You recorded This Ain’t Gonna End Well… with Jesse Gander and Mariessa McLeod at Rain City Recorders in Vancouver. How did you decide where to record? What was the recording process like?

We had worked with Mariessa before because she’s a sound tech at a venue we play often in Vancouver. Rain City is somewhere I always wanted to go as a kid. I grew up listening to metal and punk and so many of my favourite bands and albums have come out of that studio. So when we were shopping around we figured why not shoot for the moon and see if we could get a spot in there. We’re all really familiar with Jesse’s work.

The experience was great. Jesse actually had to fly out to Belgium to record a band so Mariessa ended up engineering the record which was super fun. She made it super comfortable for us and it felt like we were hanging out with a friend while churning out the tunes. It was great! We did the whole thing in 5 days, which I was really surprised about for 13 songs, but it all came together really well. It was a super fun experience.

It was our first time going and recording in a big pro studio like that. It was evident right away why people spend the money on doing that because it was such a different experience than anything we’ve done. It was so streamlined and there were so many cool, creative ideas being thrown at us by Mariessa while she was tracking the album that kinda just came together to make it what it was.

What were some of the ideas that you ended up using?

For guitars we used two different amps, two different heads, and two different guitars even though there’s no lead, it’s all one guitar track more or less. We got this really cool full blend of sound by using two different sounding setups for that. Then for bass, we used three different ones.

It sounds so expansive!

Definitely! As a band that only has one guitar and a bass and drums, I feel like we accomplished a pretty big and thick sound for not having lead guitars on there. That was really cool. The way that Laurie [Storrie] plays bass is so busy it almost acts as another piece for creating melody and stuff. It’s really sick to see that it came out that way.

This is your first release with Ashley Gelaude on drums. What impact has she had on the dynamic of the band?

Oh my god, Ashley changed everything for us! This is actually the first time we’ve had an actual drummer as our drummer. [laughs] That makes a huge difference. She has a wealth of experience; she has worked as a session musician, as a touring musician, played in a bunch of bands, and been in the studio a lot. She has brought a really professional and streamlined approach to everything in the band. I think things really evolved when she came in.

Seeing her in the studio was so cool. It’s such a sweet space because everyone’s individual stuff shines through. We did drums first and we were all absolutely blown away by what she did in there and how much of a pro she was.

You’ve said that even though this is your third release, it feels like your first one. How do you feel you’ve grown as a band and as people since you formed in 2021?

The band has had this really beautiful, natural progression through connecting with other people and spending so much time touring and putting ourselves out there. I feel like we’ve developed a really broad, expansive community across the country and even down in the US and the UK. I think that’s the biggest piece of growth: the people and the bands and the communities we’ve been lucky enough to connect with through doing this.

You have so many guest vocalists on the album. You have Kristy-Lee Audette of Rong, Craig Johnson of Pilsgnar, Sarinn Blawatt of Alien Boys, Pat Westmacott of The Grinning Barretts, Kaia Jae of The Drink Tickets, and Rowan Chamberland of Shame Banger. How did these collaborations come about?

They’re all people that we are connected to through the music scene and who we also looked up to. Getting Sarinn from Alien Boys on there was such a treat and something I never thought I would see happen. [laughs] These are all people who we really love and we love what they are doing in their individual projects and their politics. They’re all people who really have the same vision that we do, so we picked them based on that. Also, every person who’s on there has such a different sounding voice and presence and energy. I feel like it really helped create a lot of diversity in the sound on the album through having so many different voices on there.

How would you describe your songwriting process?

Usually it starts with Josh [Marcellin] writing some tasty riffs on his guitar and sending them out to us. I think he has a pretty busy mind with that stuff so he’s constantly churning out riffs and sending them our way. Then Ashley will throw drums on there and Laurie will figure out what they’re going to do on bass. Then I’ll sit with all that and write lyrics on top of it once there’s a general structure laid out. For this whole album, we demoed everything and that was our first time doing that. It helped us refine the sound of things.

On “Chaotic Evil” you talk about the worsening conditions for unhoused people and the urgent need to fix policies surrounding the toxic drug crisis. You’ve also worked in harm reduction for quite a while now. What harm reduction information should everyone know?

I think a huge piece is the fight for safe supply because that’s the thing that’s going to really help. People being aware that those programs are super helpful and super important is needed. There’s no real fix but if people have access to stuff that is regulated and they know what’s in it, that’s going to be the thing that keeps people from dying all the time. And just to remember that, especially as things get worse and worse in our economy and society, everyone is really just a few bad circumstances or decisions away from ending up in those places. We need to make sure that we’re continuing to treat people as people and try and retain that lens of compassion.

Working in harm reduction for so long is really like banging your head against a wall so much of the time because you’re like, “How are people not seeing that these people are human beings just like them?” It can take you to a pretty dark place, but it’s also really nice to take a look at all the wonderful people who are out there and who are doing that work. There are a lot of people who really have their hearts in it and are compassionate.

