Electro punk outfit explore selfie culture…
When Leg Puppy took to the stage at the Electro Punk Party in August we weren’t quite sure what to expect. The 4-piece outfit, which consists of Darren Laurence, Claire Jones, Pups and Hugo Bamboo, originally came together by accident when someone at a house party asked Darren and Claire if they were in a band (you always say “Yes”).
There’s such a diverse number of ideas and influences in the music of Leg Puppy that they’re difficult to pin down to any one niche. Briefly, their music is a combo of dark electronic beats with a raw energy and a punk attitude. At the same time, there’s a cheeky element to the lyrics that provide a refreshing change from your common-or-garden pop songs. Add this in with the performance art elements they employ for live shows (particularly the Clown) and there’s almost a prankster quality to Leg Puppy’s material.
Take ‘Selfie Stick’, which is their latest release. There’s a brooding quality to the song; a prowling tonal mood with cynical synths that provides the foundation for a lyrical dragging on Instagram culture (“Instagram that pic/Snapchat me a vid/I’ll show you my dick”). It’s a timely theme in a world where people are measured on the number of followers they have on Twitter or the belief that 17,000 ‘Likes’ can provide a fig-leaf of sorts for an empty, shallow soul.
Or as Leg Puppy themselves put it: “Welcome to the Age of Narcissism where our future leaders are more interested in how many likes their stupid selfie gets on social media. Where their heroes and inspirations are Reality TV stars.”
Selfie culture, of course, has become an unavoidable thing on social networks. But as ‘Selfie Stick’ illustrates, much of this desire for attention is based on falsehoods and a desire to be ‘seen’. The ongoing news story of the ‘monkey selfie’ shows how the trend has perhaps reached a point beyond parody, but Leg Puppy still manage to craft a wry comment on the idea anyway (and with a tune to boot).
Leg Puppy offering commentary on pop culture issues isn’t new. Check out their short documentary She’s Lost Control on the continuing closure of London music venues (essentially a 5 day one-man-silent-disco-protest).
Meanwhile, a sinister remix by Microchip Junky is also up for grabs. Dripping with unsettling electronics weaved in with a raw, garage electro sound, it’s a harsher take on the original that gives it a certain impact.
‘Selfie Stick’ isn’t positioning itself as a song likely to change the world, but offers the listener the opportunity to stop and think for a moment on the darker side of modern pop culture trends. Unless of course you can’t even.
Selfie Stick is out 22nd September via https://soundcloud.com/legpuppy
Leg Puppy are performing a launch party at St Moritz, London on Friday 22nd September. Details: Selfie Stick Launch Party.
http://legpuppy.net/
https://www.facebook.com/Leg Puppy/
