Bands to Watch: Hello Kitty Death Squad

On a song called "Spooky Mulder"--named after the lead character on "X-Files"-- Hello Kitty Death Squad turntablist Garrett Skindell samples both "Star Wars" a self-hypnosis record.

The track alternates between a thrashy, convulsive sections and a spacier, atmospheric terrain while squiggles of theremin blast in and out like laser guns. The whole thing finally fades out like a UFO disappearing from view.

It's not like something you'd ever hear on the radio, unless it's, say, WMARS. That's fine by Hello Kitty Death Squad.

"We're not about being commercially viable," says Skindell, who plays the otherworldly theremin, turntables, and other fun stuff. "We're about rocking and pushing the boundaries and having fun and writing good, solid original music."

Skindell believes their music's adventurous enough to intrigue Radiohead or Sonic Youth fans; heavy enough to make Tool or Korn fans curious; and jamming enough -- albeit it in an industrial-strength way -- that moe or Lake Trout fans might appreciate them, too.

"Hopefully, (they all) can find some common ground with the kind of music we're making,"he said.

Hello Kitty Death Squad debuted as an instrumental band. But Jordan Davis acquitted himself so well when the band gave him a song to learn the band asked him to join. He makes his official debut as the group's vocalist on Friday at Forward Hall.

Befitting the sci-fi feel influence in its music, Hello Kitty Death Squad also show films while it plays. For example, it's played before "Clockwork Orange" and "Happy Tree Friends," an adult cartoon that Skindell says is "adorable and disturbing" at the same time.

"That kind of describes our music, too," he said.

Friday's show also features Mercury Radio Theater, which appeared at last year's Blue Cat Cubed.

Skindell talked about Hello Kitty Death Squad with Showcase.

BAND MEMBERS
Greg Szuba, guitar; Mike Robertshaw, drums; Aaron Hetz, bass; Garrett Skindell, theremin, keyboards, sampler, turntables; Jordan Davis, vocals

THE INSPIRATION
"Basically, we started as an all-original, experimental rock project that would just push the sound a little bit; that would be something everyone wasn't use to seeing around and was completely different," says Skindell. They were together about a year before they debuted at Blue Cat Cubed in 2004.

THE SOUND:
Original, avant-garde rock, laced with theremin, sampling and heavy sci-fi influence.

FIRST CONCERT YOU EVER SAW
"Iron Maiden at the civic center," says Skindell. "It was on their 'Piece of Mind'tour. I remember Bruce (Dickinson) got up on a ladder and unhooked Eddie's head and took out this spongy thing, like his brain, and threw it into the crowd. The crowd went crazy."

LAST GOOD CONCERT YOU SAW
"Sonic Youth, a free show at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. And possibly Radiohead's 'Hail to the Chief'tour at Blossom with Stephen Malkmus of Pavement opening up."

WHAT'S IN YOUR CD PLAYER NOW
"Screaming Headless Torsos"; "Full Time" by RPGs; "Another One Lost" by Lake Trout; "Experimental Jet Set and Trash" by Sonic Youth; "Blast Tyrant" by Clutch.

BAND YOU'D MOST LIKE TO OPEN FOR
"The Pixies,"says Skindell. "I'm sure some of the other guys may not want to hear that, but I'd like to, seeing as how they're touring now."

CDs
None yet but HKDS just finished recording its first CD at John Johnstone's Silvertone studio. About half the songs will feature vocals. It should be out within a month.

WEB SITE:
Not yet, but www.hellokittydeathsquad.com should be up soon.