From Basements to Big Dreams: KILLER FILM’s Gritty Indie Anthems Are Here to Stay
Fresh off the release of their debut EP Anything To Anyone, indie rock outfit KILLER FILM is making waves with their raw, nostalgia-tinged sound.
Formed in 2022 in New York’s Hudson Valley, the band, influenced by 90s alternative, post-punk, and modern indie, creates music that mirrors the duality of their surroundings: serene nature clashing with industrial decay.
Their five-track EP, recorded between studios and living rooms, explores themes of isolation, catharsis, and the weight of fading connections.
In a candid interview, the band shares the chaotic DIY process behind the record, the hilarious backstory of their single Five More Minutes (Where The Fuck Are My Sunglasses?), and their dream of scoring a coming-of-age film.
With a renovated tour bus and new music in the works, KILLER FILM is ready to hit the road, proving that their introspective anthems are just the beginning. Read on for the full conversation.
Happy: First of all, what have you been up to today?
KILLER FILM: All of us still work day jobs at the moment so it was a work day, but afterwards we’ve been hanging out and recording some guitars for new songs. That’s what most days look like for us at the moment!
Happy: Tell us a little about where you’re from and what you love about it.
KILLER FILM: We’re from the Hudson Valley, more specifically Dutchess County. It’s kind of impossible to describe honestly, it has some of the most beautiful nature spots and hikes, small towns with character and a ton of history.
It also used to be somewhat of a manufacturing mecca back in the day, so you have the stark contrast of these massive, mostly abandoned factories in the middle of all this nature. That’s kind of what we love about home, it’s not really one definable thing; it’s caught between identities. It’s a great place to write from.
Happy: How did the band come together in 2022, and what inspired the name KILLER FILM?
KILLER FILM: It started super casually, we had all come together again after college; some of us had been in a band together in high school.
We learned some covers for a backyard party and through those first few practices we realized this was something we wanted to do together again.
We started writing originals, found our drummer, had some trouble locking in a lead guitarist for a while but once all the pieces were in place it all clicked. KILLER FILM is named after one of our songs, at first we just picked it because it sounded cool and was much better than whatever name we were going by at the time.
As time has passed, the name has taken on more weight for us.
Happy: Your sound blends 90s alternative, post-punk, and modern indie. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
KILLER FILM: All of our music tastes are all over the place, but some names that come to mind are Radiohead, The Smiths, Pinegrove, Joy Division, Pixies, Portishead, and we’re all massively into singer songwriters like Damien Rice, Ryan Adams, Phoebe Bridgers, Neil Young all that.
We love artists that evolve with time, and seeing their skills adapt to new challenges is endlessly inspiring.
Happy: What does the title ‘Anything To Anyone’ mean to you?
KILLER FILM: In the context of the song, it’s about the heaviness of feeling yourself becoming less important to someone you care about.
There’s a real moment of defeat that comes with that. On a larger scale, the title feels quite weighty and existential. I think we’re all people pleasers to a fault and it comes out in our work subconsciously.
View this post on Instagram
Happy: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind Five More Minutes (Where The Fuck Are My Sunglasses?)?
KILLER FILM: We were opening at one of our favorite venues in the city for a bigger artist. They were super lovely to us but their gear wasn’t working properly and they were going over on their soundcheck time.
The artist came up to thank us for opening and to apologize that we wouldn’t get much of a soundcheck which was very kind, but after he finished talking to us he turned around and screamed “NOW WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY SUNGLASSES”.
We started saying it to each other and it made its way into this song a few months later.
Happy: Were there any unexpected challenges in making your debut EP?
KILLER FILM: So many more than we can even start to list, but we wouldn’t change it. None of these songs would sound the way they do without those challenges we had to make work.
We used some pretty unconventional methods to get sounds and recorded in strange places that gave the record its own vibe. It started in a studio I was interning at, then transferred into some basement and living room sessions.
It was all very DIY, and there are many sleepless nights when you commit to doing it that way but we got much better at what we do in the process.
Happy: Do you have a favourite track on the EP, and why?
KILLER FILM: Our favorites swap around but right now we would say Anything To Anyone. That song made us fight to get it right, it covers a lot of ground in a short time and it is always one of our favorite parts of the set when we get to see how it translates.
Happy: What’s next for KILLER FILM after this release—any live shows or new projects?
KILLER FILM: We are working on recording the next singles, we have a couple local gigs lined up but we are hoping to get on the road by fall.
We bought a bus and are almost through with the renovations so we’re really excited to get it out on the road and play some gigs elsewhere.
Happy: If your music were the soundtrack to a film, what movie would it be?
KILLER FILM: This is a tough one and we all have different answers for it. A coming of age movie like The Edge of Seventeen or Perks of Being A Wallflower seem fitting, The Lost Boys, Fear Street 1994, and our drummer Mike’s dream is to have a song in a Zootopia movie.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you happy?
KILLER FILM: Making music with my best friends, being inspired, and Happymag.
