Nashville Pussy

Blaring a high-octane mix of hard rock, psychobilly, and Southern rock spiked with punk, Nashville Pussy have cultivated a devoted audience while scandalizing the mainstream since their 1996 debut, thanks to lyrics that revel in all things sleazy. Their provocative name and extravagant stage presence quickly generated a cult following upon the arrival of 1998’s Let Them Eat Pussy, and the group maintained that momentum across subsequent releases with their unapologetically raucous approach. Although drummers and bassists rotated frequently through the lineup, core members Blaine Cartwright and Ruyter Suys preserved both their sonic identity and thematic focus, as evidenced by the 2009 album From Hell to Texas and 2014’s Up the Dosage, both underscoring an enduring fixation on sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Their reputation as an explosive live act was further documented by Eaten Alive, captured during a 2021 United Kingdom tour.

The husband-and-wife team of singer-guitarist Blaine Cartwright, previously of Nine Pound Hammer, and guitarist Ruyter Suys leads Nashville Pussy, whose name references a line from Ted Nugent’s Double Live Gonzo! LP. With bassist Corey Parks, sister of NBA star Cherokee Parks, and drummer Jeremy Thompson completing the original configuration, the band issued their debut Let Them Eat Pussy in 1998 on Amphetamine Reptile; the album later received a major-label reissue on Mercury that same year, and the track “Fried Chicken and Coffee” earned a Grammy nomination for Best Heavy Metal Performance. Corey Parks departed in early 2000, making way for Tracy Almazan on the mid-year TVT release High as Hell, which sustained their underground support despite limited label backing. A busy touring schedule and various soundtrack and compilation contributions filled the gap until the 2002 Artemis album Say Something Nasty. The live DVD Keep on F*ckin’ in Paris! followed in 2003, after which Get Some! introduced bassist Karen Cuda in 2005. From Hell to Texas marked their first outing for SPV/Steamhammer Records in 2009, while Up the Dosage arrived in 2014 with Bonnie Buitrago on bass. Remarkably, Buitrago and drummer Ben Thomas remained long enough to complete the September 2018 follow-up Pleased to Eat You. Extensive touring included United Kingdom dates whose highlights were compiled for the December 2021 live album Eaten Alive.