Punk Globe: Whats happenin' around there? How is your 2010?

Karen Cuda: LOTS HAS BEEN HAPPENING! I'VE BEEN ENJOYING THE LONGEST BREAK FROM THE ROAD I'VE HAD IN 5 YEARS (3 MONTHS). IVE BEEN OUT TO A BIG MUSIC CONVENTION, PLAYING MUSIC WITH FRIENDS, A FEW DENVER SHOWS HERE AND THERE AND LATELY I'VE BEEN LEARNING A BIT ABOUT HOW TO WORK ON CARS. GETTING DIRTY! 2010 HAS BEEN GREAT SO FAR! LOTS OF AWESOME THINGS TO COME, I'M SURE!

Punk Globe: Do you have any tours planned for the year?

Karen Cuda: YES, OF COURSE! NASHVILLE PUSSY HEADS TO EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA IN A FEW DAYS. WITHOUT A DOUBT THERE IS MORE TOURING TO COME THIS YEAR. SHIT, WE'RE NASHVILLE PUSSY, ALL WE DO IS TOUR!

Punk Globe: You have been all over the world raising hell with Nashville Pussy. Where is your favorite place to tour? Why?

Karen Cuda: I HAVE SO MANY FAVORITE PLACES I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO NAME THEM ALL. I LOVE FRANCE CUZ I'M GETTING LOTS BETTER AT THE LANGUAGE AND AM VERY COMFORTABLE THERE. THE FRENCH ARE ALWAYS VERY HOSPITABLE AND WELCOMING TO US. I LOVE SCANDINAVIA AS WELL. ITS BEAUTIFUL AND THE CULTURE IS VERY FRIENDLY. SWEDISH IS ALSO MY HERITAGE SO ITS NICE TO GET BACK TO MY ROOTS. I' M ALWAYS A FAN OF VISITING NEW YORK CITY AND VANCOUVER HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SPECIAL PLACE TO ME. THE LIST GOES ON.....

Punk Globe: You have been in Nashville Pussy since 2005(?) How did that come about?

Karen Cuda: I ACTUALLY JOINED IN AUGUST 2004. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW BASS PLAYER AND A MUTUAL FRIEND SUGGESTED ME. THEY CALLED ME AND THE REST IS HER-STORY.

Punk Globe: Have you played in another bands before or toured with any other musicians?

Karen Cuda: YES, I'VE BEEN IN LOTS OF BANDS AND PLAYED WITH A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS. I USED TO TOUR WITH HEMI CUDA QUITE A BIT BACK IN THE DAY.

Punk Globe: Tell the readers some stuff about Hemi Cuda. (band members, releases)

Karen Cuda: HEMI CUDA HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS "L7 MEETS THE GO GOS". PRETTY ACCURATE I THINK. ROCK N ROLL, KINDA PUNKY WITH A POPPY CATCHY ELEMENT. HOT PANTS AND HOT RODS! ANIKA ZAPPE ON GUITAR AND LEAD VOX, ME ON BASS AND VOX (I SING A LOT IN THAT BAND), AND CURRENTLY JAY RUYBAL ON DRUMS (WE'VE HAD A FEW DRUMMERS OVER THE YEARS). "CLASSICS FOR LOVERS" CAME OUT IN 2000 AND "THICK RIFFS N' TASTY LICKS" CAME OUT IN 2006. I'M SUPER PROUD OF THAT ALBUM! THERE'S MORE OF "ME" IN THAT ALBUM THAN ANY OTHER I'VE EVER DONE! (AVAILABLE ON ITUNES)

Punk Globe: What was the difference between the two bands?

Karen Cuda: QUITE A DIFFERENT GROOVE BUT BOTH STILL VERY MUCH ROCK N ROLL. DIFFERENCE IN HEMI CUDA ARE SONGS THAT I'VE WRITTEN (WITH ANIKA OF COURSE) AS OPPOSED TO NASHVILLE PUSSY ONE'S THAT I'VE CONTRIBUTED ON. BOTH HAVE MANY ELEMENTS OF SEX, AND GOOD TIMES. I FIND HEMI CUDA'S LYRICAL SUBJECT MATTER TO GENERALLY BE A BIT MORE SERIOUS THAN THE TONGUE N CHEEK 'PARTY' LYRICS, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL A FEW WITH THAT ELEMENT.

