Mother of Punk: Hope Nicholls

By David Aaron Moore

Photo by Jim McGuire

 

Hope Nicholls has been a fixture in Charlotte's counterculture arts and music scene since the 1980s. For years, she was known as the lead vocalist of the American southern punk-rock and funk band Fetchin' Bones, which made its mark on the music scene under contract with Capital Records.

Later she went on with husband, Aaron Pitkin, and others to form the bands Sugarsmack (landing a contract on Sire Records), and then her latest incarnation, Snagglepuss (their music can be downloaded fromAmazon and cdbaby and the group will perform live, Friday April 15, at Snug Harbour).

Onstage, Nicholls' presentation tends to swing somewhere betweenRick James and Janis Joplin. It's that unique style that's garnered a legion of fans that continue to flock to the band's shows.
Probably because of her creative longevity, she's pretty much regaled as the city's de-facto mother of punk.

These days, you'll find her less on stage and more often in the city's popular Plaza-Midwood neighborhood, just east of Uptown, where she owns and operates the avant-garde clothing boutique Boris & Natashaon Thomas Avenue. The store is known for selling artistic and unusual clothing and accessories at a reasonable price to a diverse crowd (men and women) that like to sport a flair for fashion.

"For women," said Nicholls, "we sell Tibi, Anna Sui, French Connection and Dolce Vita, among others. For men, there's a lot of Ben Sherman and Penguin."

Even though Nicholls is a performer and a mother of two, as a business woman she's well tuned in to the tastes of her customer base.

"They know their own style very well and there's a lot of diversity in there closet. There might by a $40 dress or even a $4 dress from a thrift store.

Nicholls is more than pleased to point out her shoppers range in age from somewhere in their teens to as old as their 70s. "They're very style-driven, but aware of the price point

Hope Nicholls' Fave Six Spots for Hangin' in the QC:

Amelie's, 2424 N. Davidson St.; 704-376-1781
The Common Market, 2007 Commonwealth Ave.; 1515 South Tryon St.
Snug Harbour, 1228 Gordon St., 704-333-9799. Snagglepuss show at 10pm.
The Diamond, 1901 Commonwealth Ave.; 704-375-8959
The Mint Museum Uptown, 500 S. Tryon St.; 704-337-2000
Boris & Natasha, 1214 Thomas Ave.; 704-375-0079

One-of-a-kind store, one-of-a-kind owner Hope Nicholls, one of Charlotte's true originals, is in the midst of a monthlong 10th anniversary celebration for her boutique Boris & Natasha. The eclectic store on Thomas Avenue in Plaza Midwood carries Anna Sui and Tibi right next to accessories from a bevy of local artists, some of whom are exclusive to the store. There couldn't be anyone (or any shop) more deserving of a party right now. In a city where conformity often seems like an aspirational standard, Nicholls has turned being true to one's self into a retail reality. "No one can believe we've been around this long, especially me," she says with a laugh. "I've been hustling on this corner a long time, but I've been really lucky in this neighborhood." At Boris & Natasha, the racks are jammed with things Nicholls would wear, the jewelry cases crammed with stuff she loves so much she just had to share. That's not to say there isn't the occasional misstep. Sometimes, she has more faith in the willingness of Charlotte shoppers to take style risks than they do in themselves. Endlessly humble, Nicholls credits some of the success of the store to its physical location, where hipsters and foodies meet. Across the street is the Penguin, around the corner is Common Market; next door is Thomas Street Tavern. "Sometimes, we're a waiting room," Nicholls says, "But that's OK. People will check us out while they're in the neighborhood for dinner, and then they'll come back." On the racks, there's Dolce Vita next to Vivienne Westwood, right next to the Ben Sherman. Nicholls is not a label snob, thank goodness - she goes with her gut feeling about what to stock. Maybe that's why so many designers just starting out find their way onto her sales floor. While inspired by their creativity, Nicholls gives emerging designers a chance, mostly because she loves distinctive, locally made wares. There's Don Grubbs, a baggage handler who creates impressive lost wax casting silver jewelry when he's not at the airport. And Plaza Midwood resident Elizabeth Cannon who, on the recommendation of another neighbor, wandered into the store one day to share her bib necklaces made with suede, felted flowers and hand-crafted glass beads. Even with the emphasis on unique clothing and accessories, the impact of the economic crisis has been rough, Nicholls says, so much so that it has helped her prioritize and refocus her business plan. She's putting even more of an emphasis on quality, locally made jewelry, Nicholls says, as a way to subtly educate consumers about the power of a purchase. It's a chance for shoppers to make a twofold impact, she says. Buying locally made goods from a small business keeps the money in Charlotte, and you'll have something that is quite possibly one-of-a-kind.

