Interview

Answers by: Marko DeSantis (Sugarcult guitarist)

1. Favorite Christmas present ever?
Well, our bass player Airin has the best story: his older brother wrapped a giant empty box and presented it to him with a card that read “this box contains all that you will ever need”.

2. Worst Christmas present ever?
A flat tire wrapped in a bad hangover; the aftermath from some crazy reckless driving with my friends back in the day. We wound up walking for miles on a cold Xmas eve to get home. Ah to be young, wild and dumb!

3. Which celebrity you would like to give a holiday gift, and what you would give them?
I’d like to give all of the 2012 presidential candidates some psychedelic mushrooms and see what creative policymaking ideas they might come up with.

4. What is on your Christmas List this year?
I want to acquire less material possessions. I like gifts of experience: take me to a show, plan a trip somewhere fun, take me to dinner, get me a massage, teach me a new skill, make me a mix tape/CD/playlist.

5. Your naughtiest moment this year?
Ask my wife!

6. Your nicest moment this year?
Working on it…

7. Best show this year?
Flaming Lips at Hollywood Forever Cemetary the night of the lunar eclipse. They performed their majestic version of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon in it’s entirety, then came back out and did an hour of their own songs. The full moon arose over the stage just as they were doing that song that says “see you on the dark side of the moon.” There were really no rules; some people stood up close, many people set up blankets and chilled with groups of friends. People brought their own food, beer, wine, weed, etc. Before their song “Do You Realize”, the singer pointed out that we were in the middle of a graveyard and asked us to look around and contemplate how fleeting life ultimately is, then asked us to appreciate our time and what a gift it is just being alive. Two members of The Ramones are buried there (Johnny & Dee Dee), so I visited them that night as well. It was beyond awesome.

8. Top 5 favorite songs of 2011? (note: I only listed songs that actually came out in 2011…)
1. The Civil Wars “Poison & Wine”
2. OFF! “Darkness”
3. The Static Jacks “Girl Parts”
4. Swingin Utters “Kick it Over”
5. Mariachi El Bronx “Revolution Girl”

Honorable mentions to great records by Foo Fighters “Wasting Light” and Adele “23”, but they already get plenty of press!

9. What holiday song you would like to cover?
It’s a tie between James Brown’s “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” and The Ramones’ “Merry Xmas I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight.”

Sugarcult does a cover of “Santa Claus is Coming To Town”; you can probably dig it up online somewhere. Also, our bassist Airin got together with Bert from the Used and the dudes from Street Drum Corps a few years ago and did a rad cover of John Lennon/Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” find that too!

10. Favorite Punk Goes cover?
The best Punk Goes album WILL be the idea I’ve been trying to sell Fearless for years: Punk Goes Punk!
Get new bands to cover old school bands (Ex. The Static Jacks do The Misfits, The Maine does Descendents, etc.)
C’mon Fearless, make it happen!

11. What is your hope for 2012 for the band?
I would love to record and release some new Sugarcult songs. Everyone’s been so wrapped up in other projects, but I believe we’ve still got some fight left in us and that the best is yet to come…

Happy Holidays!

XO,
Marko

Punk Goes Punk... backed.

New songs?
I'd like that too.

This was a solid read. Punk Goes Punk would be awful/hilarious/terrible to hear. But more importantly? I wouldn't mind some new Sugarcult tunes...

Also: "Kick it Over" by the Swingin' Utters really is a great song.

I'd love me some new Sugarcult jams Lights Out was incredibly underrated.

Originally Posted by Alex DiVincenzo

Punk Goes Punk... backed.

always have wanted this to happen

I really hope they release some new tunes. They have been my favorite band since right after Wrap Me Up in Plastic came out. I'm kinda confused as to why Fearless keeps them on the label though. They haven't done anything in several years, yet they get rid of bands like Artist vs. Poet and Sparks the Rescue, who are still making music and are staying relevant.

I really thought they broke up.

Originally Posted by starsinhand

I'd love me some new Sugarcult jams Lights Out was incredibly underrated.

agreed, love that record, definitely need more sugarcult

New Sugarcult songs would be amazing.

I really love Marko. Some of the the best experiences of working at Fearless was with Sugarcult, and Marko.

He really has been pushing Punk Goes Punk for years. I remember he would mention it to me every time I would see him.

Sugarcult blows.

Sugarcult rules. The Static Jacks rule. You rule.

I demand new Sugarcult in my life. Peacefully demand, of course.