Punk Globe: I was so sorry to hear you guys break up. Why? Are you guys still on good terms? Any chance you are getting back together?

Karen Cuda: AFTER 14 YEARS IT WAS JUST TIME FOR US ALL TO MAKE THE DECISION TO MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS. WE'RE STILL THE BEST OF FRIENDS AND YOU JUST MAY SEE US HERE OR THERE STILL FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. WE STILL LOVE PLAYING THOSE SONGS! i THINK I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO FIND EXCUSES TO!

Punk Globe: Are you working on something new now?

Karen Cuda: I'VE GOT A COUPLE THINGS UP MY SLEEVE...

Punk Globe: I liked the band name a lot. Are you into cars and the whole hot rod culture? What are you driving?

Karen Cuda: I LOVE MUSCLE CARS!! YOU DON'T EVEN WANNA KNOW WHAT I'M DRIVING (ALTHOUGH i DON'T DRIVE MUCH BECAUSE I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME ON THE ROAD). KEEP BUYING MY ALBUMS AND SOME DAY MAYBE I WILL BE DRIVING THAT MUSCLE CAR I'VE ALWAYS WANTED! I'M HOPING TO GET A MOTORCYCLE TOGETHER THIS SUMMER BUT WE'LL SEE.....

Punk Globe: Do you remember picking up your first instrument? What did that feel like?

Karen Cuda: YES I DO! IT FELT LIKE "AH...THIS IS WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING!"

Punk Globe: What equipment are you using?

Karen Cuda: WITH NASHVILLE PUSSY I USE AN AMPEG SVT CLASSIC WITH AN AMPEG 8X10 CAB. WITH HEMI CUDA I USE A HARTKE 500 WATT HEAD WITH A HARTKE 8X10 CAB. I PLAY A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FENDER BASSES BUT MY CURRENT FAVORITE IS MY MARK HOPPUS SIGNATURE MODEL WITH SEYMOUR DUNCAN PICK UPS.

Punk Globe: Who are your influences as an artist//bass player?

Karen Cuda: I'VE BEEN INFLUENCED BY EVERY SONG I'VE EVER HEARD PROBABLY. MY BROTHER IS A MUSICIAN AND HAS GREATLY INFLUENCED ME. AS A BASS PLAYER I'VE ALWAYS LOVED STEVE HARRIS (IRON MAIDEN), CLIFF BURTON (EARLY METALLICA), AND PHIL LYNOTT (THIN LIZZY). i'M ALWAYS FINDING MORE AND MORE INFLUENCES EVERYWHERE I GO.

Punk Globe: What song do you wish you wrote yourself?

Karen Cuda: SHIT - TOUGH QUESTION. SEEK AND DESTROY COMES TO MIND BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE A MILLION!

Punk Globe: You live in Colorado. What is it like? What do you like about? What do you not like about it?

Karen Cuda: COLORADO IS AWESOME. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. YOU HAVE MOUNTAINS AND CITY. THERE IS SO MUCH TO DO HERE AND TONS OF GREAT PEOPLE. IT'S A PRETTY FRIENDLY STATE. LOTS OF COOL ART CULTURE HERE, AND LOTS OF ROCK N ROLL HOT ROD AND MOTORCYCLE AND TATTOO CULTURE. I LOVE THAT ITS SUNNY ABOUT 320 DAYS A YEAR BUT COULD LIVE WITHOUT SOME OF THE SNOW. MUCH OF IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO SWEDEN, ONLY NEWER.

Punk Globe: You tour a lot. What do you miss the most being on the road?

Karen Cuda: MY KITTY AND MY MAN.

Punk Globe: What is the best thing about being on the road?

Karen Cuda: ALL OF THE WONDERFUL, EXCITING PLACES I GET TO SEE AND THE GREAT PEOPLE I GET TO MEET. WE ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT TIME AND OF COURSE I LOVE ROCKING THE FUCK OUT FOR PEOPLE EVERY NIGHT!

Punk Globe: Thank you for your time. Anything else you would like to say to the readers of Punk Globe Magazine and the rest of the world?

Karen Cuda: KEEP FUCKING ROCKING!!!