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Interview w/ Cam of the Velcro Pygmies

By Stoney ⋅ March 3, 2008 ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

First off, if you’ve never seen the Velcro Pygmies live, you don’t know what you’re missing. Imagine the ultimate rock and roll party complete with games and party favors and you may come close. We’re talking New Year’s and the Fourth of July all wrapped up in a dirty rock and roll sandwich. Formed by frontman Cam Flener and joined over the years by Augustan Chris Eddins (formely of Impulse Ride and Catboy) on drums, Jason Reed on bass and guitarist Angel, the Pygmies have been rocking stages across the southeast since 1990. In anticipation of the band’s return to Augusta March 6th at the Country Club, Lokal Loudness spoke to head Pygmy Cam.

LL - First off I gotta tell you guys, after your “altercation” in Birmingham it’s good to hear that everyone is doing well and gearing up for your Augusta return. Has the incident turned you against buying beer for your adoring audience?

CF - Hasn’t changed it one bit. We still want to buy beer for the adoring fans just not the assholes. The beer buying has turned into a new Pygmie tradition. It’s a small way that we can say thanks for your support.

LL - That’s just a small part of the incredible rock show the Velcro Pygmies put on each and every night. How do you manage to stay so intense night in and night out?

CF - First of all I am amazed that this is MY job, so that in itself gets me pumped up. We approach each show as a new challenge. Not wanting to fail is a pretty good motivator. Regardless of whether there are 100 people in the crowd or 100,000 they all deserve the best show we can deliver.

LL - Now you guys put on one of the most over-the-top live shows in the Southeast. Have you guys ever encountered an audience member more over-the-top than the Velcro Pygmies?

CF - Sometimes our definition of over-the-top differs from others. We want our show to be highly caffeinated, but not in the mosh pit sense. Our goal has always been to attract the female audience, and typically they don’t respond well to a bunch of sweaty guys shoving each other around the dance floor. Stage diving isn’t something you’re gonna see anytime soon at a Pygmie show. Pretty much anything that could run off the girls is a no no. With that said most people do experience a feeling of exhaustion after simply watching us.

LL - Let’s go back a ways, and correct me if I’m wrong, but the Pygmies were around even before Chris joined the band. How did the Pygmies start and how different/same was the band when it first started compared to the rock Gods that are the Velcro Pygmies circa 2008?

CF - Since The Pygmies formed in 1990 we have been a constantly evolving entity moving more and more in the direction of pure larger than life rock. Previous to Chris the band was solid but not full on rock. Chris brought the secret weapon to the band by adding the “Entertaining Drummer” aspect that hasn’t been around for a long long time. Since Chris joined the band there are fans that literally couldn’t tell you who the other members are. Chris is a show in himself and well worth the price of admission. The first time Chris crossed paths with the band while rocking out with Impulse Ride we all knew he would eventually find a home in The Pygmies.

LL - So tell us just how you lured Chris away from the greatness of Augusta, GA? Promises of money? fame? girls?

CF - Chris recognized the Pygmie concept was tailor made for his style. He made the jump simply based on the promise of lots of rock n roll opportunities. It certainly wasn’t money.

LL - OK, so we found out, also the last time you guys came to Augusta, that Chris has turned into quite the musical carpenter. What, if anything, do the rest of the Pygmies do when they’re not…Pygmy-ing?

CF - Years ago while I still lived in Louisville I jumped into the real estate market. Yes there is lots and lots of money to be made in flipping houses but you’ve got to have a passion for it. I’d rather put my energies into this band than worry about the drywall contractor. With that said…. I’ve still got 3 houses in Louisville if anybody wants to buy one cheap. Pete our soundman has a company called FOH Pro Inc. He builds custom PA cabinets and does installs. By the time your readers read this we should be beta testing his latest design. Again, anybody in need of PA construction can reach us at the Pygmie website. DEP hosts an open mic night in Birmingham at The Iron Horse called Vulgar Bulge. It happens the first Tuesday of each month, and has turned into a great party and networking opportunity. Any and all musicians are welcome to participate and has proven to be a band incubator. DEP also provides video production services to bands that need them. Angel is too busy running from or chasing girls to worry about anything else. It’s become a full time job.

LL - While we’re on the subject of “Pygmy-ing”, who in their right mind calls a band the Velcro Pygmies? What were you guys thinking at the time?

CF - Perhaps the most asked question of all and the one we’ve got the worst answer for. The truth is we simply wanted something so strange it would make people ask, “Where the hell did you come up with that?” Unfortunately we still don’t have a good answer. The name has served us well, and we actually got a cease and desist letter from Velcro USA. They demanded we stop using the name. Our attorneys looked into the situation and found a loop hole that allowed us to keep the name. Unless something has changed we are the only other company who has been given express permission to use the Velcro name. When we chose the name we never imagined that the band would last this long, but in retrospect Velcro is a pretty 80’s word.

LL - Speaking of coming up with things, and this one’s for Cam, where’d the whole “blow pop” gag come from?

CF - We can thank our fans who work at Little Debbie in Chattanooga TN for the Blow Pop thing. We used to play a club called Yesterdays (Chris’ Catboy played there as well), and this was back in the days when a band would play tuesday through saturday. Since the weekends were getting uncomfortably crowded many of our fans started coming out during the week and avoiding the entire friday/saturday mess. A group of them started bring food items to the show and leaving them on the stage to see how we could incorporate them into the show. We had Ding Dongs, Cream Pies, Ho Hos…etc, and then one day they showed up with Blow Pops. Originally our plan was to keep the Blow Pops for ourselves but some “Needy” fans spotted the bag sitting on stage and asked to have some. I decided to make them work for the Blow Pop and right there before their eyes the Blow Pop tradition was born. Later we modified the concept to include “Stick it in my mouth” thanks to a young intoxicated female in Tory Alabama who first used the phrase.

LL - Have any “blow pop” girls ever got a little too “exhuberant” while “sucking”?

CF - Oh yes we’ve had a few “creative” Blow Poppers” in the crowd. The most notable one happened in Houston TX where two girls jumped on stage and played hide and seek with the Blow Pop. The “hider” concealed the Blow Pop in a rather private part of her anatomy and then the “seeker” found it using only her mouth. Strangely enough our popularity in Houston skyrocketed after the event.

LL - OK let’s get serious for a moment, if we may. You guys are definitely pro-America and support the Armed Forces full tilt. Would the Pygmies ever consider doing a USO tour?

CF - The Pygmies looked into a USO tour a few years ago. The problem was that everybody wanted to do one. We were competing with the likes of KISS, Kid Rock, Jessica Simpson..etc. I anticipate a call from the USO once all the stars are done showing their support.

LL - What tune would you dedicate live to the guys and gals serving our great country?

CF - Every night we send out the Toby Keith song Angry American. Personally I can think of no better song to use as a tribute.

LL - Before we finish up, Chris was in the band many years before the Pygmies started venturing over to Augusta on a regular basis. What prompted you guys to add Augusta to your regular touring schedule and has it been a worthy addition?

CF - This is actually the second venture into the area. Shortly after Chris joined we did a show at The Red Lion. We tease Chris often about how horrible the show was. I mean he was a big star right? You’d think he would have been able to draw a huge crowd. He’ll never live that one down. Yes we are very excited to be back and love the response we get at every show. The Country Club has been nothing be great to us.

The Velcro Pygmies rock the Country Club on Thursday March 6 around 9-ish.

For more info check out the band at www.velcropygmies.com.

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