By: Kelly Kearney
Photo By Calm Elliott-Armstrong
Q) You’ve clearly established that Bad Waitress isn’t here to be demure or fit into neat boxes. Do you still find yourselves fighting against industry stereotypes or lazy comparisons?
Moon: As a band who have both women, non-binary and trans representation it is a given that we still come across the standard stereotypes like, “Oh wow, you’re pretty good for a bunch of girls!” and shit like that. But I feel that each show we play, the thicker our skin gets and the more we break these barriers down. I don’t think that these stereotypes will ever fully go away since these are ideas that are so ingrained in our society, but the more we push the more exposed people become to new ideas which will lead to growth and breaking these stereotypes and barriers down. All these things take time but I feel/hope that people will become more open and aware that there are all kinds of bands and people who encompass them.
Q) For music fans new to Bad Waitress, your sound blends art punk, post-punk, harcore and riot grrrl energy while carving out your own distinct identity. How do you describe the space you’ve made for yourselves in today’s punk landscape?
Moon: Since the beginning of our band our goal was to make music that we love and build spaces that resonate with everyone. The fact that we stay true to who we are as people – the good, the bad, the messy, the ugly, the beautiful – it all contributes to building safe spaces within our punk/live music scenes. Being able to make music together and pulling from our many different reference points has contributed to helping us build the spaces we want to see. Our Toronto music scene has been a huge part of our growth while collaborating and building safe live music settings. It is a constant work in progress but I feel grateful to have found a group of people I can do this with.
Q) Your new album, In the Hollow, drops October 30—your first full-length release in five years. What are some themes you’ll be exploring on this?
Moon: Some of the themes that come out in the new album include exploring feelings of isolation, heartbreak, growth and making it to the other side of darker times. When we started writing these songs Kali pulled a lot of inspiration from her own life/relationships while reflecting on what was happening in society politically and socially in a post-pandemic world. We started writing these songs in 2022, which I feel played a big role in how everything came together and the stories that come out throughout the album. It is a raw and personal account when it comes to the themes explored.
Q) Why was now the right moment to head back into the studio and self-produce the record?
Moon: Originally we were hoping to get this album out in 2024 but, of course, as we know an album takes a very long time to come together. It takes a village as they say! I feel like more than ever though this album coming out in 2026 will resonate more. Especially with everything going on politically, socially, economically and globally it feels like the right time for this album to come out. The intention wasn’t to wait five years but that was the time this album needed to become what it is today.
Q) The recent single from the album, “Loving Kind,” takes on the volatility of romance and self-sabotage. What inspired the track?
Kali-Ann: There are a few songs that refer to my past relationship…Where you are so hopelessly in love with someone who’s so toxic and yet you will cater to their every destructive will because you are so lost inside their world. This comes from my experience with my ex who had addiction problems and kinda spun me into his web…
Q) The lyric “C’mon and tear me up a bit, I’m not the lovin’ kind” reads like both an invitation and a threat. What was it about that push-pull tension that interested you enough to explore it on the album?
Kali-Ann: Well, this part is kind of about how I never had said “I love you” to anyone until this guy…And I don’t use this term loosely…Also, I didn’t really realize at the time that these would be questions I would be answering about this song and it’s kind of hard to talk about…([laughs] that’s my fault though)…But, yeah, it’s a story of not being a big “I’m in love” kind of person and finding what I thought was my animal…my person… and it just becoming a toxic drug filled hell… I know a lot of people who have had similar experiences with loved ones and how the push and pull of holding on to someone who is fading away can be so traumatizing and devastating.
Q) The video for the single captures that exact “come at me, I dare you” energy. We see you four twirling pitchforks, covering yourselves in mud and daring anyone to try you. Where did that visual concept originate?
Moon: We were going back and forth on how “literal” we wanted to go with this music video. It is a very personal song and we wanted to make sure it got the respect it deserved while tackling a very personal subject matter. We collaborated with our friend and director Danny Alexander to come up with the concept. When he listened to the song he got inspired by the movie Predator from 1990. It felt like this was an interesting way of working with the subject matter of the song by using an invisible entity/monster which then could be very universal to viewers. We are also huge movie buffs and love to pull inspiration from different horror/thriller films and pop culture.
