Apocalipstick Mean Business. And Fun

For the past five years, Irvine-based pop-punk band Apocalipstick have been, as they put it, “stealing hearts and breaking them along the way” via their snarky lyrics, sweet hooks and arresting stage presence. The name—culled from a book found in a chick-lit section of a bookstore before the band even existed—also led to the band's onstage, party personas: sisters Abby Lipstick (vocals) and Jenna Blush (guitars), plus Wendy Shadow on bass and Jeannette Gloss on drums, take every gig as an opportunity to have fun. “It's like a sleepover where we get together and do our hair, makeup and choose our outfits,” Lipstick said in a 2010 interview on OC Weekly's music blog, Heard Mentality.

On Saturday, the quartet will be part of Alex's Bar's Halloween show put on by the Long Beach Roller Derby and BA Moto, opening for the Hard Copy Rebels. Vocalist Abby Lipstick describes them as “our party-boy counterpart band,” adding, “We always love playing with them.”

 

OC Weekly: Where did you get your name?

Abby Lipstick: We wanted a name that represented who we are as female musicians. Apocalipstick shows the dichotomy of us as fun-loving, glamorous girls who mean business and rock.

 

How did all your members meet?

My sister and I have been musical forever, starting with singing Disney songs on family road trips. I introduced my little sister to the guitar, then she surpassed me and is our amazing lead guitarist. We found our drummer on MySpace when we saw she was studying percussion in college. Our bassist saw our ad on MySpace with the additional lipstick talent of being a MAC makeup artist.

 

What's the best part of being in an all- girl band?

Performing! When we perform, we're living our dream in an area that's not typically for girls and empowering our fans to be themselves and make their dreams happen, too.

 

What's the worst part?

Not doing it 24/7.

 

Do you write all your own songs?

Yes, and we're currently recording. We play some covers for fun, too, like Black Eyed Peas' “Let's Get It Started” 'cause it's so hilariously wrong for us to rap. There's also the party favorite, Jet's “Are You Gonna Be My Girl.”

 

Who's your musical yardstick?

We have too many to list, but [the biggest one] would be our fellow OC band with tremendous femme power, No Doubt.

 

Do you find that people objectify you because you're all hot? Do you mind that?

Some people definitely do. We get that's always going to happen, but that's their problem. We're girls who love being girls and rocking out. We're not going to be anything but ourselves.

 

This column appeared in print as “Apocalipstick Leave a Mark.”

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