www.ambiente.us MAY / MAYO 2008
Harmonizing & Accessorizing with the Puppini Sisters
by Herb Sosa
Beyonce, the Bangles & the Andrew Sisters all in one-
Meet the Puppini Sisters!
There seems to be a new wave of British invasion in music, but this
time its retro in feeling. By now you should all be familiar with Amy
Winehouse, her beehive, Rehab song and her 5 Grammy's. Another
hot group you will be hearing a lot about is the Pipettes with their
matching polka-dot dresses and '60s-inspired choreography that
make the past, new again.
London's Puppini Sisters are certainly part of this musical retro
movement, updating the harmony vocals of the '30s and '40s, a-la
the Andrews Sisters.
Marcella Puppini founded the act after being inspired by the music
in the animated, genius film Belleville Rendez-Vous* (The Triplets
of Belleville - UK 2003).
Puppini, a native of Bologna, Italy, moved to London in 1990 to study
fashion at Central St. Martins School of Art and had a 2+ year career
with Vivienne Westwood, but she quickly became wrapped in the city's
vibrant music scene she left to focus on the tunes and in 2003 earned a music degree at Trinity College of
Music.
Such was her passion of all things Jazz, retro & Belleville Puppini, teamed up with former St. Martins
classmates Stephanie O'Brien and Kate Mullins to create The Puppini Sisters in 2004.
After a brief run in some of the UK's best known gay Cabaret spots, the Sisters were able to get Producer
Benoît Charest, who worked on The Triplets of Belleville soundtrack, to collaborate with the Puppini
Sisters. Their debut single, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," (2006), followed by their full-length debut, Betcha
Bottom Dollar, was released in Spring 2007. These have been followed up with Jingle Bells, The Puppini
Sisters EP, Wuthering Heights and most recently their second album The Rise and Fall Of Ruby Woo.
HS: Tell us about some the clubs/pubs you have played at. What has been the reaction to your sound & look?
Kate (K): The Puppini Sisters were given a baptism of fire at one of the most prestigious gay nights in the UK
known as Duckie at the Vauxhall Tavern. Think the Globe during Shakepearean times. If the crowd doesn' like
you, they throw things and boo you off! Debuting Wuthering Heights to this sort of crowd was terrifying and
being the night's anthem, it was clear the song meant a lot to its audience! But, with full Kate Bush moves in
tow, we managed to pull it off and the crowd just roared. It was so funny seeing a bunch of tightly packed
sweaty gay men flinging their arms around ala Kate Bush style. This pretty much set the tone for our initial
gigs. A lot of gay nights in Soho and the likes but also at fashion type parties too. We've performed at Vivienne
Westwood's Christmas Party three years in a row. They have totally embraced us as a band not only for our
sound but for our look too. They must like us. She gives us clothes!
HS: Much of your earlier audience was gay. Have they continued to follow your work as you become more
famous?
K: As I've said, our earlier audience was predominantly gay and the gay community has continued to embrace
us throughout our career. We have a lot of gay fans who come up and see us after gigs and talk to us a lot on
MySpace. I think we attract a more discerning and loyal breed of gay man. More your Duckie crowd than GAY
so they'll stick by us no matter what!
HS: What was it like to play to an exclusively gay crowd? Was this your first exposure to the community?
Friends? Family?
K: We love performing to gay crowds! They make so much effort to look nice and they are, on the whole, so
excited to see us play! We attract very enthusiastic crowds across the board but none so much as our gay
fans. We've all always had gay friends. I don't think there's anyone who's gay in my family! But then again, you
never know... Steph had a miss-spent youth in London's Soho with her gay best-friend and continues to relish
in the company of gay men! Marcella has done her fair share of service to the gay community of London
working in pretty much all of the bars in London's Soho, which says it all really! She has a gay best friend
back in Italy and as for me, well, this band has opened my eyes to many things! Particularly the gay
community. I have embraced it full heartedly.
HS: What about Puppini Sister drag look-alikes? Any out there? Seen them?
