bio
Kirk Hellie: guitar, vocals, guitar bass, keyboards, lap steel, electronics
Christopher O'Brien: vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
Kevin Stevens: Drums, Percussion
Shortwave radio squeals, Beatles-esque tape loops, and healthy doses of analog tape twiddling all underscore the pure-sugar pop tones of "Snow Gas Bones". Meow Meow offers up their debut album, a literate blend of fuzzed out/revved-up guitar anthems and beautifully understated/stoned soundscapes.
Meow Meow began as a studio project between Kirk Hellie and Christopher O'Brien in 1998. Shortly after the death of their respective bands (Pink Noise Test and Brian Jones Was Murdered), the prolific writing team amassed a large collection of tunes in Kirk's home studio. "Cracked" was released first as part a CD compilation for the Japanese Chrome Hearts Magazine (Vol. III, 2002) that also featured an interview with Kirk.
Derailed by various other projects and tours, MM wouldn't get a chance to complete a longer body of work until 2003. The pair teamed up with engineer/co-producer Eddie Ashworth to finish their full-length debut album. "Snow Gas Bones" is fueled by a penchant for pop melodies and art-damaged-found sound-sonics, and exists somewhere between Brill Building tradition and grandpa's pre-war 78 rpm's played with a broken stylus. Released in the USA on Devil in the Woods Records and through
(the questionably titled) Integrity Records in the UK, MM garnered much critical acclaim on both sides of the pond. Live highlights included a couple shows at SXSW 2004.
Drummer/percussionist/beer enthusiast Kevin Stevens joins MM in the summer of 2004 bringing the swing and orchestral flare for the follow-up to Snow Gas Bones. The sessions were recorded in December at various studios: in Los Angeles at Kirk’s home studio; with Rob Campanella at the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s “The Committee to keep music evil head quarters”; and in Ohio with producer/engineer Eddie Ashworth. Twenty + songs were recorded in total. Enough for the requisite b-sides and overseas bonus tracks as well as a possible EP release. With the dissolution of Devil in the Woods Records, Meow Meow are currently in the shopping game for a new home.
“If this is the starting line, fans of unique pop invention will be praying like the righteous that Hellie and Meow Meow are up for running a marathon. Squelchy and sweet in the same earful, "Snow Gas Bones" is an early contender for 2004 list making.”
AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE 2004
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