Alex (Debt Neglector)
SPB: Songs about girls: yay or nay? (Why? Any favorite examples?)
Alex: Songs about girls are fine I guess if it’s done respectfully. Some of my favorite bands write songs about girls but there are times when it can get a little cringe inducing. Like I don’t want to hear a song about a “nice guy” complaining that the girl he likes doesn’t like him back. That’s her right not to be interested in you, and she doesn’t owe you anything. You can be bummed about it sure, but don’t portray it like that person has wronged you in some way.
But I’m not a total curmudgeon. “Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkman is such a sweet song about being really into someone and there’s nothing misogynistic about it. They just run around town together causing trouble and having fun. It’s both silly and romantic.
I’ve never found myself able to write a song about romantic relationships though. Like I recently went through a divorce and we’re finishing writing a new record now, but there’s not a song on it about it. Even though there are other personal topics on the record I couldn’t really delve into that for some reason. At least not yet. I think when situations are complicated and convoluted it can be hard to boil them down to a two-minute punk song while doing the situation justice. Plus the world really seems to be falling apart around us so I get to spend a lot of time yelling about that instead.