K: In Italy we have a drag tribute act called "Drastik Queen" They're fabulous. There's a blonde, a brunette and
a red-head, naturally. If you search for The Puppini Sisters on YouTube there's a clip of them lip-synching to a
few of our tracks. It's genius! We recently caught up with them at a gig we were doing in Rome and instead of
hanging out with the chi-chi Italians at the party, we were backstage hanging out with our drag-tribute act
sipping champagne! Marvelous.
Stephanie O'Brien, the (natural) redhead, who focused on all things Whitney, Mariah and Celine while in
school, says her career was as varied up until the Sisters as her choices of hair color.
Her likes are pouting, matte make up and honed men - but dislikes redheads in denial!
The very (naturally) blonde Kate Mullins has had music in her blood from an early age. Starring as a
snowflake in her school play at the age of 6, Mullins has always performed, thought at time at odds - going
from church choir on Sundays to late night, hard rock performances. Like Patsy Stone of AbFab, Kate
believes... "You can never have enough hats, shoes & bags." She loves black eye make up and champions
cats in Renaissance clothing, but dislikes the clarinet and cheap wine.
HS: Where do you get your fashion inspiration? Where do you shop?
K: We take inspiration for the Puppini look from many different places. Obviously, the Hollywood sirens of the
30's and 40's such as Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe etc but we never claim to be historians.
Part of being a Puppini is taking aspects of the old, ie. cinched waists, good tailoring and corsetry, and fusing
it with the new. We're massive fans of Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano. Such opulence! We get some
designer clothes given to us, a lot made, particularly for the stage as we have specific requirements like
durability of the fabric and making it easy to get into in a hurry etc, and then we shop around at vintage shops
and even the high street to get other bits. Topshop at Oxford Circus, particularly the up and coming designer
bit downstairs is a staple favourite. We've just bought some really cute sequin shrugs from Warehouse too.
They have some nice structured dresses there.
HS: Musically, is there anyone you would like to work with that you haven't so far? Why?
K: Tom Waits! I think that' a mutual one for all of us, as is Nick Cave and the White Stripes. Personally, I'd love
to see the Puppini Sisters join forces with Marilyn Manson. Or Bjork! We'e not fussy really.
HS: Have you had any feedback from Beyonce, Bangles, etc. about your remakes of their songs?
K: Not from the artists specifically. But certainly some positive feedback from their fans. That's really flattering.
HS: What about your personal lives? Any/all involved? What do you look for in a partner?
K: All you need to know is we're all well and happy! Personal lives are personal. As for what we look for in a
man, someone's who possesses the elements of gallantry you'd find in the 30's and 40's, someone who
looks like Clarke Gable or Rock Hudson (if he were straight!) and preferably, possesses knowledge on all
interesting subjects. How about that? Picky? Not us...
HS: With the success of your releases so far, what is next? Will you tour the US? Miami?
K: We're hoping to tour the States in the summer. Fingers crossed. We are so up for it. We're also supporting
Cyndi Lauper on her upcoming "True Colours" tour. So we're coming to the west coast with that in June.
HS: How was it to work at the Algonquin?
K: It really was very special doing that residency. The venue and the hotel are so steeped in American social
and political history. We ate at the famous oval table where Dorothy Parker and her New York Times set sat
and dined and chatted, and got to perform at the legendary Oak Rooms. It was a hard space to manage mind
you. It's a long thin room and we were performing smack bang in the middle so it required a different style of
show to get across to all the audience. We hop to go back to do another stint soon. We totally sold it out!
HS: Future plans include,,, TV? Movies?...Cookbooks?... Clothing line?
K: Mais Oui!
HS: With all of the mad press we hear & see about young starlets today, do you believe they had it any
easier/harder in the 30'/40's? What can today's stars learn from the past?
K: I doubt it. Obviously there wasn't the invasive media/paparazzi presence there is now in the 30s/40's so I
suppose personal lives were easier to conduct in secret. But can you imagine how immaculate they had to
look all the time?! There was no down time for these people. You'd never see Marilyn or Rita Hayworth
slobbing around in jeans or a tracksuit. They always had to look immaculate as they were always on show.
