An Emo Puppet Band? Yes! Meet Fragile Rock
By April Jones
Check out Fragile Rock, the Austin-based performance art group that’s currently poised to become the best thing in puppetry since Avenue Q.
Imagine if Gerard Way and Jim Henson had decided to collaborate on…something. The end result would probably turn out like this: Fragile Rock, an emo puppet band. Yes, you’re reading that correctly. Emo. Puppet. Band.
Fragile Rock is the brainchild of comedian Brently Heilbron who came up with the idea as a way to cope with a recent divorce. He channeled his impulse to write sad songs into something a bit more comedic, utilizing actor Shaun Branigan’s talent for puppetry, Jessica Garden’s video directing skills, and some assistance from musicians and puppeteers in the Austin area.
The band’s motto, “Stay Felt,” is just what you’d expect from an emo puppet band — if you’d ever actually expected to see an emo puppet band. (It’s also the name of their first tour.) And you probably wouldn’t be surprised to learn that their first single, available on iTunes, is titled “I Am Sad (And So Am I)”. Their Facebook URL? Facebook.com/PuppetPain. Of course.
According to the Fragile Rock website, the band’s frontman Milo S. is “temperamental, hyper-emotional, and constantly breaking up the band.” Bass player Nic Hole, raised in the “vibrant musical scene of Omaha,” once dated Milo but now claims to be the girlfriend of actor Elijah Wood. Guitarist Kyle Danko is “just trying to keep it all together” while Coco Bangs “the beats and the groupies” (but not in that order.) The band is supported by backing vocals from The Cocteau…Triplets — Texas, Lynus, and Briex.
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In spite of their emo-ness, Fragile Rock did not let something as minor as being rejected from America’s Got Talent deter them from pursuing their dreams of stardom. They recently announced a few tour dates as well as an upcoming performance at SXSW in March 2017.