Scowl seem on the quilt of the Fall 2023 Problem. Head to the AP Store to seize a duplicate, in addition to an unique vinyl variant of Psychic Dance Routine, restricted to 100 copies.
“It’s a fickle factor to need to be identifiable but really feel strangled by the concept of being boxed into one singular id,” says Kat Moss, the lime green-haired frontwoman of Santa Cruz hardcore outfit Scowl. It’s a heavy, sincere sentiment she throws out, one felt by many hard-working artists within the trade, and definitely past. It’s this sort of truism that we see, and listen to, from Moss and her band that has allowed them to straddle being each a band’s band and an viewers favourite since their begin. In actual time, Moss and her bandmates — Malachi Greene, Mikey Bifolco, Bailey Lupo, and Cole Gilbert — are making their manner by Europe on tour, celebrating their anthemic third EP, Psychic Dance Routine, and sharing their defiantly charged sound and devoted, expressive reside efficiency with a world that day by day is accepting hardcore additional into their hearts.
Learn extra: 15 finest fashionable hardcore bands for day one followers
Observing the wave that’s heavy music and the hardcore scene crashing down on a wider viewers than ever earlier than, Scowl sit at its crest. For the reason that launch of their first self-titled EP in 2019, the group have garnered consideration and acclaim from these inside the group and past, accruing followers like Publish Malone and Travis Barker, various legends the band’s members grew up listening to and venerating themselves. In 4 brief years, they’ve discovered themselves in a sequence of pinch-me moments — from a DM of admiration from Fred Durst that led to a gap slot touring with Limp Bizkit to a shoutout from Hayley Williams on her podcast All the things is Emo. For the band, and the Santa Cruz hardcore scene they got here from, it’s been a whirlwind that’s all too straightforward to get swept up in. Nonetheless, they’ve made certain to recollect the place they got here from.
For the quilt story, Different Press adopted the band round their beachfront hometown on the eve of the European leg of their tour. Whereas on the highway, keen to specific their gratitude and reignite inspiration new and outdated whereas juggling time zones and exhaustion, Moss and Greene conversed with yet one more Scowl fan-cum-alternative icon and private hero — who additionally occurred to be touring — Frank Iero, guitarist of supergroup L.S. Dunes and My Chemical Romance.
First off, thanks for taking the time to reply these questions. I do know this may be an thrilling expertise but in addition a bit soul-sucking on the identical time. Additionally, I’m flattered to have been requested to do that with you. I’ll strive my finest to not waste your time or make you would like you by no means requested me.
KAT MOSS: Thanks for taking the time to give you such considerate questions! We’re so grateful, particularly contemplating how difficult it’s to search out time to do that stuff when on tour, taking good care of bodily and psychological well being, and simply being a human!
In different interviews I’ve seen, I do know most members of Scowl have been in different bands across the scene, however Kat, if I’m not mistaken, you stated that is your first band. How did the connection between members come to be? Why did you’re feeling this was the band? And what, if any, have been your expectations when beginning Scowl?
MOSS: Right! Everybody had no less than a couple of years of expertise taking part in in DIY hardcore bands — besides me! The one musical expertise I beforehand had was highschool choir. I met Malachi (guitar) and Cole (drums) round roughly the identical time. They have been taking part in in a band I like from Santa Cruz referred to as Jawstruck. I had all the time needed to be in a band. I simply didn’t know the way that actuality would unfold. I used to be lively within the Bay Space/Northern California hardcore scene for a little bit over a 12 months, usually going to reveals alone. I really met Malachi at a Gilman present in Berkeley! It didn’t take lengthy for me to divulge heart’s contents to Malachi and specific my curiosity in taking part in in a band. I had zero expectations apart from a couple of “bucket checklist” objectives. This was my mindset:
- Play reveals with our buddies: Drain, Gulch, Sunami, Palms of God, Jawstruck, No Proper, and many others.
- Perhaps even open for a few of my favourite hardcore bands like Gorilla Biscuits or Terror!
- Tour as a lot as potential
- Play my favourite hardcore fest, Sound and Fury!
- Play a present at 924 Gilman
- I imply it after I say I actually had no concept what was in retailer for us when it got here to our alternatives.
Music is a ravishing and fascinating vocation. It’s coveted by many and misunderstood by extra. Some individuals who do it for a dwelling by no means anticipated it to be their major job, and lots of who would do something to be the place we’re won’t ever get the shot they deserve or are hoping for. Was this one thing you all the time needed to do along with your lives? If not, what has been your ardour? And lastly, if for some purpose the power to play music was taken from you tomorrow, what would you need to do along with your remaining days?
