The Secret Weapons

Magic Bullets (from left): Colin Dobrin, 25, drums; Corey Cunningham, 27, guitar; Philip Benson, 26, vocals; Nathan Sweatt, 25, bass; Matthew Kallman, 26, keyboards; and Ryan Lynch, 27, guitar. Their debut album, A CHILD but in Life yet a DOCTOR in Love (Words on Music), hit in May, and a live album was just released by Spaceland Recordings.

Magic Bullets may not have a hip-hop attitude about the trappings of success (their first advance check will, they say, go toward dinner at the Mission’s Palace Family Steak House), but they do have their eye on the merchandising prize: “We were talking about trying to sell our own beer at shows—call it Bullet Brew or Magic Juice,” jokes drummer Colin Dobrin. 

Building on the legacy of UK post-punk legends Gang of Four and NYC bands like the Feelies, the Bullets’ cross-reference indie contemporaries such as The Walkmen with a vintage twist of call-and-response added to the sonic mix. “We channel the sense of fun of living in SF,” says guitarist Corey Cunningham. It’s worked so far, earning the Bullets opening slots for Bonde Do Role and the French Kicks as well as eliciting an “impressive musicianship” endorsement from SPIN.com.

The guys obviously recognize the value of product placement: Cunningham struck up a friendship with filmmaker Scott Prendergast, and as a result, the band’s song “Heatstroke” appears on the soundtrack for Prendergast’s film Kabluey. Even better, “Heatstroke” caught the attention of tastemaker (and onetime co-manager of the Killers) Larry Little, who included it on his industry sampler TankFarm Future Sounds. 

Check Magic Bullets' website for upcoming shows—or catch the band at Nap’s in the Mission, where they go for karaoke. “I’ve seen Corey getting down to the Doors there,” says singer Philip Benson, “dancing in psychedelic circles and such.”

WEB EXCLUSIVE: Q&A

Where does the quirky title of your album come from?
Cunningham: From a dream that my friend had. She dreamed she was in an acting class and Paul Reubens was her teacher, and he was being really creepy—that’s not really relative to the title. At the end of the class she graduated, and they gave her a plaque that said, “A child but in life yet a doctor in love.” I think originally I just suggested it so we’d have a title, but we didn’t think of anything else. We did like the idea that it could be shorted to have the nickname Child Doctor.

Any pre- or post-show rituals?
Dobrin: We try to hug each other afterwards.
Benson: Colin likes to hug.
Dobrin: I like to hug. There’s some rampant hugging.
Benson: It depends on how the show goes.

Is Magic Bullets a reference to the play The Black Rider?
Dobrin: I’m a Tom Waits fan—probably the only one in the band—and he wrote the music to The Black Rider. But I didn’t think of the name.

What would you change about SF?
We might change the fact that so many clubs in San Francisco seem reluctant to put on an all-ages show. We often receive requests from younger fans to play shows they can attend, and it’s unfortunate that the venues we so love to play in San Francisco often won’t budge on the subject.

Who would you choose for the Hot 20?
The fellas at TheBayBridged.com, a local blog covering independent music and art in the Bay Area. They’re super-supportive of local artists and key in helping expose new music, all at their own expense.

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