22 <strong>qnotes</strong> <strong>March</strong> <strong>19</strong>-<strong>April</strong> 1 . <strong>2011</strong>
Heart to heartwith Hunxby Gregg ShapiroLed by Hunx (a.k.a. Seth Bogart),formerly of queer dance unit GravyTrain!!!!, Hunx & His Punx puts thegay back into garage on “Too Young To BeIn Love” (Hardly Art). Described as the first“proper” studio album by the band, the 10songs smell like black leather motorcyclejackets and boots, Brylcreem and Final Net,cigarettes and Dentyne. The band’s girl-groupgrind is filtered through Hunx’s distinctly queerperspective which is revved up on songs suchas “He’s Coming Back,” “Keep Away FromJohnny,” “The Curse of Being Young,” “IfYou’re Not Here (I Don’t Know Where You Are)”and “Tonite Tonite.” I spoke with Hunx shortlybefore he and the band embarked on tour.Gregg Shapiro: Your moniker Hunx (from thename of your band Hunx & His Punx) stemsfrom your time in the band Gravy Train!!!!.How did you come up with it?Hunx: That’s a good question. It rhymes withthe other names in the band [laughs]? It waskind of a nickname that my friend Chunx (fromGravy Train!!!!) used to call me.GS: A term of endearment?Hunx: Yeah.GS: When you were going through the processof coming up with a name for your ownband, were there other band names underconsideration before you selected Hunx &His Punx?Hunx: I don’t know why I decided that actually.It seemed appropriate, to bust out on my own[laughs].GS: Does your retaining the name indicatethat you consider there to be a through linefrom Gravy Train!!!! to Hunx & His Punx?Hunx: I don’t think so, no. I think that it wasnever my intention so I don’t know why Ipicked that name I just think Hunx is a coolname [laughs].GS: Like Gravy Train!!!!, Hunx & His Punx isa mixed gender band. How important is thatmix to you?Hunx: Well, I love being in bands with girls,number one. But I guess that’s all I reallyknow. So I have to say highly important.GS: Could you ever see yourself in an all maleband or would you really rather prefer to bein a mixed band?Hunx: It’d have to be like an all-gay supergroup. [laughs]GS: Who would be in the super group?Hunx: My friend Cody from The Sun. MylesCooper, the guys from Limp Wrist and, maybeJonny Make-Up? Like a really obnoxious, overthe top, gay group [laughs]GS: Okay. Did you grow up listening to the girlgroups of the sixties or did you seek out themusic on your own?Hunx: My parents listened to some of them,like The Supremes. And this is like reallyembarrassing but I think that I was really into(the movie) “Sister Act” [laughs], and likemen’s versions of girl groups. I got like reallyinto that as a kid.GS: So you would count the movie “SisterAct” as an influence among all the otherinfluences?Hunx: A huge influence.GS: Well, I bet Whoopi Goldberg would behappy to hear that.Hunx: I mean like a really early influence.GS: Many of the girl group hits were writtenby songwriting duos such as Barry Mann &Cynthia Weill, Carole King & Gerry Goffin,Ellie Greenwich & Jeff Barry. Do you have afavorite among those songwriting teams anda favorite song from that time as well?Hunx: I can’t even think of who wrote whatright now. I know Ellie Greenwich strikes abell with me.GS: She wrote “Leader Of The Pack.”Hunx: Yeah, yeah, yeah, her for sure. Didn’tEllie Greenwich write “Be My Baby”?GS: Yes, she co-wrote that with Phil Spectorand Jeff Barry, her other song writing partner.Hunx: That’s a good team!GS: Yes, in spite of Phil Spector being a littletouched.Hunx: Oh my god, have you read the RonnieSpector book?GS: No.Hunx: Oh my god, it’s crazy.GS: Did you hear her newest Christmas CD?see Hunx on 25<strong>March</strong> <strong>19</strong>-<strong>April</strong> 1 . <strong>2011</strong> <strong>qnotes</strong> 23