Since 2011, Purson has been putting their own mark on the rock n’ roll world with what they lovingly refer to as “psychedelic carny rock.” In 2013 Purson signed to Rise Above Records and released their full length debut album, The Circle and The Blue Door. After hearing this album I instantly became a fan of this band of merry musical pranksters and I impatiently waited for them to tour the US. It would be almost another two years before my wish would come true as Purson would be announced as the support act for Ghost on their 2015 Black to the Future tour.
I was very excited to have the opportunity to talk with lead singer/guitarist/songwriter Rosie Cunningham and keyboardist Sam Robinson on the Atlanta stop of their US tour. Aboard their magic carpet (aka. The Bandwagon), Rosie, Sam, and I talked about the origins of their band’s name, the misconceptions people may have about Purson, and what famous people would portray them if Hollywood was to make a bio pic about them. This was without a doubt one of the most fun interviews I’ve done to date and I hope you all will dig getting groovy on Purson.
Thanks for taking the time out to do this interview today. I’m a huge fan and this is a real treat for me!
Rosie: No problem, Don.
Sam: What’s the name of your blog?
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It’s called The Great Southern Brainfart.
Rosie: [laughs]
Sam: Yes! We know all about you [laughs].
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Opening for a band like Ghost can be a bit intense. How have the fans been reacting to your performances?
Rosie: Really, really well actually. We’ve never had crowds with that kind of reaction before. I think that they’re very open minded. Ghost isn’t really a heavy metal band. They’re quite pop actually and theatrical and we have elements of the same thing but from a different decade. Both bands have elements that are outside of metal so people who are into Ghost are into us too. Their crowd has been very accepting of everything we’ve done.
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I did a little research behind the band name. How does it feel to have a more metal band name than SLAYER?
Sam: [laughs] When we were thinking of names, we had a band that we liked called Amon Düül II and we thought it was a fantastic name. We looked up where they got their name from and we didn’t quite understand this huge kind of metal connotation that it had. We were looking for something kind of symbolic and mysterious because Purson is a demon who knows of the future and can find treasure. We thought that would be a cool symbol for the band and then all of the sudden there was this huge metal thing involved [laughs]. The demon isn’t really bad. Maybe just a little misunderstood really [laughs].
Rosie: We just wanted the band name to be one word. Like how a lot of prog bands just have one word like Yes. That’s the best name ever! We wanted a name like that but also wanted a name like Amon Düül who’s a god so we went for demons instead. It’s just a powerful thing.
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The picture I saw of Purson the demon. How bad ass is that?
Rosie: [laughs] We really liked the fact that he comes in with a lion’s head, playing a trumpet while riding on a bear.
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Have you ever thought of doing that on stage?
Rosie: Uh, we’ve done wilder thing [laughs]. Maybe we could bring that in at some point.
Psychedelic/occult rock seems to be having a sort of renaissance these past few years. Is it easier for you to separate yourselves from those that are just hoping on a bandwagon?
Rosie: I think it’s quite easy to tell. There’s a big movement of Black Sabbath rip off bands. They might be genuinely feeling it but it’s just not as creative as what we do. There are a few bands out there doing some really creative things.
Sam: Personally I see our music as kind of a collage or tapestry of music that’s delving into elements of 60s and 70s pop music, progressive rock and throwing in some glam elements and what not.
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The overall image of Purson seems to be much more than a “persona” because you guys dress like this even off the stage.
Rosie: We love looking weird and we encourage each other to look weird [laughs].
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Do you make the clothes for the band?
Rosie: We just pick up things from different vintage stores all around and sometimes we have to fix things up a bit.
Sam: Everything looks really good from a distance but if you get close you’ll see some things are held together with tape and pins [laughs].
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This is Purson’s first full on US tour. What has been your favorite thing about touring the US so far?
Rosie: The crowds, definitely. Having that experience every night where everyone is so passionate. That doesn’t happen so much at home. Just seeing the US has been great but I wish we had more time everyday because there’s so much to see.
Sam: It’s huge. Even the towns are massive. We were in New York for a day and we were kind of left to our own devices and we ended up hopelessly lost [laughs].
Rosie: America is so vast. In London there’s something on every corner and you can’t actually find any space anywhere. The weather here has also been beautiful. October here is beautiful. In London it’s going to be freezing and raining [laughs].
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You guys really just missed the shitty summer we had. If you all would’ve been here you would’ve been screaming “Get me back to London!”
Rosie: [laughs] We’ve definitely had points where it’s been to hot on this tour. We went to Memphis. It was amazing and so was New Orleans. When we were in Memphis, we were having dinner and we got invited up to play with a blues band. It’s just so chill here and everyone is so friendly.
Sam: I also love the musician culture here. It’s like everyone plays at a really good level here from what I’ve seen. It’s like music is a kind of friendship thing here which is something you don’t really get much of in England. You don’t get that sort of, “Let’s just play music together” kind of thing.
Rosie: Yeah. There is always some sort of aim like, “I’m doing this to try and be successful” or “I’m doing this to show off” or something.
Sam: It’s like the Irish folk musicians where they just sort of get together and it’s a part of the culture. Like in New Orleans I very much got the idea that everyone can play an instrument like it was given to them at day one [laughs]. In England, you don’t see that so often but it does mean if you are good, there’s less competition [laughs].
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While touring the states, what’s your favorite food to indulge in?
Sam: Whole Foods [laughs]. I really like the diner thing here. You get the most basic food and it’s brought to you by sassy waitresses [laughs]. That experience is really something. I’m really looking forward to going to Roswell because I hear there’s an alien diner there. I’m going to pre-empt and say that my favorite food is probably going to be something alien themed in Roswell [laughs].
