Sydney-based punk duo The Cunning Linguists, formed by Clare and Jade Ryan, blend raw DIY energy with bold political messages. Their latest track, Burn the Swastika, confronts neo-Nazism head-on.
1. Since
our last conversation, you've formed The Cunning Linguists with Jade Ryan. How
did that collaboration come about, and what makes your musical dynamic so
special?
Jade and I started busking in Newtown one evening and Jade realised she was
totally hooked after the experience. We kept at it and then one night I
realised we needed to become a band. Jade and I embrace imperfections, we both
come from the same standpoint and always like to try and push boundaries. I
believe one thing that makes our dynamic special is the ability to be able to
bounce ideas off one and other and work quickly to complete a track.
2. Your new track BURN THE SWASTIKA is a bold political statement. What was
the catalyst for writing this song, and why was now the right time to release
it?
Jade wrote BURN THE SWASTIKA because a bunch of self proclaimed Neo-Nazi's took
to the streets in Australia protesting on Invasion Day. They were sprouting
racist rhetoric, and quite frankly pissed Jade off. So Jade reacted the best
way she knew how. Writing. Now is the right time to release it, because
unfortunately Nazi's still exist and any way that can combat this atrocity is
vital.
3. You recorded this track in your home using just an iPhone and headphones,
maintaining a DIY ethos. What do you think this raw approach adds to the
message of the song?
This raw, DIY approach with using the iPhone and headphones sets an example
that anyone who has access to an iphone can make music and should. It's
available to most people, and even though it's basic, that's really all you
need to make an impact and send a message to an audience.
4. Punk has always been about rebellion and activism. How have bands like
Bikini Kill, Fugazi, and Amyl and the Sniffers influenced not just your sound
but also your approach to music as a form of protest?
Kathleen Hanna from Bikini Kill basically always had a DIY approach to music
and used that method to get various political messages across. Fugazi's track
"Suggestion" influenced Jade a lot because it's basically feminism at
its very core. Amy Taylor from Amyl and the Sniffers is outspoken, never holds
back and is completely authentic. These qualities from all three bands have
impacted us and shaped our approach, giving us impertis and confidence to
protest what we are passionate about.
5. Your performances at The Moshpit Bar and busking around Sydney have built a strong grassroots following. What has the audience reaction been like to your music, particularly this latest track?
Busking gets various reactions to our music. In Bondi Beach we received a lot of side eyes and eye rolls. In Newtown however, people were screaming out our lyrics and it felt surreal. BURN THE SWASTIKA is still yet to be performed live, and we plan on unleashing it for the first time this week at The Moshpit Bar.
6. Given the strong political stance of BURN THE SWASTIKA, have you faced any backlash or resistance? How do you handle criticism when making such outspoken music?
We are still yet to face any backlash or resistence. If you're strong in your own standpoint, criticism can't really affect you so we are not too worried about it. We are both firm in our stance against racism, homophobia and transphobia and want to carry it through to our music, regardless of any backlash that may be received.
7. You mentioned in our last interview that you embraced imperfections in your recordings to keep them authentic. How does that philosophy carry through in this latest release?
Embracing imperfections is a part of life. This philosophy is carried through to BURN THE SWASTIKA as perfection is unattainable in our opinion and overproduced music we feel lacks depth and character.
8. As artists, your music clearly reflects your values. What role do you think musicians play in the fight against racism, discrimination, and injustice?
Music is one of the most effective methods of sending a message to masses of people. Musicians play a huge role in the fight against all types of discrimination and injustices. We both feel that if you have a voice, you should use it.
9. Are there any upcoming live shows or special performances planned to support this release? Any plans for a music video?
We plan on performing every week at The Moshpit Bar, introducing another single each week. We will be headlining at Oxford Art Factory in the next couple of months and will always be hitting the streets to busk as that is our most favourite.
10. You and Jade met in a rather unconventional way—on Tinder! Has that unique start to your partnership influenced your creative process in any way?
Clare used to just receive rank photos of men's junk and my conversations with others were not that riveting. So the fact we have met in such a cesspit and formed a band from the grassroots of Tinder is refreshing. To be honest Tinder doesn't really influence our creative juice flow (might influence other people's juices) however it was a point of contact for us to meet so we are grateful for that.
11. The name The Cunning Linguists is quite intriguing. How did you come up with it, and does it reflect your approach to songwriting?
Jade has always been heavily into poetry, weaving words together into a fine tapestry that really blew me away. We were driving home one evening from busking, and I talked to Jade about the act of Cunnilingus and how that would be an interesting band name. Jade then interjected with the words "The Cunning Linguists" and I screamed yes, that's it! That's us. We checked immediately on Spotify if anyone had previously taken the name and nobody had so we jumped on it. It affects our approach to songwriting because we are both very cunning with our tongues because both Jade and I like to push the edges of the envelope.
12. What’s next for you and The Cunning Linguists? Can we expect more politically charged music, or are there other themes you’re eager to explore in future releases
Jade is always very political so no matter what, there will always be a political flair and essence to future releases. Other themes we want to explore are whatever comes to us at night. We sit, we talk, we create and we don't really think all that much about it. We just feel it. Thank you so much for this thought provoking interview!
The Cunning Linguists (@thecunninglinguists) • Instagram photos and videos
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