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>> The Stolen Minks spill
their rockabilly formula

FIT TO PRINT: Stolen Minks

by LORRAINE CARPENTER

“Rachelle loves Batman,” says Stolen Minks drummer Erica Butler, explaining their song “Batman, You’re the Sex.”

“She has a serious crush on superheroes, and she’s like an encyclopedia of comic knowledge.”

So much so that Rachelle (Gougen), along with Tiina Johns, work at a comic book store by day. By night, they play keyboards and bass in the Stolen Minks, a garage rockabilly act to be reckoned with. The other band members are freelance writers for Halifax’s alternative weekly paper, The Coast—all of the Stolen Minks have passed through their offices, in one capacity or another, and the publication’s strict conflict-of-interest policy has kept the band out of its pages.

“We’re always really happy when the readers’ poll comes around, because they can’t deny us that,” says Butler.

Both she and Tiina Johns were fairly new to their instruments when the Stolen Minks got together. Butler and guitarist Stephanie Johns had been in a band that formed to play Halifax’s Ladyfest in 2003. Butler was kept in the loop when the Johns sisters began conceiving a new band, and formulating its name.

“It was so carefully concocted,” Butler explains. “They had gone through a lot of names—I sort of picture them with a white board and markers, but I’m sure it wasn’t as goofy as that.”

Apparently, the formula called for something girly yet tough, something from the animal kingdom, a John Waters reference (actor Mink Stole) and “the all-important ‘the.’” As for the Stolen Minks’ sound, they initially flirted with the idea of paying homage to Mission of Burma’s Roger Miller. But when they began covering songs by Link Wray, along with early ’60s hits such as “Peppermint Twist,” their path was set.

The band recorded a smattering of those early covers and a pack of original songs for their self-titled EP and their album Family Boycott, on New Romance for Kids Records. Songwriting is the way of the future for the ladies, but they won’t deny themselves the thrill of playing some of their favourite tunes.

“I know some people have problems with covers, but I don’t, really, I quite like it. There’s a lot about playing music that’s just plain old fun.”

With Hexes and Ohs and Play
Guitar at l’Escogriffe on
Friday, July 20, 9 p.m.