I think the better question is why should you not listen to The Hotcakes and there is no reason not to! The focus of our music is about fun; it’s about having a good time, it’s about dancing. Our songs are about boys, drama, robots, ghosts and life. That’s basically what we’re all about.

About the band itself, there’s been a bit of shuffling of band members since the inception of The Hotcakes, what effect has that had on your sound?

One of the most difficult things about being in a band, and I feel like this is true across the board, is the longevity of the band and it’s members. If the core people are still in the band, still believe in the band, the project is going to go on. So I think that as far as a writing team, they have remained intact for most of this project. We keep getting stronger because we are finding more of where our sound is and building that.

Your sound, music in generall is really all about passion; after playing some songs time and time again, does the passion for it diminish?

For me personally, I am a performer. The reason I love being in a band is that you perform. Every time we play a show, it is always different. It’s like live theater. You can play in the same play for years, every night you go onstage, say the same lines and it doesn’t matter; the audience is different. You never know what is going to happen. You are right there and you are reacting off of their energy, which is always new and fresh. It keeps it interesting and it keeps it going. We feed off the audience.

The 4 that comprise the royal “we” that is Hotcakes, spend days on end together, often in crammed quarters like when on tour. Any note-worthy inter-band hookups to share?

No, as far as — wait… ‘No comment,’ that’s what I am supposed to say. Everyone is single in the band, even the married ones.

Alright then how about we talk about something you can be a little more open about like style; what defines The Hotcakes’ style?

Everyone in the band brings their own musical element. For me personally I think I have a really strong love of punk rock and The Cure. I really like a lot of drama and high energy and I think that is a big part of the band. We get a lot of references to Blonde; I think because I am blonde and it’s me with a bunch of dudes, but also because we have really catchy songs and we’re from New York.

What separates you from other bands? What’s the goal of your music?

The ultimate goal of making music is putting together product that we are really proud of and happy with. It’s about the art: being able to express what we want to express. It’s not high-art, this is pop-music, let’s be straight. We live in an area of mass production, mass consumption — give me the Coca-Cola, then throw away the can [type of culture]. To have a career of longevity in my mind it’s about what makes you happy. You as the artist, if you’re not happy at the end of the day there is really no point.

Has sticking to your artistic vision been one of the band’s biggest challenges?

We’re not doing something that all the kids in Williamsburg are doing right now. We are much more happy and pop-y and fun and ultra shiny, a bit dirty and sexy. We’re not boys with long hair and acoustic guitars crying and playing the bongos. That’s not our deal. People will believe in you when you start to make it happen and that’s what we have found. From the beginning people were interested, but they kind of wait to see what happens; then once things start to happen more people get behind you. That has definitely happened for us with the band. Now we are playing bigger shows, better shows; it all keeps going, but you have to push so you don’t get run over.

A charismatic, energetic and plain old fun band called Unisex Salon is playing the role of standard bearer for the decade of excess in New York with their 80s inspired sound and style.

Fronting the throw-back band and epitomizing everything 80s is Kenyon Phillips. With his sleek tattooed body, big hair, quasi-androgynous look and surreal stage presence, Phillips is like Polaroid taken in 1983 come to life. With one exception.

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“I’ve never had a drink in my life,” chuckles Phillips when asked if he indulges in some of what made the 80s the 80s. “No booze, no smokes, no drugs…very un-80s of me.”

Phillips, however, does have a long standing addiction, but it’s to the rush of being in front of an audience.

“I was a fat child, I was bad at sports but I loved the school play,” he says emphatically. “And I remember when I got on stage and gave my first line, I felt so good, and I’ve been chasing that amazing feeling every since.”

Watch one live clip online and you’ll know exactly what he means.

“Even if you don’t like our music, you’ll like our stage show,” says Phillips. “Our performances are at the heart of Unisex Salon, it’s what has made us stand out and for me, performing a song you’ve written is the pinnacle, it’s what makes life worth living.”

The icing on this neon-coloured cake is the talent on stage with Phillips. The backings of the stunning Autumn Ready Potter, Brian Gumbel on the keyboards, former Fun Lovin’ Criminal Stephen Borgovini on drums, Jansen Cinco on bass and Chris Comfort on guitar round out the band.

“These guys never cease to amaze me. I’ve learned over the years that if the chemistry isn’t there, regardless of talent, it’s going to be shit. Just like sex,” he says, pausing to laugh a bit. “And in our case, the sex is great.”

And as for whether Unisex Salon can survive in the ever-growing, ever-changing New York music scene, Phillips shrugs of any doubt: “Hey, the more things change, the more they stay the same. A lot of it depends on the press’ tastes if you’re going to make it, but with them you’re either great or shitty, but the one thing common to a lot of other acts out there is that no one’s dancing, and that’s the point of difference; I dance and we’ll get the audience to dance too.”

MILOSH SHOOT, smoke & mirrors

BCBG,  bcbg.com

Cheap Monday, cheapmonday.com

David Dixon, daviddixon.ca

Design + Conquer, designandconquerjewellery.com

Faster by Mark Fast, fasterbymarkfast.net

French Connection, frenchconnection.com

H&M, hm.com

Imperfect Indulgence, imperfectindulgence.com

Kenneth Cole, kennethcole.com

Lia Sophia, liasophia.com

Mikhael Kale, mikhaelkale.com

Morales, renatamorales.com

Pink Tartan, pinktartan.com

Secret Hosiery, secretlegwear.com

Swarovski, swarovski.com

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POST APOCALYPTIC SUMMER

American Retro, americanretro.fr

Banana Republic, bananarepublic.com

Bathing Belle, bathingbelle.com

Chanel, chanel.com

David Dixon, daviddixon.ca

Diesel, diesel.com

Michael Kors, michaelkors.com

Natasha Gordon, natashaleighgordon.blogspot.com

Tara Jarmon, tarajarmon.com

Torso Vintages, torsovintages.com

Tosca Defino, toscadelfino.com

end