The Walkmen’s label Record Collection is anticipating next week’s release of “Pussy Cats,” a modern remake of the 1970s classic album. Here’s some of their pre-release publicity:
During John Lennon’s separation from Yoko Ono in 1974 (the several month long period known as the “lost weekend”) Lennon romped around L.A. with his new buddy, Harry Nilsson–drinking brandy, causing trouble and getting thrown out of nightclubs. In the midst of the party Lennon and Nilsson, along with friends Ringo Starr, Keith Moon and a rag-tag gang of others, headed into the studio with Lennon as producer. The result was Pussy Cats — a fascinating and often misunderstood album featuring a mix of classics and originals rearranged by Nilsson and Lennon to suit the wild mood of those most infamous days.
In January 2006, finishing the final mix for their new record A Hundred Miles Off and feeling a great sense of accomplishment, The Walkmen started talking about how it would be fun to try to recreate Pussy Cats. After all Pussy Cats is the great “buddy” record of the seventies. Its celebration of rock ‘n’ roll, good friends, stiff drinks and excessive instrumentation is right up the Walkmen’s alley and dammit all to hell if they weren’t going take the opportunity to do something about it.