Premiere: Pimp Magic Guts’ ‘Strawberry Nasty Nasty’ is sweetly dangerous
Photo by Nick Spacek
Lawrence’s Pimp Magic Guts premiered just four months ago and has swiftly become one of our favorite local acts. Bridging noise rock, psychedelia, punk, and as much weirdness as allowed by law, the four-piece is well on their way to becoming your favorite bands, as well.
Folks outside the immediate confines of Lawrence and Topeka can check out Pimp Magic Guts’ first-ever single, “Strawberry Nasty Nasty,” below, along with a delightfully unhinged Q&A we did with band members Ellen L’Esperance (vocals/synth), Skyrizi Junior ‘94 (guitar), Jake Little (bass), and Sean Wilson (drums), and understand just why we love them.
The Pitch: Being an amalgamation from other bands and it being Ellen’s first band, what has the creative process been like?
don’t eat breakfast or lunch. think about sand. rocks eventually become glass. sand is just a phase. does every creation story begin with a mountain dew?
Glass is used to encase granules of sand that are made from rocks which are then made to fall in a little pointy tiddy of a pile (soft) which are then counted grain by grain to quantify the passage of time but you have to do it really fast
We spend most of band practice playing Ping Pong and Uno. Ellen and Jake aka “team Jellen” always win at ping pong. 
Ellen pretty much just bosses us around until Ben starts crying and then we write a song.
Sean usually watches a YouTube video about dolphins and tries to convince us that dolphins are aliens and his mom was fucked by an alien dolphin and that he is going to go home someday to see his dolphin daddy.
coming from different bands brings diverse musical experiences and styles, which leads to a richer, deeper creative process. The amalgamation allows for a blend of influences and ideas. As Ellen’s first band, the enthusiasm and fresh perspective has led to a more experimental and open-ended creative process. The absence of previous band experiences allows for a more genuine and unfiltered application of her musical ideas.
Being part of a band for the first time involves a lot of learning, both in terms of technical skills and interpersonal dynamics. This learning curve can drive creative growth, pushing Ellen to explore new techniques and collaborative methods.
How long from starting the band to playing your first show?
28 years
steve hawking
30 grains
the approximate distance was 9 blocks
Where has the band evolved most over the course of its tenure?
At 439 Elm st
between 6:27pm and 4am
Lost my tail and got gills. Posture has hunched dramatically.
like many bands; this group has undergone significant changes over the course of its existence. membership has shifted to incorporate many more players. stylistically, what started as an ambient bedroom project has become a progressive jazz 6 piece.
Where did you record?
Across the river at Pimp Palace (Bouncy House)
Pimp palace (bouncy house)
in the shadow of the river
Magic Guts recorded their music at Jake’s house in North Lawrence. home recording setup provided a more personal and relaxed environment for the creative process, allowing for greater experimentation and a DIY approach to their production. Recording in a familiar, informal setting often enables bands to work at their own pace and have greater control
Why this as your first single?
It’s the only one that didn’t sound like complete shit
singles are tyte, are u single?
We keep trying to write more songs but it keeps coming out exactly the same. It’s so frustrating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Strawberry Nasty Nasty” likely carries personal or thematic significance that resonates with the band. It’s also catchy and memorable. The title grabs the attention of potential listeners and makes a strong first impression; suggesting a blend of sweetness and edginess, which reflect the song’s content and the band’s overall artistic vision.
