Closet Disco Queen – “Stadium Rock For Punk Bums” [Hummus Records]
Closet Disco Queen is originally a two-piece comprised of Luc Hess and Jona Nido. Both musicians are well established in the Swiss scene through their band Coilguns and as backing musicians for singer/songwriter Loui Jucker. Jona Nido is also the founder of La Chaux-de-Fonds based record label HUMMUS RECORDS (Emilie Zoé, Rorcal, Ester Poly, Coilguns, Stéphane Blok, Rorcal, Dirty Sound Magnet, etc…) through which all Closet Disco Queen’s music has been released.
The band started as a joke in 2014 when Coilguns was on hiatus. The two-piece has since then released one studio album, two eps and a live album. They also toured for over 3 years all around the globe including several European tours, China, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand. Closet Disco Queen were invited as direct support for an EU tour by the band BARONESS in 2016 as well as with RED FANG in 2017.
Closet Disco Queen played both the London and Berlin edition of Desert Fest and have already set foot in several Swiss Festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival, Festi’Neuch, or Palp Festival.
It is the latter that offered the band the possibility to create an exclusive set to be presented for the first time on Aug. 8th 2021 during the festival. This is when the two-piece turned into a full band with two extra members known as “The Flying Raclettes”. Closet Disco Queen & The Flying Raclettes have released their first album “Omelette du Fromage” on Sept. 3rd. on Hummus Records.
It must be said that this band was supposed to be on hiatus since 2018. But for some reasons, the pandemic has forced the band to go back on stage, yep, that’s right, because of the pandemic they HAD to play shows. Weird right?
Well, as usual with this whole gang of people (Hummus Records, Coilguns, Louis Jucker etc…), things are just complicated to understand: Who does what with whom, when and mostly HOW DO THEY FIND THE TIME?? So, let’s make it (not) easy:
Luc Hess and Jona Nido are Closet Disco Queen right? in January 2021 they went on a residency in their hometown venue (Bikini Test in La Chaux-de-Fonds) and recorded three songs, live and uncut with just guitar and drums. Then they went into the Studio to mix those songs with Kevin Galland. Kevin is also the bass player Coilguns (where Luc and Jona play) and also played guitar with Closet Disco Queen & The Flying Raclettes. Anyway, so they went to the Studio Mécanique (in La Chaux-de-Fonds), and, tired of the two-piece formula, they decided to overdub many guitars, bass and percussion. Kevin did a great job at making it sound like stadium rock and eventually they ended up with an EP that is super produced and almost to cheesy for the band themselves to take it seriously. Somehow the songs are good. Just listen to them and ear for yourself.
The EP title is a reference to the band’s 2017 EP “Sexy Audio Deviance for Punk Bums” and is part of a new collection of 12 inches vinyl singles from Coilguns own label Hummus Records. The « Hummus 12’’ Maxi collection » is pressed on transparent or transparent colored vinyls only. The record is housed in a picture disc style cover sleeve with minimalistic graphic design. Side A of the vinyl has music while side B has an original drawing from guitarist Jona Nido screen printed in La Chaux-de-Fonds by Out of Gas.
Tracklist:
- Michel-Jacques Sonne
- Pascal à la Plage
- Lalalalala Reverb
- Le Soucieux Toucan