It's thirty minutes before showtime at Manhattan's Bowery Ballroom, and Lunachicks bassist Squid has her pants around her ankles to prove a point.| We've been talking tattoos and she just had to show off her latest work of art. "I have a new one across my kneecap," she squeals like a girl with a new toy. "Wanna see it?" There's no time to answer. "I'll drop my pants 'cause I like you," she offers. And there it is: a skull with the letters FTW. What does that stand for? Squid beams and explains: 'F--- the World.'

The Lunachicks have built a career on beer-burps, badass attitude and balls -- not to mention a blitzkrieg of catchy anthems. They've had all the ups and downs you'd expect from a rowdy punk/glam/metal band, including a major lineup change that reduced the band from five to four people two years ago when guitarist Sindi left -- leaving Theo (vocals), Gina (guitars), Squid (bass) and Chip (drums). But the departure was just what they needed: the band's first CD as a quartet -- after twelve years of playing together -- is a punk rock masterpiece.

The new album's title, Luxury Problem (Go Kart Records), may be tame, but the music and themes sure aren't. "We were gonna name it 'Suck Me Off Satan,' 'Jesus Sucks' or 'Luxury Problems,'" explains Squid. "It's hard finding what to call an album. 'Felching Jesus,' that was the other [possible title]!" she blurts. The band breaks into hysterics. Ultimately, though, Luxury Problem makes perfect sense since it pokes fun at spoiled girls and our society's propensity for clueless self-centeredness.

The album cover plays with the same concept, showing the gals decked out in the lap of luxury. "Someone was saying we look like rap stars," says Squid. Not likely. The Lunachicks are covered in tattoos, piercings, torn t-shirts and whatever gaudy accouterments they can find. Theo, the stunning lead singer, often sports a huge blond bouffant, fancy dresses and too much makeup onstage. Her looks attract a lot of attention -- from fawning fans to fashion designers. Betsey Johnson recently asked the band to play the CFDA-American Fashion Awards (the "Oscars of fashion").

"I modeled for her three different times for three different shows," Theo says nonchalantly. "Then she asked us to play, and it was insane. Donald Trump, Angelica Huston and every movie star [was there]. Yves Saint Laurent, Tommy Hilfiger, Bette Midler..."

"She was saying the awards were usually boring and conservative so she wanted to shake it up," notes Squid. "She had to fight to get us in there. After the show, Tommy [Hilfiger] was like: 'What's going on? Who are you signed to?'" Meanwhile, drummer Chip was hanging with Susan Lucci, Martha Stewart, and Bob Mackie.

All-girl bands haven't received this much attention since, well, the Go-Go's. And promoters haven't missed the point: the two bands are now playing ten dates together in July. "I'm actually interested to talk to them about their experiences," says Squid. "When you're in an all-female band, you can't help but feel some connections. And if we're gonna be pitted with another all-girl band, it might as well be the f---ing Go-Go's and not some lesser band that I won't mention so we don't get in trouble."

Theo suggests that they're definitely amending the set list too: "We'll do more poppy-ish songs than our hardcore songs. Or else we'd get booed off the stage." Squid elaborates: "We have such a range that we can do that and be true to ourselves. We can play the half of our record that's more radio-friendly, know what I mean? For the right audience, 'cause it's still us."

Not that there's anything wrong with pop. "We are all very pop sensible," adds Squid. "We like pop music. Look at the Buzzcocks. We were raised on early punk rock, especially English punk, which is pop music with an attitude. You know: the Ramones, Buzzcocks, Blondie, the Clash, all these bands. It's pop music with bad-asses behind it. That's a big part of our influence. Kiss? It's pop music."

If ever the Lunachicks had a shot at crossing over into the popular mainstream, it's now, when shock-rocking metal-punk bands like Marilyn Manson, Korn, and the Offspring sell like crazy. These bands share some of the same influences with the Lunachicks. "Starting out, none of us knew what we were doing," says Theo. "In our mind, we wanted to sound like AC/DC or Black Sabbath or Alice Cooper, but it didn't come out that way."

Instead, listeners will hear the sing-along chorus of the title track "Luxury Problem," the classic riffage of "Say What You Mean," the girl-group wall-of-sound in "Nowhere Fast" and the arena-worthy, slow-building rise and crash that catapults "Subway." It's smartly crafted girl pop with a Bad-Brains-like sense of abandon.

Good thing, too. When the band did try to curtail their sound on previous albums, they compromised their integrity and didn't gain a thing. "We thought maybe we could make more money [trying to write hits,] but it never f---ing made us any more money," says Squid. "So this last record, it's just totally self-indulgent ... what-we-wanted." Yes, as in FTW.

JAMES OLIVER CURY(June 16, 1999)