Teenage
Bubblegums
In their halcyon days, Teenage Bubblegums used to write and sing love
songs. According to the band those days are long gone. Much like one who has
had their first taste of heartbreak after the initial “puppy love” period, Teenage
Bubblegums have filled their new LP, Days
of Nothing with nothing, but “[s]adness, darkness, pain, suffering and death.” No, they haven’t become Bauhaus, but the
songs are a little faster, darker and meaner, but still retain an underlying
pop-punk charm.
Interview by J Castro
Who is currently
in the band and what does everyone do in it?
ALLY: We are a
power trio.
Ally Bubblegum,
Bass and Vocal
Billy Bubblegum,
Guitar and Vocal
Mingu Bubblegum,
Drums
How did you all
meet and decide to play music together?
ALLY: Billy and I
are brother and sister in real life so we started to play music together since
we were both young. After some years, we decided to start a band. We met Mingu at the show, with his old band and damn; he was so good. We started to play together in the basement of my home. It was magical.
What band or
musician first inspired you to want to pick up an instrument and learn to play
and/or write music?
ALLY: When Billy
and I were young we used to listen to Ramones and stuff like that. Mingu came out from hardcore before he met us.
How would you
describe you band to your grandparents?
ALLY: We are good
guys. Just it.
What sorts of
things do you typically enjoy writing songs about?
ALLY: Sadness,
darkness, pain, suffering and death. We used to play love songs
only but love is a thing of the past.
I’ve heard people
say that playing and writing music is therapeutic to them. Have you ever
found this to be true?
ALLY: Sort of. Writing
about some painful things in your life is kind of an atonement.
Does it annoy you
or distract you at all to see some of your audience members fondling their
phones while you’re up on stage performing?
ALLY: We don’t
care.
After one of your
shows, what sort of feeling or sentiment do you hope your audience walks away
with?
ALLY: The same
feeling we have when we listen to a cool band or see a cool show. I still
really hope that people will listen to our album the day after.
What is your
favorite album to listen to from start to finish?
ALLY: The Creeps -
Eulogies
What’s the best
advice anyone has ever given you that you still follow to this day?
ALLY: Keep doing
what you’re doing. Go on stage, switch on the instruments, play non-stop for 20
minutes, switch off the instruments, go off stage.
What is the best
way people can hear and get a hold of your music?
ALLY: You can
follow us on
or maybe you can grab
a copy of our albums or go to our shows.
ALLY: Touring for sure. We miss the road and
sleeping on the floor. We have some shows in Italy until July and some plans
for Europe in September. We would like record a new album and do the same old
stuff. We love the routine.
