Fat Dog

South London’s electro/punk outfit Fat Dog fuses techno, rock, and rave to channel the disorder of the present era, convinced that overthinking serves no purpose and that the moment itself should be seized. Joe Love assembled the group in South London during 2020 as a direct response to the COVID-19 lockdowns, channeling the frustration and pent-up intensity he experienced into music meant for unfiltered release. He first produced electronic material alone in his bedroom and played a handful of shows backed only by tracks, later recruiting musicians and reshaping the project for live instrumentation. The initial lineup featured drummer Johnny “Doghead” Dutch, so nicknamed for the latex dog mask he sports onstage, along with bassist Ben Harris, keyboardist Will, and co-vocalist Jazz; the latter two were eventually succeeded by Morgan Wallace and Chris Hughes. Hughes had auditioned on viola despite lacking any prior experience with the instrument, an act of assurance that proved decisive when Will departed soon afterward and Love embraced Hughes’s self-possessed approach. Even before issuing any recordings, the band cultivated a following through rowdy performances, deliberately favoring personal recommendations over online promotion, a tactic that strengthened their standing and helped solidify a loyal audience. Buoyed by growing anticipation, they joined Domino Records in 2023 while still lacking any publicly available material. That situation shifted later the same year with the arrival of the single “King of the Slugs,” a seven-minute plunge into disorder whose melody recalls the ancient pyramids. Harris exited the following year and was succeeded by Jacqui Wheeler just as the band prepared its first album, 2024’s WOOF, which Love co-produced with Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford.