The Skizzwhores
An interview with Madison punks, Skizzwhores
by Mike Huberty
May 2015
The Skizzwhores
With its classic-sounding punk rock, Madison’s Skizzwhores takes the energy of Fear, the aggression of The Melvins, and throws some Bikini Kill over the top. Vocalist/guitarist Ashle Quinn, Bassist Evan Christiansen, and Dave Bonson (the most drummer-sounding name, ever) took some time to discuss the band, their upcoming album, and their upcoming shows.
Maximum Ink: What made you want to be a musician?
Evan: Well, I never wanted to get a real job anyways.
Dave: Animal was always my favorite muppet. He seemed to have his shit together, so I decided to be like him.
Q: There weren’t enough girls in rock and roll. Picking up an instrument was very liberating. Felt like it gave me a voice and a passion. Finally feeling driven towards something.
MI: What are the artists and music styles that unify you as a group?
Q: There is a generation gap between all three of us so we all grew up listening to different generations of artists. When it comes down to it though, all of us really were drawn to the grunge scene and the riot grrrl scene.
MI: What inspired the name Skizzwhores?
Evan: Lesbian Sex and puns
Q: Yeah, pretty much
Dave: Religion
MI: What would you recommend as the song to listen to for people who are listening to you for the first time?
Q: “Just Like You, Just Like Me” or “Counting Sheep”
MI: What inspired that track?
Q: “Just Like You, Just Like Me” is just a really grungy song and the first song we all wrote together. Which someone called us grunge-smear for that song. “Counting Sheep” is written under the influence of insomnia, which is going to be the main theme of our full length coming out later this year.
MI: What inspired the title We Can’t Have Nice Things for the new record?
Q: Because we break everything. Nice things, bad things, stinky things, heart things.
MI: Are there any themes or ideas that permeate a lot of your music, wells that you always find yourself returning to
Q: Lyrically, I am consistently writing, poetry, free flow, thoughts, and lyrics. I draw my inspiration from my past, my present, corruption, when I can’t sleep, what I hear, what I see, and sometimes also utter nonsense. It’s all driven by the passion…in my balls.
MI: You guys have a couple of shows coming up, what can people expect?
Q: Lots of fun and excitement. Dave will have his shirt off. Things break. A few cute props. Exploding ovaries. Just a magical night.
MI: So, what’s next for the band?
Q: We just got done recording 16 songs that we are splitting up between an EP called We Can’t Have Nice Things and a full length called Insomnia Mania. We are planning a tour to New York this September. We also have two festivals that we are setting up right now, the sixth annual “DIY Fest” and the third annual “Grrrls Kick Ass Fest”. We are still working out details on both of those and will announce everything for them very soon. Dave is also working on a “create your own ending book” that tells the tail of Skizzwhores backstory in Turtle Ditch Iowa. We don’t know when we will release it. Books take a long time to write. We are between publishers.
MI: Anything I missed?
Q: I’d like to say I feel very lucky to be in Skizzwhores, with two people who are my family. When we are on stage we share meaningful and energetic chemistry that truly makes me feel alive. So check us out live sometime, because you may find yourself intrigued or possibly even moving around just like we are on stagee. Also, boobs.
Dave: I really wish people would stop trying to talk to me about sports. I dont know what they are talking about. I’m done pretending. Oh, also, I want to say hi to my Mom.
Evan: I have a Clear Blue Betty bootleg of a 2007 Christmas show, if anyone wants to buy it….i guess Facebook me.
You can see Skizzwhores at The Broom Street Theater on May 7th as well as The Frequency on May 21st.
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