The latest from the 'puss, The Sound Report, was produced by Don Dixon and recorded at Mitch Easter's studio and Charlotte's Reflections Studios. Slicker than their previous two releases, the new one nevertheless has the familiar loosey- goosey stage-party aesthetic that characterized front-woman Hope Nicholls' pivotal 80s act, Fetchin' Bones - a mix of Let's Active southern jangle and B-52s' theatre of the absurd. A local super group of sorts, the band features members of Charlotte outfits like Babyshaker and Tyre Fyre, among others.

Snagglepuss w/ Bruce Hazel and Some Volunteers Most regular readers (irregular readers, eat more fiber!) likely know the origin stories of these two titans of Q.C. rock 'n' roll. Snagglepuss (not to be confused with the shitty Florida metal band of the same name) is led by the husband/wife team of Hope Nicholls and Aaron Pitkin, two folks who've helped guide and nurture local music for decades now. Along with a crack band also featuring Scott Weaver, Amy Kennemore, Darrin Gray and Michael Anderson, the pair's brass-spiked punk punch tastes extra good in this buttoned-down era of bearded acousto-mumbling. Meanwhile, Hazel and his merry mob recently made the finals of a contest run by Little Steven of E-Street fame (the winner got a record deal) but ultimately fell a few votes short. Regardless, someone needs to get this man sonically, a mix of The Boss, Mike Ness, and not a little Howlin' Wolf signed soon: His mixing of moods, way with melody, and meat-and-potatoes writing chops deserves more ears. Snug Harbor (Davis)

Snagglepuss The Sound Report Coolidge Records Most people wouldn't think of words like “abrasive" and “irritating" as compliments, but in this case they are. More indie rock should sound like this, instead of the smooth sound favored by indie bands today. The band is from Charlotte, North Carolina. This record could be played at a dance party, because you can dance to these songs. However, the lyrics lend themselves to thinking, and have a lot to say. Hope Nicholls is the lead singer/sax player on this album. If the name sounds familiar, it is because she was the lead singer of Fetchin' Bones, a very popular 80s band who were way ahead of their time. They put jangle pop and hard rock together, and came up with a sound that was as great as the B 52s, R.E.M, Let's Active, Don Dixon (who produced The Sound Report), Yoko Ono, and Janis Joplin. Had Fetchin' Bones' albums been released today, they would be superstars. Snagglepuss is as great as Fetchin' Bones. The Sound Report doesn't have a bad song on it, but some stand out as wonderful. “Miss Me" has a good groove laid down by Aaron Pitkin (Nicholls' husband who was also in Fetchin' Bones), with friendly lyrics. “Red Fuzzy Ipa" has fantastic horn playing from Hope and trumpeter Scott Weaver. It's a fun song about dreaming of an ipa, which is apparently some kind of animal. “Belmont" and “Substitute" (not a Who cover) are the most thoughtful and quiet songs on the album. Both are political, in the sense that they want people to come together and form a movement to change the world, or at the very least to think about getting active politically. Slow jams let the lyrics sink in. “Substitute" also asks if the band can make your day better; can they substitute for anything awful in your life? This band cares about the listener, and that's wonderful. The track that stands out the most is “As Gay As I Am". This is not a parody of Dar Williams' “As Cool As I Am"‚ The song starts with a whole chorus chanting “Q-U-E-E-R" with lively horn playing. The song zips along after the chorus, and will have you dancing. It's fun to be gay, it's the greatest thing. Everyone should be gay, it's better that way. It doesn't matter if anyone in the band is gay, what matters is that this song is out and proud in a way that most out performers aren't I'll take this song any day over 99% of what's out there from openly gay and lesbian musicians. You won't forget this band anytime soon if you hear this album. And this record should be heard by as many people as possible; it's not to be missed.