Rosie: I like to eat very healthily. Some of the boys have been enjoying the burgers but Justin and Raph are vegan so they’re finding it a little bit difficult. I am quite strict with what I eat so Whole Foods has been brilliant. There’s one everywhere [laughs].
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If you had to pick one song, which song do you feel best describes what Purson is all about?
Rosie: Well, for me, that would change quite a lot as I change. I would say, “Bittersweet” off of the new album which isn’t out yet.
Sam: As Rosie said, as the band has really evolved. It started years ago and when we started I’d have to say that “Wool” was the one that represented us. It was one of our first songs. Then the band sort of grew and off the first album it was “Tragic Catastrophe” and off of the EP I would say “Wanted Man.”
Rosie: Yeah, “Wanted Man” off of the EP and that’s kind of what we are like live at the moment. As we keep playing that song it just keeps getting better. It’s so much better now than it is on the recording which is always going to be the case isn’t it?
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The new album is called Desire’s Magic Theatre. When will we get to hear it?
Rosie: Early next year. The album was done ages ago but the label wants to get it just right and they want to plan tours around it.
Sam: It’s a bit frustrating because Rosie writes faster than records can be released [laughs]. We’ve not even toured for this one yet and we already want to get the next one out.
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That’s so great to always have that constant stream of inspiration to keep writing.
Rosie: Yeah. I think after America we know what that album is going to become [laughs]. There’s so much to write about after this experience, really.
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Will Purson return to the states to tour for Desire’s Magic Theater?
Rosie: Yeah. We’re coming back early next year. We’ve got visas for three years. We love it here.
Sam: This is where we’d like to be. We’d like to spend a lot of time over here if you’ll have us!
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Hell, you guys can come over to my house and just play on my back deck if you want. I’m sure my wife will be ok with it.
Rosie: [laughs]
Sam: Yeah, we’ll do it!
If Hollywood was to make a movie about Purson, who would play you?
Sam: Wynonna Ryder would play Rosie [laughs].
Rosie: [laughs] I can take that. I have no idea who would play Sam.
Sam: I’d like to see someone really butch try and play me so I would say, like, Bruce Willis. We’ll put him in a curly wig and see how he does [laughs]. If I could have anyone play me, I’d say Sissy Spacek probably. That would be cool.
Rosie: Jack Black would play Raph [laughs].
Sam: Who would play Justin? Hm. Who’s the guy that played in The Dude in the Big Lebowski?
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Jeff Bridges. Wow, I just love that you guys have played this game already with each other.
Sam: Yes. Jeff Bridges would play Justin [laughs].
Rosie: [laughs] We play this all the time.
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What is one rock album that nobody should ever go without hearing?
Rosie: Oh God there’s too many. It’s hard to say just one really. I would probably have to say Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake by The Small Faces. We all got into that one when we were very young and it really shaped our tastes.
Sam: It’s a really fanciful and imaginative rock record. It’s an interesting one because I think it really shows you what imagination and fun in music can do. It’s not about riffs and stuff like that. It’s a big party.
Rosie: They were so young and how music changed so drastically that year, it’s amazing that they were able to achieve that.
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It blows me away when I think about how young some of these bands were when they were putting out such amazing material.
Rosie: I know. Like Brian Wilson being 24 when he wrote Smile. That’s just amazing.
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What is the biggest misconception about Purson that you’d like to put to rest?
Rosie: That we’re a metal band. Obviously we do touch on heavy riffing but people tend to think that we should be a metal band but we’re not.
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Does it insult you to be grouped in with the metal bands?
Rosie: Oh no. It doesn’t insult me but it does get to be a little frustrating because we’re doing so many other things. It’s a bit annoying when people dwell on just one thing that we may touch on maybe 5% of the time. I find that it’s usually the metal fans on social media that are expecting us to be something that we’re really not.
Sam: I can forgive the misconceptions because we know what the future holds and what the next albums are and what not. I do understand that people want to put a label on things just so that it’s easier to understand.
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If you could play in any band for just one night who would it be and why?
Sam: I’d be terrified to play in any other band [laughs].
Rosie: I’d like to play in Hawkwind actually. I think that would be so much fun. Just because you wouldn’t have to think about it that much [laughs]. Just have a really fun time tripping out and having the time of your life.
Sam: I think I’m going to have to say Soft Machine because I think even if I did make some really brown notes they’d think it was cool [laughs]. It’s just jazz, man. You can get away with anything.
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If I wasn’t a musician, I would be _________________.
Rosie: I’d blow my mind [laughs]. Definitely something artistic I think. Hm, I don’t know.
Sam: Great. She’s going to cry now [laughs]
Rosie: No, we’ve played this game before when I was on mushrooms and it made me have a fucking nervous breakdown [laughs]. I was like, “Shit! What am I without music? No!!!” [laughs]
Sam: Uh, yeah. Something arty and creative. I’m not particularly good at one thing. I have my fingers in may pies. I’m a jack of all trades mostly. I like photography.
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That’s kind of how I am. I’d rather be mediocre at many things than a virtuoso at one thing.
Rosie: [laughs] I’m totally the opposite of that. I get very into one thing and very competitive and controlling.
Sam: I hate competition. This is what really makes our band work. You couldn’t have too many people trying to steer the ship. In the early days, Rosie used to say, “I wish there were more of me in the band” but I think she’s realized now that actually that would be a terrible thing. There’s one of her and that’s plenty [laughs]. I mean that in the best, loving way possible.
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Rosie, Sam, this was hands down one of my favorite interviews and I really enjoyed getting to know you both and I hope you hurry back to the US!
Rosie: Thank you, Don. I thought it went really well!
Sam: Thank you very much! This was fun. You had some really good questions.
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