That must be hard. I mean, look at Victoria Beckham? You never see her with a hair out of place and she's
continually being photographed. It looks darn hard work! Different times dictate different pressures. There's
always been drug and alcohol abuse in the entertainment industry. It's just aggravated by invasive media
attention. It seems to drive people insane. But we still love you Brittney...
HS: What advice do you have for a Puppini-aspiring boy/girl who wants to get into the business?
K: If you know what you want, you'll make it work somehow. One of our pet hates is hearing people at X-Factor
auditions crying and wailing saying that they have to get through to the final because it's their last chance.
What absolute rubbish. If you want to be a singer, go and get some gigs! Get a band, learn some songs, hop
on a train to London and beg people to give you a gig like most people do! If you believe in what you do
enough, other people will have to too. Also, you must make an effort with your personal appearance. That's
key. I've seen so many gigs where the singer turns up looking like a dogs dinner or wearing jeans. It's your
obligation to anyone who's made the effort to come and watch you for an hour or whatever, to look good. Work
it! If you're look is "I just got out of bed" jeans and a t-shirt like so many indie bands do, it's still a look. It's
highly groomed and immaculately maintained. You can't be half-baked about it.
When they are not creating beautiful retro sounds, the girls offer a variety of tips
to the rest of us, from make up do's and don't s, cooking and how to deal with
agony.
Withering Heights, their most recent album, features a very eclectic mix of songs, including Could it be Magic,
Walk like an Egyptian by the Bangles, Beyonce's Crazy in Love and Spooky - all tracks they take on quite
boldly, freshly and successfully.
On occasion they are stateside. Recently the girls did a gig at New York's famed Algonquin Hotel. If you get a
chance to see them live, jump at the opportunity. Until then, visit their website and buy their music!
WORD ASSOCIATION:
U.K - Lush countryside vs London. Both rock.
U.S.A. - Fantastic burgers! And tons of enthusiasm.
Hair color - Blonde. Of course.
Sisterhood - The Puppini Sisters
Fame- Must be weird
Boys - Yes
C.D.'s vs L.P.'s - Both
Success - Happiness
Favorite item of clothing - My Terry De Havilland shoes.
Favorite lipstick - Ruby Woo by Mac
I want to be remembered... - For representing the naturally curvaceous woman in today’s size
obsessed society.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to Kate Stephanie & Marcella and Darren Michaelson of Twenty - First Artists for making this
interview possible!
www.thepuppinisisters.com
*If you haven't seen the Triplets film, get to it. This is not your average Disney animation. It is clever, dark and
inspiring. My friend Paul introduced me to it several years ago, and it has since been on my short list of
favorite all-time flicks ever since!
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
HERB SOSA herb@ambiente.us
Cuban-American, community activist, Miami historian, preservationist and freelance writer, Herb Sosa is a
founding member and Director of Unity Coalition/Coalicion Unida, a non-profit focused on minority political &
social empowerment. He is also Editor-In-Chief of Ambiente Magazine, a Latino/Hispanic focused LGBT
publication and regularly offers public speaking, leadership and political empowerment training workshops.
Sosa served as chairman of Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board for over six years, and has served on
the Board of Directors of the Miami Design Preservation League, Dade Heritage Trust, Miami Beach
Community Development Corp., Shelbourne & Fernwood HIV/AIDS Housing, and variety of other
organizations throughout South Florida.
In 1995 Mr. Sosa created and developed the Ba-BalU Store concept in Miami & Miami Beach, celebrating
Cuban heritage thru art, cigars, music and unique giftware, and earning the store the unique distinction of
being named one of Conde N’ast Traveler Magazines top 100 destinations in the world in 1996.
In January 2004, Herb Sosa was named one of Tentaciones Magazines Top Ten Latina/o activists in the U.S.
and in 2005 was named one of OUT magazines Top 100 LGBT Activists and featured on LOGO TV.
