Steamrolling Southern-greased metal, Richmond, Va.’s Alabama Thunderpussy ain’t none of that poseur rubbish.
“Fuck that corporate rock shit, and fuck that pseudo-rebellious Hives faker bad boy crap,” opines ATP drummer, Bryan Cox. “The Hives are a fucking boy band. The public’s been brainwashed into thinking that’s rock.
“It’s not about the music anymore, it’s about if you can market it. Make as much money as you can, and as quickly as possible, and then move on to the next fresh meat.”
Since their 1996 basement beginnings, ATP has earned the rep as one of the most badass hard rock bands around. Now working on their second Relapse release (and fifth overall), the quintet has had their share of lineup changes and label stress. After three increasingly successful albums on Frank Kozik’s Man’s Ruin, the label imploded. ATP found a happy home on Philly’s Relapse, so down with the T Pussy sound that they’re re-releasing ATP’s first three albums, all with bonus tracks. Just don’t call them stoner rock.
“We’re in a labeling frenzy now,” bristles Cox. “You can’t read a review without seeing ‘stoner-doom-sludge-core-metal.’ What the fuck? The mark of a good writer is not using a bunch of cheap subreferences generated by someone else. …
“We’re a heavy rock band with Southern, blues, and metal influences,” states the tall, tattooed skin beater succinctly.
Like many of their songs, “Hunting by Echo,” from their current Staring at the Divine, is well over four minutes long and utilizes a three-four time signature. “Motor-Ready” has their trademark skull-cracking riff, but “S.S.D.D.” has subtle, cymbal-only, flanger treatment. Rounded out by bassist John Peters, guitarists Erik Larson and Ryan Lake, and vocalist Johnny Throckmorton, ATP is no stranger to SXSW.
“The Relapse showcase last year with Mastodon and High on Fire was fucking insane,” says Cox. “Everybody was into it. We laid it down, and they picked it up. That one show is why I do it. For experiences like that.”
This article appears in March 14 • 2003.