Bands with Cats- Richard from Brass Action and Larry
– by Cheena Jean Normandin
Your name and band: Richard, trumpet player for The Brass Action.
What’s your cat’s given name? Her name is Larry.
What’s your cat’s origin story?
Nine years ago, almost to the day, I decided it was time for a new bud – specifically, a male cat named Larry (not sure if I was inspired by the ’80s sitcoms of my youth, but Larry seemed like the most fitting sidekick name). I found the perfect ‘Larry’ at the SPCA – a male tuxedo kitten with a note on its file that warned of a deep hatred toward all other cats. As I was not, myself, a cat, I figured we would be great friends. Soon after, at our first trip to the clinic, the vet took one look and asked “Ummmm… you know Larry is a… female… right?” Apparently the SPCA had made an error with young Larry, but the vet and I agreed that there was no equally hilarious female name, and that was that.
Larry’s most recent saga has been having to get used to her new roommate – Jimmy Jazz. Jimmy is my girlfriend’s Siamese cat and is named after the Clash song (I know, everyone… I am in love).
Jimmy is also a girl with a ‘boy’ name and also a raging ailurophobe. You’d think they could bond over gender identity politics or their shared bigotry toward all things feline, but no, Larry and Jimmy have remained bitter rivals to this day.
What does your cat eat?Â
Larry is a classy dame, as is apparent by her taste for cheese and olives.
What do you think your cat’s theme song is?
Beastie Boys, “The Larry Routine”.
Do you have reason to suspect your cat is hatching any incredible schemes at the moment?
Every night she goes into the bathroom, sits on the toilet and meows for a good five minutes…. every night… For years.
Clearly something is happening in there that we humans do not have the capacity to understand.
What is the last book your cat fell asleep on?
The Tiger – a True Story of Vengence and Survival, by John Vaillant. Perhaps a telling reminder that the cat I should be fearing most is not far away in the unwelcoming wilderness of Siberia, but literally flopped right under my nose. Chilling.
What is the most impressive thing that your cat has murdered?
She is still working on it, but we are both certain she will one day catch and destroy that damn red dot!
What is the last insanely adorable thing you caught your cat doing?
This morning I awoke to her chattering and trying to hunt down reflections of sunlight slowly moving around the bedroom.
What type of music does your cat listen to when it’s getting ready to prowl?
I am generally either playing my trumpet, or listening to music with trumpets in it. Hopefully she finds it as menacing of an instrument as I do.
If you and your cat woke up in a weird Freaky Friday situation, what do you think would be the first thing your cat would do?
Given how much she loathes her own kind, I don’t think it would be appropriate to answer this -typically whimsical- hypothetical question….
Brass Action can be found online here:
www.thebrassaction.com
http://thebrassaction.bandcamp.com
And they can be found in real life at the Railway Club this Saturday Jun.6
After Saturday their upcoming shows are:
July 2 at Victoria Ska Fest
July 25 at the Railway Club with the Class Action, Bone Daddies, and Antiparty
