“Build A Better Mousetrap: Faster PussyCat: 1987- 93

“Build A Better Mousetrap”
> FASTER PUSSYCAT: 1987- 1993 < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1ntsBXdK88 "BUZZ: Newspaper Article May-Jun 2014: (#38-fP) By: RLSchwinden aka: MrZer0 Back in the 80s I worked for "RecordShop" (based out of Golden Valley, MN.) Summer of '87 the newest batch of "Promo" Cassettes (yes folks by 1987 the record companies were sending out Cassettes NOT Vinyl Records) I looked through them, as usual, I was always playing Anything new that came in, the current trend at that time was Rap & Hair Metal, (truthfully I wasn't much into either one, I preferred late 60s music, anything from 1965- 1969 actually), but I spied this unusual looking cover, sorta reminded me of the "New York Dolls" (another favorite of mine) the title "Faster Pussycat" I said to myself, "Well, what do we have here ..." so I put it on & fell in love. There weren't a lot of new bands I liked in the late 80s, "Hanoi Rocks" "The Cult" "Faster Pussycat" "Skid Row" "Warrior Soul" "Saigon Kick" maybe a few others. >City Has No Heart < It begins like this, one Tamie Downe (Gustave Molvik: 29 Sep 1964 Seattle, Wash. of Norwegian descent) a Vocalist, guitar player hooked up with Greg Steele a guitar player in Los Angeles sometime in 1985, with a 2nd guitarist Brent Muscat (23 Apr 1967 L.A. CA. indecently Muscat has 2 brothers also musicians, one being Corey in the band "The BEAUTIES") the trio formed "FASTER PUSSYCAT" the name taken from a 1965 Russ Meyer film "Faster Pussycat Kill, Kill". Originally with Walt Adams on: Bass, then Kelly Nickels, took his place & then finally Eric Stacy (5 Jun 1964: L.A.CA.) on Bass, (reportedly because he came from money) with Mark Michals (Las Vegas, NV.) on Drums. "Guns N Roses" being the hottest thing in L.A. at the time Electra Records signed "FASTER PUSSYCAT" as their answer to "G N R". The band's 1st LP Electra #9-60730, was released in Jul '87 just 2 weeks before G N R's 1st full LP, with videos produced for "Don't Change That Song" directed by: Russ Meyer no less, & "Bathroom Wall" at this time in the music scene a video out was considered more vital than a single (cassingle or CD5). On the tour for the 1st record Faster Pussycat played"1st Ave" 31 Aug 1987 w/ Ace Frehley's Comet, I wasn't able to make this show. The band was prone to playing new songs that were yet to be released; in 1988 they were playing 2 songs regularly that would come out on the next CD in a slightly different form. The band was chosen to be in the film, "Decline Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years" which came out in Jun 1988 they performed, live "Cathouse",a band Interview & "Bathroom Wall" I found these guys to be hysterical. Quotes; Spheeris "So why are you in Rock N Roll?" Steele: "I'm just doing this til I can be a manger of McDonald's or something" Michals: "I'm just purely lazy, that's why I do it" >Ain’t No Way Around It < The band's 2nd CD was released in Sep 1989, titled "Wake Me When It's Over" the title taken from a 1960 comedy film, the 1st video for this release was "Poison Ivy" 1st of all this CD is twice as long as the previous CD, I felt it was a real step up from the last one which was really good, so I think their 2nd CD is fantastic! While on tour with "WINGER" & "CINDERELLA" in Omaha, Neb. in Nov 1989 scheduled to play the club "Mudbugs" Drummer: Michals had FedEx send a package of heroin & Buprenex to his hotel room. When he signed for the package in the hotel lobby the FBI arrested him on the spot. An acquaintance of mine Scott M. was at this show that night & told me, the other 2 bands went on then they cleared the club & had everyone go outside while the band rehearsed with "CINDERELLA" drummer Fred Coury for just under a half hour, then they let everyone back in the club & Faster Pussycat did about a 45 min set. The 2nd video for this CD was "House Of Pain" a #28 Billboard Hit May 1990, & the Disc went Gold selling over 500,000 copies. I was able to see the band 3 times on this tour, in Omaha, Cedar Rapids, & Des Moines (w/ KISS). >Gonna Walk < I worked for "RecordShop" as I mentioned we held an "In Store Signing" for the band on 2 June 1990 @ Southridge Mall, over 1000 people showed up, it was the 2nd largest showing for an "In Store" for the band, 1st being their hometown L.A. while waiting out in the backroom, Downes & Steele went into the shop's bathroom to use some substance, utilizing the shop's two-way mirror to spread it out on, Muscat wanted part of the action & began banging on the bathroom door, a fully fledged fist fight broke out between the 3 Downes getting the worst of it. When the fight was done 2 of the band members proclaimed they "Were done & not going out there" The WEA Label Rep, Stacey S. came to the rescue & told them "Get yourselves together, clean your selves up, get out there & do your job!" they did & signed for over 1000 people for several hours. Afterwards Tamie bought a few Rap Cassettes, like "2 Live Crew" & "N.W.A." In the 90s in Japan started releasing CD, EPs (extended play) unavailable in the USA so "Live & Rare" on Alex Imports WPCP-3470 was released with 6 alternate songs: "Bathroom Wall (remix)" "Poison Ivy (single version)" "Pullin Weeds" "Slip Of The Tongue" & "Babylon" (Live Versions) & "House Of Pain (single version) none of these were available of other releases. The band also recorded a cover of ”You're So Vain" with a video for the 40th Anniversary of Electra Label's "Rubáiyát" CD & Cassette various artist compilation. >Only Way Out < After a 3 year hiatus "Whipped!" came out in Aug 1992 with the video "Non Stop To Nowhere" (I believe Muscat married the cover model) once again the band goes in a new direction this time a more "Industrial" sound. A 2nd EP was released "Belted, Buckled & Booted" with 2 unreleased songs "Too Tight" & "Charge Me Up" followed by the video "The Body Thief" the band was again scheduled to open for KISS on the "Revenge Tour", however WEA dropped the band shortly after they released the 3rd & final CD on their contract, I remember being shocked when Mike M. the WEA Rep. at the time told me this, with no label support the band stuck it out & toured on their own however Eric Stacy had left the band, the touring bassist I believe was Muscat's future brother-in-law, however a friend of mine thinks it was Robbie Crane (5 Jan 1969: Orange County, CA.). I was able to catch them live; @ Center Stage in Des Moines, Iowa Oct 1992
Jack the Bastard
Where There’s a Whip There’s a Way
Cathouse
Blood (unreleased track for the next CD)
Slip of the Tongue
Poison Ivy
Nonstop to Nowhere
You’re So Vain
Little Dove
The Body Thief
Pulling Weeds
No Room For Emotion
Bathroom Wall
House of Pain
Babylon

