Here we have the band’s debut, explained by the band themselves, ahead of tonight’s Mercury Lounge performance.
The United Kingdom has seen quite the resurgence of garage rockers, punk groups, and emo bands in recent years, and their latest export, CRAWLERS, have a lot to say about that… and everything else. The Liverpool outfit is carving out a path not only in the UK, but here in the States, as well, because their own Liverpool rock scene is getting more and more saturated by the minute.
CRAWLERS, as a foursome, think that harder, punkier scene will trickle over soon enough, though, and vocalist Holly Minto, bass guitarist Olivia (Liv) Kettle, guitarist Amy Woodall, and drummer Harry Breem are emulating that – specifically those sounds of the early 2000s that were ignited by the likes of My Chemical Romance. Today, as rock and punk and emo bands are popping up all over once again, this band is carrying the torch – with successful, too.
Since the days in which they played basement shows overseas, CRAWLERS have joined in on the 2020s British Invasion, seen great growth alongside their peers, and released their full length debut (The Mess We Seem To Make), which tackles many issues including mental health, sex, and trauma. This band does not stray away from the issues at hand; they rock out to the truth of it all.
The Aquarian talked to the band fresh off one of their shows about how they made a name for themselves to the point that they are already touring with true classic rock legends, but also how they are looking to kickstart a female rock revolution within the already sweeping resurgence of pop punk acts.
How did the band get together?
Amy: Me and Liv went to school together and we were in bands until we were 17 and started CRAWLERS with Holly. Then we met Harry around 2021.
Holly: I was very into My Chemical Romance and lyrically I was very into the resurgence of the emo scene of the early 2000s; I was just obsessed with that. I got into music for the sake of community, and I found my identity within those spaces. My lyrics and writings were influenced by my early teens. We actually opened up for My Chemical Romance once and it all came full circle for us.
You are on tour with Jane’s Addiction and Love and Rockets. Have they given you any advice?
Holly: It’s not so much advice, but rather watching how they do it. They taught us how to tour sustainably. Being able to watch how they put together a great show and how they treat their fans is great. My dad was a big fan of Daniel Ash from Love and Rockets.
How difficult was it to make a name for yourselves in Liverpool?
Holly: There’s always two sides of a coin here; when we first started, it was very indie. We played a lot of basement shows – at least twice a week. We really didn’t fit on punk line ups, and we were too alternative to be pop. During COVID, though, we harnessed our craft as musicians and writers and made a name for ourselves on the scene. At that point, it leaned to a more punk rock scene, and we had a bigger fanbase. The Liverpool scene is such a great town now for the alternative rock scene now. It’s always been one for music.
Harry: I think Liverpool is the most beneficial town in the UK that you can start off in. If you walk through the city, there’s a hundred venues. It’s a small city to start a project.
Liv: There’s a zeitgeist. There’s a music scene and the fashion scene has changed with it – they always go hand in hand. Liverpool always surprises you. There might be a person who is dressed as seventies mod that would come up to us and tell us that we love our band. There’s always a noise that happens, too, and a look that follows.
What are your thoughts on female-fronted bands coming from the UK now such as The Last Dinner Party and The Mysterines?
Holly: There’s always been amazing non-fronted-by-male bands coming from the UK. It’s the politics, the suburban life, the city life. There’s a way of translating British life through music, and that’s why I love The Dinner Party and Wet Leg. They are speaking something that’s universal across the world. It’s more accepted now; 10en years ago, that wouldn’t have happened.
Liv: Women in music have always been there. The difference now is we have TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Women have a platform now. The space has not been seen, because it’s been a male dominated space.
Tell me more about the new album, The Mess We Seem To Make. It touches upon honest, heavy, and heartfelt topics.
Holly: We really wanted to box off everything at the start that we wanted to as band. When we first started as a band, we were misfits. We went from that to touring the world within a very quick amount of time. With that, there came a lot of familial, mental health, and relationship hardships. It affected us more than we thought we knew. We wanted our first album to make a statement about the debut exactly where you were when you first crafted it.
You are touring, though, as we said, so what can we expect from the live show?
Holly: Noisy guitar riffs, drama, Harry sweating a lot. We started basement shows in Liverpool and now we have a bigger stage to play with. I feel like we reached a point that we love performing and interacting. It’s somewhere to be safe and accepted in the community.
Do you think the “Kiss Me” video is too risqué or is it accepted in these times?
Liv: I think it’s important that queer voices are spoken about and queer stories are told. You see straight love all the time.
When do you think punk rock will make a comeback in the States?
Holly: Literally in a year’s time. The UK always harnesses these amazing stories and amazing artists… they are just contained in our island, but then as soon as it starts dripping into everywhere, there is no doubt it will sell out in the United States. You have Fontaines D.C., Wunderhorse, Sam Fender! […] I can’t wait ’til the day it happens.
Liv: I don’t prescribe that things genres are dead – it’s just changing. Punk has always been an attitude. it can never go away.
FOR MORE ON CRAWLERS, CHECK OUT THEIR INSTAGRAM! TO GET TICKETS TO SEE THEM LIVE, CLICK HERE! YOU CAN STREAM THEIR DEBUT ALBUM NOW WHENEVER YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC!
