Working Class Stiffs – SXSW

By starrymag | March 27, 2025

By: Kelly Kearney

 

 

Q) The ska and punk scene in Upstate New York is growing bigger every year. Bands like Part-Time Genius out of Buffalo and This Is a Stick Up from Rochester are just a couple of the names filling venues across the region. What is it about the Rust Belt that has helped keep the genre alive?

 

MAT: I’m not quite sure, but I do know that I love the juxtaposition of our little slice of Western New York being known for some metalcore and hardcore bands and then there’s this little group of people that never let go of ska.  I honestly believe that there’s a resurgence of ska in general because it’s always been seen as a fun genre for fun people, so it’s always felt like there were less rules and less tending to the status quo.  Plus…it’s bleak around here, so why not listen to saxophones while accidentally getting punched in the face?

 

DYLAN: Speaking for myself (and hopefully others), these shows are a great outlet and provide a space for people to gather and have fun and dance together. You see a lot of the same friendly faces on the regular, which is really nice. Community, camaraderie, catharsis: the three C’s of cka-punc (I’m so sorry). You can travel a few hours in any direction to reach another city or town with great local bands. Life inspires art. Artists inspire other artists. We’re all neighbors sharing our ideas and energy.

 

Q) Icons like Operation Ivy and The Specials are obvious influences for anyone stepping into this scene. There are too many fantastic bands to name in just one interview, but who was your biggest inspiration early on?

 

MAT: Honestly, my biggest influence as a wee lad were compilation albums. To be able to find a good snapshot of what was happening in genres was always motivating as a kid learning how to write music. Seeing how eighteen different bands approached similar music in forty-five minutes worth of a listen was such a huge eye opener for me.

 

JOE: My biggest influence without a doubt is the Suicide Machines.

 

DYLAN: The Slackers. They put on the best live shows. When they’re in town, it’s a holiday. They always keep things interesting, great energy, delightfully intimate and the crowd will dance all night even when there’s barely any elbow room. I’ve been to a Slackers show every year for the last eighteen years (except 2020).

 

Q) You’re currently in the studio working on a new album. What can fans expect from this release? What are some themes you’ll be exploring?

 

MAT: Our fans can expect a little heavier action from us. Most of the band, myself included, weren’t in the band when the first EP and LP were written, so it’s only natural that our sound has changed since the last release. Thematically, there’s some songs about love, loss, moving on and some obligatory fuck the government stuff. 

 

JOE: There is definitely a stylistic shift this time around. There’s a much more present heavy/hardcore element to the music. The themes are much the same as before, ranging from political frustration to depression to dealing with shit situations that life hands you from time to time.

 

DYLAN: The style has definitely shifted a bit since the last release. A little more hardcore-tinged, melodious, with more background vocals and harmonies. Don’t worry, there is still ska (or, maybe you should worry – there is still ska.)

 

Q) As a punk fan living in Central New York, I really loved your 2019 release Rich Man’s Country. That album—and its title track—feel especially timely now. What inspired the messaging behind that record?

 

JOE: Again, the hopelessness of the political state of this country. There’s a lot of our songs that deal with friends lost too early to addiction and depression. We know these topics hit close to home for others and it’s important to us that our listeners are able to connect with us.

 

Q) Is there a song from either Rich Man’s Country or your 2021 self-titled EP that always gets fans hyped at your shows?

 

JOE: “Skate Hate” from Rich Man’s Country and “Johnny Goes to War” from the self-titled release.

 

Q) Let’s talk about your writing process. Are you more spontaneous, letting ideas lead the way, or do you approach songwriting in a structured, collaborative and plotted-out way?

 

MAT: This is a layered question, but it starts spontaneously and then it ends up with me in front of a white board with a ton of arrows pointing to stuff and bits of lyrics out of order and question marks everywhere. The band knows we’re starting to cook, but from an outside perspective it looks like I’m fashioning a new conspiracy theory or I’m writing a rough draft to my final manifesto.

 

JOE: It’s quite a mixture of both. It starts out with a riff, sometimes it takes some work, and other times it will just flow. It’s always collaborative. We can build out a song together better than we can as individuals. Our writing process has become much more structured these days. We’re listening back, combing through thoughts, fixing phrasings. I think it will be a noticeable improvement in the new tracks when they come out.

 

DYLAN: There’s a little room for everything. For this record, we’ve tried to make the process as collaborative as possible, play to the strengths of each member, and keep open to everyone’s suggestions and ideas. Sometimes we’ll just start riffing and if we really like where it goes, we’ll turn it into a song. Sometimes a member prepares something in advance and we work on it together. It depends.

 

Q) From Niagara to Austin, ska and punkcore fans are in for a treat at this year’s SXSW. What was your reaction when you found out you’d be playing the festival?

 

JOE: The band as a whole had a serious “Oh, Shit” moment. Then, mostly shifted to work mode, trying to finish songs for recording and maintaining a level of being ready to travel and play. It’s really surreal to get to do this on the Camp Punksylvania showcase, be able travel down with our Riot Squad Media family and take part in something like this. Being able to be along for the ride and watching Laura take that from a big backyard party to what it is today and being able to have a SXSW showcase highlighting what she’s doing is insane to me. 

 

Q) Talk about the process for creating your set list for the festival.

 

MAT: I think we are always trying to craft a set list that will start getting people to move and then leave them hyped for the next band to come on.  I don’t think we are doing our jobs if nobody is moving and participating in catharsis.  

 

JOE: We really try to spread out the energy as best as we can and keep people stoked.

 

Q) Who are you most excited to see perform at SXSW this year?

 

JOE: Escape from the Zoo – no matter how many times I see them it’s not enough. Hans Gruber and the Die Hards are a band I’ve been dying to see live and this is the first of three festivals we’re playing with them this year. And finally…The OBGMs. Their shows look insane and I’m excited to see them.

 

DYLAN: The OBGMs are incredible. I highly recommend checking them out, especially if you have the chance to see them live. They’re our neighbors, too.

 

Q) Do you have any dream collaborations, whether in the studio or sharing a tour with other artists?

 

MAT: I just want to play music with my friends, and make more friends playing music. But if I had to choose, I would say bring back Fat Chance.

 

JOE: Suicide Machines, Potato Pirates, Westbound Train, The Slackers, Rudiments, Assorted Jelly Beans…honestly the list is just too long. 

 

DYLAN: Well, I recently learned that an Operation Ivy tribute comp brought together the original members of Bayside. Working Class Stiffs are known for Op Ivy sets at Camp Punksylvania. It all makes sense if you ask me. In-studio or sharing a tour? Both, ideally. The emo adults can have a little ska-core, as a treat.

 

Q) You’ve had a loyal fanbase for years. What would you like to say to them—and to the new fans you’ll gain from your time at SXSW?

 

MAT: We’re doing our best and stoked to drop this new record for you this summer.

 

JOE: Thanks for supporting us doing this for so long and I’ll stress the importance of stretching before any moshing activities at this age. 

 

DYLAN: Hey, I was one of those fans before I joined the band! I want to say thanks for sticking around and thanks for giving us a chance. We do this out of love and hope you keep coming out to hang with us. Keep a lookout for the release of our new record this summer! We’re very excited about it.