Here at PEV, we love a good band name to get the day started. One of the best we’ve heard this year, comes from our friends out of the Pacific Northwest, SweetKiss Momma. This five piece Roots Rock, Southern-style, rock-n-roll powerhouse (man that's a mouthful) is celebrating their full-length debut album Revival Rock.

The boys of SweetKiss Momma, say, “We wanted to, as authentically as possible, create an album that would have been just as at home 35 years ago as it is now. Even things like the album's artwork (created by famed poster artist Adam Turman) and track sequencing, were done with the intention of supporting this idea of a "timeless" album.”

Creating an album that you can comfortably call timeless is not easy – many have tried and many have come short. However, not all of them were Pacific Northwesterners that dared to challenge the world of Southern style rock and emerged on top. Revival Rock nails it on every levels.

The band will tell you, "We don't take ourselves too seriously, and hope that the overall tone of SweetKiss Momma music represents that. We grew up in the shadow of "grunge" music, and still deeply love the bands from that era, but there was always a darker feel and inspiration to their music that just isn't a part of who we are.”

And who they are is what most people are not. Real, fresh, authentic and most of all unique. “We enjoy life, and hope that that comes through as you listen to our music. I think that our best ideas come from us taking a step back and really appreciating what we have.”  With that, take a stab at their XXQs and see for yourself what SweetKiss Momma is all about. 

XXQs: Sweetkiss Momma

PensEyeView.com (PEV): How would you describe your sound and what do you feel makes you stand out over the others in your genre?

SKM: The easy description would be to call it "Southern" or "Roots" rock. We play a blues-based, riff-driven style that is heavily influenced by the albums our parents listened to. There aren’t a lot of current “Rock” bands that identify with the same group of influences that we do. While it is fashionable as a  band to say that you are influenced by the blues, it’s maybe not as cool to say you grew up playing gospel, or that you actually appreciate Elvis as an artist. For us, it’s not as much about standing out over, as much as it is about relating to current bands like My Morning Jacket, Drive By Truckers, and The Black Crowes.

PEV: Tell us your take on the music scene is like in your hometown and what was it like trying to break into it?

SKM: We live in Puyallup, WA, which is about 30 min. south of Seattle, just outside of Tacoma. That 30 min. drive is just enough distance to create a scene separate from what is going on farther north. Tacoma, referred to as "Grit City" by many,  functions as a "Little Sister" or maybe "Redneck Cousin" to the "big city". Folks around here realize, and openly embrace, this idea that we're overlooked and maybe undervalued, and it really strengthens our resolve and builds a cohesion amongst the bands that I can't imagine exists in many areas. We have genuine affection for our friends in the other bands, and are honestly excited for each other when good things happen. Stylistically, though there is great variety in the sound from band to band, there seems to be a movement towards a more raw, organic style of rock. On any given night you'll hear bits of southern/roots, psychedelia, "stoner", alt-country, metal, and all points in between.

PEV: With that, what can fans expect from a live SweetKiss Momma show?

SKM: Chest hair, beards, sweat.... As proud of "Revival Rock" as we are, I don't think that it fully captures the experience of SweetKiss Momma live. We play a style of rock-n-roll that lends itself to having a good time, and grew up musically in a place (the church) where music was meant to cause a physical response, so we feel it’s our job to help you along in enjoying the evening. We’ve been referred to as "beer-drinking, hell-raisin', booty-shakin' music". If we can inspire you to 2 out of 3 of those at a live show, we’ve done our part.

PEV: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you step on stage?

SKM: You know that scene towards the end of "Raiders of the Lost Ark", where they open up the Ark, and the angel comes out and melts all of their faces and the one guy's head explodes...

PEV: Having all been in other bands before how is playing with SweetKiss Momma different then those other works?

SKM: In all honesty, other than Tyson and Randy, who have played in a couple of bands together, this is the first band Waid, Aaron, and I have been in.

PEV: What was the underlining inspiration for your music? Where do get your best ideas for songs?

SKM: We don't take ourselves too seriously, and hope that the overall tone of SweetKiss Momma music represents that. We grew up in the shadow of "grunge" music, and still deeply love the bands from that era, but there was always a darker feel and inspiration to their music that just isn't a part of who we are. We enjoy life, and hope that that comes through as you listen to our music. I think that our best ideas come from us taking a step back and really appreciating what we have. Though there are some somber moments on the album, I think the heart of what we do is playful and at celebratory. We certainly recognize the impact that legendary bands like Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Molly Hatchet have had on what we do.

PEV: What’s one thing we’d be surprised to hear about the members of SweetKiss Momma?

SKM: People are consistently surprised to hear that we're from the Northwest.

PEV: Tell us about your debut album, “Revival Rock”. What can fans expect from this?

SKM: We wanted to, as authentically as possible, create an album that would have been just as at home 35 years ago as it is now. We purposefully sought out a studio (Orbit Audio) and engineer/producer (Joe Reineke) that could facilitate that goal. From the vintage drums, guitars, and organ, to the analog effect pedals, to the recording to tape and console mixing, we really wanted to recreate a certain texture that seems to be missing in a lot of today's highly sonically compressed releases. Even things like the album's artwork (created by famed poster artist Adam Turman) and track sequencing, were done with the intention of supporting this idea of a "timeless" album.

PEV: Is there one area you wish you could travel around and play that you have not yet?

SKM: “Revival Rock” has done unexpectedly well in western Europe. We'd love to get over there soon to thank all of the folks in person who have been supporting us. 

PEV: How have all your friends and family reacted to your career? What’s it like when you get to play at your hometown?

SKM: Our friends and family have been, and will probably always be, our biggest supporters. From creating their own SweetKiss Momma shirts to wear to shows before we could afford to make our own, to being the most enthusiastic dancers in front of the stage, they are our greatest encouragers. While we really enjoy the experience of playing in front of new audiences, it’s always a treat to have a bunch of familiar faces singing along.

PEV: What can we find each of you doing in your spare time, aside from playing/writing music?

SKM: We’re all pretty boring, so outside of music, hanging out, and family, not a lot goes on. Although, Aaron has recently started building his own guitar amps in his garage, so we’re trying to get him to set up the whole band with original gear.

PEV: Name one present and past artist or group that would be your dream collaboration? Why?

SKM: Present - Black Keys. We’re HUGE fans, and would love to play with them. Dan and Pat if you read this, and are looking to “round out” your sound with an additional 5 members… I know some guys.

Past - As great as Scotty Moore and Bill Black were, and as incredibly tight as the Jordanaires were vocally, we would have loved to have been the backing band for Elvis.

PEV:  Is there an up and coming band or artist you think we should all be looking out for now?

SKM: Watch out for the bands coming out of the South Puget Sound. Stone Axe, Big Wheel Stunt Show, The Lonely H, The Magic Mirrors, Astrovan, Brotherhood of the Black Squirrel, Legend of Bigfoot, and Midnight Salvage Co. are all excellent examples of the current climate up here.

PEV: So, what is next for SweetKiss Momma?

SKM: World domination. To quote the great Antoine Dodson. “Hide your kids, hide your wife, and hide your husband!”