The Enemy of Average! Wild Surfwear- USA Made / Puppy's Planet

By Puppy Stopnik

Cherry Glazerr was born in 2012 when high school student and singer/songwriter Clementine Creevy began recording songs in her bedroom. She called herself Clembutt. Clementine formed a gang including Hannah Uribe on drums and vocalist Sophia Muller to add life to her songs. After adding Sean Redman on bass, the fantastic four made a demo tape that caught the ear of Burger Records. They called themselves Cherry Glazerr!!

The band released the 9 song cassette "Papa Cremp" in early 2013. They continued playing many shows including 2013's Burgerama! After that festival they gained lots of fans. One of those fans was Heidi Slimane (high fashion designer) Heidi Slimane invited the band to Paris to play a show. Their song "Trick or Treat Dance Floor" was used in the company's ad campaign.

Cherry Glazerr recorded their first album "Haxel Princess", for Burger. Sophia Muller left the band before the albums release in January of 2014. They continued touring without her. In October I was going to see them at Beach Goth, but just a week before the drummer Hannah also left the band. I was pretty bummed I didn't get to see them.

Last week Cherry Glazerr announced 2 new band mates. Drummer Tabor Allen and synth/ guitarist Sasami Ashworth. They will be going on tour this year with Best Coast and Wavves! I couldn't be more thrilled. On March 3rd Cherry Glazerr will be playing in LA at The Fonda Theatre. I can't wait to buy my ticket!

By Puppy Stopnik

Devendra Banhart is a Venezuelan/ American singer songwriter and visual artist. Devendra was born in Houston, Texas, and was raised by his mother in Venezuela. He moved to California as a teenager to go to the San Francisco Art Institution in 1998. Devendra dropped out to preform in Europe, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

While he was in Los Angeles and San Francisco he got picked up by Young Gods Records and released a compiled album of his tracks. In 2002 he recorded two other albums and an EP. This included Rejoicing in the Hands, Niño Rojo and The Black Babies. The releases have a beautiful acoustic sound. In 2005 Devendra switched to XL Recordings and came out with "Cripple Crow" which was recorded in New York and had a more complex sound. He recorded his second album for the label "Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon" at his home studio in Topanga, California. This album is my personal favorite. Devendras music is so next level.

Banhart has preformed at huge music venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Bonnaroo and Coachella. In 2009 he came out with the "What Will We Be". His music gives you a feeling in your heart words can't physically describe. In between 2009 and 2013 Banhart toured, skateboarded, broke his leg and pursued in his artwork. In 2013 he Devendra released the beautiful album "Mala".

Honestly his music never gets old to me. I could be just lying on the floor for hours listening to him and never skip one song. I would absolutely love to be able to see him live or to visit his artwork one day. A girl can dream right?!

By Puppy Stopnik

The Aquadolls is a psychedelic surf punk band formed in Los Angeles CA in 2012. They were formed by lead guitarist and singer Melissa Brooks. 

Teaming up with guitarist Ryan Frailich are bassist Josh Crawford and Colin Moore on drums. This dream team creates the best do wop tunes in Orange County. They released an EP in the beginning of 2012 "We are Free". This track has all teens swooning over Mel's vocals. In 2013 The Aquadolls released their first full length album "Stoaked on You". This album won the hearts of the folks over at the hip West Coast label Burger Records. The band was influenced by the following artists like The Beach Boys, Brenda Lee, Girls and so on...

This type of music is every emotion of a teenager. It makes you want to fall in love or go on a rampage and hit car windows with a crowbar.

The Aquadolls are going to be playing at the Observatory in January and I'm planning on buying my ticket real soon!!

By Puppy Stopnik

Nancy Sinatra is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of the well known singer/ actor Frank Sinatra.

Nancy began her career as and actress in the early 1960s but initially achieved success only in Europe and Japan. In early 1966 she had a #1 hit "These Boots Are Made For Walkin." She appeared on TV in high boots, and with colorfully dressed go go dancers, creating the image of the swinging sixties.

Singles followed including the number 2 top hits of 1966 "How Does That Grab You, Darlin?" and "Sugar Town". These became her second million sellers. Nancy did a duet with her father that reached #1 in the U.S. and UK. This song got awarded a Grammy for record of the year. The same year Nancy traveled to Vietnam to preform for the U.S. troops.

