Paris Texas want you to stop calling your pets stupid names

Life can be hard as a conjoined twin. He wants to play the drums, you want to play the guitar. He wants to turn the page, you’re not ready yet – and worst of all, the hot twins from across the road don’t fancy you, no matter how many times you wave and smile at them.

That is until you find the magic sword that will separate you into two fully formed human beings. This is the predicament in which experimental hip-hop duo Paris Texas find themselves in the music video for their latest track, They Left Me With the Sword. Taken from their new EP of the same name, it blends mischievous, ironic verses with heavy, indie rock guitars.

The fever dream video is typical of the universe the LA duo have created with Paris Texas: darkly humorous, with as much attention put into world-building as the music itself. Operating under the pseudonyms Louie Pastel and Felix, the pair were born and raised in Los Angeles, and met at community college in 2013, after being introduced through a mutual friend.

At the time, Louie made beats and Felix was experimenting with rapping. The two originally joined forces just to improve on their skills but by the second day had already started collaborating on a track. Their first official release, under the Paris Texas banner, came in 2018. A debut EP entitled I’ll Get My Revenge in Hell, impressing fans with their blend of punk, rock and hip-hop. Over the years, they developed an increasingly experimental sound and visual aesthetic through a string of singles, wacky short films and EPs, developing a cult fan base which include Mac DeMarco and Kenny Mason amongst its ranks. By 2023, Paris Texas had made their Coachella debut; and now, they join fellow delightfully unhinged artist, Tyler, the Creator on tour playing over 80 shows worldwide.

Today, Louie and Felix are ringing in slightly bleary-eyed from a hotel in Vancouver, a few hours before they’re set to perform a show. Two weeks ago, after surprise dropping They Left Me With the Sword, they followed up with the more rock-tinged They Left Me With a Gun a week later, an EP which to them, belongs to the same universe, yet to fans couldn’t be more different. ​“It’s funny to see [the reception online],” Louie says, ​“the people who were down for the first one, they don’t like the second one.”

Louie and Felix list unconventional influences for the two projects: Vince Vaughn’s crime drama Brawl in Cell Block 99, The Substance and the 1984 classic Gremlins. ​“We usually do short films with our releases, but none of them have really been all that cohesive. The music videos sit in one world, the short films in one and the album sits in another, but this is the first time all three have worked in conjunction with each other,” Louie says.

The tour, along with the projects feel like a real breakthrough moment for the duo. For the first time, they’ve been able to free themselves from a predominantly DIY process allowing more time to focus on writing and performing on their tour with Tyler. ​“The shows have been amazing,” Louie smiles, ​“they’ve been really giving us love.”

What’s the best excuse for running late?

Felix: It’s usually death. If you say your cat died or your dog died, for some reason, people will be like, ​“oh man!” – more than humans. It’s crazy that they hold the same weight as grandma, but I respect it.

If you could make a rule for social media, what would it be?

Louie Pastel: Don’t complain. And if you want to hate, there should be a rating system. People have to respect your opinion enough to pree the hate, and then you can start hating. Also [your posts] have got to be under 100 characters – get it concise.

You’re going on a road trip with two other people. Who are they and where are you going?

L: I’m taking the boys, Felix and DJ Anklesandwich and we’re going to Atlanta.

F: Oh, shit.

What’s the most elite movie-watching snack?

L: Hot dog.

F: Oh a hot dog! I never see you with the glizzy in the theatre. I would say popcorn, it’s so crazy, just bottomless.

If you were on a game show, what would be your entrance song?

L: I’m Shinin’ by The Pack.

F: Zack Fox has an edit of KEY! Saying ​“bitch” for ten minutes.

What reality TV show do you think we need to bring back?

L: Paradise Hotel. It used to be on MTV: they’d bring two couples to a resort and two of them used to be exes, and they would send the exes into a house. Then the new partners would sit in another room and watch. At the end, they would be like, do you want to get back with your ex? in front of the new partner. Just demonic. We need more demonic ones.

Is there anything you really hope will exist in the future?

F: I need an app where you can take a picture of an animal or an insect and it tells you what it is, a whole fucking encyclopedia almanac of animals and it gives you fun facts. And for the dogs, it would give you an option to adopt. Oh man, million dollar idea. Someone get Mark Cuban on the phone today.

What’s the best pet name?

L: I love when animals have regular human names, like Mark, but it’s a dog. For some reason when people name their animals silly names like Squiggles, they’re always pieces of shit.