna’s first album, I played the shit out of that record everyday for like months until I got sick of it. Ha! It’s still a great album. I grew up listening to everything from jazz, blues, mariachi, Motown, new wave, rock, country, metal and punk.
If you could play a show with any three bands, which three would you choose and why?
Stacey: This is too hard…. I can’t answer this question.
Jennie – That’s tough. If we’re just talking about catching a kickass show from the side of the stage–and I’m allowed to raise the dead and reunite bands– I’d pick The Cramps, The Pixies (with Kim Deal), and Me First.
Linh – Yeah, I don’t know how to answer this question. haha.. there are so many great bands, picking just 3 is not feasible for me to do right now. Haha
Myra – God there’s so many, but if I had to pick jus 3 then def. The Go-Go’s I love them saw them play recently and they still kick ass. Descendents and Turbonegro.
So what’s next for Bad Cop / Bad Cop?
Stacey – I think our next step is gonna be Ladies Wrestling. Actually it will be some kick ass shows we have coming up and writing the full length which is to also be released on Fat Wreck.
Jennie- European Tour!
Linh – a plethora of awesomeness
Myra – Punk Rock Bowling!
And one final all important question for you, what is the greatest movie of all time?
Stacey – Glengarry Glen Ross! Caddyshack, Grease 2 or Royal Tenenbaums.
Jennie – Peewee’s Big Adventure.
Linh – Tombstone… I’ll be your huckleberry.
Myra – The Warriors nuff said!
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