Band Of The Week #0071 - Potty Mouth

This week’s Band of the Week is punk rock trio Potty Mouth, who have released their second album ‘SNAFU’ via Better Records, a DIY label run by bassist Ally Einbinder.

We had a chat with the band about the release

Where did you first hear of the term SNAFU? Given the current political state in America, do you ever just walk down the street observing things and think it to yourselves?
Abby: I don't remember the first time I heard the word "SNAFU" but it was probably my mom who said it haha. My friend Shereen suggested it as an album name and I really liked it because I felt like "Situation Normal All Fucked Up" was a good way to summarize Potty Mouth's journey. We started the band because it was a "normal" thing to do in the small town where we all met. People would form bands all the time just for fun, but we never expected ours to take off. From there pretty much everything was unexpected and new to us. It was exciting, but also sometimes misleading. Industry people would come into our lives with all these great ideas, but expected us to somehow make it happen overnight. Eventually we realized no one knows what's best for us, and how to make it happen, except ourselves.

What are the main topics of conversation on the album? Is there anything or anyone you are directly trying to address?
Abby: The general theme of the album is the feeling of being misunderstood or at odds with the world. Each song is about different situations, but they're all from the perspective of feeling frustrated and being honest about that frustration, which has always been a theme in my life. I have a lot of pent of frustrations with people and situations. I do my best to be open and have those hard conversations, but sometimes there's nothing that can be done. Songwriting has become another outlet for me to keep those frustrations from weighing me down.

What inspired the song 22? It feels like the song that all the alternative kids needed when Taylor Swift came out with her song a few years back.
Abby: Perfect! I wish I had this song when Taylor's came out. That song is dorky as fuck haha. I wrote our "22" on my 22nd birthday! At the time, I felt like 22 was the age when you started life as an adult. Everyone I knew was getting ready to graduate college, so it felt like there was a lot of pressure to figure out where life was going next. I didn't go to college—I was out touring with Potty Mouth. But I suddenly felt like my identity changed because I wasn't an age that made it obvious I was doing music instead of going to school.

How do you choose the track-listing? The contrast between Starry Eyes and Liar almost jolts you back into sharp attention and it sets a great pace for the rest of the songs.
Abby: That was on purpose! We knew we wanted to open with "Do It Again" because of its strong intro. We then thought to follow with 22, Starry Eyes, and Liar so that anyone who only listens to the first few songs would hear the variety and be curious to hear the rest of the album.

What was your first reaction when you heard that Bikini Kill had announced tour dates?
Victoria: Excited! Bikini Kill’s influence on rock music culture is huge, and as a younger person they definitely helped shape my understanding of what music can be.

Can we expect some UK tour dates in support of SNAFU and how do you go about choosing support acts?
We want to make it out to the UK as soon as we can!