Last month, I had the pleasure of reviewing the latest EP ‘Boring Songs For Boring People’ from Problem Patterns, in my opinion one of the best feminist punk bands around at the moment. I was delighted when I got to ask band member Beth, more about their musical influences. My pre punk Spice Girls and Hanson listening self was very validated by the answers, that prove anyone has the capacity to be punk, and you don’t have to be “cool” to be punk…
1) What is your earliest music-related memory? What do you remember being played at home when you were a child?
Beth: I genuinely think my earliest music memory is listening to the Lolly album “My First Album” when I was around 3 on a little pink boom box in my little pink bedroom. My parents always played music when I was growing up, it was ever-present. They also had a really eclectic taste, my dad loved man music like Led Zepplin, Bread, ELO but also ABBA, Eurythmics and Joni Mitchell. My mum was a big Rod Stewart, Wham! and Wet Wet Wet fan.
2) What was the first record that you ever bought? Where did you get it and do you have any recollection of the experience?
Beth: The first record I remember buying with my own pocket money was “Under My Skin” by Avril Lavigne. I got it from Big W in Belfast and I remember bringing the CD with me to school on Monday to show all of my friends.
3) When did you really start to develop a passion for listening to music? How did that come about and what were you into at the time?
Beth: I have always been such a fangirl for musicians, I have genuinely always been obsessed with music. I loved Busted and McFly, my mum took me to see them both when I was little. I used to buy Smash Hits and Top of the Pops magazine every week, unfortunately I wasn’t into “cool” music… maybe I’ve never really been into “cool music”
4) What was the first gig that you went to? Where was it and what was it like?
Beth: My first ever gig was Busted in the Odyssey Arena, Belfast. My mum won me the tickets from the Belfast Telegraph and I was ecstatic. We were in the very back row of the arena but it was incredible. I remember they did a cover of Teenage Kicks by The Undertones… a classic when performing in Northern Ireland.
5) What are your memories of starting out making music? What was the first song that you learned to play?
Beth: I started playing drums when I was around 11 and I think the first song I learned to play was Back in Black by AC/DC unfortunately.
6) What was your first band/musical project? What music was influencing you at that time? What are your memories of playing your first gig and are there any recordings out there?
Beth: When I was 15 I started a band with my brother and 2 of my friends from school and we would cover Metric, Best Coast and Hole. I think we wrote a few originals but they never made it out of my parents’ garage. I also was in a short-lived band with Bev from Problem Patterns, we played 1 gig on Culture Night in Belfast and had a few originals and also covered Bleached. I am sure there are recordings of this but I will not be looking them up ha!
7) What are your memories of starting Problem Patterns? What was your first release and what do you think now when you listen back to it?
Beth: We started Problem Patterns back in 2018 because we were all so angry and hopeless regarding the outcome of a high profile rape trial in Belfast. We were new friends and would text in a whatsapp group for hours and it felt like we were all going collectively insane so we decided we could get together in a room and try and channel those emotions in a creative way. The first song we wrote was Allegedly and it’s very odd listening back because Bev wasn’t in the studio that day so it’s the only PP song that Bev isn’t playing on! I think the lyrics still hit really hard, I’m proud of that song, it’s scrappy and angry.
8) Which band/artist do you think has had the biggest influence on your music over the years? What is it about them that inspires you?
Beth: PP all share influences but also have vastly different ones. We collectively love artists like Bikini Kill, Sleater Kinney, CMAT, Pissed Jeans and Other Half. I think Paramore have been a huge influence on me personally, I just always wanted to be able to play the drums like Zac Farro.
9) Who are some of your favourite current artists? What do you like about them?
Beth: I am a huge fan of Mannequin Pussy, Lynks, Hayley Williams, CMAT, Cloakroom Q and Other Half, I think they’re all doing their own thing unapologetically. I love artists who don’t take themselves too seriously, we’re just making music not doing brain surgery!
10) You have a new EP out, how has your approach to making music changed since you started out, and how has your sound developed over that time? Is there a particular song on the record that epitomises what you’re aiming to achieve or that is particularly special to you for any reason?
Beth: We are all a lot more confident in our abilities nowadays, I think when we started out we were all a bit timid! We have definitely gotten much weirder and I think that was our goal when we set out to make this record. We just want to have a bit of a laugh when we’re writing even if we are talking about serious topics. I think the title track Boring Songs for Boring People epitomises the record as a whole; it’s tongue in cheek and noisy but there’s a message there about artists not speaking out against issues that might cost them opportunities; putting their careers ahead of their morals.
Boring Songs for Boring People is out now via Alcopop! Records.
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Feature by Hayley Foster da Silva
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