The Pubes

A three-woman lesbian rock band is becoming a local favorite.

By Stacey Jay Cavaliere

The Pubes

The Pübes

Stage antics and comedic lyrics make lesbian rock band a local LGBT favorite
Photos by Cinthia Schmidt

As they've been rockin' and rollin' around town the past few years, The Pübes have gained a reputation for comedic lyrics and stage antics as irreverent as the band's name.

Now the group is celebrating their first full-length release, Pretty Fresh, as well as their first video release.

Self-described as an "all-original comedic lesbian rock band from Phoenix," band members Ivana Pluchya, Baretta Lynn and Roc Smith are all that and more.

Their tenacity and charm have won over fans from all over the Valley, making them a welcome, notable and essential band in the Phoenix independent music scene.

Last summer The Pübes toured, playing in Las Vegas, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. They've played with noted acts, including Dead Birds and Blind Kids, dot punto and Green Lady Killers.

By promoting the release of Pretty Fresh, the band's goal for the tour was to further their fan base and create national recognition and contacts.

Beyond their fine-tuned, polished rock and roll performances, the band's lyrics and stage antics are what really draw people to The Pübes.

The band uses a mustache for their logo and the women wear mustaches when they perform. They say it's a sign of both masculine and feminine, an expression for people to be who they want to be regardless of society's labels regarding gender.

With lyrics ranging from themes about love, sex and even razor burn, The Pübes sing about what everyone else is thinking — but are afraid to say.

The mastermind behind the comedic lyrical content is credited to Pluchya, who is also the group's lead singer and bass guitarist.

"Her lyrical skills are amazing," Lynn said. "They are coy and clever, full of subtle innuendos and wit. We wouldn't be The Pübes without her amazing lyrical abilities."

The Pubes Smith added to the praise. "Ivana takes funny incidents or conversations we have all had and wraps them up into hilarious songs, she is just great at it," she said.

Pluchya said she's inspired by all the fun times she has had with friends and band mates. She said that most of the lyrics come to her while driving. "The car is the magic place of songwriting for me," she said. "I always have to have a tape recorder handy."

An example is the group's hilarious song "Cameltoe," a cute and creative pop song is turned into a vulgar, yet voluptuous visual tale of the "too-tight pants tragedy" that we all know, and love to laugh about.

The song is the subject of the group's first video, a goofy, fun look at this situation and is a good indication of how much fun the band is, both onstage and off. The video was shot mostly at the Rogue Bar in Scottsdale.

Released online, the video had more than 1,200 views in less than a month and positive feedback from viewers. "This really could become a YouTube sensation," Lynn said.

The Pübes have come a long way since the women got together for an impromptu collaborative performance at a birthday party in the summer of 2005.

When it came to selecting a name, the women said they wanted to push the envelope and they thought The Pübes would do that.

Pluchya described the group's first live performance at the 2006 Bands on Grand event as "really terrible."

"It was crap," she said. "We were all so nervous and our show didn't end up how we wanted it to at all, but you've gotta start somewhere, I guess."

The trio pressed on, playing shows all over the Valley to hone their skills.

Live performances at clubs like Hollywood Alley in Mesa, Long Wong's in Tempe and Rogue Bar in Scottsdale created a core group of fans.

"At that point, our fan base was all over the map, probably even more straight fans than gay," Lynn said. "This core group of fans at these particular bars is what really got us going and helped to boost our confidence as a group."

The group, all self-identified lesbians, soon got an invitation to play at the popular lesbian bar Cash Inn Country. This performance gave them the opportunity to show their skills and style to a new group of people — the gay community.

"For the Cash to give us an opportunity like that was really taking a gamble," Pluchya said. "They were really great to us."

Smith agreed. "We received so much love and support from both the patrons and the Cash Inn Country staff and management," she said. "It was such a welcoming and great experience."

The foray into the LGBT community led the band to appear on the stages at Rainbows Festival 2006, Phoenix Pride 2007 and numerous times at Flagstaff Pride.

Other notable live appearances included opening for national acts like Betty, Leslie & The Lys, and Girl In A Coma.

Baretta said that performing at Pride festivals was a strategic move. "We were really trying to target the community that the three of us, our friends, and our partners are a part of," she said. "It was really a bridge building of old and new fans, and it was incredible how well we were received."

The band plans a performance to benefit the 1n10 youth services agency on March 16 at Cash Inn Country. The event will include a canned food drive to fill the pantry at 1n10's new drop-in center. -E

The Pübes Pretty Fresh

The Pübes' Pretty Fresh

Trach-By-Track

The Pübes recorded Pretty Fresh independently at 513 Analog, a Tempe-based recording studio. It's a well polished, amusing and oftentimes raunchy record.

1) "Prom Song" is a youthful anthem about a young girl's lust for another with an ode to Bon Jovi and a shout-out to the androgynous Jo from TV's The Facts of Life.

2) "Eat My Chicken" is a comedic tune comparing the sweet and sultry sounds of the band to the warm and delicious taste of fried chicken.

3) "8,000 Miles for Bootie" explains the lengths people will go for a lustful roll in the hay.

4) "Gold in the Kitty" reveals that what happens in Vegas, unfortunately doesn't always stay in Vegas.

5) "Peanut Butter Sexy" tells the tale of a sexy and flirtatious meeting set in a local grocery store.

6) "Cameltoe" is an ode to tight-pants-wearing men and women and the glory and wonder they share with the rest of the world.

7) "Sex Box" is a warning to have a good friend get rid of all the things in your house you wouldn't want your parents to find should you die unexpectedly.

8) "Clambake" either tells the story of a backyard barbecue or a romp in the sack ... or maybe even a little bit of both.

9) "Razor Burn" is a tragic tale of bumps and bruises caused by too close of a shave down below.

Meet The Pübes

Sprouted out of a single follicle and growing out of control, these are The Pübes.

While The Pübes' lyrical content and stage antics may be silly, crude and a bit odd, the individual members behind the mustaches are three talented, smart and well-educated women.

Ivana Pluchya
Vocals, bass guitar, lyrics

Pluchya said that learning ukulele and rhythm guitar from her father at an early age brought the love of music into her life. Teaching herself bass soon after secured her love of the instrument, which she continues playing as lead singer of The Pübes.

Pluchya said she grew up in a family that was extremely religious, yet supportive. She earned a degree in painting from Alfred University in western New York. She earns a living doing graphic design work and she said she is also a proud wife.

Baretta Lynn
Vocals, lead guitar

A rock and roller out of the womb, Lynn said her love of metal bands like Def Leppard, Poison and Warrant led her to be the performer she is today.

But off stage Lynn is an activist, educator and scholar.

With a bachelor's degree in education from Le Moyne University in Syracuse, N.Y, Lynn is studying educational leadership and policy at Arizona State University.

Lynn said she is embraced by her devout Catholic family and recently was walked down the aisle by her father when she wed her long-term partner.

Roc Smith
Vocals, drums

Although heavily influenced by the 1993 Melissa Etheridge album Yes I Am, Smith said she remained in the closet for a long while. When she finally came out to her mother, the reply was, "At least you're not pregnant."

Smith said the relief of coming out inspired her to work on her passion for music, and led her to join both The Pübes and another local rock band, Weed Out The Weak.

Smith has a longtime girlfriend and works at Starbucks while earning a degree from The Conservatory.