This is the set list, to the best of my memory; I have an incomplete cassette recording of this show. Towards the end of this tour the band were playing 4 new songs “Where I Live” “Bound & Gagged” & “Dance On Me” & “Blood” that were to come out on the next CD due in late 1994, that CD never came to be. The band eventually called it quits in June 1993, not to play again until 2001 when “The Newlydeads” joined with Muscat & Steele to create the “New” Faster Pussycat.

>Disintegrate < To kick off this "Reunion Tour" they released a "remix" CD "Between The Valley Of The Ultra Pussy” on Deadline Records in May 2001, containing 11 older songs remixed & 2 unreleased songs "Blood" & "I Was Made For Lovin You" (submitted for, but not used on KISS' 1994 "Tribute" CD) I caught them on this tour @ "1st Ave" 9 Jul 2001. It was a bittersweet show, as it was 3 of the original members, but many of the old songs were performed with an "Industrial" arrangement as well as some new songs "Whorehouse" "Lipstick" "Submission" "Shut Up & Fxxx" "Killed By Death" "These Boots Were Made For Walkin" A "Greatest Hits" CD was released in Oct 2003 on RHINO with an edited version of ”Where There's A Whip". Their 4th studio CD was released in July 2006 "Power & The Glory Hole" on Full Effect Records you can really tell how much Muscat & Steele contributed to the 1st 3 releases as the songs on this 4th CD are fairly thin in comparison. A whopping 13 guests appear on this CD. In Jul 2009 they release their 1st "live" CD "Front Row For the Donkey Show" also on Full Effect The band still tours, in fact: Faster Pussycat will be at Pickle Park in Fridley 1 Aug 2014, however Taime is the only original member, on that:
Xristian Simon: Guitar, Danny Nordahl: Bass, Chad Stewart: Drums have been in the band since 2001 (the original band was together just 9 years).

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