Mardi Gras in a can.

September 8, 2009 8:45 AM

It has a key, like a Ferarri! Quintron and Miss Pussycat. Puppet shows, Innovative drum machines, nightclub proprietorship, Touring performances, Recorded artistry. Is there anything they don't do?
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist (27 comments total)

only $999.99
posted by philip-random at 8:52 AM on September 8, 2009

"I am aware that this interview is a game and I can step outside of this page to see it for what it is. You know, I may never say what I have just said in another interview ever. I can be inconsistent, unreliable, contradictory... like electricity or plumbing."
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 8:54 AM on September 8, 2009

Miss Pussycat was responsible for the only sewn record sleeve I ever owned. That alone makes her tops in my books.

I listened to recordings of her puppet shows far more than any other puppet show records. (which is a lot, I swear)
posted by Theta States at 8:58 AM on September 8, 2009

Is there anything they don't do?

Make appealing music? I kid, I kid. I'm a fan of Mr. Q. and the chaos that ensues.

Perhaps provide logical track numbering? 13 tracks, 12 numbers: 000, 045, 048, 050, 046, 047, 000, 053, 000, 049, 051, 052.

A listing of musical creations by (Mr.) Quintron and Miss Pussycat at Discogs.com. See also: Flossie and the Unicorns.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:04 AM on September 8, 2009 [2 favorites]

No Quintron post is complete without mentioning The Oblivians Play 9 Songs with Mr. Quintron

"What's the Matter Now?"

"Live the Life"

Quintron is one of my all-time favorite performers. If you ever get a chance to see him and Miss Pussycat, go. Do whatever it takes.
posted by vibrotronica at 9:13 AM on September 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

First saw them opening up for Crash Worship several years ago and was just love at first listen. Could have sworn there was some front page Quintron love before, but he and Miss Pussycat are so awesome, they should probably be on the blue every day.

And the Oblivians + Quintron album is just brutally beautiful. Thanks for mentioning that one.
posted by pandaharma at 9:27 AM on September 8, 2009

I've seen Quintron a half dozen times. Twice he was excellent - the other four times he was not, in fact he was pretty bad.

When he's doing the organ shows, he's fantastic.

But when he first toured the Drum Buddy, I saw it at the old Knitting Factory. About 40 minutes into the show, I realized that I'd been watching a long, long infomercial for his new music product. I kept expecting him to pull out some actual musical material, perhaps play the organ - no. Not a good use of my money. The audience was pretty pissed too...

I've seen him at least twice with Miss Pussycat, and both times I couldn't make it to the end. I don't mind the amateurish quality to the material, nor the numerous technical screwups - it's that she has a loud, screeching and off-key voice, and it drives me nuts!
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 9:31 AM on September 8, 2009

I used to live in New Orleans and saw him once.

Once is all you need.
posted by GavinR at 9:32 AM on September 8, 2009

Whoa, this just jarred loose a memory of seeing them play live back in the mid 90's. Wasn't expecting that!
posted by orme at 9:37 AM on September 8, 2009

I saw Quintron and Miss Pussycat a few years back in DC. They were opening for Peaches; I enjoyed their set quite a bit more than Peaches, actually.
posted by spaltavian at 9:40 AM on September 8, 2009

That drum buddy thing is pretty neat and definitely original, but other than the novelty and the fact that it looks cool, how is it better than a regular old step or x0x style sequencer triggering a synth? Like, the fact that you "program" it by drilling holes in a coffee can is cool and novel, but seems like it would be a pain in the ass to do after about one or two times and has no benefit over traditional sequencers other than the visual appeal of the rotating light-can. Believe me, I understand the appeal of crazy one-off instruments and have built a few myself, but he appears to be promoting this and selling it as an at least somewhat practical everyday instrument.
posted by DecemberBoy at 9:50 AM on September 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

Prayer drum machine: a street hack, via Jan Chipchase. I only wish he had video of the thing working.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:24 AM on September 8, 2009

I love these guys! I saw them by chance in Houston years ago, and loved their show. You cannot keep from dancing at their show.
posted by atchafalaya at 10:27 AM on September 8, 2009

I. Want. A. Drum. Buddy. NOW!

Where is the click2order butan?
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:06 AM on September 8, 2009

