Montreal has been brewing out some heavy hitting bands in recent years. Pussy Stench is a younger band out of that scene and has been playing heavy 90s grunge sounding punk since 2015. The raw and in your face energy that this trio hones encompasses a lot of the ethos of the thriving Montreal punk scene. The band released a new album this year, editor Samantha Barrett met up with Devan K-M (guitarist and vocals), Thomas Papkostas (bassist), and John De Nardi (drummer) after their performance at 77 Montreal to get to know the hard-hitting band.
You are pretty new to Punknews. How did your band form?
Devan K-M: We formed a couple years back in college. It was me and four other girls at first. We were kinda switching members up a lot. John our drummer was drumming a bit. Tom our bassist has been here for a bit. We kinda changed lineups but this is the line up for about a year. We started taking it more seriously then we started recording an album together.
How did you develop the name?
K-M: It is so intense. I never really thought it was gonna get that much reaction for some reason but it is always the first thing like “Why Pussy Stench?”
John De Nardi: It happens at every show it is so great.
K-M: We were all girls at first, we were not afraid of our image, saying what we want, and doing what we want. It was all about the DIY, old-school punk mentality. We are all into the “let's bring punk back, Pussy Stench” so that is basically how it started. So now it is more of an empowering thing for me and for others, I hope. Not be afraid of that word, not be afraid of the female genitalia, saying whatever you want and just being yourself.
Thomas Papkostas: Freedom, identity…
De Nardi: Stop making negative words associated with women specifically, involving women as a negative symbol or subject.
You guys/lady just released a new record ‘Honeysucker’. Tell me about the album?
K-M: Honeysuckerour first full length album. Recorded by Jordan Barillaro who is a part of Grimey MTL. He is awesome, he was still finishing up his university so we got an awesome opportunity, and just went on with it.
Papkostas: He has just been doing a lot of local underground music in Montreal and he was just the perfect guy. He is our friend and it just worked out perfectly.
K-M: We were going for that old school punk rat girl, very raw sound but we still wanted something that was mastered and finished. We just wanted something more accessible, I can’t say radio friendly because I cannot figure out if we will ever be radio friendly but as for themes and stuff we are all over the map. Talking about mental illness and addiction to freedom of expression. Angry about a lot of things, it is kinda punk in that way. We have a song called “DIY Abortions”, “Dollar Store Dildos”…
Papkostas: Old school tributes…
K-M: To like Rat Girl, openness to sexuality and personal issues. Just letting out that last remaining teen angst that we have in us.
Papkostas: Since John and I took over in the band. It has been a much heavier presence, a bassier heavier sound.
I also think it is very much Montreal. It is very reflective of here.
Papkostas: Definitely is. Montreal definitely has a very unique sound coming out of it and it is reflective in a lot of the bands.
Which makes sense why you just played 77 Montreal Fest. How was the experience at the festival?
All: AWESOME!
Papkostas: It has been the best experience. Playing on a good stage with good monitors. It has been…
K-M: hearing that good sound was nice. You go from playing like DIY venues to this is very different…
De Nardi: It is so different.
K-M: there are a lot of technical difficulties before so you do not need to worry about it as much.
Papkostas: Now there is a lot of people taking care of your stuff for you.
De Nardi: Devan breaks a guitar. I break a Drum set…
K-M: The people in the crowd too. Seeing new faces and old faces. Friends and stuff. The energy is super exciting. Everyone was super excited and coming out to talk to us.
Papkostas: Super raw, it's fun… There were pits breaking out.
K-M: Someone fucked up their nose and was bleeding everywhere.
De Nardi: Why does everyone always get hurt at our shows?
It is because you are so intense.
Papkostas: We play hard shit. We definitely made it way heavier in the last year. I think it has definitely benefited us in engaging people more. Having it mixed with Devan's light vocals at times, it is a nice balance… There are some parts of songs that she switches it and she starts singing. I think that balance is really key.
K-M: It is the riot girl thing you know.
De Nardi: We are not just a punk band or a metal band or a rock band… we are our own collective.
K-M: Everything is kinda becoming a blend. Hip-hop and trap…is incorporating emo and hardcore. We just don't just listen to punk.
Papkostas: We have a very wide variety of interests. It is reflective in the way that we write music and the way that we are.
Tell me about the track “Dollar Store Dildos”?
K-M: That one actually, I didn't even write that song. It was written by Dani and our friend Mike when we first started the band.
Papkostas: Like we said in the beginning that there was a collective of people that was in the band.
De Nardi: This is just like the Pussy Stench collective, I said that a long time ago. There is literally a large group of us that shaped this in different ways through different people.
Papkostas: Devan basically wanted to keep it alive.
K-M: I have some great friends in the Montreal music scene for sure that wanted to keep it going as well. That song is one of the old ones.
You just went on your first tour. How did it go?
Papkostas: That was super fun. Tiring but fun.
K-M: It was an experience.
John: It was awesome!
Papkostas: I was the only driver so it was a little frustrating at times but I think it was really worth it.
K-M: It really made me want to go back the road next year when we both (points to John) have our licenses so we can make a longer trip. I would love to spend half my summer doing that. People are so welcoming, especially where we went. Everyone was very welcoming, making a lot of connections. It is honestly a really good experience for us as a band to get out of Montreal. As much as we love Montreal, to see new things a meet new people it was great.
Papkostas: It was very cool.
Where do you see the band a year from now?
Papkostas: A lot more music I would say. I think we are focusing on more music.
K-M: I want to release like a lot of singles and stuff, do some demos, splits and just keep people interested. We are going to do shows in the winter but there is very much going on the road for the winter. We are still going to hit up a few cities around Montreal before next summer and hopefully the states too.