Nashville’s Be Your Own Pet returned last year after taking the 2010s off, and just released their first album in 15 years. Mommy finds them older, wiser, and a little more responsible, but still rambunctious, with singer Jemina Pearl ever the pistol you don’t want to be on the wrong end of. Read our Indie Basement review of the album and listen to Mommy below.
We asked Pearl to tell us more about the inspirations behind Mommy and her list includes ’80s punk (The Plasmatics, Negative Approach), twisted horror films, mood stabilizers, motherhood, and latex. Read the list with Pearl’s insightful, funny commentary below.
BE YOUR OWN PET’S JEMIMA PEARL ON THE INFLUENCES BEHIND ‘MOMMY’
1. Masterplan – The Plasmatics
I love the production on this song, and especially the way Wendy O Williams’ vocals sound. We tried to recreate that effect on a couple of songs on the record using delay and flanger on my vocals. She has always been inspiring to me as a lead singer and performer.
2. Lamictal
The inspiration for “Bad Mood Rising” is my own relationship with this life saving mood stabilizer. The song is pure camp, but is based on my struggle with being Bipolar. But I think a lot of people can relate to the experience of forgetting to take your meds and having the worst day ever, which then reminds you exactly why you need to take your meds!
3. Maitresse by Barbet Schroeder
This film is visually stunning, and was an influence on our album artwork. I love the duality of Ariane’s two worlds, and against anyone’s judgement she’s still living her life as she wants to. Maybe you can have it all, be the madonna and the whore.
4. Motherhood
For me becoming a mother has been one of the most empowering experiences of my life and nothing has radicalized my politics more than being a mom. It helped me to put my art and voice into perspective, and realize I still have a lot I want to say! As a mother you’re going to be judged for everything, so you might as well do what you want and be who you are.
5. Why Be Something That You’re Not – Negative Approach
Our song “Goodtime!” is one of the most upbeat punk songs on the record, but I thought it would be funny to have lyrics that are about being a responsible parent, instead of about never wanting to conform to society’s rules. I love a good hardcore rant, but mine is how I have to pay my mortgage and no one invites me to hang out anymore.
6. Horror Films
I’m a horror film fanatic. The band had fun working with my friend, Zack Hall, who directed and edited a fake horror movie trailer for the album. When we got to pick the vinyl color variants I had to go with a horror theme! We have bright green for the toxic gas of Return of the Living Dead, baby blue for Aylmer’s juice in Brain Damage, and of course “Reagan’s Spew” green, no explanation needed.
7. Leader of the Pack – The Shangri-Las
I thought of the song title “Teenage Heaven” and it made me think of all my favorite teen tragedy ballads. I wanted to write a song about staying young forever and going to the teenage heaven of these songs. “Leader of the Pack” might be the greatest teen tragedy ballad of them all, and the Shangri-Las have been one of my biggest influences since childhood.
8. Der Fan by Eckhart Schmidt
This film was part of the inspiration for the song “Erotomania.” I can relate to Simone’s obsession, as I was also a teenage fangirl. Oh the things we do for unrequited love! The song seems innocent at first, but takes a dark turn, just like the film.
9. Flanger pedal
What can’t this pedal do! We used it on my vocals, and Jonas’ guitar, and it really gave this album its own unique sound. I especially love it on Jonas’s guitar solos. They sound so metallic and sharp, like lasers that could cut through glass.
10. Latex
I really wanted to write a love song to latex on this record. It’s something that I’ve always been visually drawn to, but once I started wearing it I really fell in love with the feeling. It makes me feel so powerful. That is something that has been really important to me doing this band a second time around. I was often in situations where I felt powerless back then as a young teenage girl, and now that we’re back it feels great to have control and be in charge. “Yes, mommy.”
Be Your Own Pet will be on tour this fall and hit Brooklyn for a show at Elsewhere Hall on October 21 with Birthday Girl. All dates:
Be Your Own Pet – 2023 Tour Dates
9/16 – Third Man Records Blue Room – Nashville, TN
10/18 – Local 506 – Chapel Hill, NC
10/19 – Union Stage – Washington, DC
10/21 – Elsewhere Hall – Brooklyn, NY
10/22 – Underground Arts – Philadelphia, PA
10/23 – Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
10/24 – Third Man Records – Detroit, MI
10/25 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
10/27 – The Back Room at Colectivo – Milwaukee, WI
10/29 – Headliners Music Hall – Louisville, KY
11/8 – Soda Bar – San Diego, CA
11/9 – Teragram Ballroom – Los Angeles, CA
11/11 – Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
11/12 – Moe’s Alley – Santa Cruz, CA
11/14- Harlow’s – Sacramento, CA
11/16 – Star Theater – Portland, OR
11/17- Neumos – Seattle, WA
11/18 – The Pearl – Vancouver, BC