Idle Chatter, Curry Platter

garthguthry | 4/12/2007 9:48 pm | garth guthry: age...

Back when our pantlegs were still etched with street-salt [for the first time] and Emmie Magazine was in the midst of Normal Things with Local Bands, I had the chance to join reigning editor-in-chief and all-around gentlefellow Mitchell Bandur in an interview with Madison's own Cats Not Dogs: Jason Loeffler (vocals, guitar), Bobby Wegner (bass), and Heather Sawyer (drums). To the delight of all involved, this band's normal thing is home-dining. The evening's menu: Curried Chicken and Pink Shit*.

The experience can be summed up into a small (and delightful) box as follows: Mitchell, Heather, and JBone (the Merchandiser) tromp downstairs for a cigarette. I attempt to pierce the cap of a stubborn bottle of olive oil; Jason pushes vegetables around the wok with a wooden spoon. We cook, we speak, we eat; we sit on couches and converse heartily while Mr. Show grumbles from the backgrounded television. If ever an interview was so comfortable and contented, we all would collapse into small molten piles of little kittens and full-bellied children. Things were right with the world. Time-travel [though Jason Guthry might suggest you not] to the end of March. Here you'll find a vicious rumor: Cats Not Dogs have broken up. Run into Bobby after your Modern Philosophy course, he'll confirm. Feel despondent; mourn for your dinner date. FaceBook Bobby because you're a modern girl. Find out the following:

Why the breakup? Is this a definitive end to Cats Not Dogs?

Jason decided that he doesn't feel the same way on stage as he first did when they started playing four years ago. It just doesn't do it for him anymore. He felt that since he has this "lack of passion" he shouldn't force it. And Heather and I both agree completely with this. We ended this chapter on good terms. This is a definitive end as well.

I know that Heather's involved in Whore Du Jour. May I hear more about that?

Whore du Jour is personally one of my favorite bands in town. It includes:

Pete on Vocals and Guitar from the Skintones
Christian on Bass from Screamin' Cyn Cyn & the Pons
Heather
Travis on Guitar, formerly of Brainerd and Mad Trucker Gone Mad
Loren on vocals and keys, from no other band.

It's basically THE supergroup of Madison. It's like a blend of mellower Skintones with some twang but still chuggy guitar. Loren's got a really powerful voice. They cover one song as of right now, "Run Like Hell," and it's SPOT on. They were thinking about doing "Gimme Shelter," but it never panned out. And I will add that Loren can do the girl parts in that song to a T, so that's the kind of voice she has.

Are there any musical developments from the others--other bands, solo work?

Heather plans to jam with a lot of people. I plan to jam with some, but probably on guitar instead of bass, because I don't own any equipment. I will be jamming with the Cummies old drummer, Cari.

Where can we pick up your album post-mortem?

CD Exchange, and possibly B-Sides or Exclusive Company, depending if those are sold out or not. We have one LP that is older, and one EP that is new. Also people can get it directly from Heather or me. Email: defactobrigade@gmail.com

Any closing words you'd like to release to the public?

We had a ton of fun, had so many good memories. Two successful East Coast tours. Lots of fun shows, lots of money lost, but lots of friends gained. I would do it all over again, and I'm sure the rest of the band feels the same way. Thanks to all the people that supported us especially Ted, Family, Sean, Pete, Travis, Christian, Shane, Cynthia, Steve, Loren, Gary, Britta, Ben, Bri, Matt, Marty, Brad, Todd, Jon, John, Michael, Elliott, Phil, The Safes, SOME doormen at the King Club, The Doorman at the Corral Room, and all the clubs that let us play. We had a lot of fun and couldn't have done it without the support. Thanks!

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Thus closes the book on one of Madison's kindest bands. Emmie Magazine and emily guthry thank Cats Not Dogs for their time spent dining together. Keep an eye toward the skies for Bobby, Heather and Jason in his, her, and his latest incarnation.

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*Recipe for Pink Shit

• preserved orally [hear right-click, save-as] and textually for future il/literate generations by Heather Loeffler:

"It's my grandma's, but her friend said she invented it.

blog entry tag reference

"interviews" | cats not dogs | music

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