The Thermals play DC’s the Black Cat Mainstage on Wed May 13th.

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MP3: The Thermals – No Culture Icons from More Parts Per Million (2003)

The fetching bassist of Portland pop-punksters the Thermals is one Kathy Foster. And a long-standing rockstar crush for me (see right *drool*). So it was with great giddiness that I got her on the horn and poked and prodded her brain about the latest Thermals-related affairs, which she answered graciously and humbly, with a touch of coyness, only deepening my googly-eyes. OK, enough school-boy non-sense. Read up on my thoughts on their latest, Now We Can See and let’s talk the after-Sub Pop and the after-life.

Aural States – I think I talked to Hutch around the time when you guys were considering leaving Sub Pop.  Could you tell me more about the decision to leave and then sign with Kill Rock Stars?

Read the rest…

I have a confession. I am addicted to Portland’s most-prominent purveyors of earnest, politically charged punk, the Thermals. I drove to NYC this past August to catch them with Ted Leo in the basin of NYC’s largest pool, drained, in the middle of McCarren Park.

I didn’t want to tell Ted, but I was there more for Hutch and Kathy.

Behold, the latest Daytrotter session here. Wherein the Thermals are doing their thing. Albeit with a little less of the frantic, lightspeed tempo of their reputed live shows.

And apparently, with hints of what the new album will sound like…and I personally cannot wait. Couple vids off The Blood, The Body, The Machine for you after the jump.

Has dissent-punk ever been this endearing, heartfelt and fun? And during this election year, has it ever been more needed?
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