Davidson native rocks with Snagglepuss COURTNEY DEVORES Special to the Observer As vocalist for Fetchin Bones, Sugarsmack, and currently Snagglepuss, Davidson native Hope Nicholls has been a fixture of the Charlotte music scene for more than 20 years. Saturday at Grand Central (formerly Swing 1000), Snagglepuss celebrates the release of its third album, "The Sound Report." The Don Dixon-produced disc is progressive, experimental, and infectiously melodic and fun. The band includes Nicholls' husband and longtime musical partner, Aaron Pitkin, on drums; saxophonist Michael Anderson; Scott Weaver on trumpet and vocals; guitarist Amy Kennemore; keyboardist John Morris; and bassist Darrin Gray. Nicholls, 47, sat down with the Observer recently at Boris & Natasha -- a clothing boutique she owns in Plaza-Midwood -- and talked about Snagglepuss, the new album, and her rock history. Q. How did you get into music? Just being a huge music fan -- so much so that I just needed to try to be like all of the people I loved. When we started to see bands like R.E.M. and Pylon come out of the South, it was just like, "Man, that's what we want to do." Q. After being on two major labels, what were you looking for when you formed Snagglepuss in late 1999? The No. 1 criteria was to make music with our friends. A lot of the bands I admire that came out of the post-punk thing around 1980-1981 -- the Slits, Pylon, the Raincoats, B-52's, and to a large degree R.E.M. -- there would be a couple of members who might know a little something about how to play an instrument, but they would just be like, "Here, have this guitar." That's what we did. We gave instruments to our friends and said, "Would you like to be in a band with us?" We gave Amy inspiration tapes of stuff we loved. Q. How do you describe it to people who think you're a ska band because you use horns? I try to put it in the context of other bands -- maybe Bikini Kill or Yeah Yeah Yeahs for someone who doesn't know those older bands. Q. Did you guide the less-experienced players at first? Mostly we wanted people to be able to develop their own style. We didn't want it to be Sugarsmack or Fetchin Bones junior in any way. That's why Aaron chose to be the drummer in this band. I love bands where you can tell the drummer is barely keeping it together. Q. Where does the title, "The Sound Report" come from? The title comes from Bell (Hope and Aaron's 5 1/2-year-old daughter). About two years ago, we were going to have rehearsal. She was kind of bummed out about it and goes, "Mama, are you guys going to work on your sound report today?" Q. Does she like the band? She loves Snagglepuss. She knows all that music from the inside. One of the really memorable things for people about Snagglepuss is seeing me play a show at Tremont one month to the day before Bell was born. I was tremendously huge and rocking out. Q. Do many people who went to see your other bands still come out to the shows? Unfortunately, many people think they're too old to go out. If I'm young enough to be out there rocking, they're young enough to get out there and see us -- even if it's at midnight. People have to remember: It may be hard to step out of your box, but it feeds your soul. It's exactly like going to the gym. It's the same with art. It's so much easier to be a consumer. But we know that leads to empty feelings instead of a feeling of satisfaction.