Copyright© AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
Harmonizing & Accessorizing with the Puppini Sisters
by Herb Sosa
Beyonce, the Bangles & the Andrew Sisters all in one-
Meet the Puppini Sisters!
There seems to be a new wave of British invasion in music, but this
time its retro in feeling. By now you should all be familiar with Amy
Winehouse, her beehive, Rehab song and her 5 Grammy's. Another
hot group you will be hearing a lot about is the Pipettes with their
matching polka-dot dresses and '60s-inspired choreography that
make the past, new again.
London's Puppini Sisters are certainly part of this musical retro
movement, updating the harmony vocals of the '30s and '40s, a-la
the Andrews Sisters.
Marcella Puppini founded the act after being inspired by the music
in the animated, genius film Belleville Rendez-Vous* (The Triplets
of Belleville - UK 2003).
Puppini, a native of Bologna, Italy, moved to London in 1990 to study
fashion at Central St. Martins School of Art and had a 2+ year career
with Vivienne Westwood, but she quickly became wrapped in the city's
vibrant music scene she left to focus on the tunes and in 2003 earned a music degree at Trinity College of
Music.
Such was her passion of all things Jazz, retro & Belleville Puppini, teamed up with former St. Martins
classmates Stephanie O'Brien and Kate Mullins to create The Puppini Sisters in 2004.
After a brief run in some of the UK's best known gay Cabaret spots, the Sisters were able to get Producer
Benoît Charest, who worked on The Triplets of Belleville soundtrack, to collaborate with the Puppini
Sisters. Their debut single, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy," (2006), followed by their full-length debut, Betcha
Bottom Dollar, was released in Spring 2007. These have been followed up with Jingle Bells, The Puppini
Sisters EP, Wuthering Heights and most recently their second album The Rise and Fall Of Ruby Woo.
HS: Tell us about some the clubs/pubs you have played at. What has been the reaction to your sound & look?
Kate (K): The Puppini Sisters were given a baptism of fire at one of the most prestigious gay nights in the UK
known as Duckie at the Vauxhall Tavern. Think the Globe during Shakepearean times. If the crowd doesn' like
you, they throw things and boo you off! Debuting Wuthering Heights to this sort of crowd was terrifying and
being the night's anthem, it was clear the song meant a lot to its audience! But, with full Kate Bush moves in
tow, we managed to pull it off and the crowd just roared. It was so funny seeing a bunch of tightly packed
sweaty gay men flinging their arms around ala Kate Bush style. This pretty much set the tone for our initial
gigs. A lot of gay nights in Soho and the likes but also at fashion type parties too. We've performed at Vivienne
Westwood's Christmas Party three years in a row. They have totally embraced us as a band not only for our
sound but for our look too. They must like us. She gives us clothes!
HS: Much of your earlier audience was gay. Have they continued to follow your work as you become more
famous?
K: As I've said, our earlier audience was predominantly gay and the gay community has continued to embrace
us throughout our career. We have a lot of gay fans who come up and see us after gigs and talk to us a lot on
MySpace. I think we attract a more discerning and loyal breed of gay man. More your Duckie crowd than GAY
so they'll stick by us no matter what!
HS: What was it like to play to an exclusively gay crowd? Was this your first exposure to the community?
Friends? Family?
K: We love performing to gay crowds! They make so much effort to look nice and they are, on the whole, so
excited to see us play! We attract very enthusiastic crowds across the board but none so much as our gay
fans. We've all always had gay friends. I don't think there's anyone who's gay in my family! But then again, you
never know... Steph had a miss-spent youth in London's Soho with her gay best-friend and continues to relish
in the company of gay men! Marcella has done her fair share of service to the gay community of London
working in pretty much all of the bars in London's Soho, which says it all really! She has a gay best friend
back in Italy and as for me, well, this band has opened my eyes to many things! Particularly the gay
community. I have embraced it full heartedly.
HS: What about Puppini Sister drag look-alikes? Any out there? Seen them?
