Plushgun's Daniel Ingala on Boys Kissing Boys, Girls Kissing Girls, the Power of Political Pop and Fighting Proposition 8
Plushgun, the Brooklyn-based post-punk, synth-driven, indie pop trio’s debut album “Pins & Panzers,” has struck a chord with queer fans. And their continued fight for equality under the law has certainly struck a chord with founder and lead-singer, Daniel Ingala. Count him as one of the growing number to answer the recent call to action by an impassioned Cyndi Lauper, who declared in recent statement, "Never forget the late, great San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk who
was known for saying, '...I'M HERE TO RECRUIT YOU!!' And I'm shouting
out now for all my fellow straight allies to stand beside our LGBT
friends and family and start being counted."
Plushgun have certainly sent up enough queer-friendly flags for us to want to toss a five question Q&A to founder and lead-singer, Daniel Ingala. Read and share it, below:
1 You’re a political creature and address social issues in your music. With lyrics like “pushing back hate,” “boys kissing boys,” its okay to question why...this lifestyle defies the meaning of life,” your gay fans have identified with your song “Dancing In A Minefield.” Did you set out to address gay rights in the song or it is just a happy coincidence? It was directly meant to address gay rights, and the rights of all kids who are told their uniqueness is morally corrupt. As we have seen in the last election, progress is possible, yet thousands came out to endorse the hate-filled Prop 8 in California. This was driven by social conservatives and funded by religious institutions. "Dancing in a Minefield" is about reacting against these institutions directly through living life, free from subjective "morality." I do not place judgments on someone's religion, but I do not think that intolerance from anybody can be justified.
2 Your current video, “Just Impolite,” stars a trio of young actors, including Juno Temple ("The Other Boleyn Girl," "Atonement," "Notes on a Scandal," and upcoming "Mr. Nobody" and "The Year One"), Brittany Snow ("Hairspray," "Prom Night," and upcoming "Clock Tower" and "The Vicious Kind") and Shiloh Fernandez ("Cadillac Records" and "The United States of Tara"). The woman-scorned with a queer plot twist video (FYI: It’s not his car the black-clad and bewigged Juno Temple is crowbarring to smithereens) features a beautifully lit–and, frankly, hot–kiss between stars Temple and Snow. When you wrote the song, was the object of the woman’s ire meant to be another woman? Not exactly. It was about my own personal struggle with lost love. However, it’s important to realize that these emotions are felt all across the gender continuum.
3 You count Daniela Sea and her girlfriend Bitch as fans and just played Chicago’s queer-inclusive Decibelle Music & Culture Festival (formerly known as Estrojam). Do you have a large lesbian following? As many as a nerdy breeder boy can attract I suppose! I tend not to ask fans their sexual preference, but I am sure the inclusive and unitary meaning behind the music brings a lot of people together.
4 You’re 25. With the last election, it’s was nice to see so many of 20-somethings enthusiastically embracing not only electoral politics, but social politics on a variety of fronts, vocally defying ignorance, hatred and separation. Wasn’t always the case? What was the catalyst that brought about this new age of enlightenment? It is hard for me to step into the shoes of the less politically active, I have been politically active...to a fault...since early adolescence. But I would presume, the death of apathy amongst my peers was reaction to the Bush administration. Action leads to reaction, and actions based on such ignorance can bring about the best in those who wish to rise above it.
5 Finally, what are your top political causes? Equal protection for ALL under the law. This applies to queer rights, women's rights, and even the separation of church and state. There is still work to do, and there are still many who wish to limit the rights of those with alternative lifestyles, be they gay or atheist.
Pins & Panzers is out now on NYC’s Tommy Boy. On July 19, Plushgun will embark on an ambitious two month, 40+ city US tour
opening for Nightmare Of You, starting at the Rock And Roll Hotel in
Washington, DC. Please check the band’s MySpace page for the most current tour schedule.
