Only performing for the first time in July, SOOKS are already making local waves. With first wave punk at their core, this four-piece spits venom and already has a hefty demo under their belts. Featuring members of Asbestos Fence, Nervous, Lounge Tourist, Montana Wildhack and Wound honey.
We chatted to the band ahead of their ALT//FEST slot at Badlands Bar this Saturday.
What have Sooks been up to lately, musically-speaking?
We just released a seven-track demo that we recorded straight to tape with the 'reel' wonderful maestro, Will Hooper, and have been playing some ripper gigs. Recently, we sussed out a cover of a local WA band we love - stay locked to RTR FM 92.1 for that morsel! [They did Slightly Oddway. Check it out here].
We're always in the process of writing more material. Usually, our songs start with Kyle (guitar) bringing a riff to the table and workshopping it as a band from there, with Ange (vocals) writing lyrics to fit. Not musically-speaking, Morgin (bass) and Ange are currently addicted to the art of collage.
What’s the inspiration behind the name Sooks?
I think the name is a nod to the fact that punk music provides an outlet to whinge about the state of the world, to me this band is a safe space to have a sook.
Obviously, being a punk band, it can be hard to find or reach an audience of a considerable size, and it’s easy to be lost in the mass of other punk bands playing out there. Is that something that you guys are trying to overcome? Or is being a part of an insular but close-knit community something that appeals to you? Or neither?
Huge question!
Firstly, with this new fangled thing called the internet, we actually haven't found it that hard to get our music out there and reach a pretty wide-ranging audience. We didn't plug our demo at all, just threw it up on Bandcamp one day, and somehow we have been played across the country and beyond. It's a bit mind-blowing to us all but I think we credit most of the love we are fortunate enough to be feeling in large part to the amazing local scene in Perth/Boorloo.
Our experience has been that everyone is super welcoming and excited about new acts, maybe even more so acts that are not just four white blokes. Maybe the local scene can be a bit incestuous at times - with everyone being in multiple bands - but we have honestly found the humans in the punk scene to be some of the friendliest and kindest people.
We don't actually think the punk scene in Perth is insular at all! Tight-knit definitely, but in no way exclusive. Ange doesn't even identify as a punk; they just enjoy having a yell. Aside from their own sense of imposter syndrome around this, they've felt nothing but support from the kind folks who come to watch us play or buy our music.
Physical or digital?
Physical. To have and to hold, until death do us part and our physical media becomes trash polluting the earth.
What’s your biggest inspiration as a band?
Our chefé and band daddy - Kyle O'Brien.
ALT // FEST is on Saturday, November 12 at Badlands Bar. Tickets available now here.