Ratbags ‘Tiny Tiny Tiny’ Track Premiere/Q&A.
At Crowdsurf & Turf we have always worked with acts that we feel passionate about. As I was waiting for Pkew Pkew Pkew to come on at Thekla in Bristol last week I had the pleasure of catching Ratbags. During their incredible set I heard that they had plans of releasing ‘Tiny Tiny Tiny’ today and I had to be involved. So here we are. If you’re a regular gig attendee around Bristol you’ve probably heard of Ratbags but they’re one of the best new punk bands I’ve seen in a long time. Enjoy their new track ‘Tiny Tiny Tiny’ HERE (and below) and my Q&A with Zoe, Freddie and Luke of Ratbags.
Who are you?
Luke: We’re Ratbags, kinda punk rock, kinda not. I slap bass and sweat on stage.
Freddie: I’m the drummer and sometimes singer of the band who’s trying to convince Luke and Zoe to start doing synth-pop
Zoe: I dropped out of my masters now I play guitar, sing, make pies and make sure Luke and Freddie shows up to practice.
How did you meet?
Z: Me and Luke met on the set of Nanny McPhee working as extras and instantly hit it off and decided to form a punk band.
F: Me and Luke were on the same terrible foundation course at Uni. I wanna take this chance to say fuck UWE and especially fuck the humanities foundation course. But the whole course had a group chat and Luke posted in it one day asking if anyone could play the drums. I hadn’t touched a drum kit in three years but I thought I needed the exercise so I said I’d be keen, and then I joined the band and met Zoe too.
You always seem to be playing with really great punk bands. I caught you guys supporting Pkew Pkew Pkew last week at Thekla in Bristol, how was that?
Z: They’re one of my favourite bands so it was great, I was gonna go to the show anyway but we all got to get in for free so it all worked out great.
You also played some shows with Skeggs. Are you fans of the Australian punk scene?
L: As a group we are huge followers of the Aussie punk scene, so much good stuff coming from there at the moment PIST IDOTS ARE NUMBER 1.
F: 100% we’re all big fans, it’s sort of my dream to do an Australian tour one day - Skegss were all such great dudes and it was an amazing gig, and we opened for Amyl and The Sniffers and Amy called me a bogan which was probably the best compliment I ever got.
Z: New Dune Rats album pops off.
What are your influences musically?
L: Any indie band that you should’ve grown out of by now.
F: It’s a bit odd cus although we’ve been pegged as a punk band I’d say like Bruce Springsteen and The Shaggs have more of an influence on me then like Black Flag or Minor Threat.
Z: I’d probably say Joyce Manor, FIDLAR, and The Vaccines are my main influences
The track we’re premiering today on Valentines Day is ‘Tiny Tiny Tiny’. Tell us about the track? It seemed like a fan favourite at the show and won over some new fans too!
F: It’s weird to talk about because it’s a pretty personal song, but at it’s core it’s just a song about the very classic feeling of wanting what you can’t have, whatever that might be, and sort of being told that you should be happy once you’ve got certain things in life, and almost feeling a bit childish for not being happy with it.
And yeah it’s pretty mad because other than our as yet unreleased track “I just wanna fuck you”, Tiny Tiny Tiny was one of the first songs I noticed people singing along to at gigs, which is one of the best feelings ever.
L: Bass lines pretty slick
F: Luke wrote the bass line
Do any of you have any other talents?
F: I used to be a relatively successful tattoo artist until I realised I can’t draw, and I’m pretty good at cooking too.
L: Making Freddie grumpy.
Z: I’ve actually got a black belt in Taekwondo but I’ve never been in a fight.
4 essential items to take on tour...
F: Cymbals, a snare, a kick pedal, and drum sticks
L: Tooth Paste, spare boxers (Lukes got IBS), 6x Hats and rizla.
Z: Luke, Freddie, Crisps, and beer
When not writing music or performing, how do you spend your free time?
L: Learning how to play bass.
F: Drinking cider or watching King of the Hill right now.
Z: Catching up on Love Island
The best gig you've ever been to?
L: The Cribs at 02 academy Bristol, Johnny Marr was playing guitar with them at the time. Also when I saw dune rats at the stag and hounds in Bristol, craziest show I’ve ever been to in my life.
F: Maybe the Cribs at Reading 2012 cus everyone else there was a mega fan and knew all the words and I got hit in the leg by floor tom while I crowd surfed, or maybe David Byrne’s American Utopia cus I saw that in New York last year and it blew my mind.
Z: I’ve never been to a gig.
If you were curating a festival, who would your three headliners be?
L: The Strokes, The Beatles playing don’t let me down for an hour straight and Dinosaur Jr.
F: Bruce Springsteen, 1975, then Frank Ocean for the Sunday sad one.
Z: Nickleback all three nights.
Karaoke song of choice?
L: Can’t fight The Moonlight by LeAnn Rimes
F: Star Treatment by Arctic Monkeys cus people fucking hate it
Z: Islands in the stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Loggins
What new band would you recommend we listen to?
L: Grandmas House and Kimbo Nice.
F: Try Me are doing some fucking groovy pop music, and they’re mental live. Benjamin Spike Saunders as well, he’s like Peter Kay meets Elliott Smith
Z: I second Grandma’s House and Try Me.
What do we have to look forward to from you in 2020? & How can people listen to you & support you?
Z: Looking forward to some shows we’re playing this year, playing lots of different cities in the UK.
L: I hope we can keep supporting Aussie bands! Also we’ll on all streaming services, check us out.
F: Hopefully we’ll get mega famous and you won’t be able to avoid us