You also talk about neurodiversity on the album, especially on “Shakin’ It Off” and “Executive Dysfunction”. On “Shakin’ It Off” you talk about self-acceptance and have the line, “I’m making peace with me”. What’s helped you with self-acceptance?

I think the enduring journey of recognizing how my brain works and looking at the strengths as opposed to just the negative side of things. Also through that connecting with other people who share the same kind of stuff and recognizing that there are so many people out there who are in the same boat. I think that really helps. It helps you feel less isolated and more connected to other people. It’s a journey, it’s not a linear process. I think we’re always fighting against ourselves but if we can find those moments of self-compassion and peace it does make it a lot easier.

Do you have something that helps you lighten up on yourself if you feel like you’re being really hard on yourself?

I think talking with people who I trust and who I know love me. Leaning on my community and my close relationships with people is really helpful. I really believe that if you’re ever feeling bad about yourself, take a look at the people around you and look at the people you love and admire. Do you really think that those people would be spending time with you if they’re so wonderful if you’re not as well? That’s something that I really like to share with people and has helped me a lot too. I think the company we keep is a big reflection of ourselves, so being able to look at the people who are close to you that you love so much should be a direct reflection of yourself in a lot of ways.

Is there anything you’d like people to know about neurodiversity?

That probably more people than they think are neurodiverse. [laughs] That everyone who has difficulties through that also has really special attributes and things that are like their own personal superpowers. It’s important to focus on that stuff within yourself and other people and try to bring that out in the people that we care about who may be struggling.

On “1000 Times Before” you talk about the spiral of self-loathing that we fall into while using social media. If you feel yourself being sucked into that cycle what helps you break out of it?

Oh man, just trying to reflect on my own life. [laughs] Not looking at what other people are doing so much and comparing myself to that. I just take a minute to take some gratitude for all the things I have in my life and the way that I’m living.

I was actually inspired to write that song by someone very close to me who was really struggling with their self-image and stuff because of social media. We were having some big conversations about that around the time we were writing the album. I was like, “This is such a real thing that people don’t talk about enough”.

Everyone just kind of normalizes it which is really scary.

Yeah, it really is. It’s such a prevailing thing in our society right now. It doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

On “’Til The Wheels Fall Off” you celebrate touring and being on the road. Do you have a favourite touring memory?

I think one of my favourite memories was from one of the last tours we did. We flew out to Ontario and did 10 days out there. The very last day of the tour was Ottawa. Josh had bought this $100 guitar to have as a backup that he was gonna get rid of. We decided it would be funny to walk over to the Parliament Buildings, go right in front of the main building, and smash the guitar. We did that and immediately got swarmed by like 20 cops. We had to talk our way out of it. Then we tried to convince them to come to the show because we have songs about our disdain for cops and thought it would be funny for them to hear it firsthand. None of them came, obviously. [laughs] But it was a funny moment for sure.

You often talk about how important it is to create a safe and inclusive space at your shows. What helps you do that?

Part of what we feel is a safe and inclusive space is one in which we can keep room for those who don't often get their own. Creating space for marginalized groups of people to come and express themselves and enjoy the music is one scene for so long has been predominantly run by straight white men, which for a lot of people of varying gender identities and ethnicities can be intimidating. We often try at shows if we see the pit is vicious and full of big dudes, to ask people to take a step back and let the femmes in the room have the floor. We want to make sure everyone gets a chance to enjoy themselves and feel safe to do so. We also try when booking tours to play with as many gender diverse acts as possible. There is so much value and importance in creating space for people who have had to stand on the sidelines or hide themselves. And there is so much beauty in seeing the way in which people flourish when given the space to do so. We also put a big emphasis on playing all-ages shows and making sure people at the show know to give the kiddos some room. A pit is way more fun when we have young folks out at their first, second, or third-ever show jumping and dancing and getting into it. There is a certain level of accountability and presence we see when there is a mix of age groups at shows and it's been really great to see the older groups give so much space for the younger ones to come in and get amongst it.

How would you describe the punk scene in Cumberland or in Vancouver Island as a whole?

The Island as a whole is getting better and better. Cumberland specifically has really blossomed into this really beautiful space. 90% of people who are coming out to our shows are queer youth. It’s a lot of that which is really nice because in the Comox Valley, where we live, there wasn’t really a space for that kind of culture to thrive. There wasn’t a space where young folks could go and feel like they could totally, truly express themselves and explore who they are. There’s a lot of really wonderful young folks coming together to express themselves and be part of the community.

It’s so good to have that space. I think it’s something that a lot of places in Canada, especially rural places, need because it makes everything so much better.

Absolutely! I grew up in Vancouver, in the city, and had all that stuff at my fingertips. I didn’t really recognize until I moved into this small community that there’s people that don’t get that in their formative years and don’t have the opportunity to explore those parts of themselves. Being able to help foster that for people has been a really fulfilling thing.

Which part of This Ain’t Gonna End Well… are you proudest of?

Just the album as a whole. There’s not a single song on that album that, to me, feels like a filler song or anything. Everything feels equally balanced in terms of its importance on there. I’m just so stoked that we got the chance to do this.