Toilet Rats are a space-age (synthy) version of the bands in the beach flick or the punk band in the 1980’s coming of age movie – depending on the song. The sounds it fun and danceable. And there are some lyrics that capture a moment.
Please tell us about Toilet Rats.
It’s a fun post-punk project that I record in the basement. There are a lot of synths, drum machines, distorted bass, and fuzzed out guitars. Some songs about ghosts and vampires, other songs are heart-on-sleeve encouragement.
I love the progression of your upcoming album Toilet Rats: Black Cats. It sounds like a set list and I love live, fast music. (From Asteroid to Nuclear Reaction to I Wanna Live, has whiplashingly awesome pivots. I’d be dying happy on the dance floor for sure!) How did the album develop? Did you have a vision and set out to create songs for it or find yourself with songs that started to gel together into something that wanted to be a collection?
I just kept writing and focused more on how the material felt when I played it instead of fixating on staying in genre lanes. The reality is I love a lot of music. One day I’ll blast Robyn while driving, the next day I’ll listen to old Ministry and My Bloody Valentine albums. Or some punk stuff. I like a lot of stuff. Writing albums for this project feels like making a mixtape. It’s fun!
Talk about Heart Emoji MPLS – for folks who don’t live in the Twin Cities. I love the energy and the certainty of “we’ve got each other”. It captures the mantra we needed in 2020 and early 2026 and the pride we carry with us always.
A lot of friends made justifiably angry, confrontational songs/art in response to what went down here. And it belongs. It’s valid. In fact, it’s more important than what I have to say. But in my heart, I was feeling this tug to share words of encouragement.
I love a good speech in a great song (think Skeeter Davis with End of the World) and so I love Crash Out. What made you decide to go speech route in that song?
I wanted to have my friend Andrew Cahak from Unstable Shapes feature on a song. I had this kind of indie-trash bassline that was really dancy and thought it would be the perfect opportunity for him to pontificate over the top. The idea of the song is the “faux apology” video where the subject never reconciles, but rather grows increasingly agitated and avoidant of responsibility. Cahak has strong comedic chops, so it was a lot of fun to make. I just had him riff a bunch, then cut it up and used my favorite lines.
Tell us about the upcoming album celebration.
There’s a party in Minneapolis, MN and Rochester MN!
Friday, June 26th at Treedome in Rochester w/ Disposer and Stranger Gallery. It’s an all ages show at a cool record shop.
Saturday, June 27th at Zhora Darling w/ Spit Takes, Hott Probs, and Bunny Blood. Spit Takes wanted to set up a gig to help their outta town pals Spit Takes, and I really wanted to play another show with Bunny Blood. So, it’s just a bunch of friends playing a pretty fire bill together.
Sunday, June 28th at The Shoe in Rochester – this is a microbar with a listening room vibe. So, it’ll be a chill set with friends Enemy In The Sky also doing a chill set. It’ll be a quiet, mellow way to cap the weekend. I hear EITS is going to do piano with a string section instead of their usual synthpop. It’s going to be super rad.
Mostly Minnesota 