Flavorwire Premiere: Gothic Tropic’s “Puppet Master” Side-Eyes Fake LA Punks

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Gothic Tropic‘s Cecilia Della Peruti is a little hesitant to reveal the “cocktail of social experiences” that inspired the band’s new song, “Puppet Master,” but considering that she repeats the phrase “I don’t wanna be like you” throughout, there’s clearly a story there.

“This song is about the LA ‘punk’ clique scene, and I approached it ironically, meaning this is the only musically punk-ish song I’ve written since I was 16, and such a one-time event for our band,” Della Peruti explains. “I really don’t like to cause waves, which is why I put it into a song, but since you asked: I honestly don’t identify with the punk scene in 2015 Los Angeles. The fashion and party scene is glorified to such an extreme degree that I believe people don’t notice the music anymore. I wasn’t around from ’77-’85, and I admit that when I was playing in The Cheats, running around Hollywood in high school, we didn’t have an ‘authentic’ punk experience, [perhaps] because that apex had passed, but at least it was all about the music, and was written in the spirit of all our favorite punk bands. Every generation has their version, but this one is more diluted than the last.”

Flavorwire is pleased to premiere “Puppet Master” below. Give it a listen if you dug Best Coast’s first album but think it could have benefited from gnarly ’70s punk riffs, preferably played on a Flying V.

Though “Puppet Master” really rips, it’s not necessarily representative of the group’s debut LP, FASTorFEAST, to be released early next year. They’re currently test-driving the psych-tinged songs live at West Coast dates with Surfer Blood.

“It’s gonna be funky, edgy, and sexy,” Della Peruti says, adding later on that “right now [she] needs to play scorching guitar… Production-wise, I’m combining my love for Dungen, The Pretenders, and Prince.”