Michigan/SoCal outfit Poindexter have just dropped the highly anticipated release of Treats, the debut LP showing off their unique blend of ska, punk and indie-pop. The album is out now on Ska Punk International and was originally crafted remotely and then recorded at Cold War Studios. The members of Poindexter joined TGEFM for the latest in our Roll of the Dice interview series to discuss the band, the record and what’s next.
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the release of the Treats. What can you tell us about Poindexter, your sound and what you want the band to represent?
Kenny Plont (trombone): Thank you, Ed!
We’re a band or collective (either label works for us, haha) based out of Michigan and southern California. Originally, our goal was to play thrash metal and ska, inspired by the likes of Link 80 and Power Trip. After some early lineup shifting, we added Gracie Pryor as the lead vocalist and decided to explore a more pop-oriented sound, inspired by bands like Slow Gherkin, Gangster Fun, Catbite, Less Than Jake, MU330, etc. We ended up writing a batch of melancholic melodic songs that blended ska, pop, emo and indie rock. We wanted to write something that felt fresh and accessible to people, but didn’t feel like it was totally out of left field, which would have totally been the case with thrash metal ska songs, haha.
Anyways, the aforementioned songs became our self-titled EP, which was released in April 2020 independently. Shortly before the EP’s release, our lead vocalist Gracie Pryor relocated to Los Angeles, CA. After a hiatus, we began writing new material in spring 2022 and added Nate Phung (The Maxies, Odd Robot) on keys & guitar, and Kevin Hawthorne (formerly of The Radiotypes) as the band’s new lead guitarist. The band is now based out of SoCal and Michigan. Our current lineup consists of: Gracie Pryor (vocals), Nate Phung (keys + guitar), Nick Furlo (bass), Justin Nichols (drums), Kevin Hawthorne (guitar), Kenny Plont (trombone), Kiera Woodward (trumpet), Emily Wiliams (saxophone) and sometimes Jake Fortman (saxophone).
What was the process like in fleshing out that record and bringing it to life?
Kenny: Most of the record was written remotely, with members sending probably thousands of different files back and forth over the course of 2022 and early 2023. Originally, we intended to release a Treats EP, largely centered around the themes/motifs that our trombonist Kenny had in the songs they wrote the lyrics to. These are the first four songs on the record now: “Mammoth”, “Serendipity”, “Be All You Can Be” and “Treats.”
While this was happening, the band was creating other songs like “11 to 8” and “Hell”, where other members of the band (Kevin & Gracie) started writing lyrics as well. Gracie had written “Tongue Tied” back sometime in 2019 with our original lineup and we decided to add some new flair and layers to it in the studio in 2023. Gracie and Kevin presented “Body Like That” as a single sometime in 2022 and we decided to compile all these songs with Kenny’s idea for the Treats EP and make it a full-length instead of 2 EPs or whatever!
When we were all able to rehearse in person (or at least our Michigan crew, haha), it was gratifying to see the songs come together after months of being apart. Nate Phung, our keyboardist/guitarist, who also lives in SoCal near Gracie, flew out to Michigan a few times and helped us shape the songs and write the longer horn melodies since he’s a music teacher and all around great musician!
At other times, it felt like pushing a boulder up a hill trying to put these songs together. Working remotely with only occasional rehearsals happening, usually without our California crew was tough. On top of all that, we all work full-time jobs, some of us were pursuing master’s and bachelor’s degrees (bunch of Poindexters, am I right??), and going through our own life struggles. There were definitely some moments where it was very difficult to keep the momentum going, especially when we didn’t see each other in-person for months at a time due to the distance and covid. It was especially difficult during times when we didn’t have a reliable practice space. Even now our Michigan crew is spread all over southern Michigan; some living up to 3 hours from our bassist Nick’s house in Detroit where we practice.
I think the real impetus for finishing this project was signing on with Chris at Ska Punk International and having Emily Williams step in to record saxophone on the album once some of our original horn players left the band or couldn’t commit to recording or writing anymore.