Q) How much fun did you have running around the woods and covering yourselves with mud?
Moon: It was definitely a very fun day of shooting. We were fortunate to use our friend Leesa’s family farm as the backdrop for the music video. When we arrived at the farm we were greeted by kittens that a couple of the farm cats had a few weeks prior which was a nice little surprise. Leesa’s uncle and aunt even made us dinner at the end of the day, very wholesome.
The part of filming in the forest was challenging though since we only made it to that final shot in the evening, which resulted in being eaten alive by mosquitoes. This seems
to be a theme that our music videos turn into what feels like an extermination challenge from the TV show “Dragula.”
Q) Beyond the single, is there a track on In the Hollow you’re especially proud of or eager for fans to hear?
Moon: I am excited for the world to hear the songs as a whole piece of work. It is hard to pinpoint one song alone but our second single “I Only Like You When I’m Drunk” I think is going to be a very impactful song to add to the albums themes and landscape. Very excited to see what folks think about this one!
Q) Between the dark, sweaty clubs and the pressure of gentrification, Toronto’s punk scene is constantly fighting for its space. How does the community preserve its roots through all that change?”
Moon: Toronto I feel has always been good about going back to its DIY roots as ways to combat the gentrification of our city. In the last few years there have been collectives throwing shows under bridges and keeping alive DIY house show spaces such as The Arcade in the east end of Toronto and DIY zine collective LICENTIA who also throw DIY shows in different spaces in the city. Some of our smaller music venues like Houndstooth do PWYC shows on Wednesday nights, which has helped to keep live music accessible while also providing a stage for up and coming bands. We have a lot of great festivals that have been coming out of the woodwork in the last few years such as Project Nowhere and Prepare the Ground, which helps to bring local and out of town acts to the general public. For a city that is always fighting for space to have music and art, we are very fortunate to have a lot of people over the generations who keep it alive. Also, forgive me if I am missing people, there are so many pockets/scenes in the city that I am always learning about.
Q) What message or emotion do you hope lingers with listeners that explore In the Hollow?
Moon: Don’t be afraid to be loud, be open to self reflection, love yourself and know that you have it within you to share your truth to the world. Even in the darkest of times we can create light and joy through our art which is available to everyone. We have it within us!
Q) Any chance we’ll see Bad Waitress heading south for a U.S. tour soon?
Moon: Yes, we are hoping to go back to the states next year to reconnect with the bands and fans that we have had the pleasure to meet over the years. As we know, it is very complicated at the moment with our neighbours in the US and all of the things that they have had to deal with (too many to list off), but we all know what that Cheeto man has done to that country. Visas have been a pretty big hurdle as well for many Canadian bands, but we are in the works to bring the new album to our American audiences.
Q) What’s on the immediate horizon – are more videos or tour dates in the works?
Moon: Upcoming music video for our last single “45” will be coming out just before the full album drops Oct. 30th! Our album release at Lee’s palace Nov 6th joined by Doorstep Fire and MVLL CRIMES has been announced with pre-ticket sales now available. After that we will be heading out on Nov. 10th-21st for our first Canadian west coast tour. We will be joined for the first half of that tour with our friends Mean Bikini from BC which we are very excited to have on board!
Q) You’ve shared stages with powerhouses like Rise Against, L7, Fucked Up and NOBRO. Is there a dream artist or band you’d love to collaborate with next?
Moon: Melissa Auf der Maur would be a dream to tour with! Also, for me, personally, Peaches would be a big bucket list tour as well! A boy can dream! [laughs]
Q) What would you like to say to everyone who are fans and supporters of the great music Bad Waitress keeps putting out?
Moon: We appreciate you, we see you and we are so grateful that our music is able to connect with so many people. It is an honor to have a platform to share our art and we hope to inspire others to do the same for themselves. Art is for everyone! Be loud and don’t give up on your dreams.