MOSS: I may by no means determine what precisely I needed to do with my life rising up. All I knew is I needed to be in a artistic profession. I struggled at school and by no means graduated highschool. The message I acquired from the world was that I didn’t have many choices. So I all the time imagined myself as an artist, whether or not that be a passion or a job. For a very long time, music felt like a membership I simply didn’t get invited into, one thing I’d solely devour — by no means take part. On daily basis I’m shocked and endlessly grateful to play music in any respect! If I wasn’t capable of play music, I’d wish to pursue trend design, work in illustration, or turn into a make-up artist.
Was there a particular present or band you noticed that made you need to begin taking part in music or say, “Rattling, I have to be up on a stage doing that”?
MOSS: I apologize for a way cliche that is going to sound, however My Chemical Romance was that band for me! Scenes from the Life On The Homicide Scene documentary really feel burned into my mind. It left an enormous impression on me and led me inevitably down the road of punk and hardcore bands. I found Black Flag, Useless Kennedys, [and] Damaging Method and fashionable bands like Ceremony, Energy Journey, [and] Incendiary. I consumed every thing I may: books, zines, documentaries, even defunct web boards. I needed to leap in a van with a bunch of my buddies, scream, sweat, and dance in random basements or VFW halls. I went to numerous live shows and Warped Excursions, however DIY reveals have been essentially the most inspiring to me. Any band may rise up there and do it! That was large for me. I didn’t need to be technically good or proficient as a result of that wasn’t the purpose of punk music.
Rising up in New Jersey, the shadow of the Misfits loomed giant, as did the NYHC scene, however then sooner or later so did The Sopranos and Jersey Shore. So individuals would hear the place my band was from and count on these caricatures of the issues they heard about on TV. Admittedly, after I hear Santa Cruz, my mind instantly goes to skateboards and Misplaced Boys. However I’m certain there’s a lot extra… What do you would like individuals knew about the place you’re from, slicing your enamel within the Santa Cruz scene, and what are belongings you want to cease seeing in article titles or props in proposed picture shoots?
MOSS: I like the truth that you introduced this up! I’m not even from Santa Cruz, and whereas I’ll wave the flag proudly, I received’t deny being a transplant on this metropolis. I like the sunny seaside, browsing, and boardwalks, however I don’t really feel it connects a lot to my id or Scowl’s id. Generally I develop bored with go-go boots and daisies. I simply attempt to see it as a chance to strive one thing new. It’s a fickle factor to need to be identifiable but really feel strangled by the concept of being boxed into one singular id!
MALACHI GREENE: It’s robust to say as a result of I like all these issues! I don’t thoughts them being staples for the city. I grew up skating and browsing, and it’s for certain an enormous a part of the city. I want extra individuals knew Killer Klowns from Outer House was filmed right here. I want extra individuals knew the struggles of Santa Cruz and the rising houseless inhabitants because of the wage hole, hire will increase, and lack of psychological well being help for these in want. It’s painted as a sunny city with a seaside and boardwalk, however there’s struggles for individuals who reside right here that get missed usually. So many individuals listed here are pressured out due to how laborious it’s to make ends meet. Plus, so many individuals purchase up properties for trip, and there’s already an absence of inexpensive housing. I like Santa Cruz, and it’s a ravishing place, however rather a lot will get brushed underneath the rug that shouldn’t, and there ought to be extra help for the houseless and people combating psychological well being.
I think about your band will get requested rather a lot about what your emotions are or what you’re feeling your function is in female-fronted hardcore or with femininity being represented within the style. I do know there’s a lot to be achieved and stated earlier than equality is definitely achieved in all features, however I’m wondering in case you are getting bored with answering these forms of questions and want you possibly can simply be seen as a band first. Or do you’re feeling just like the floor has not but been scratched and it’s partly your responsibility to proceed the dialog?
MOSS: I feel two issues could be true. I do discover it tiring when it’s the one factor a stranger can communicate to me about, however that exhaustion doesn’t imply I need to silence the dialog altogether. When Scowl began, I needed to write down lyrics about my expertise, however not pigeonhole myself! It was scary at first to stroll that tightrope. I really feel it’s all of our private responsibility to query the way in which we expect and understand these invisible constructions, whether or not that be having the dialog or discovering sources to teach ourselves, and I’m not afraid to assist get the engine began on that. Lastly and most personally, I need to be perceived as a musician earlier than “a lady in a band.”
I really feel I is likely to be a bit older than everybody in your band, and with out attempting to sound just like the man who needed to stroll by two miles of snow uphill in each instructions to see his favourite band play… I do bear in mind vividly that again within the day when a band determined to develop, evolve, and alter up their type, the loud shrieks of “SELLOUT!” could be hurled from the lips of everybody within the room.