Snagglepuss turn in its Report BY EL DIABLO "Time is not a relevant factor in the world of Snagglepuss." So says Snagglepuss member Scott Weaver, discussing the three-year wait for the Charlotte septet's third record, The Sound Report. The same can be said for the band's sound, a mix of 1980s new wave, Pylon-meets-the-B-52s' southern rock, and jazz and punk. The band's MySpace site cites an eclectic list of influences, among them Blondie, Can, Stereolab, the Talking Heads, Bow Wow Wow, Patti Smith, the Ramones, the Go-Go's, and James Brown. "There are no rules," says Weaver, who also sings for Babyshaker. "It's very democratic that way -- if you want to add something to a song because you like dance music, you can." Snagglepuss formed in 1999 and is fronted by singer and former Fetchin' Bones leader Hope Nicholls, whose vocal yowl is a distinctive Joan Jett-Kate Pierson blend. The band's other characteristics are the prominent use of saxophones, played by Nicholls and Michael Anderson, and John Morris' varied keyboard textures. The Sound Report was recorded by North Carolina mainstay Don Dixon, who also produced the band's first two efforts. Weaver calls it their "slickest" record yet -- "and by that I mean it was recorded in two studios (Mitch Easter's place and Reflections) rather than Hope's den." The record also has a palpable political bent, which Weaver says reflects the Bush-era nightmare. "As a group, we have never shied away from expressing our feelings or beliefs in that way," he says, "but we also don't mind having fun and being silly." And that's best expressed by Snagglepuss' live shows -- part performance art, dance party and rock show. "More than anything, we are dedicated to art as a lifestyle," Weaver declares.

Snagglepuss, "The Sound Report." An unpredictable, cohesive blast of modern art-pop with elements of `80s new wave, jazz and punk shining through its pink-foil wrappings that remains accessible despite its experimental heart.

Most people compare these new wave hotdogs to the B-52's, and with their loopy dance-party vibe and boy/girl vocals, that's a dancin' shoe that certainly does fit. I tend to think of them more as a day-glo thriftshop version of Sly & The Family Stone. (Go on -- listen to Sly's "Sing A Simple Song" and tell me I'm wrong...) Snagglepuss has two Don Dixon-produced CDs, and a third on the way. If you're new to the band, I'm recommending The Country Club Sessions as the best place to start, simply because it contains my two favorite SnagTown classics, "La Prez" and "Punk Rock Boy."

"The veritable smorgasboard of post-modern flavor-packs known as Snagglepuss has been streaking across the Milky Way of Rock-and-Roll since the genesis of summertime, 1999. The group's two-fold mission: to rock, and to remain unfettered and free of rules and expectations in the process. Upon its inception, creation was the petrol that drove the Snagglepuss emotion, and nothing - not even a concern over intrumental prowess - stood in Snagglepuss's way. Rock - punk, classic, and art - would meet head to head with freeform jazz, outsider art, Z-grade cinema, and cabaret style flamboyance, resulting in a sound and performance that is as loud a statement of personal liberty as has been heard and seen since the 18th century. And what of those performances, even in the early years of Snagglepuss? Raw experimentation met general goodness of spirit, resulting in a happy mess that earned Snagglepuss the distinction of being Creative Loafing's band of the year in 2001."

"Anyone who has an ear for evocative musical stories has to have at least heard of the Hope Nicholls and Aaron Pitkin tag team. They've been together for 20 odd years, musically and personally, kicking it all off in the 80s with the legendary Fetchin' Bones, continuing with the oft-missed Sugarsmack and evolving into the multi-hued outfit called Snagglepuss. In Snagglepuss, Nicholls shares vocal duties with Scott Weaver while making a sax moan, groan and quiver when the mood suits her. She's a seasoned stage presence who can sing and let out orgasmic screams to wake the neighbors down the street. Sound bite instrumentation of whistles, bells, shakers and a box of other doodads lying on the stage enhance vocal intonations. Weaver's vocal style adds the rock layers while accentuating the dual front man/woman axis." -Samir Shukla, Creative Loafing