Detroit three-piece The Idiot Kids have just released the new single “Wilted Bloom” ahead of their next record Chapels out 1 December (pre-save). The band joined TGEFM for a brief roll of the dice in our interview series to discuss the band, their sound and what’s next.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview and congrats on the upcoming release of Chapels. What can you tell me about The Idiot Kids, the new LP and what you want to represent to your listeners?
The Idiot Kids are a Garage/Punk Trio from Detroit. We are known for our high energy live performances; blending the theatricality of glam and the energy of hardcore punk.
Nicholas Zambeck and I (Jon-Mikal Bartee) started the group right out of high school and Andrew Maslowsky has been drumming for us since 2017.
During the pandemic, I spent my time taking classes on how to record and mix. So, when we started playing together again, we wanted to try and make a DIY album. Chapels was recorded mostly in a basement in Hamtramck where we were practicing, with a few songs tracked at a cabin in Northern Michigan. The songwriting on this album is definitely a little more raw and introspective; but still keeping with that high energy punk feel. The overarching themes on the album are how religious trauma affects queer people like myself at a very young age, and how that continues to shape and influence yourself well into adulthood. I’m hoping people will find some catharsis in this album.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
When I was 13 years old, I found a mix that my uncle made for my dad on a CD-R. Growing up, we were pretty much only exposed to Gospel, Oldies and whatever they were selling at the “christian bookstores”. On that mix cd were artists like Radiohead, Elliott Smith and Zao. It COMPLETELY changed what I thought music could, and should be. I finally heard music that I felt was speaking to me directly and from that moment on, I wanted to be a song-writer. It wasn’t until my later teens that I started diving more into garage bands like The Stooges, The White Stripes and The Sonics and punk bands like Fugazi, The Wipers, Against Me! and The Jesus Lizard. So when I started the band at 19, I was a wannabe singer/songwriter who was listening to all that high energy music, and that is what shaped what The Idiot Kids became.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
There is this band that I have loved for years that I feel is CRIMINALLY underrated and that is Kind of Like Spitting! Ben Barnett is an incredible song-writer! Another one would be Ezra Furman! I’ve been obsessed with them since 2018. From Detroit, you’ve gotta check out Carmel Liburdi and their latest album Linwood.
What’s next for the members of The Idiot Kids?
Hopefully LOTS of touring. We are starting to plan a Spring tour of the East Coast and Midwest for next year. Apart from that, I’ve got about half an album worth of songs ready to go, so be on the lookout for some more new music in 2024!
Was there anything I missed that you’d like to share or dive deeper into with our readers?
This album was recorded and mixed ourselves and we are very proud of it. If you want to support us, go out and grab the vinyl! It will be available online, at our shows and will be in stores courtesy of Jett Plastic Recordings on December 15th. If you are in the Detroit area, we are having an Album Release Party Saturday December 2nd at one of our favorite spots The Outer Limits Lounge with The Cult of Spaceskull and Carmel Liburdi & Friends.
Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
