Is this the sound of the punk rock revival? I have a weird feeling that 2018 will be a big year for punk music across the board. If QWAM (Queen With A Microphone) has anything to do with it, they’ll be one of the groups leading the charge out of Brooklyn.
Their new EP will be coming out on January 19th, but until then, you can listen to their first single, “Doggie Door” below.
You’re going to want this one on repeat.
Read what could possibly be the most fun interview on the internet and prepare yourselves.
First off, on your Facebook page you describe your sound as “popsicle punk,” what is that and why does it fit your sound?
Felicia Lobo: Oh wow, I knew we should’ve have taken that down. We’re too cute to be a punk band. It just makes sense. We’re not so tough, ya know?
Eddie Kuspiel: I need to make sure my family was aware that it’s not cocaine that I’m sticking up my nose.
[everyone laughs]
F: Yeah exactly. Clear some things up.
E: Just banana flavored popsicles, which are my favorite.
Matt Keim: Banana, what?
F: No one likes banana flavored anything.
M: Are you a banana laffy taffy person, too?
E: Uh yeah, love it. Banana runts. Banana laffy taffy. Love it.
Rachel Zisette: The music’s gotta be juicy. Like popsicles. Not banana flavored ones.
How did the band come about? Have you been in other bands before QWAM?
F: Matt and I met doing theater. Matt was sound designing a horror play I was working on and I wrote on Twitter, “Who wants to start a punk band?” And Matt said OK.
M: Yeah. That was it.
R: I met them through a friend of a friend.
F: Eddie’s in another band.
M: Eddie’s in Color Tongue!
E: I’m in a band called Color Tongue and we met when they came to a show that Felicia’s boyfriend was playing with Color Tongue. We were looking for more bands for the practice space, and they needed a space. We jammed and it was awesome. They very cordially invited me to be in the band and I happily accepted. Then Rachel filled in for a couple shows on drums and I wanted to play with her all the time and then she joined the band.
It feels like there’s a resurgence of punk rock going on right now, do you agree? And if so, why do you think that is?
F: I mean I hope there is, I’m not sure there actually is right now.
E: I don’t agree with that at all.
F: I don’t really think that’s what’s going on right now, but it’s what I like so it’s what we make.
M: There’s definitely small scenes of not necessarily punk music, but guitar fast heavy stuff going on.
R: Because there are so many scenes of music everywhere. You can play a punk show and have 4 different kinds of bands. There’s still a mindset and a style and a network. That’s what makes it punk.
E: We’re living in the age of the internet so you can find whatever you want to find if you want to be a part of it.
F: Yeah.
M: Unnnhh.
F: I feel like instruments are making a little bit of a comeback.
E: I mean, everyone’s bored of synthesizers.
F: Yeah, everyone’s bored of synthesizers.
E: Not me!
M: Not after Stranger Things. Oh man. Not after that soundtrack.
E: Right on.
Why aren’t you on Spotify? Is it coming?
F: Guess what. It just happened today.
M: Right now. It just happened.
F: Literally just happened. We were just behind. Everything happens so fast.
Before your debut EP Feed Me drops in January, you released “Doggie Door” as a single, why did you pick this song for the release?
R: It’s a banger.
E: It’s fun as f*ck.
F: It’s fun as f*ck! It’s the song that gets us hyped, gets people excited. What do you think? (To Matt)
M: People like that one.
[laughs]
F: I think it’s a good introduction. The gang vocals give the atmosphere that we like to create at shows, which is ‘it’s party time.’
Speaking of the new EP, what’s your favorite song on it?
M: “Doggie Door” for me. Definitely “Doggie Door,” I’m going to go with that one.
F: I think “Feed Me” makes me laugh the most because a bunch of our friends are on it saying really dumb stuff that makes me laugh. Like “turkey leg.”
E: Turkey leg.
ALL: Turkey leg!
E: Uhh, what songs are on it?
[laughs]
E: Uhh, “Dirty Feet.” “Dirty Feet” is my favorite. I like that one, I feel like that one’s most outside our box.
F: Now it sort of is our box, though.
E: Right. I feel like it’s outside, but it also encompasses. We’re like punk rock and like an old-school sixties rock band, and that song kinda takes it all in. I love that song.
M: I get to turn around and watch Rachel mouth the words.
R: “Dirty Feet.” It’s my favorite to play and I like the composition of it.
E: I feel like Rachel really gets to show off in that song, which is my favorite thing.
F: We’re all show offs.
Desert island album… hypothetically, you land on an island with a record player, power source, and ONE record… what is it?
F: I hate this question.
M: As a band! Let’s decide to do it that way, one record for the whole band.
F: I think that’s impossible, Matt.
M: Yeah, well.
F: We all have crazy different tastes. I’m going to need to think about that one.
R: Outkast’s ATliens or Flaming Lips’ Soft Bulletin. Only because they’re the first two that came to my head and I don’t want to continue to think about it. I see no need to answer as a band. Who said we’re on the same island? Oh, and Guided By Voices’ Alien Lanes. All the aliens I guess.
E: Undecided.
M: Undecided.
F: System of a Down’s Hypnotize. Gotta tell the truth.
How do you find new music?
F: Usually actually I think I take recommendations from friends. I feel like Eddie says bands all the time and I’m like, oh, I should look them up.
E: Yeah, I’ll say friends.
M: Yeah, lots of friends. I also get pretty heavily into internet blog searching.
E: I feel like not even always friends. I’d say people in bands I’m in will try to explain a song and they reference a band and I’ll go check out that band. Or bands we want to play with, people say this band sounds like so and so.
F: Yeah, I agree.
M: Friends, scenes, internet.
R: Yeah, just hearing stuff out in the world that leads you to other music too-friends, movies, internet.
What do you think the best way to support up-and-coming bands is? Going to shows? Buying records? Word of mouth? Other?
F: Go to shows.
M: Go to shows.
E: Go to f*cking shows.
F: Get out of your house and go to shows and dance.
M: Yeah, dance.
E: Get a license at like 13 years old now and go to a f*cking show.
M: We were grumpy about that one.
E: For real, though, for real.
R: Go to a show. If you like it, go again.
Thanks all!
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