There’s no such thing as bad publicity.
For Saskatoon post-punk duo The Faps — who will rock Record City Wednesday, April 25 — the old adage holds true. That’s a partial motivator behind the drop of their first demo, which they wrapped in garbage and left on Saskatoon’s iconic Broadway street during the annual Fringe festival.
“We’re kind of idiots like that. Someone actually asked us what our infatuation is with garbage,” said guitarist Skyler Cafferata. “I think it’s just an interesting way to market yourself. It’s like anti-marketing.”
Late one prairie summer night, The Faps set out to make their debut.
“I guess you could just go about it the normal way, but it’s way more fun to be blending up disgusting compost at 4 a.m. And it wasn’t just us, there were people willingly joining us,” Cafferata said. “To me, that’s very gross, but how could you not be curious? And it works. We saw a guy pick it up. How else are you going to think of something new to release material?”
Because they have to cart their new album, Grimelda, across western B.C. in their car, Cafferata said Vernon audiences are safe from the garbage, though they may have an album in an old hummus container lying around.
Grimelda, The Faps’ first full-length album, is a nine-track post-punk exploration that features an experimental structure and draws from the duo’s wide range of musical influence, including pop, folk and jazz. And it’s all packaged in their uniquely quirky and heavy sound.
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“It’s been kind of a slow process,” Cafferata said, adding that the bulk of the work was completed over the winter. “It’s been a long time coming but we finally got it done. We’re really happy with it.”
The album also marks a new era for the band comprised of Cafferata and Blair Colwell, who have jammed in their current formation for about six years. While previous low-fi EP’s were recorded live, Grimelda is a full-studio recorded offering that features guest musicians Megan Nash, Laura Beach, Jeffrey Popiel and Erik Hepp.
However, the live show is where The Faps truly shine.
“We’re a fun live band. For being in a genre that’s known for being serious, we’re totally not,” Cafferata said. “It’s just funny to us. We make fun of ourselves too. It’s very enjoyable and intimate. It feels really good to put everyone on the same level. The only reason we’re here is because (the audience) is here to watch us.”
To that end, audience participation plays a key role in their live performance. At a previous show, a girl was standing at the front and rocking out, Cafferata said, so he decided to take off his guitar and hand it to her.
“She just loved it,” Cafferata said. “It has to be fun for us. I think that’s what helps make the crowd have fun.”
While their music and shows may be high-energy, it’s a stark contrast to their personalities Cafferata said. Last time they were in town, the self-described weirdos spent their day at Rattlesnake Point and always enjoy nature and camping.
“A lot of people don’t expect us to make the music we do,” Cafferata said.
Joining The Faps at Record City is Calgary’s Miesha and the Spanks, who rocked Saskatoon and Calgary together earlier this year.
“It just happened to work out that we’re crossing paths in Vernon,” Cafferata said. “It’ll be cool: prairie rock show weirdos.”
The Faps take the Record City stage alongside Miesha and the Spanks April 25. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 advance or $15 at the door.
