- The Sound: Punk, pop-punk, alternative, rock
- The Line-Up: Sydney Gainsforth : Vocals, Liam Watson : Bass, Daniel Scholl: Drums, Matthew Benn: Guitar
- The Comparison: Paramore, Tonight Alive, Stand Atlantic, Flyleaf
- Punktuation Pick: Tie Dye
Australian punks PhD! exploded onto the scene in 2020 joining a long list of stellar punk artists the country has currently rising up through the ranks. This Brisbane-based quartet carries a plethora of influences that have led to their own distinctive sound. The energy of punk, the temperament of indie and the authority of rock fuse together, giving PhD! a big punk sound with an edge. The band are continuously building their following in the local post-pandemic live music scene. Their unique sonic style features everything from synthesisers to slide whistles right down to, vocalist, Sydney Gainsforth‘s bones.
PhD! came into being in 2019 when drummer Daniels’ Nana said, “You either become a doctor or die in the military”. Not wanting to disappoint Nana they went out, bought instruments, and began writing songs the very next day. The following year the band released their debut single Panic, a chaotic burst of indie punk. They followed up with the high energy track I’m Not An Alcoholic and their debut EP Keep Dreaming, Weirdo dropping in 2021.
Powering into 2022 PhD! have released their latest fuzz filled anthem Tie Dye. Written by Sydney , the band recorded the track with their good friend, producer/songwriter, Angus Honeychurch. “Lyrically Tie Dye is about letting go of the past. It focuses on allowing yourself to feel negative feelings and emotions instead of bottling them up and letting them consume you.” says guitarist Liam Watson. “It’s easy to be resentful of the past, but to truly grow as a person you must move on. Tie Dye is a cathartic anthem for those who have struggled with moving on and we hope it can help them find some peace and maybe have a headbang at the same time.”
In true DIY punk nature, Sydney recorded the demo for Tie Dye using GarageBand on their iPhone. The music video for the track was shot at the same venue where Dan played his first gig and the song was recorded in a garage with no natural light that had takeout menus hanging from the ceiling.
The band will head into the studio next month to begin recording some new music. “We recorded our previous EP Keep Dreaming, Weirdo back in 2020 and we didn’t release it until May 2021″, says Liam, “so this will be our first chance in literally years to showcase how we have grown and developed both as a band and as people.”
These party punks are here for a great time (and a long time) and are unashamedly bearing a flag for everyone who doesn’t quite fit in and is just a little bit whacky.
Tie Dye is out now on all streaming platforms.
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Everyone should have a soundtrack playing loudly in the background of their life. I was born moshing to my own beat and have never swayed from my love of music. Spreading my passion through the written word is my soul’s purpose. My punk heart beats loudly with the rhythm of my rock soul. I plan to continue to mosh like no one gives a shit.
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Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
