by JOHNSON CUMMINS

From the Neanderthal stomp of Deja Voodoo to the snot-nosed punk of the Space Shits, the swampy sounds of Demon’s Claws or the yéyé of les Breastfeeders, Montreal has always had it good when it comes to garage rock. San Francisco has also always boasted a healthy garage scene as well, from the lo-fi sludge of the Mummies to the twang and bash of the Phantom Surfers and the Trashwomen, and newer bands like the Mothballs. The Husbands may well be the next big export from the city on the bay, taking inspiration from the ’60s girl groups, the punk-rock power of the Sonics and a heavy dose of primitive stomp à la Gories. The Mirror spoke over the phone with guitarist/singer Sadie Shaw.

Mirror: San Francisco has always been known for producing great garage bands. Is the scene still vibrant there?

Sadie Shaw: I think it’s even better now than it was over the past seven years. There’s a long history of garage bands in San Francisco, but there seems to be more bands happening now then ever before.

M: You’re making films as well.

SS: Sarah [Reed, lead singer/guitarist] and I have done two feature-length films now on Super 8. I’ve always been really into horror movies, so we make pretty ghetto gore kind of films. Sarah’s real passion is music, and I’m really at a point now where I want to make movies for the rest of my life. I guess there is a correlation between the band and the movies because we’re really influenced by people like Tina Turner and the Shangri-Las, and really have an aesthetic and musical appreciation of things from the past, as well as movies by Herschell Gordon Lewis and old drive-in horror movies. I think that aesthetic from the ’50s and ’60s really comes out in our costumes and lo-fi recording sounds.

M: One can definitely see your affection for horror movies in your cover artwork and the use of fake blood at your live shows. What is your attraction to horror movies?

SS: It’s so fun, and for me, it just never gets old. I have been making horror movies for 12 years now, and my entire apartment is just covered with old horror movie posters. Obviously, there’s a thrill-seeking element to horror movies that appeals to me, but there’s also the other side, where I really like the campy aspect of it as well. In old horror movies, I really like the hairstyles and the horrible acting. It’s silly but still stylish. I also like really scary movies too, though. I just saw this U.K. movie called The Descent and it totally scared me. It’s just like a rollercoaster ride, watching a good horror movie and feeling the fear. I think it’s a really nice thing to be able to feel the fear and then be able to just shake it off. n

With Chocolat at Quai des Brumes on Saturday, Nov. 4, 9 p.m., $5

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