Nonetheless, as of late it appears to be rather more embraced by the followers. With bands like Title Battle (as I’ve heard you point out in previous interviews as an affect or no less than being a fan of) taking followers on a lighter journey into extra melodic and shoegaze-type feels, do you discover it to be a neater highway incorporating extra melodic singing into the band’s sound? And Kat, do you discover it to be a bit extra liberating to now have a unique type of singing that you could incorporate into your repertoire as a musician and songwriter?
MOSS: The scene has positively turn into a bit extra open-minded and welcoming to bands attempting new issues, new kinds. It nonetheless ends in a form of chatter, however nothing in comparison with the tales I’ve examine! Thank god.
I discover it to be extraordinarily liberating to strive new issues vocally and melodically! I’m nonetheless discovering my voice, and there could be no pleasure in taking part in in a band if I denied myself the chance to experiment and be impressed by different genres and writing kinds. All of my favourite artists problem themselves, and I love that about them.
GREENE: Individuals will all the time speculate on what promoting out is, however we’ve all the time been true to ourselves and achieved what we’ve preferred to do. I’m certain individuals say we’ve offered out for including extra melody! Bands have been including melody and experimenting with style for the reason that begin. Dangerous Brains, Hüsker Dü, 7 Seconds, Biohazard, and lots of extra have achieved genre-bending songs or albums manner earlier than us. We’ve grown as musicians, and we’re in a position so as to add different influences as a result of we realized to play a little bit higher. If we didn’t evolve, it’d be stale. I feel persons are extra open-minded now, and I feel that’s due to bands earlier than us, like those listed earlier than, and extra present bands like Ceremony, Code Orange, Title Battle, Turnstile, Trash Speak, Angel Du$t, and extra who broke the mildew and did shit their manner. I like the creativity occurring as of late.
Rising up, there have been sure labels that my buddies and I turned followers of as in the event that they have been bands. The standard management was so good, and the group they cultivated was so refined that it ensured at any time when a brand new document was launched or a brand new band was signed, you possibly can virtually assure it will be one thing that you possibly can get behind and would dig. Nowadays with labels like Triple B, Closed Casket, and your present dwelling, a label like Flatspot, I used to be questioning if you happen to felt such as you have been part of one thing comparable or harking back to that?
MOSS: One thing I like about hardcore is that I can depend on phrase of mouth or a DIY label to point out me the way in which! I completely really feel just like the torch has been handed down with this unstated custom. Our subculture is sacred to us; I hope that feeling near bands and the individuals taking part in the music by no means dies since you don’t get that with many different scenes. Creating these bonds is such a particular factor that makes it really feel totally different and particular, sheltered away from mass consumption or the challenges of the music trade.
With what looks as if such a quick and fixed rise to your band, what are your favourite objectives you might have completed with Scowl? Are there any that also stay? Do you might have a plan in place to attain these objectives? Does that one way or the other contain an endgame or an ending to the band?
GREENE: Truthfully, my solely purpose was to play reveals with my buddies after we began. I needed to tour and see new locations. As we did that, issues began occurring, and funky alternatives arose that we couldn’t imagine have been occurring! Enjoying Sound and Fury, to me, appeared like the largest factor on this planet, and I cherish that reminiscence dearly. Enjoying MSG on the Limp Bizkit tour was one thing I by no means thought would occur, and I’m nonetheless coming to phrases with the truth that we bought to play there. Even assembly a few of my favourite bands on the highway or [at] fests we’ve performed collectively. I need to tour rather more and proceed to develop as a musician and as a band.
I’ve a number of objectives now, however within the begin, I used to be simply studying how you can play guitar and carry out. There are a number of bands I’d like to tour with and locations we haven’t performed but. The plan is to maintain working at it till we get there. No finish recreation deliberate for the band, and to be sincere, I hope it by no means ends. For the primary time in my life, I really feel joyful and a part of one thing constructive. I hope to maintain that going for so long as potential.
MOSS: Sure issues have occurred scarily quick in Scowl’s world! I’m actually joyful we bought to play Sound and Fury in 2022. That’s an enormous private milestone… Enjoying Coachella was additionally stupidly insane. Touring abroad, help excursions with a few of my favourite bands, writing an LP, even quitting my job to tour full time all fall on the checklist of favourite accomplishments. I’m a really goal-oriented particular person, in order I’ve checked off packing containers, I’ve added extra, touring Japan being on the prime of the checklist, writing and recording LP 2, and to all the time do issues that may make my youthful self proud. 13-year-old Kat wouldn’t imagine being on the quilt of AP or being in a band for that matter!
I don’t see an finish in sight, and since we by no means completely had a plan, I’m simply having fun with the journey and discovering magnificence in each a part of the expertise, even the robust stuff like stress and vulnerability. I need to do that so long as it makes me joyful. On the finish of the day, it’s about all the time discovering gratitude.
