Mixing the stomp and swagger of a rock ‘n roll band with the danceable drama and rule-breaking spirit of pop music, Pet Fangs bridge the gap between old and new, raw and refined, organic and digital.
The band members call their sound “garage-pop,” pointing to a range of influences — from Prince to T Rex to Let’s Dance-era David Bowie — as wide and varied as the group’s own material. All four members of Pet Fangs hail from South Louisiana, where brothers Joe Stark and David Stark first attracted an audience as co-founders of the swampy rock band Baby Bee. Signed to Republic Records, Baby Bee launched as a duo and steadily expanded into a larger lineup, with Jory Cordy and Ben Alleman joining the ranks. Cordy, Alleman, and the two Stark siblings were all songwriters and multi-instrumentalists in their own right. Together they were something more: a tight-knit, democratic unit of musicians whose new songs were bigger, bolder, and broader than anything they’d created before. Looking to move outside of the rules they’d placed upon themselves as a rock band, they dissolved Baby Bee and launched a new band. A band with bite. Pet Fangs was born.
From the start, Pet Fangs embraced change. The guys switched instruments often. They switched recording studios too, looking to chase down different sounds in a string of ever-changing environments. In doing so, they approached their new music like a rock group. They focused on hooks, grooves, and riffs, playing organic instruments along the way. Then, once the basic blueprint for each track had been laid, they abandoned the rule book altogether. Real instruments were sonically manipulated. Live drums were joined by programmed loops. Synthesizers and vocal effects were added to the mix. It was a no-limits approach to pop music, blending the influence of older decades with current sounds and rules-free experimentation. Joining them throughout the studio process was producer, engineer, and honorary “ghost member,” Justin Tocket, who manned the recording console and collaborated on new material during its earliest stages. “I always thought you had to ‘restrict and confine’ in order to have a cohesive vibe or an identifiable sound but its proving not to be the case here” Joe Stark reveals, “The only rule in our creative process, is that there are no rules”.
Their highly anticipated and internationally recognized upcoming single “Bitch, Baby”, whose percussive punch and sexy strut helped land the song in a Chinese advertisement campaign for Umbro and Madonna’s Material Girl clothing line, represents something new for Pet Fangs. It’s equal parts attitude, atmosphere, and adventurousness, glued together by four songwriters whose rock ‘n roll pedigree lends edge and electricity to their spacey pop music.Thematically, the track celebrates women. Inspired by Joe Stark’s relationship with his wife, the single is a declaration of love and devotion. Soon after the song was written, Stark’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, transforming the song into a personal anthem. Sonically “Bitch Baby” takes influences from Tove Lo, Daft Punk and MIA. With it’s funk-fueled melodies, animated synthesizers and seductive vocals, Pet Fangs showcase their distinct musical prowess, creating an undeniably catchy song.
Pet Fangs is comprised of seasoned musicians, with Alleman having previously touring/recording with artists such as Dr. John, Grace Potter and Ryan Adams among others. The Stark brothers have further written songs for films, TV and soundtracks including the #1 Walking Dead soundtrack. Pet Fangs have been deemed a band on the rise and continue to make waves with their next single “Bitch, Baby.”.
