Casey Cuff and Core Bee talk all things Tarantula Tapes

Based in Barrie, Ontario Tarantula Tapes is an independent cassette label with a community feel. Started by Casey Cuff and Core Bee in the summer of 2020 as a way to help out their local punk scene, the label has expanded to include underground punk bands from all over Canada. They have put out some absolutely stellar music in their two years as a label including releases from bands including Future Girls, Gutser, Boring Girls, Viola Swamp, B.A. Johnston, Witch Island, and Audio Visceral. They've also relased amazing music from their own bands The Speed Humps and Heavy Petter and Casey’s band Angry Spells. With a DIY and artist focused approach to releasing music, it is clear from the outset that Casey and Core care deeply about what they do and the bands they work with. Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with both of them over Zoom to talk about the origins of Tarantula Tapes, running a label, the importance of community, the magic of cassettes, and much more. Read the interview below.

Carolina Plano of Boring Girls talks the band's new EP

Montreal punk rockers Boring Girls are one of the most furious and fun bands going right now. On their recently released third EP, Fuck You So Much, the band come out swinging with five songs that epitomize hardcore punk perfection. They are on the top of their game and play with an electric energy that never lets up. Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with lead singer Carolina Plano over Zoom to talk about the band’s new EP, tape collecting, movie samples, DIY recording, and so much more. Read the first ever Boring Girls interview below.

Matty Grace talks her new solo EP, Future Girls' new EP, & the new Cluttered/Talk Show Host split

Halifax punk artist Matty Grace never stops and never slows down. She is a tour de force of creativity and some of her projects include (but are in no way limited to) Future Girls, Weekend Dads, Cluttered, Century Egg, Modern Cynics, as well as some amazing solo work. Whether she’s revisiting a style of songwriting from 10 years ago, writing to process, creating huge anthemic hooks, or working with friends on some killer cover songs, everything she touches is filled with passion and heart. Her solo EP I Was A Fat Stupid and the new EP from Future Girls, Year Long Winter will be out on May 6 via Tarantula Tapes and Dirt Cult Records and Cluttered and Talk Show Host will be releasing their Enemy Us split on May 13. Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with Matty Grace over Zoom to talk about the upcoming releases, creative process, mental health, new projects, and much more. Read the interview below.

Ash Stixx and Tyler Fieldhouse of GILT talk their new EP

Florida based post-hardcore band GILT are angry and they are ready to let that anger fly on their upcoming EP Conceit. Over the course of five songs, the band tackle death and grief with poetic lyrics and steller musicianship. Conceit will be out May 6 via Smartpunk Records. Punknews editor Em Moore caught up with Ash Stixx and Tyler Fieldhouse over Zoom to talk about the new EP, literary devices, touring the US and Europe, and much more. Read the interview below.

Pete Steinkopf in the studio

Pete Steinkopf is a jack of all trades in the punk rock world, one great guitarist, record producer and punk dad. Having spent years on tour with The Bouncing Souls and putting his passion for producing on hold. He has been killing it recording the likes of Dave Hause, Ratchets, Crazy and the Brains, Brian Fallon and a lot more. Contributing writers Samantha and Christopher Barrett crashed a recording session with Up For Nothing to see the man in his element and to speak with this all around great human, Pete Steinkopf on starting Little Eden, and his process of producing some great punk records.

Up For Nothing release new single and exclusive interview

South Brooklyn punks, Up for Nothing is back and have announced they will be releasing a new album this year. The 4 piece punk band have found their stride with their 2016 release Swindled and abruptly called it quits. Fast forward to 2022, a pandemic happened and a hard reset was conducted and they have found their way back to each other. Today, we have an all new Punknews exclusive double feature, Contributing Punknewsers Samantha and Christopher Barrett met with the guys one October afternoon at Little Eden in Asbury Park, NJ to discuss the new album, working with their idols and turning 20 and today we have an exclusive premiere for "Sick Of The World, see below.

Escape Route will be out on June 10th, 2022 through It's Alive Records and the band will be celebrating the release on July 15th at Lucky 13 Saloon in Brooklyn, NY. Tickets for the record release show can be purchased here. The band will also be releasing a cover of Higher Giant for a compilation with Swamp Cabbage Records later this year.

Shredding some gnar with Kathryn McCaughey of NOBRO

Montreal based rockers NOBRO are energy personified. No more so is this evident than on their second EP Live Your Truth Shred Some Gnar that was released earlier this week via Dine Alone Records. The seven tracks show the band in top form with outstanding musicianship, infectious hooks, excellent songwriting, and a whole lot of fun. Punknews editor Em Moore spoke with vocalist and bassist Kathryn McCaughey over Zoom about the stellar new EP, Betty Davis, touring, hockey, and much, much more. Read the interview below.

Eugene Robinson talks the new Buñuel album

The last time I saw Eugene Robinson in person, he was kicking some dude's ass. So, this time, I provided a safety shield formed from technology and 3,000 miles. You see, since our last meeting, Eugene has gone through a lot.

For one thing, he just finished his trilogy of records with Buñuel. Buñuel is Eugene howling and screaming and singing while three paisans play super nasty avant-garde noise rock. It's pretty rad. The new album Killers like Us is out today.

But also since then, Eugene became the editor of Ozy Media… and then he became NOT the editor of Ozy media… and then a little while after that, Ozy media got involved in an SEC scandal and is under investigation…

Eugene goes into detail at his Substack. But before you dive into that, you can check out my interview with Eugene below.

Bob Byrne of Legions of Metal Fest talks throwing a big gig

Legions of Metal is an annual multi-day festival dedicated to the best in underground heavy metal. This festival takes place at Reggies Rock Club in Chicago featuring bands playing on two stages. This unique festival rivals metal festival lineups from all over the globe. The fest has had a natural progression from initial focus on traditional metal to now even the inclusion of hard rock. Punknews' Jason Baygood recently had the chance to sit down with one of the fest's organizers Bob Byrne to discuss the past, present and future of Legions of Metal. You can check out the interview below.

Christian of Mean Jeans recorded a solo record! It ROCKS!

You all know the Mean Jeans- they're one of punk's most cherished modern bands. They take the Ramones formula, do it justice (like few bands can) and then spin their own '80s Troma vibe over the top. Well, here's a treat…

During Covid quarantine (and semi-quarantine) guitarist Christian Blunda recorded a solo record. It's called Funky Punks in Space and it is AWESOME. The release has a sort of classic Mean Jeans foundation- three chord bubblegum bazzsaw and all the jazz… but the kicker on this release is that Christian bolts down BUMPING 80s dance synths on most of the tunes, which really, hasn't been done quite in this way before. Funky Punks has the hard driving energy of a punk record, but it has the beats and catchiness of groups like Modern English, New Order, and even Dead or Alive.

The further twist is that while the album is a dance-slammer, pretty much every track is about feeling isolated and lost in the time of covid (and as exacerbated by being in one's late 30s). All of it is a clever mix that is at once serious and self-effacing. Frankly, considering the past two years, this is the record America needs right now.

The album is out April 2 on Dig! records (vinyl and digital formats). You'll be able to pre-order the record right here. In the meantime, you can read a short interview with Christian about the album, below!

How a Dog Bite Saved Catbite

Earlier this year, Philadelphia's Catbite released Nice One . The record is a snappy mix of punk, two-tone, ska, and power pop that address personal and the political. There is also a very cool Selena cover.

To that end, Punknews' John Gentile spoke with the band about the new LP, ska itself, and jazz onions. You can read it below.