K: In Italy we have a drag tribute act called "Drastik Queen" They're fabulous. There's a blonde, a brunette and
a red-head, naturally. If you search for The Puppini Sisters on YouTube there's a clip of them lip-synching to a
few of our tracks. It's genius! We recently caught up with them at a gig we were doing in Rome and instead of
hanging out with the chi-chi Italians at the party, we were backstage hanging out with our drag-tribute act
sipping champagne! Marvelous.
Stephanie O'Brien, the (natural) redhead, who focused on all things Whitney, Mariah and Celine while in
school, says her career was as varied up until the Sisters as her choices of hair color.
Her likes are pouting, matte make up and honed men - but dislikes redheads in denial!
The very (naturally) blonde Kate Mullins has had music in her blood from an early age. Starring as a
snowflake in her school play at the age of 6, Mullins has always performed, thought at time at odds - going
from church choir on Sundays to late night, hard rock performances. Like Patsy Stone of AbFab, Kate
believes... "You can never have enough hats, shoes & bags." She loves black eye make up and champions
cats in Renaissance clothing, but dislikes the clarinet and cheap wine.
HS: Where do you get your fashion inspiration? Where do you shop?
K: We take inspiration for the Puppini look from many different places. Obviously, the Hollywood sirens of the
30's and 40's such as Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Marilyn Monroe etc but we never claim to be historians.
Part of being a Puppini is taking aspects of the old, ie. cinched waists, good tailoring and corsetry, and fusing
it with the new. We're massive fans of Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano. Such opulence! We get some
designer clothes given to us, a lot made, particularly for the stage as we have specific requirements like
durability of the fabric and making it easy to get into in a hurry etc, and then we shop around at vintage shops
and even the high street to get other bits. Topshop at Oxford Circus, particularly the up and coming designer
bit downstairs is a staple favourite. We've just bought some really cute sequin shrugs from Warehouse too.
They have some nice structured dresses there.
HS: Musically, is there anyone you would like to work with that you haven't so far? Why?
K: Tom Waits! I think that' a mutual one for all of us, as is Nick Cave and the White Stripes. Personally, I'd love
to see the Puppini Sisters join forces with Marilyn Manson. Or Bjork! We'e not fussy really.
HS: Have you had any feedback from Beyonce, Bangles, etc. about your remakes of their songs?
K: Not from the artists specifically. But certainly some positive feedback from their fans. That's really flattering.
HS: What about your personal lives? Any/all involved? What do you look for in a partner?
K: All you need to know is we're all well and happy! Personal lives are personal. As for what we look for in a
man, someone's who possesses the elements of gallantry you'd find in the 30's and 40's, someone who
looks like Clarke Gable or Rock Hudson (if he were straight!) and preferably, possesses knowledge on all
interesting subjects. How about that? Picky? Not us...
HS: With the success of your releases so far, what is next? Will you tour the US? Miami?
K: We're hoping to tour the States in the summer. Fingers crossed. We are so up for it. We're also supporting
Cyndi Lauper on her upcoming "True Colours" tour. So we're coming to the west coast with that in June.
HS: How was it to work at the Algonquin?
K: It really was very special doing that residency. The venue and the hotel are so steeped in American social
and political history. We ate at the famous oval table where Dorothy Parker and her New York Times set sat
and dined and chatted, and got to perform at the legendary Oak Rooms. It was a hard space to manage mind
you. It's a long thin room and we were performing smack bang in the middle so it required a different style of
show to get across to all the audience. We hop to go back to do another stint soon. We totally sold it out!
HS: Future plans include,,, TV? Movies?...Cookbooks?... Clothing line?
K: Mais Oui!
HS: With all of the mad press we hear & see about young starlets today, do you believe they had it any
easier/harder in the 30'/40's? What can today's stars learn from the past?
K: I doubt it. Obviously there wasn't the invasive media/paparazzi presence there is now in the 30s/40's so I
suppose personal lives were easier to conduct in secret. But can you imagine how immaculate they had to
look all the time?! There was no down time for these people. You'd never see Marilyn or Rita Hayworth
slobbing around in jeans or a tracksuit. They always had to look immaculate as they were always on show.