Sinatra remained with her original label until 1970. In 1971 she signed with RCA resulting in 3 albums. By the mid 70's she slowed down her musical activity and ceased acting to focus on being a wife and mother.

 By Puppy Stopnik

Mac DeMarco is a Canadian singer/song writer, instrumentalist and self producer. During high school he was in several bands. Mac graduated and moved to Vancouver and released an album called "Heat Wave." The album sold out its 500 unit run. DeMarco was joined by Alex Calder and Jen Clement. They signed to Unfamiliar Records and toured with the Vancouver band "Japandroids" in 2009. Two years passed and Mac moved to Montreal to begin recording as a solo artist.

Failing to find work as a musician he participated in medical experiments for money and paved roads. In 2012 he released an EP titled "Rock and Roll Night Club." This impressed his new label "Captured Tracks" enough that they released a full album. This album contained slow grooves and low vocals. On January 21, 2014, DeMarco announced the release of his album "Salad Days." Mac says his mood for Salad Days was "I've been on tour for a year and a half and I'm tired." The album was listed #2 by NME in their top 50 albums list. He then started working on his album "Another One", which came out August 7, 2015. Mac says this track is a collection of love songs.

This is the kind of music that makes you feel like you're swimming in a pool of Jell-O. I've recently seen mac live and let me tell you, I feel like I'm still swimming.

By Puppy Stopnik

Mazzy Star is a psychedelic rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989. Mazzy Star had shown their fans the dark side of psychedelia.

Hope Sandoval with her killer vocals and David Roback as guitarist, together they slayed. They got picked up by Capital Records and released their album "She Hangs Brightly". The album wasn't an immediate success. A couple years passed and they released a follow-up album "So Tonight That I Might See". Unexpectedly they got a hit "Fade Into You". After they received so much attention, the album was certified platinum!

Hope had such a unique way with words along with a beautiful voice. Hope sings like someone is about to fall asleep for a very long time and David follows along.

In 1996 they released their third album, "Among My Swan". This album presented a far more acoustic approach. They continued writing and recording music but waited a whole 17 years to release their 4th album publicly... Wow!!

They said "We weren't really in the mood to release music". The two haven't changed a bit since the 90s. They only operate on Mazzy Star time. Slow, mellow and smooth.

By Puppy Stopnik

David Bowie is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalists, record producer, artist and actor. Did you get all that? This is a man of many talents, but best known for his unique voice!

Bowie started playing music as a child. He played in many small bands but then moved on alone. Bowie first came to the attention of the public in July, 1969 when his song "Space Oddity" reached to the top 5 in the UK. David didn't just make music, he made art.

1972 was the year David began to get a glimpse of the power of pop. He released his album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars." The sound of the suburbs suddenly got a lot louder.
The summer of 1972 was busy for him in the studio. He produced an album for Lou Reed. Bowie didn't just make hits for himself, but for others too!

He started getting interested in the music he heard in America. Authentic soul with a unique UK perspective. He produced the amazing album "Young Americans." Not long after the album release he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career in acting.

To this day he hasn't stopped writing, producing, singing, painting and acting. 63 years young and still killing it.

"Puppy's Planet" is a new segment to the Mowgli blog! It is replacing "Thrifting with Puppy" and will focus on a larger spectrum/ Puppy will cover her interests, loves, and experiences! Learn here about one of Puppy's idols Laura Thornhill! 

By Puppy Stopnik

Laura was a female skating legend. She started taking skating seriously when she moved to California and got a Black Knight Skateboard for her 13th birthday in 1974. She lived in what was known as Hollywood Rivera. It consists of nothing but hills, which was a skaters paradise. She skated every day for hours after school.

Laura won 1st place at her first contest, did I mention she was the only girl? People started taking notice after she got 1st at Steve's Bay Contest. That same day she became a member of Logan Earth Ski Skateboard team. This team was ideal for any young skater. Not long after, she scored the cover of Skateboard Magazine. Laura was known for her bold and exciting style.

Her career had slowed down when she dislocated her elbow in 1978. She continued to skate and be the top female skaters thru 1979, but the pain was starting to wear on her. She continued to have pain in her elbow for the next 15 years. She still skates to this day, more of a mellow longboard freestyle though.