The Margaret Hooligans On the Making Of ‘Saturday Night in Bartertown’
What was the creative process like for this particular album 'Saturday Night in Bartertown?’
Not really any different than any other release. I throw microphones at Mr. Strontium, he cries into his hot wings, and then we get on with it. We jam on stuff, record what feels promising, and then we listen back and create songs out of the best bits.
How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for 'Saturday Night in Bartertown?’
I tiptoed around it like a sleeping baby, then yanked the carpet out from underneath the crib. Truthfully, there’s no plan. If it feels good (especially at the beginning, feel trumps sound), then we’ll turn it into something.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for 'Saturday Night in Bartertown?’
There was that time a full grown man wearing a cat suit just walked by while we were recording my vocals, that was weird because we record in our basement. I kept thinking, how big are the mice in our house now that we need full grown men in catsuits to keep them in check? A memorable moment came when for years I thought the Witch On The Corner was named Patty, and Meg told me that I had simply made that up.
How would you describe your musical style or genre?
Underground garage dance punk with a drizzle of bluesy hot sauce. We try to be a two-piece version of The Who, that is if Roger became a woman, Keith Moon lived past age 32, and Pete Townshend stayed simple because he didn’t have to compete with Page, Beck, Hendrix, Clapton, Blackmore, and the rest of the guitar god wankers.
What role do you feel emotions play in your music, and how do you channel them into your performances?
Everything we write comes from a place of humor, but humor is used to deal with the anger and seriousness underneath. We are living in some batshit times and the best way to deal with that is to make some art and music that reflects that chaos.