That must be hard. I mean, look at Victoria Beckham? You never see her with a hair out of place and she's
continually being photographed. It looks darn hard work! Different times dictate different pressures. There's
always been drug and alcohol abuse in the entertainment industry. It's just aggravated by invasive media
attention. It seems to drive people insane. But we still love you Brittney...
HS: What advice do you have for a Puppini-aspiring boy/girl who wants to get into the business?
K: If you know what you want, you'll make it work somehow. One of our pet hates is hearing people at X-Factor
auditions crying and wailing saying that they have to get through to the final because it's their last chance.
What absolute rubbish. If you want to be a singer, go and get some gigs! Get a band, learn some songs, hop
on a train to London and beg people to give you a gig like most people do! If you believe in what you do
enough, other people will have to too. Also, you must make an effort with your personal appearance. That's
key. I've seen so many gigs where the singer turns up looking like a dogs dinner or wearing jeans. It's your
obligation to anyone who's made the effort to come and watch you for an hour or whatever, to look good. Work
it! If you're look is "I just got out of bed" jeans and a t-shirt like so many indie bands do, it's still a look. It's
highly groomed and immaculately maintained. You can't be half-baked about it.
When they are not creating beautiful retro sounds, the girls offer a variety of tips
to the rest of us, from make up do's and don't s, cooking and how to deal with
agony.
Withering Heights, their most recent album, features a very eclectic mix of songs, including Could it be Magic,
Walk like an Egyptian by the Bangles, Beyonce's Crazy in Love and Spooky - all tracks they take on quite
boldly, freshly and successfully.
On occasion they are stateside. Recently the girls did a gig at New York's famed Algonquin Hotel. If you get a
chance to see them live, jump at the opportunity. Until then, visit their website and buy their music!
WORD ASSOCIATION:
U.K - Lush countryside vs London. Both rock.
U.S.A. - Fantastic burgers! And tons of enthusiasm.
Hair color - Blonde. Of course.
Sisterhood - The Puppini Sisters
Fame- Must be weird
Boys - Yes
C.D.'s vs L.P.'s - Both
Success - Happiness
Favorite item of clothing - My Terry De Havilland shoes.
Favorite lipstick - Ruby Woo by Mac
I want to be remembered... - For representing the naturally curvaceous woman in today’s size
obsessed society.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thank you to Kate Stephanie & Marcella and Darren Michaelson of Twenty - First Artists for making this
interview possible!
www.thepuppinisisters.com
*If you haven't seen the Triplets film, get to it. This is not your average Disney animation. It is clever, dark and
inspiring. My friend Paul introduced me to it several years ago, and it has since been on my short list of
favorite all-time flicks ever since!
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
HERB SOSA herb@ambiente.us
Cuban-American, community activist, Miami historian, preservationist and freelance writer, Herb Sosa is a
founding member and Director of Unity Coalition/Coalicion Unida, a non-profit focused on minority political &
social empowerment. He is also Editor-In-Chief of Ambiente Magazine, a Latino/Hispanic focused LGBT
publication and regularly offers public speaking, leadership and political empowerment training workshops.
Sosa served as chairman of Miami Beach's Historic Preservation Board for over six years, and has served on
the Board of Directors of the Miami Design Preservation League, Dade Heritage Trust, Miami Beach
Community Development Corp., Shelbourne & Fernwood HIV/AIDS Housing, and variety of other
organizations throughout South Florida.
In 1995 Mr. Sosa created and developed the Ba-BalU Store concept in Miami & Miami Beach, celebrating
Cuban heritage thru art, cigars, music and unique giftware, and earning the store the unique distinction of
being named one of Conde N’ast Traveler Magazines top 100 destinations in the world in 1996.
In January 2004, Herb Sosa was named one of Tentaciones Magazines Top Ten Latina/o activists in the U.S.
and in 2005 was named one of OUT magazines Top 100 LGBT Activists and featured on LOGO TV.
Copyright© AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
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