One time I saw a video of Mr. Quintron on Jenny Jones. He was on an episode called "my girlfriend dresses too sexy!" and he came on with a woman who was wearing basically just pulled up through her crotch and over her boobs. It all seemed like it was a big fun joke to him, and he was hamming it up, wearing a clean white suit and looking unreasonably upset. Jenny Jones thought his facial hair was especially funny and they kept doing close ups on it. That was far and away my favorite Mr. Quintron performance. I have scoured the internet looking for a copy of it, but it's nowhere to be found. A shame, really.
posted by orville sash at 11:07 AM on September 8, 2009

and he came on with a woman who was wearing basically just pulled up through her crotch and over her boobs. Um...she was wearing a piece of cloth. It kind of reminded me of Vampirella a bit.
posted by orville sash at 11:07 AM on September 8, 2009

Quintron crowd surfed past me on his way to the bar last year and told me he liked my Halloween costume. I had such a blast that night.

(the last five pics in my flickr set are from the show)
posted by djeo at 11:34 AM on September 8, 2009

Whoops, three, not five. The other two are Frenchman and the R Bar.
posted by djeo at 11:40 AM on September 8, 2009

Used to see them quite often in the Bywater at their place - they rule.
posted by RajahKing at 12:01 PM on September 8, 2009

Drum Buddies can be obtained. A standup comedian/kj here in Portland has one. It's fun when he lights it on fire but really, it doesn't reward that many repeat viewings.
posted by msalt at 12:13 PM on September 8, 2009

Ferarri Ferrari
posted by punkfloyd at 12:33 PM on September 8, 2009

I meant to spell check that, I always put the r's in the wrong place. MeFi spell-check didn't underline it. I forgot. Oops. Been a car guy too many years to admit to, you would think I would know by now.
posted by Antidisestablishmentarianist at 1:07 PM on September 8, 2009

I do it too! Didn't mean to be snarky. Gotta go wash my Frod now!
posted by punkfloyd at 1:26 PM on September 8, 2009

Yay!
posted by brundlefly at 1:40 PM on September 8, 2009

No Quintron post is complete without mentioning The Oblivians Play 9 Songs with Mr. Quintron.

Saw them perform this back in...1997, maybe? Great show, was so into that album.
posted by The Straightener at 4:32 PM on September 8, 2009 [1 favorite]

a few years ago my friend craig & i went to voodoo fest. i left early, with a promise to pick up craig after the festival closed for the day. he'd spent most of his time in the v.i.p. area scarfing drinks & was pretty well oiled when i finally snagged him around 1 am. 'let's go to blahblah bar,' craig said. 'if we're going out, we're going to one-eyed jacks to see quintron & pussycat,' i replied. 'who are they?' craig demanded; 'we don't want to see them. where are we going? why are we going there? we don't want to go there!' yak yak yak. the minute we walked into one-eyed jacks, q&p took the stage. 'omg!' sez craig, 'who are these people? why didn't you tell me about them before?' and off he went to the dance floor. i don't even think he stopped at the bar to get a drink. by the time they finished, a drunken craig wanted to 'buy' the act and send them on a world tour. 'these people should be famous!' craig said. 'why aren't they famous?'

beats me why they aren't world-wide famous, but they're pretty darn famous in new orleans. and with good reason: quintron & miss pussycat are also about the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. they are passionate about the 9th ward & the spellcaster is an integral part of the neighborhood. i'm not sure if the ninth ward marching band was their brainchild, but they're pivotal in helping to organize & keep it going. they counted ernie k-doe and wife antoinette as very close friends, and helped rebuild the mother-in-law lounge after katrina. quintron is always very conscious about giving new acts press sorry, no link there, and hosts wildly diverse performers at the spellcaster paska was especially notable, but hardly atypical of acts you'll see there. miss pussycat sometimes bakes 'special' brownies for 9th ward marching band fundraisers. and she was the proprietor of the pussycat caverns when she & quintron met.

bonus fact: for a while, quintron told people his name was jay poggi. poggi is actually a 9th ward luminary in his own right & performs under the name of mc trachiotomy.
posted by msconduct at 6:33 PM on September 8, 2009 [2 favorites]

Free guitar lessons for animals! Free guitar lessons for animals!
posted by queensissy at 11:24 PM on September 8, 2009