“I would say if The Cure and Sleater-Kinney had a baby, and then that baby grew up and maybe drank too much one night and ended up having a threesome with Rilo Kiley and a Quentin Tarantino movie soundtrack, and somehow a baby was born of that… we would be that baby!” exclaims Jessica Chaos, describing the sound of Plastiq Passion. The group is as intense as Jessica is while playing rhythm guitar and handling lead vocals, and they have developed quite a reputation and following due to their energetic live shows.
As the band will tell you, you can take everything you think you know about all-girl bands and throw it out the window when it comes to Plastiq Passion. They’ve rocked audiences across the country, as well as at prestigious local venues such as the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, the Stone Pony and the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, Maxwell’s in Hoboken, and the Mercury Lounge in New York City.
Jessica is joined in the band by drummer Stacey Lee, lead guitarist Deborrah Sanchez and bassist Christine Simon. “We’re based in New York City and the surrounding area,” explains Stacey. “Christine and I are from Staten Island, represent! Deborrah is in Brooklyn, and Jessica is the odd man out over in New Jersey. The band, however, is not limited to a certain location. We mostly play in the Tri-State Area, it’s true, but in 2008 we drove all the way to Seattle and back, playing in venues all across the country.”
Their last album, To Be A Blade Of Grass In Cracked Cement, was in 101.9 RXP’s rotation after its 2010 release, and has gotten stellar reviews. That’s led to opening slots for groups such as The Cult and Dramarama. Songs that have garnered strong audience reactions include “Girl,” “Alright,” and “I Can’t Wait.” Christine adds a few that the band likes to perform. “I love to play ‘Not Long Ago’ and ‘Better Run,’” she says. “They both have fun basslines and catchy lyrics.”
Plastiq Passion first got together in an interesting way, according to Jessica. “The band got together on a cold, rainy night,” she relates. “The kinda rainy night you wanna dance around in—naked! Well, actually I think we all pretty much found each other through the internet.”
Musically, the group comes from a background of similar tastes. “We have a bunch of musical influences,” says Christine. “The Cure, of course. That’s where our band name comes from. Joy Division, Gang Of Four, RX Bandits, The Cramps and Sleater-Kinney to name a few.”
The songs are very much developed through collaboration, which adds to the cohesive sound the group has developed. “Our songs are generally written one of two ways,” Stacy says. “Either it’s born out of a wicked jam session during one of our weekly practices, or one of us will come to practice with the layout for a potential song and then we’ll work on it together to get the sound we’re looking for. It’s mostly the other three that come up with the song ideas. All’s I do is play the drums and not-so-silently judge them. Each song is definitely a group effort, though.”
The cohesion also developed through the shared mutual experience of driving across the country in a van together, playing wherever and whenever they could. “When we were on tour we slept in a tiny van, piled on top of each other, and at one point, we didn’t shower for 10 days,” remembers Deborrah. “Thank the gods for Febreze! We had a kickass time driving cross-country and rocking out. Quite the bonding experience.”
While they’ve accomplished a lot in their relatively short tenure, they are certainly not resting on their laurels. “We are currently getting ready to record our second album,” says Christine. “We are super excited to get our new music out to the public. As far as shows, we’re gearing up for another year of playing as many shows as we can. With places like California, Texas, Brooklyn and Hawaii set in our sights, who knows where we’ll end up this year. One thing’s for sure—I can’t wait!” Deborrah actually has a simpler plan as far as the immediate future. “To rock you, period!” she says.
For more information about Plastiq Passion, including their upcoming shows and new album, To Be A Blade Of Grass In Cracked Cement, check out plastiqpassiontheband.com.
