Pet sounds

>> The ladies of Les Playmates have their say on the masculine condition

By RUPERT BOTTENBERG

 Once upon a time there was a girl named Betty Rock, who lived in Joliette and was down with punk and metal. At the same time, there was a girl named Natacat in Chicoutimi who dug garage rock. They met, they came to an agreement, and they started the Montreal-based band Les Playmates, strummin', howlin' and kickin' out raw jams reminiscent of the Trashwomen and the Mummies. Their upcoming show is only their second, but they're already in good with local rock 'n' roll label El-Twist.

 Starting a girl band was not a political statement. "We've never really had a problem with the guys in the scene," says dark-haired danger girl Betty Rock. "If anything, they've been really helpful and supportive. Plus," she adds mischievously, "they always carry our amps for us."

 Early stages of the band were more gender-balanced, and the two girls both point out that the guys did tend to commandeer the steering wheel. "It's not their fault," Betty says with pity in her voice, "that's just how men are. But what they wanted, which was a yeye cover band, wasn't what we wanted, which is more violent, but not negative. So we did our own thing."

 Truth is, the girls sympathize with the confusion men often feel. "I know plenty of cases where it's the girl who bosses the guy around in a relationship," says fire-tressed feline Natacat, "and that isn't any more fair than the other way around. It's supposed to be equal." Most masculine behaviour gets the Playmates thumbs-up ("Vive la difference," they chime cheerfully), but not all. "The thing that really pisses us off," says Betty Rock, "is dirty old men going 'check la pitoune' on the street. They're just trying to knock down women's pride. Like we'd be interested in some ugly old guy in his 60s!"

 "Ewwww!" they squeal in unison.

 Asked what three men they'd clone to populate a perfect world, the girls take a moment to think. Jake Brown's name doesn't come up, but Betty's first call is Iggy Pop. "He's got integrity, always has. He may say terrible things about women, but at least he's honest."

 "Johnny Thunders," adds Natacat, "was an amazing guitar player, but not in a showoff way. He had soul. I'd love to just sit next to him and watch him play." Betty closes on David Bowie, "because he's always original, and always coming up with new ideas."

 So there you go, boys--it takes honesty, originality and soul to win a Playmate's seal of approval. :

 

With les Kamikazes and les Pop-Cougar at Jailhouse Rock on Friday, March 10, $5