The seriously brilliant singer of Amyl & The Sniffers speaks to us about getting into punk, favouring energy over playing skills and why people should lean in to the dark side - and Dolly Parton.
When we’re living in such fake times, certain bands can cut straight through the heart of the matter with music and tell the truth – is that the way you try to approach things?
Yeah I’d like to, I just want to be as authentic as I can because I don’t want to sell something that’s not real. But I also want to be fun.
I was watching a Dolly Parton documentary – she’s my favourite c*nt ever. She is insanely authentic, she’s herself and very positive but she also dresses up and there’s an element that isn’t authentic – but it’s authentic to her.
Just to be slightly self-conscious isn’t a bad thing. I tend to say things without thinking and then read something back and be like, ‘Bitch, f*cking hell…put a plug in it.’ Being slightly more self-conscious might be a good thing.
Have you missed being on stage? Have you been working out to deal with the excess energy?
I have been work-ing out. I have a resting six pack! I do You Tube workouts – there’s this one called MadFit and I yell back at it. I can run 5 km now too, which I’m pretty proud of, and I’ve started doing a boxing thing. I have to work out for my mental health.
With your mental health, how do you look after yourself with the gruelling touring, do you get a moment to regulate yourself?
Truth be told, I struggle on tour. I love playing gigs heaps and I love meeting new people – there’s so much I love about it, but it’s really hard for me, sitting in a van all day. I like eating healthily and I love working out – that’s stuff I need for my brain – but instead I’m eating bread all day. I love a cheeky party but I can’t party likes the boys do. I’m a puss*. I struggle with it sometimes on tour – I haven’t found a proper rhythm for it yet. Also, I f*ck my voice up all the time and it’s my favourite thing to have a chat with people, but I’m constantly losing my voice so I can’t f*cking meet anyone, I’m stuck in my shell of a body.
That’s why this year’s been kind of sick. Our touring schedule has been so gnarly for so long, with four months away from home, things like that. But this year I’ve been in one place instead of couch surfing.
Now I have a room where I can put posters up, and I can like buy nice things for it. I hate consumerism but I can get sh*t. Look at this [holds up large ceramic elephant] it’s an elephant bong. I don’t even smoke weed, I hate weed, but I can buy sh*t.
Has being around the band also been a chance to re-evaluate what you’ve been doing and plotting things for the future?
Oh yeah it’s been pretty existential. Less so about what the band’s going to look like and more that it’s been formative year in terms of who I am – I think the band will be different in some ways but not insanely different because the core will remain. I guess lyrics and what kind of music we listen to has naturally evolved and will evolve forever.
Have you thought about the first gig back?
Yeah it’s going to be weird. I’d love to do one but we haven’t practised at all. I constantly have these dreams where we’re playing and I’m like, ‘I can’t remember the lyrics,’ and then I’ll look at one of the boys and they’ll say, ‘I don’t know what I’m playing.’
So that’s probably what’ll happen.
But everyone will be excited anyway because it’s a gig. I’m looking forward to doing it again. Even if we could just practice with the boys it’d be such much fun. I don’t know when it’s going to happen.
Who would you really like to have as a collaborator on one of your songs?
I’ve never thought about that, that’s crazy. Who would I get? I mean it would never happen but imagine if Cardi B did a rap-rock verse? It’s never going to happen but I’ll put it out there.
What have you personally learnt from this last year?
Probably just patience and resilience. Keep persevering. Things can feel f*cked but you have to lean in to feeling f*cked, you have to do it. Humans naturally stay away from the dark side of themselves, the dark side of their brains, which is fair enough but the healthiest thing, and the way to navigate it, is to just lean into it. When things are hard, when things are bad, then just sit in it and think your way out. Instead of being, ‘Nah, nah, nah things are f*cked, I can’t handle it,’ dive into the deep end and be like, ‘Things are f*cked, I’m f*cked – yeah baby!’ And celebrating the rankness of it.
Is that the way you approach the band as well – to push things into a dangerous space?
I think so. It was the same when I was a kid going to hardcore shows, I felt I hadn’t done anything unless I got myself covered in bruises. The intensity of it was the release, and I guess it’s the same with performing. I’ve got so much energy and its really hard for me to get rid of it, but it’s got to come out – I have so much rage and resentment it’s straight up just an important release. And I think it’s the same for the people coming to the gigs. If I wasn’t on the stage I’d be the c*nt at the gig on someone’s shoulders thrashing around, so I get it. Music is important.
Is it a good release from the daily life frustrations?
Yeah its really nice and really nice to have a place where I’m powerful and I have control over everyone. To an extent. It’s nice and refreshing, especially as a female because in a lot of places the dynamics are that we are the subordinates in the room. Not technically but that’s how its seen – to get up there and say, ‘This is my space, you’re all here to see me, and even the security work for me…’ I like that, that feels good to me.
It’s a dynamic lacking in other areas, and even if it’s just in my head that’s good enough for me. It’s about that feeling where we’re on the same level, do you know what I mean?
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