It’s not often a band can use a wave of Australian colloquialism and quintessential Australian ideals to unify a larger audience at hand. But, with their single ‘Yeah Nah’, SoSo has not only done exactly that, but have exceeded through to the creation of a rambunctious and overwhelming tune that asserts their position within the Australian pop-punk scene.
This track, irresistibly chaotic in both its instrumentals and vocals, navigates the audience through a glimpse of social commentary- at the forefront of this, Sydney’s lockout laws and the wider impact upon both venues, and consequently, nightlife.
“'Yeah Nah' originated as a bit of a joke song and ended up a rebellious, energetic earworm. The track is a big call out of the shitty lockout laws that killed so many Sydney music venues”. Rhys de Burgh
Through an equally intrusive and irresistible beat, SoSo reels us into what is an endless earworm, sure to leave you screaming ‘Yeah Nah’ for days.
The release of ‘Yeah Nah’ has also asserted some other milestones for the band, including an accompanying music video, and a single tour that sees the band visiting the Central Coast, Sydney, and Dapto!
We took the time to chat with our favourite punk powerhouses about tours, experiences in the scene, and of course, what is next!
You’ve been on the road a lot, first with Redhook and Fangz, and now your single release shows! What is your favourite part of the touring experience, both as supports and headliners?
"There are a couple of really enjoyable aspects of touring; staying up late on a school night, honing our Tetris skills by packing our entire backline into a Ford Falcon and seeing Doy’s face (our drummer) when we get back to Sydney and he realises he left his cymbals in Wollongong……again.
Honestly though, our favourite part of touring is just being able to get out there and play our music in front of a crowd. The fact that people actually give a shit enough to come see us play is taking some getting used to. "
I think both the last and this year has seen your fan base grow quite a bit (evidenced by sold-out shows)! What is your primary message to fans of your music/ what is your desired image as a band?
"I don’t think we have a desired image as a band exactly, or a primary message. We’re just trying to write killer songs that really resonate with people, whilst having a tonne of big, dumb fun. We’ve said this before - calling us your ‘friendly neighbourhood fuckwits’ is a pretty apt description…. "
We've seen singles like ‘Yeah, Nah’ released that are not only laced with a pure punk sound, but aim to call out situations around us. How do you find this balance between message and music/ when did you realise it was so important to be sharing your thoughts on society through music?
"I think our age group has grown up experiencing the repercussions of extremely shitty government policies that have harmed live music (lockout laws, noise restrictions, expansion of poker machines). It just made sense to call out those policies and give them a big ‘Yeah Nah’. I think we try to strike a balance between message and music by layering in a bit of depth, lyrically. So when someone actually takes the time to read the lyrics they’re like ‘alright, this isn’t JUST five people who like to scull beers off a custom made cricket bat, they have like….feelings and shit too".
Who have been some of your favourite fellow Aussie acts, influences, or pals you’ve been on the road with?
"We’ve been able to share the stage with some bloody excellent bands – RedHook, FANGZ, Deadshowws, Down for Tomorrow, Lucid Hoops, These New South Whales, Dysfunction & RADICALS to name a few. "
How soon can we expect new projects?
"Soon. Very soon. We’ll be dropping a music vid for ‘Yeah Nah’ VERY soon (which really was a tonne of big dumb fun to shoot). We’re gonna give everyone EP#1 by mid-2021, plus we’ve already got EP#2 recorded and will be getting that mixed & mastered on the ASAP.
We’re also sitting on another unplugged version of one of our tracks from EP#1 sooooo safe to say, a lot of Offensively Average material is coming your way."
Are there any struggles you’ve found yourself overcoming as a growing band?
"I think the biggest struggle is just being patient. We want to do all this dumb, cool shit but obviously we have limited time and resources…..so we’re compiling a list of ideas for bigger and better videos, content and the like. Hopefully in time, we’ll be able to bring all these stupid ideas to life for everyone….and hopefully people will actually like them haha "
With their infectious energy and loveable ideology, we cannot wait to see what is next for SoSo (and now we know it’s coming)! Check out their latest single ‘Yeah, Nah’, and stay tuned!