This week we have an exclusive interview with Peggy Wang from the band The Pains of being Pure at Heart, we’ve seen a lot of them recently, especially since the release of their music video “Higher than the Stars” that we featured a couple of weeks in Red Furros and we are so excited to be able to have this interview with such a talented group.
Hello! I’m Arakum and this week we have an exclusive interview with Peggy Wang from the band “The Pains of being Pure at Heart”, we’ve seen a lot of them recently, especially since the release of their music video “Higher than the Stars” that we featured a couple of weeks in Red Furros and we are so excited to be able to have this interview with such a talented group.
¿Hello Peggy! Well, we are honored to be able to have this interview with you, we are sure our readers are anxious to know all about you and your recent video “higher than the stars” but first we would like to know a little more about your project…
Red Furros: Your band has a very original name, what’s the story behind it?
Peggy: It’s the title of an unpublished children’s story by one of Kip’s friends from Portland. The last line is something like, “And these are the pains of being pure at heart, which aren’t really pains at all.” I think that really rings true for me.
Red Furros: When did the band start?
Peggy: Ahh, I thnk it was January or February of 2007. I had become fast friends with Kip, we were bonding over a lot of the same bands, going to see shows. It kind of made me feel young again, to just be sort of careless, have fun, and do whatever we wanted. Especially in this climate of New York City, where it was the same day in, day out, go to work, come home, etc. I think our friendship really revolved around feeling passionate about something. At one point, he showed me some songs he wrote and I was like, pretty taken aback by them. The rest is history, I guess?
Red Furros: How’s your first album doing?
Peggy: That’s a subjective question, but considering we didn’t expect anyone to pay attention or care, I think it’s been doing great. It’s nice to see that people appreciate an album of pop songs. It’s not like we’re trying to be super different or original, we just wanted to put out an album that projected us, and what we would want our ideal band to sound like. The fact that we succeeded in that, and that others can appreciate that is enough to for me to feel like “success achieved.”
Red Furros: How did you come up with the idea of the music video of “Higher than the Stars”
Peggy: I first discovered furries on an MTV show called “True Life: I’m a Furry.” I became really fascinated with them. I’m sure there are varied motives behind the lifestyle, but I guess for me, being a shy and self-conscious person, I can definitely see the attraction in expressing yourself through a character. Also, I like cute stuff. Ha ha.
Red Furros: How did you feel with so many furries in fursuits around you while shooting the scene?
Peggy: Everyone was soooooooo nice. I think we all got a kick out of it. It was surreal. And the furries really interacted with us and were playful with us even though they didn’t really know us. I just think it’s so cool that they agreed to participate, and I loved hearing about how they got into the lifestyle, how they had their costumes made, etc.
Red Furros: For what you’ve seen, what do you think about the furries?
Peggy: I think it’s a subculture that I can relate to, definitely. I’ve always been really obsessed with clothes and style, I think because it was a way to define myself without me having to compensate by having an over-the-top personality. I think the furry costume is a similar thing. It’s a way to project yourself, and be yourself, and extend yourself without having to put yourself all the way out there.
Red Furros: Are you releasing any new album soon?
Peggy: We’re recording it this summer! It’s hard to say how long it will take, because we want to get it right, but the songs are there, and I’m really excited to start working on them.
Red Furros: Do you have any final words for your fans and your furry fans?
Peggy: I guess I just think it’s so cool that we have been able to reach this community through the video. After we shot the video, I talked to a couple of the furries who came, and they were super down-to-earth, nice, cool people who were refreshing because of their lack of pretension. People always ask me if we used real furries, and I’m really proud to say that we did. I also think it’s really cool that you guys might have heard about our band through this video, and I hope you like the music as well as the concept.
Red Furros: Thank you very much for this interview; let’s hope we get to hear from you soon! And something tells me we will hear from you everywhere! Congratulations.
By Arakum.
VIDEO: Higher than the Stars
Additional Information
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart article on Wikipedia
