Megapuss Surfing Those Good Vibrations

Megapuss are here for a good time. And, by here, I mean existing as a project. The luridly-named combo are, at essence, an in-joke made public: an off-the-cuff, all-for-laughs collaboration between freak-folk pin-up and part-time celebrity boyfriend Devendra O. Banhart, and his pal/bandmate Greg Rogove (plus recently-added third member Fabrizio Moretti, drummer of The Strokes and frontman of Little Joy).

Their goofy(-footing) debut disc, Surfing, shows their particular comic predilections, with an array of meat-themed songs and a penis motif in the artwork. Promotional pictures for the record have included a series in which Banhart and Rogove go the full Ewan McGregor (aka: tackle out), and liveshows have found Banhart wearing a Josephine Baker-inspired 'penis skirt.'

"We were hoping to transmit fun, first and foremost," Rogove says, of the birth of Megapuss. "When you listen to it, hopefully it’ll be wonderful, hopefully people will feel good about themselves and good about life. One of the most enjoyable things about any piece of art, in my opinion, is when you have this strong, dramatic nature running in harmony, not discord, with this comedic side."

Feel free to read the whole interviewin' magilla with Rogove, where he discusses Surfing, going pants-free, Barack Obama, dreams of being a Brazilian tranny, and other semi-scandalous subjects.

Photo © [Lauren Dukoff]