On the radio in your town? Find out where + Tour Dates below:
Plushgun on your radio:
Auburn WGTZ
Boston WFNX
Charlotte WEND
Chicago WKQX
Columbus WWCD, WEQX
Denver KTCL
Denver KTNI
Indianapolis WRZK
Kansas City KRBZ
LA KDLD
Louisville WTFX
Oklahoma City KATT
Philadelphia WXPN
Phoenix KUPD
Portland KNRK
Portland KNRK
Reno KRZQ
San Diego X1FM
San Diego XTRA
San Francisco KITS
Seattle KNDD
Springfield MO KQRA
St Louis KPNT
+
Music Choice Alternative Channel
Plushgun on tour:
June, 19 2009 | Washington, DC | 09:30 PM | The Rock & Roll Hotel
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
June, 21 2009 | Philadelphia | 07:00 PM | North Star Bar
21+ | $10 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
June, 22 2009 | Columbus | 07:00 PM | CBR’s
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare of You, & Brian Bonz
June, 23 2009 | Lansing, MI | 05:00 PM | Mac’s Bar
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
June, 25 2009 | Chicago | 05:00 PM | Reggie’s Rock Club
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
June, 27 2009 | Omaha | 08:00 PM | Sokol Underground
ALL AGES!!
June, 28 2009 | St. Louis | 08:00 PM | The Firebird
ALL AGES!!
June, 30 2009 | Lawrence, KS | 05:00 PM | The Bottleneck
ALL AGES!! | $8 / $10
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
July, 1 2009 | Denver | 07:00 PM | Marquis Theatre
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
July, 2 2009 | Salt Lake City | 06:30 PM | SHO
ALL AGES!! | $10
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
July 3 2009 | Spokane | Art, Music and More
July, 5 2009 | Seattle | 06:30 PM | Chop Suey
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $1 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Mad Colors
July, 6 2009 | Portland, OR | 07:00 PM | Satyricon
ALL AGES!! | $10
w/ Nightmare Of You, & Brian Bonz
July, 8 2009 | San Francisco | 06:00 PM | Cafe Du Nord
ALL AGES!!
w/ Nightmare of You & Brian Bonz
July, 11 2009 | West Hollywood | 08:00 PM | The Knitting Factory
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Mad Colors
July, 12 2009 | San Diego | 07:00 PM | The Epicentre
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 13 2009 | Phoenix | 07:00 PM | Modified Arts
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $13 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 14 2009 | Albuquerque | 06:00 PM | The Telos
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 15 2009 | San Antonio | 08:00 PM | Rock Bottom | ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 16 2009 | Austin | 08:00 PM | Emo’s | ALL AGES!!
July 17 2009 | Waco | Art Ambush
July, 18 2009 | Dallas | 07:30 PM | The Door
ALL AGES!! $10 / $12 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 19 2009 | Shreveport, LA | 07:00 PM | 516 Soundstage
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 20 2009 | Atlanta | 08:00 PM | Vinyl
ALL AGES!!
July, 22 2009 | Orlando | 06:00 PM | The Backbooth
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 23 2009 | Tampa | 09:00 PM | Crowbar
ALL AGES!! | $10 / $12 | Tickets
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 26 2009 | Charlotte | 08:00 PM | Milestone Club
18+
July, 27 2009 | Raleigh | 06:00 PM | The Brewery
ALL AGES!!
w/ Nightmare of You and Brian Bonz
July, 28 2009 | Norfolk | 08:00 PM | The Boot
ALL AGES!! | $13 / $15
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 29 2009 | Vineland, NJ | 08:00 PM | Hangar 84
ALL AGES!!
July, 30 2009 | Allston, MA | 08:00 PM | Harper’s Ferry
8+ | $10 / $12
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
July, 31 2009 | NYC | 06:00 PM | Mercury Lounge
21+ | $12 / $15
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
August, 1 2009 | Farmingdale, NY | 06:00 PM | The Crazy Donkey
ALL AGES!! | $12 / $15
w/ Nightmare Of You, Brian Bonz, & Aushua
August, 22 2009 | SoCal, California | 08:30 PM | Private Show
Please check the http://www.myspace.com/plushgun for the most current tour schedule.
