2000s Band Be Your Own Pet Returns

After nearly two decades of being apart, noughties grunge band Be Your Own Pet returns to music by announcing their third album Mommy, set to release on August 25 via Third Man Records. The album is defined by matured songwriting and a way to assert themselves in the musical landscape and taking control of their futures. In addition, it is influenced by frontwoman Jemima Pearl taking charge by bringing ideas onto the writing room.

“Mommy is the bitch in charge, the one in control. It’s a reclamation of myself.”

Jemima Pearl

As a result of this announcement, the band shared the lead single “Worship The Whip.” The song is considered to be the edgier, sadomasochistic version of Devo’s “Whip It.” Embedded in their signature grunge sound, the explicit dominatrix talk is used as a double meaning for the modern political climate, according to Pearl.

“‘Worship The Whip’ is about the right wing authoritarian personality. Aggressive and domineering to people who don’t think like them, while at heart being a submissive to the authority figures who use and abuse them.”

Jemima Pearl

The single has an accompanying music video, directed by Jordan William and shot by Ben Chappell. The kinky, S&M nature of the black and white music video is reminiscent of Madonna’s “Erotica,” minus the nudity and sex acts. The video shows Pearl strutting around in a black latex catsuit while carrying a whip. Additionally, she and the other band members come across boot stompers. With both the musical and visual elements of “Worship The Whip,” provocation is an effective way to get the message about abusive authority figures across.

Be Your Own Pet was founded in Nashville in the mid 2000s. Apart from Pearl on vocals, it consists of guitarist Jonas Stein, bassist Nathan Vasquez, and drummer John Eatherly. All of the members were underage when they joined the era’s grunge revival alongside bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Strokes. During their time, they released two albums — their self-titled debut in 2006 and Get Awkward in 2008. However, their reign only lasted two years before calling it quits the same year. Who would have thought that they would come back onto our radar stronger than ever?

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Stream “Worship The Whip” on Spotify: