A Dirty Dozen with PUSHING VERONICA – September 2019

According to a recent press release: “LA Based Alternative Punk Rock Band PUSHING VERONICA has released the official music video for their single, “Dead Girl,” from their upcoming LP due in 2020.” We get the band to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through?  Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Oli: On first listen, our songs sound like irreverent, outrageous anti-establishment diddies, but if you dig, we hope you’ll find the deeper meanings and commentary that inspire us to write.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

Julien: In middle school I was bullied because I didn’t fit in. Music has always been there for me, and I’ve always been able to turn to it to be proud of who I am.

Noah: Music is more than just sounds, it’s cathartic and it’s the perfect way to express emotions you didn’t even know you had.

Brady: I’ve always had an inherent need to bang on things, but eventually my constant banging with pencils and spoons wasn’t enough. I’m so happy I have drums to express myself and bang as loud as I want.

Oli: I tried every hobby from Ceramics to Ju Jitsu, and was complete shit at everything. As soon as I found music I knew my life had purpose. It’s the greatest thing that ever happened to me.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Oli: I know this is ridiculous but Big Time Rush changed my life. Their extremely subpar Beatles covers are what made me who I am today. After months of fandom I finally realized just how godawful they were, and now I owe my soul to The Beatles. The first song that guided my musical taste was “Creep” by Radiohead though, and now they’re my favorite band.

Julien: I’ve been banging to “Seven Nation Army” since I was in the womb.

Noah: Led Zeppelin was the band that changed my life and got me into rock music.

Brady: I grew up listening to the Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, and Pennywise, and their energy is what made me want to play punk music.

4. Who would be your main five musical influences?

Green Day, Weezer, My Chemical Romance, NOFX, The Offspring.

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

Oli: We’d absolutely love to work with Billie Joe Armstrong, Dave Grohl, Josh Taylor, and Travis Barker. Those are our respective heroes and it’s our dream to work with any of them.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Oli: We describe ourselves as Ballpit Rock because of the outrageous, youthful energy that drives our songs. A lot of people compare us to Blink-182 and they’re a massive influence on us, but their new material lacks the fire in its belly that we strive to reunite in punk music.

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

Julien: Bitches and money.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Oli: Brady is the first one to hatch a plan to take over the government, and the rest of us are being manipulated into following his coup.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

Oli: The last time we were star struck was when Quentin Tarantino asked us to be half of the Hateful Eight. That was surreal.

Julien: We had to turn it down though, because we were busy composing lullabies for Princess Charlotte.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Oli: My dream job would be being Thom Yorke’s trip sitter.

Julien: I’d do exactly what Gordon Ramsey does but I’d be naked the whole time.

Noah: I’d work at CollegeHumor.

Brady: I’d invent a robot that can shoot tennis balls at babies.

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

Oli: Oh god what did our rivals tell you. Tell Every Other Year to shut up.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Oli: I would absolutely want to be a part of the sessions for Weezer’s Pinkerton.

Noah: I would wanna be a part of the sessions for a Night at the Opera by Queen.

Brady: I would want to be a part of the sessions for Take Off Your Pants and Jacket by Blink-182.

Julien: I would want to be a part of the sessions for Ok Computer by Radiohead.

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Category: Interviews