I won’t call it a ska revival because ska is something that’s never gone away, but there is a massive rejuvenation of the scene with Dissidente, We Are The Union, Kill Lincoln, Catbite and so many more. What is going on out there that has gotten so many people back on their boards to ride this latest wave of ska?
Kenny: Well, about half of our members have been in the ska punk world for well over a decade and the biggest thing I notice now is that people see how joyous the music can be. After the compounding trauma we’ve all experienced over the last few years, I think people need a reprieve from the unrelenting stress and want to participate in more positive social scenes!
Ska music has always provided a space for people to discuss urgent social issues (racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc), and still celebrate being in community with like-minded individuals! The ska scene, to me, has never felt as superficial in its efforts towards inclusion, diversity and equity. You see it reflected in the lineups of current groups (We Are The Union, Young Costello, Girls Go Ska, Kill Lincoln, Bruce Lee Band, JER, etc), and some of the veteran bands (The Selecter, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Fishbone, The Skints, Sonic Boom Six, Hepcat) who are still touring and putting out rad music to this day! I think people are looking for a scene where they can be accepted and celebrated for who they are and have a safe space for provocative conversations about social and political issues. The punk and ska scenes have always been that for me and I think it’s great that more people are getting to experience that.
Obviously, as a mostly white and suburbanite ska punk band, we’re aware of more homogenized iterations of ska punk, but overall, I think the ska scene is a place where outcasts can find a lot of kindred spirits and supportive people committed to building a brighter future through accessible and irresistibly danceable music!
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 know about?
Kenny: There’s some really great Ska Punk International bands like Young Costello, Girls Go Ska, PWRUP, Buena Suerte that I would recommend. Our old and dear friends Pancho Villa’s Skull from Michigan are great as well!
Justin Nichols (drums): Some labelmates like Hans Gruber and the Die Hards, Common Sense Kid, and Plastic Presidents immediately come to mind. Every band on Ska Punk International and Bad Time Records have interesting takes on the genre and are worth checking out. A pretty established Michigan ska punk band called St. Thomas Boys Academy just released a single entitled “Reaper and the Ghost” and it is pretty dope!
Kevin Hawthorne (guitar): Obviously the ska scene is killing it and I love all of our SPI labelmates dearly but I wanna give some special shout outs to other artists like Liquid Mike an incredible power pop artist from up north in Marquette. I also wanna give love to MS Paint, Fuss, Fat Tony and Mckinley Dixon who are doing cool shit and are constant inspiration.
Nick Furlo (bass): There are so many amazing active ska bands right now! Some of my favorites include Flying Racoon Suit, Joystick!, Simple Minded Symphony, Buena Suerte, Call Me Malcolm, Popes of Chilltown, and The Best Of The Worst. Some other artists I’m really enjoying right now are GET TUFF, Vial, Pinkshift, Beach Bunny, Pom Pom Squad, Illuminati Hotties, The Beths, and Hiatus Kaiyote.
Gracie Pryor (vocals): Of course I gotta second all the killer artists my bandmates have already said, some others I’ve got on repeat lately have been Field Medic, Babe Rainbow, Cheekface, Sidney Gish, Sugar Pit, PUP, Saba Lou, Ween, The Presidents of the United States of America, Madilyn Mei, and of course you’ll never catch me without some Weird Al on my playlist!
Not to put the cart before the horse, but what’s next for Poindexter after the release of Treats?
Kenny: Taking a really big nap and eating some junk food! Haha. In all seriousness, it’s really hard to know. I think our only goal is to keep connecting with people and to hopefully play at least one show (hopefully more) before the end of the year somewhere in the world!
Was there anything we missed or that you’d like to put more focus on?
Kenny: Our debut album Treats is streaming everywhere on July 25th on Ska Punk International! You can order a copy on CD, vinyl or cassette from the SPI site or our Bandcamp. Find us on twitter, tiktok, instagram, youtube! We have new merch available on our bandcamp store as well!
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/
