Coachella, Taco Bell, and Australia. Three things that I would never put together unless it’s about Scowl: one of the fastest rising hardcore punk bands from Santa Cruz. I got a chance to meet up with Kat Moss (vocals) and Cole Gilbert (drums) of Scowl during their homecoming show at the Catalyst as we talked about their growth, love for music, and other fun stuff.
Steven: First off, thanks a bunch for this opportunity. To start off, how are you?
Kat: Good! Tired. We’re all coming off a really, really busy last year and a half. I feel like I can speak for all of us, like we’re really grateful and excited about everything that we’ve had coming our way opportunity wise. But we’re also really ready for a holiday break.
Cole: Yeah, we have just been home for like the past month.
S: as I mentioned to Kat, the first time I saw you guys was RBS [DIY outdoor show in June 2021].
K + C: Woah! Thanks for coming back.
S: It’s been awesome between then and now! Seeing people like you and the other homies do some really cool things.
K: It’s really exciting and rewarding, like I think everyone involved in the scene deserves to make the music industry their b*tch, so absolutely.
S: With this in mind, what were some of the biggest changes that you’ve made as you guys continue to grow?
C: Quitting day jobs. It’s also really hard to have a steady place to live. Sorry, hold up one second…
**Clique’s guitarist Kwame walked by, and we all complimented him because his performance was wild and fun. Shoutout Kwame from New Jersey and Clique!**
K: The day-to-day has changed dramatically because the way we live our lives has just shifted. We’re not clocking into a 9-to-5 necessarily, like retail jobs anymore. We’re clocking in a much different way. It’s cool and all that, but it takes some getting used to. There’s a level of exhaustion that’s involved.
S: This year you’ve toured in three different continents, played numerous festivals including Coachella, and released new music. What are some of your highlights from just this year alone?
C: Honestly, Australia’s a really big highlight for me.
K: I was gonna say Australia too.
C: Yeah, that’s the first thing that comes to mind. Place I never thought I’d ever go to because it was far.
K: The fact that hardcore brought us there is probably the coolest thing ever.
S: Their scene is so crazy, and everyone is so close to each other regardless of genre. I even got Grant Perez the Filipino-Aussie indie artist in my DMs about Speed (Australia’s biggest hardcore band right now). All my Fil-Am friends freaked out when they heard about this.
K + C: Woah!!! That’s crazy.
S: Shoot, but you got Limp Bizkit and Post Malone who like your music too! Who are some artists that surprised you because they listen to your stuff?
K: A huge one was Frank Iero and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. Like that is, like, the biggest band because it’s my favorite band of all time. Hayley Williams [of Paramore] is a massive influence and an inspiration to me personally. Everyone in Scowl are music enjoyers and aren’t just limited to hardcore.
C: Big Paramore fan too!
K: Hearing that validation from our heroes is unreal.
C: Fall Out Boy for me personally!
K: AAAAAA. Yeah, that was a thing!
C: Pete [Wentz the bassist] followed us on Instagram, and when Patrick [Stump the vocalist] was asked in an interview what new music he was listening to, he said “Scowl, MSPaint, Zulu”, and other homies. They have been my favorite band since I was 9 years old.
S: Hell yea! When they played at Shoreline in Mountain View this July, Patrick mentioned “I heard hardcore is big here now!” I was shocked.
K + C: **Happy shocked noises**
S: There was also a lot of hardcore kids at that show too! I was wearing a Sunami shirt and I saw other people in hardcore tees or yelling Sunami lyrics back and forth with me. What we have is integrating into mainstream!
K: It’s kind of shocking. It’s totally weird because our little world is not so little anymore.
S: I would see people wear Gulch hoodies in school and I would say “Who are you? I’ve never seen you at a show before.”
K: **Laughs** People are relating to it, and it means a lot. It’s also opened a door for a level of radicalization. Punk in its history has been like this, and it’s a big deal.
C: I think the pandemic has opened that gateway. Obviously, the pandemic radicalized a lot of people and the events that happened within the world at the beginning of the pandemic, and people were trying to find something to help that outlet and hardware is kind of a natural way to get these emotions out. So, it’s just a natural link to that.
S: And it has inspired me too. I’m trying to start a shoegaze band and do everything like Justin [from Field of Flames] did for Condition One [a San Jose hardcore band]. What words of inspiration do you have for me and other people that want to start?
K: F**king do it. Not to quote the Nike tagline. If you want to create music or art, you have to begin this movement. It doesn’t have to be good. It doesn’t have to be technical, clear, or concise. Just f**king take these first steps and take the leap because that alone is very brave in a world where we’re insecure about how we look and perceived.
C: To add on, have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t let the thoughts of like, “Oh well, this band is successful, so I have to do this because they do this”. No! Have fun. Just do what you want.
K: Commit to following through with an action. Cuz, our demo sounds like sh*t. It sucks. I don’t like my lyrics.
C: I drummed terribly on it.
K: We were all just very young musicians and artists, and I am still young too. But what’s most valuable from this experience of creating art is being able to look back and see that you committed to it. It really doesn’t f**king matter. What matters is creating something for yourself and at least somebody will connect to it.
S: Thank you! That means a lot to me. Alright, quickfire questions! Favorite coffee spot?
K: Cat & Cloud coffee in Aptos.
C: Double that.
S: Kat, what’s your hair routine?
K: This is not gonna be a short answer right now…
S: **pulls out a paper sign that asks this question in large text**
C: **laughs**
K: Oh. My. You’re f**king kidding with me right now? Laughs
S: **laughs**
K: Just Olaplex conditioner and shampoo. It’s pretty awesome. It’s a bond-builder and strengthener. It’s great for hair that is consistently bleached like mine. And then like I get my roots done by Kayla (@kayla.hardcorehair) in San Jose every 4-6 weeks.
S: Top artist in your Spotify wrapped?
K: Radiohead!
All: **laughs**
C: Mine is Fall Out Boy! Didn’t feel like I listened that much of them though.
S: Favorite Taco Bell item?
C: Chicken Quesadilla
K: Veggie crunch wrap supreme
S: What’s next for Scowl?
C + K: Chill
S: Thanks! Let’s go see Kumo 99 now!
Huge thanks to Kat, Cole, the rest of Scowl, RBS, and KSJS for this. It’s been awesome seeing how much our community has grown and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
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