What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.

I was first inspired to make music by my family, as music has always been around. My grandfather owned a bar in Annapolis where a lot of local and touring acts would play. As a kid I was a real classic rock/blues head. In college a professor introduced me to classic punk/hardcore which really set the foundation for all of the music I was going to fall in love with. Steaming Manhole formed as a way to play shows while another group I was in had some scheduling conflicts. I remember hearing “Kerosene” by Big Black and knew that was something to channel, as it was super confrontational and it was something you either hated or loved. Girl Band from Dublin was another big deal for us. Our first EP was recorded on psilocybin over the span of five or six hours, and was mostly the first takes of everything. I remember our engineer Andrew pushed everything up into the red, and I was like, hey- this sounds great!

Provide us with some info about your latest release…

This is our second release on Rock Hand Records. I had moved back to the DC area and written these songs, and decided to fly back to Chicago and record with the group, teaching the material right before we hit record. After we laid down a foundation, I had a bunch of friends throw down some saxophone, guitars, keyboard drones and a failed accordion stunt.

Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?

We’re influenced by a lot of noise rock and post-punk bands. To name a few, Big Black, Dinosaur Jr, Velvet Underground, Fugazi, Richard Hell, The Cure, James Brown, The Stooges, The Fall, Gang of Four, Pixies, Sonic Youth etc…Non-music wise, I used to work as a professional cook before the pandemic, so food always seems to slip its way into how I think about music.

In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?

I would describe our sound as challenging. A lot of the lyrics on the record stem from personal experiences, so in that while our music may be similar to some other bands, lyrically the words I think set us apart. Zizi was about a trip to Vietnam where I received dysentery from raw duck blood. The song is a commentary on traveling through a sense of white privilege.

Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…

Albums…Raw Power by the Stooges, White Light White Heat by the Velvet Underground, and Bend Sinister by the Fall.

As for movies, I love PI and Requiem for a Dream, as well as Donnie Darko for the nostalgia factor.

For books I was a big fan of fantasy growing up, loved stuff like War of the Worlds and The Hobbit.

Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?

I haven’t performed live in so long and really miss it. I just invested in a home recording setup and have been enjoying it quite a bit, but even in the studio I try to perform everything like a live band. I would say live music has the magic for me.

Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?

I had booked a tour with the band, and I found out that I would have to do it by myself due to some unforeseen circumstances. I brought a bunch of drills, one guitar and one snare drum with me. I’ve never cleared out a room so quick.

Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?

I would say Room 504 because it’s probably my most vulnerable, and helped me overcome problems with addiction.

Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?

Working on two separate projects at the moment! Plan on releasing a college-rock style record in March!

Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…

Curated by: Christos Doukakis

Recommended listening:

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