"Face Melting Rock" article from Dubuque, IA 7-18-08

[Becky]

'Face Melting Rock'
Indie trio Sick Puppies roars into Dubuque during its North America debut
By SANDYE VOIGHT TH staff writer
The Australian-born Sick Puppies will perform at the Dubuque County Fair Saturday, July 26.

For Sick Puppies, the indie grunge rock trio from Australia, touring with "The band that shall not be named" and Drowning Pool is like catching up with old friends.

"It's been going good. We've been out for a couple of weeks," Sick Puppy Shimon ("Shim") Moore said in a phone interview from somewhere out there on the road. "This is face melting rock."

When not performing, he said, he's been "YouTubing, hanging, sleeping and reading" -- he's interested in Buddhism and Taoism.

The tour includes opening for "The band that shall not be named" at the Dubuque County Fair Saturday, July 26. (Members of "The band that shall not be named" were reeling from the death of their manager Stu Sobol, 50, July 10, due to complications of pneumonia. But they continue to perform.)

Sick Puppies are making their North American debut this summer. The single, "What Are You Looking For," from the CD "Dressed Up As Life," is popular on alternative rock stations and ranks as the second most-added track.

The group started among high school friends in Sydney. Besides Moore on guitar and vocals, there's Emma Anzai on bass and Mark Goodwin on drums.
News You Can Use
What: Dubuque County Fair rock concert Who: "The band that shall not be named", with Sick Puppies and Drowning Pool When: Grandstand opens 6:30 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 26 Where: Dubuque County Fairgrounds Cost: $35, $27.50 and $17.50

"Basically, in high school Em and I double-booked the music room. We faced off until, at the end of the day, we formed a band." That was eight years ago, when they were 15.

After winning "Best Live Act" at the Australian Live Music Awards, they moved to Los Angeles looking for a record deal.

Their song, "All the Same," was used in the popular video "Free Hugs," which has generated more than 28 million hits on YouTube.

"It was supposed to happen," Moore said. That's also what he said about "What Are You Looking For?" It's from the group's album, "Dressed Up as Life."

"It was written at the end of the process," he said. "We went into the room trying to write one more song. We finished it in half an hour. It wrote itself. It needed to be said by us at that moment of time. It's more of a global message."

You won't be thinking of cars when

You're on your death bed and dyin'

You'll only be thinkin' of what you are paying for,

What you are praying for

Love

The Sick Puppies -- "It's just another name" -- will be touring until the end of September.

"We're trying to make it happen," Moore said. "We're happy to be a rock 'n' roll band on the road."


http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=209396

[Donna]

Great article Becky! Face melting rock --

[Lisa]

Nice article!...thanks!

[Crystal]

Thanks, Becky! I wish I could go to this show... It's close enough but my money is already being stretched to its limits...