Best of Month: AotY #6: Guppy's "Big Man Says Slappydoo" via LAUREN

In the fall of last year I had checked out “Aliens” on the basis that it was produced by illuminati hottie’s Sarah Tudzin and while it was quirky and fun I didn’t think I’d get much more out of Guppy. When I saw the record had come out I figured I’d just add it to my list that week. I didn’t expect it to be number six at the end of the year and I really didn’t expect that the band themselves would touch my heart in a big way.

I shared a long form review of Big Man this year and while doing research on it ran into a bit of a roadblock in that I couldn’t find any information on just who the “hidden track” was by. I DM’d the band and didn’t expect an answer but I did get one from J Lebow, who explained to me the song was by their father and also happily gave me a whole bunch of other information about the record that I had asked for and then included in the review. The love didn’t stop there as Ian, the drummer, had told me their parents had gotten hold of the write up and absolutely loved it. This was, is, by far the most touched I’ve felt after reviewing any band. Normally I’m the one who people make a huge impression on, the fact that my write up on my little blog made this band’s day, their parent’s day? That stuck with me for months, it’s never really left me.


Between then and now, I’ve tried to see Guppy three times now. Either they get sick and have to miss some dates on tour or or I move across the country, even closer to them yet somehow we always miss each other. I hope I get to a gig one day. Not only to see the music but I think we get along. I try to be very careful with parasocial relationships but from the messages we’ve exchanged both around the review and sporadically for months after I think Guppy is my friend.

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