Sick Puppies

Although viral marketing has improved the condition of Sick Puppies, the cure may not be permanent. The Aussie band's attempts to break in the States were going nowhere when singer/guitarist Shimon Moore combined footage of performance artist Juan Mann, who offered "Free Hugs" to passersby, with a power ballad called...

By Michael Roberts

May 31, 2007

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Although viral marketing has improved the condition of Sick Puppies, the cure may not be permanent. The Aussie band's attempts to break in the States were going nowhere when singer/guitarist Shimon Moore combined footage of performance artist Juan Mann, who offered "Free Hugs" to passersby, with a power ballad called "All the Same" as a gesture of sympathy for Mann, who was mourning the death of his grandmother. Mann subsequently posted the clip on YouTube, where it racked up over 10 million views — a groundswell that convinced Virgin Records to adopt the Puppies and take the video mainstream. These efforts have bolstered sales of Dressed Up as Life, the group's U.S. debut. Trouble is, the disc aspires to a combination of hard rock and emo on cuts such as "Asshole Father," and the performers' credibility with fans of these styles probably won't be enhanced by their status as the most embraceable boys on MTV. By the end of the Puppies' tour with Flyleaf, Kill Hannah and Resident Hero, they may be all hugged out.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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