Surfing is the musical debut of Megapuss, a band started by writing song titles but no songs. Eventually, founding members Greg Rogove and Devendra Banhart composed most of the songs that would comprise Surfing while touring in support of Banhart’s Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon CD. Although all its members have other bands, Megapuss is not a side project but a real group. The album is being released by Vapor Records in physical formats October 7 and digitally September 16.
Greg and Devendra recorded and produced Surfing themselves in March ’08 in a cabin on the backside of Los Angeles. Only a few days were spent in recording and most of the performances finally used were first takes. Rogove and Banhart sang and performed all the parts with some notable exceptions. Noah Georgeson, Rodrigo Amarante, and Pukey Remington played bass on various tunes, Danny Bensi from Greg’s other band Priestbird (formerly known as Tarantula A.D.) contributed the strings on “Duck People Duck Man” and “Chicken Titz.” Aziz Ansari (of the comic team Human Giant) performed on “Duck People Duck Man.” Fabrizio Moretti (The Strokes) sang lead on the verses of “Theme from Hollywood,” and helped pen those same lines. Moretti has since become a regular member and plays drums for their live performances. Megapuss has played several low-key shows in offbeat locations around Los Angeles and precede the physical release of Surfing with a West Coast tour in the company of their friends, the Entrance Band and Moretti’s project Little Joy.
FYI “Megapuss” means “big kiss” in Swedish.
www.myspace.com/megapuss