Portland’s newest punk band, The Outfits, came together in the spring, and is now playing regularly in and around the Portland area. The band’s sound is of the traditional fast-punk persuasion, and among their influences are The Queers and Sloppy Seconds. Visit The Outfits Facebook page, and you’ll hear solid tracks such as “Why Don’t You Ever Call Me” and “I Can’t Hear You.”
In classic power-punk fashion, the band consists of three members: drummer/vocalist Anna Flemke, bassist/vocalist Kate Sullivan and guitarist/vocalist Sierra Roberts. GO put together a stack of questions, stuck safety pins through them, and then dyed them green. The Outfits, appreciative of the gesture, obliged us with some answers.
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Who writes the songs, or is it a group effort?
Flemke: Sierra writes the music for the guitar and bass, and I usually come up with my own drum beats. When we write lyrics, it’s a very collaborative process. Sitting around a table thinking up words and phrases for songs is one of my favorite things about being in this band. It’s super fun to brainstorm with each other.
How did The Outfits come to be?
Roberts: Anna and I were friends for a while, but we both knew Kate from around town. One day, Anna posted something on Facebook about starting a band with Kate, and I wriggled my way in there. I was originally on keys because we had a fourth members doing guitar and vocals.
When was your first gig, and how did it go?
Flemke: It was this past August at the Picnic Music & Arts Festival in Lincoln Park. I think it went well. I just remember thinking I was going to throw up.
Sullivan: I was so excited to have people come up to me after we played and ask for a demo. We were all so scared, but everyone seemed psyched about our set.
How do you like to describe your style of music?
Roberts: It’s tough in the day and age where punk is such an all encompassing term. I really want to keep to the basics, and I’ll stick with ’70s-style punk as a good way to describe what I’m striving for.
How has your experience been so far in the local music scene?
Flemke: It’s actually a lot easier than I expected. I think people assume there’s a lot of hurdles you have to jump through or something, but you really just have to be eager to play. When you’re excited about what you’re doing, people notice.
Sullivan: I think having friends who are in local bands has really helped us too.
Roberts: We’ve received nothing but support from the local music scene. Although our style differs greatly from that which is going on in Portland at this time, everyone has been really encouraging, and we’ve suffered from no lack of bookings. I’m very grateful to have such open, supportive peers.
Any plans to release some songs?
Roberts: We’re planning on recording a full-length in the beginning of January. We currently have a demo, which is available on our Facebook page (facebook.com/theoutfitsband).
Staff Writer Aimsel Ponti can be contacted at 791-6455 or at:
aponti@pressherald.com
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