Show and Tell

New Times loves the frenetic New Wave/punk sounds of The Epoxies, the Portland, Oregon, quintet made up of Viz Spectrum, FM Static, Shock Diode, Ray Cathode and, of course, foxy front woman Roxy Epoxy. We love the band’s live show even more: Replete with fog and bubble machines, heavy-duty strobes, cheesy lasers, at least one keytar, and bizarro costumes — Roxy often hits the stage decked out like Milla Jovovich from The Fifth Element — it’s like Buck Rogers meets X-Ray Spex.

New Times: Did you envision your stage show being so over the top even when the band was first forming?

Roxy Epoxy: Oh yeah, right from the beginning we really wanted to put the fun and performance back into things, so we were throwing all these crazy ideas out there. But everything we do is super-D.I.Y. Our banner is made out of plastic and Christmas lights and duct tape. Same with our clothes — one night FM was wearing some bubble wrap he found in the trash. We could probably literally go down to the Dumpster to re-create our entire stage show.

NT: What’s the most outlandish thing you’ve ever worn onstage?

RE: Well, I bought some bondage tape once and wrapped that around myself, and that doesn’t stick very well once you start sweating. That was quite a boob scare.

NT: I was gonna ask if there have ever been any “wardrobe malfunctions.”

RE: Just that one. I use electrical tape now, and that works just fine. Usually it’s Viz that that stuff happens to. One time he completely wrapped himself in VHS tape, then discovered onstage that it’s really quite sharp as it moves around your body.

NT: Seems like the weirdest thing you guys could do is come out in tee shirts, jeans and Birkenstocks or something.

RE: We’ve been talking about that a lot lately, actually. You know, like growing beards and sitting down when we play, something like that.

NT: The beard part might be a little hard for you, though, huh?

RE: Oh come on, I’m Italian and French! It shouldn’t be a problem.