Easily one of the most recognizable acts on the rock circuit, the Horrorpops seem to have Lady Luck on their side. After years of gaining and losing members, the band is now back to the original three-person set up that was formed after Patricia Day of Peanut Pump Gun and Kim Nekroman of Nekromantix met at a concert in 1996 and decided to try a completely different sound from what both were used to playing.
“We wanted to play whatever the hell we felt like,” says Day. “We just wanted to play for the kicks of playing. Not for having a music career. We started so that we could have fun and we’re still having fun.”
Upon making the decision to form the band, the two decided to learn the other’s instrument and use that as an even more unconventional basis for their music.
“We did it so we would write songs differently,” Day explains. “Basically, not knowing how to play an instrument allowed us to do things very differently from what we’ve done in previous bands. I taught Kim how to play a little bit of guitar and he taught me to play a little bit of bass and then it was just go.”
After picking up Niedermeier, a friend of Patricia’s, to play drums, the Horrorpops were ready to create their music. It wasn’t long before they developed a following in Denmark, laid down a demo and, upon hearing it, Hellcat/Epitaph immediately offered them a record contract.
“Signing with them was a really easy and good decision,” Day laughs. “They never interfere with how we do things, so it’s been really easy and really nice.”
The success and the recognition that the band has gained was unanticipated, though with their unique sound, and active live show, it’s no surprise to fans. They are a delight to listen to, with different undertones affecting every song, and even more of a spectacle to see. They have become almost as well known for their live show, which often presents a packed stage, as they have for their music.
“You have to go to a live show to understand what it’s all about,” Day says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s our whole get-up or just the three of us. It’s still a crazier live show than any other band. I hate going to shows where bands play and they’re just standing there with their freaking instruments, like fucking trees or something. I mean, that’s not what happens with Horrorpops, that’s for sure.”
Despite their success, the threesome has still had to fight through the assumptions that the outside world is quick to make.
“I think that some things have been hard, but I think that we choose not to care. We never really planned to get as far as we were today. We haven’t compromised one bit and that’s an extreme privilege. It’s fucking awesome.”