Since dropping their latest album Stay In, Do Nothing around a year back, Horror My Friend have been carving their own niche as a pop punk ensemble with a yearning for the gritty forefathers of their genre.
Smashing the skins is Sam Kolesnik, a cheeky man who wasn’t afraid to swing a gag here and there when we asked him for a chat. Hear what he had to say about the band’s latest (and greatest?) single, DIYS.
Horror My Friend have spent their careers smashing out a raucous, dominant punk sound and DIYS sees them venture outwards from their fuzzy estates.
HAPPY: DIYS sounds angry, yet therapeutic, like you’re hitting a punching bag to let off steam. What’s the song about?
SAM: DIYS stands for ‘Dingus I Yelled Stay’ and is about the time I was almost fired because the dog at a house I was looking after pretended to be asleep, but then bolted past the front gate as I left for work. I CHASED THAT DOG FOR TWO HOURS. At least the dog had fun. Bloody dingus.
This 100% true song background is completely evident in lines such as “hoping you will stay, keep me out of breath” and “don’t leave, I need this for me” and “guess I’m falling behind” and…
Look, I’m not gonna lie to you. I didn’t write the lyrics. Tom wrote them, and he isn’t answering his phone. I think it’s about the prospect of loved ones moving away, or having to move away from them.
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HAPPY: What’s the greatest gadget or creation you ever made DIY?
SAM: I’m sure someone has beat me to this but… Taco Cake. Just take a moment to let that one sink in. Five layers of tortilla, taco mince, cheese and salsa. Sweet baby Jesus.
HAPPY: As the first single since Stay In, Do Nothing, is this a sign for something else to come?
SAM: Definitely. We’ve been writing constantly since the second half of 2016 and tested out a few new songs on our tours with Hockey Dad, Pity Sex and Columbus. DIYS came out of that period. I guess the goal now is to continue pushing towards another album.
HAPPY: How are you changing up the Horror My Friend sound in the rest of 2017?
SAM: As listeners, I think it’s natural for your tastes in music, and your likes and dislikes to grow and morph constantly. Writing music follows that as well I guess. So of course, the writing process has been heavily influenced by what we’ve been listening to recently. Some songs have a slight krautrock element, others are more shoegazey. I think they still sound like us though. The fuzz hasn’t gone anywhere.
HAPPY: Why do you think more and more Aussie rockers are so focused on being live bands lately?
SAM: I think the bands that we personally like the most are ones that have proved themselves through putting on a fucking good show. I don’t think you can really be a good band without being good at performing. That then bleeds over to the music. A lot of songs get written just because they’d be super fun to play live.
Also, nobody buys music anymore. Except those that want the vinyl. We’re still waiting for our $0.0005 payout from Spotify.
HAPPY: How are you feeling about the rock scene in Adelaide at the moment?
SAM: The scene here has always been strong. It kinda exists a bit outside of the East Coast media ruckus so it’s pretty tight-nit and supportive. Everyone just wants to get drunk and play some songs. There’s a ton of new bands as well coming up like Siamese, Hyder Seek, Sleep Talk that are killing it.
HAPPY: What’s it been like working with the legends at Poison City Records?
SAM: Andy and everyone at PCR have done nothing but support us for as long as we’ve known them. It’s really assuring to have this label, that we’ve always respected, help us out so much. They truly just care about putting out music they want to listen to. Nothing but respect.
HAPPY: What should fans be working into their daily schedules to prepare their minds and bodies for your single tour?
SAM: The night before, you need to fuel your body. You need Taco Cake. Make it. Bake it. Share it with your friends, family, Dingus the dog. Just make it happen.
HAPPY: Have you got any surprises up your sleeve for the shows?
SAM: Oprah will be at every show. Everyone gets a new car.
Horror My Friend are touring DIYS starting tonight in Rad Bar, Wollongong. Catch the full run of dates below, or on their Facebook page.
Feb 1 – Rad Bar, Wollongong
Feb 2 – OAF Gallery, Sydney
Feb 4 – Foundry, Brisbane
Feb 5 – Shark Bar, Gold Coast
Feb 11 – Exeter Hotel, Adelaide
Feb 24 – Ancient World, Adelaide
Feb 25 – Old Bar, Melbourne
DIYS is available now on iTunes, Google Play, Apple Music and Spotify.
