Nashville Pussy Biography by Mark Deming

Let Them Eat Pussy

Blaring a high-octane blend of hard rock, psychobilly, and Southern rock with a dash of punk for seasoning and a lyrical stance that eagerly embraces all that is sleazy, Nashville Pussy are a band who've been pleasing fans and offending decent people ever since they made their debut in 1996. Thanks in part to their provocative name and over-the-top live show, Nashville Pussy won a cult following almost immediately with the release of 1998's Let Them Eat Pussy, and the band proved to be remarkably consistent in the years that followed, eager to please fans with their loud and proud style. Despite a steady stream of drummers and bassists going in and out of the lineup, founders Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Suys stayed true to their sound and their lyrical vision, and studio sets like 2009's From Hell to Texas and 2014's Up the Dosage showed that the group's obsession with sex, drugs, and rock & roll was likely never to be sated. The band also earned a reputation as a wild live act, offering proof with 2021's Eaten Alive, recorded on tour in the United Kingdom.

Double Live Gonzo!

Nashville Pussy are led by the husband-and-wife duo of singer/guitarist Blaine Cartwright (formerly of Nine Pound Hammer) and guitarist Ruyter Suys. Joined by bassist Corey Parks (the sister of NBA star Cherokee Parks) and drummer Jeremy Thompson, the group (named in reference to a line from Ted Nugent's Double Live Gonzo! LP) debuted in 1998 with the album Let Them Eat Pussy, originally issued on Amphetamine Reptile. An underground favorite, the record was reissued on major-label Mercury later that same year, and the song "Fried Chicken and Coffee" was nominated for a Grammy for Best Heavy Metal Performance. Parks left the group in early 2000 and was replaced by Tracy Almazan for High as Hell, which followed in the middle of the year. The album came out on TVT and helped maintain their cult following, but further progress was blocked by a lack of label support.

Say Something Nasty

A successful tour and several soundtrack and compilation appearances kept Nashville Pussy busy in the interim before they moved to Artemis for 2002's Say Something Nasty. The live DVD Keep on F*ckin' in Paris! appeared in 2003. The band returned two years later with the Get Some! LP, which marked the debut of bassist Karen Cuda. It was followed in 2009 by From Hell to Texas, the band's first album for SPV/Steamhammer Records. In 2014, Nashville Pussy returned with their sixth studio album, Up the Dosage, which introduced yet another new bassist, Bonnie Buitrago. Miraculously, the band held on to the rhythm section of Bonnie Buitrago and drummer Ben Thomas long enough to record a second studio album with them; the typically sex-obsessed Pleased to Eat You arrived in September 2018. The band toured heavily in support of the album, including a run of dates covering the United Kingdom. Several shows from the U.K. tour were recorded, and the highlights were cherry-picked for the album Eaten Alive, a live document released in December of 2021.

Let Them Eat Pussy Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Every few years, a new psychobilly act comes around and grabs certain portions of the underground by the neck. With their hard, gutsy records, Vegas charm, and greaser style, the Rev. Horton Heat dominated the alternative era of the early '90s. As everyone knows, the alternative era loosened society's taboos, forcing new bands to go even further then their predecessors. That's where Nashville Pussy comes in. Nastier than the Rev. Horton Heat in every sense, from their sex-drenched lyrics to their fire-breathing live shows, Nashville Pussy became a minor media sensation in early 1998, partially because there hadn't been a new psychobilly band in five years and partially because rock journalists just get off on writing the word "pussy." Nashville Pussy was smart enough to exploit the segment of the indie rock audience that's sexually frustrated and perpetually horny -- the kind of guy who doesn't want to buy a copy of High Society, but is more than willing to put his hard-earned money down on a record entitled Let Them Eat Pussy that sports a cover photo of two trashy chicks shoving two guys' heads into their crotches. So, give them credit for finding their market and exploiting it, but also give them credit for delivering an album that actually works. Granted, if you're not into the whole kitsch circus of psychobilly, this ain't your bag, but Let Them Eat Pussy rocks with a fury and a vengeance unseen -- well, since the Rev.'s albums for Sub Pop. The Pussy is heavier and noisier than any other psychobilly band, but the sexually integrated lineup gives them a sexual tension unseen in the genre since the Cramps. And, in many ways, Nashville Pussy is more fun than the Cramps, since they just don't give a damn about the past and tear on ahead. Never mind that the songcraft is nonexistent and there's little finesse to the playing -- Let Them Eat Pussy is all about sleaze, and it's the sleaziest record in years. Arguably the sleaziest record of the '90s, as a matter of fact.

Nashville Pussy – Let Them Eat Pussy

Label:

Amphetamine Reptile Records – AmRep 069

Format:

Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo

Country:

US

Released:

Jan 20, 1998

Genre:

Rock

Style:

Garage Rock, Punk, Rock & Roll

A1 Snake Eyes

A2 Goin' Down

A3 Go Motherfucker Go

A4 I'm The Man

A5 All Fucked Up

A6 Johnny Hot Rod

B1 Five Minutes To Live

B2 Somebody Shoot Me

B3 Blowin' Smoke

B4 First I Look At The Purse

B5 Eat My Dust

B6 Fried Chicken & Coffee

Some have pink labels with red lettering.

Some have white labels with black lettering.

Barcode: 792401006919

Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched): NR-20544 A

Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched): NR-20544 B

GOLDMINE GRADING

MINT ---- It should appear to be perfect. No scuffs or scratches, blotches or stains, labels or writing, tears or splits. Mint means perfect.

NEAR MINT ---- Otherwise mint but has one or two tiny inconsequential flaws that do not affect play. Covers should be close to perfect with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident: slight ring-wear, minor denting to a corner, or writing on the cover should all be noted properly.

VERY GOOD PLUS ---- The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully. Not too far from perfect. On a disc, there may be light paper scuffs from sliding in and out of a sleeve or the vinyl or some of the original luster may be lost. A slight scratch that did not affect play would be acceptably VG+ for most collectors.

VERY GOOD ---- Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise, but should not overwhelm the musical experience. Usually a cover is VG when one or two of these problems are evident: ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains, etc.

GOOD ---- Well played with little luster and significant surface noise. Despite defects, record should still play all the way through without skipping. Several cover flaws will be apparent, but should not obliterate the artwork.

POOR ---- Any record or cover that does not qualify for the above "Good" grading should be seen as Poor. Several cover flaws.