Meet Oakland Punk Band & Saint Laurent Muse, SWMRS

CB: When we did the Saint Laurent show, everyone was assuming we were from L.A, that we were another L.A band, which is fine. I think L.A bands have their place, they do their thing, but with so much visibility on a single scene, I think it's easy for kids from elsewhere to feel defeated and feel like there's nothing going on for them where they're from. [On] the title track "Drive North," the chorus is "I hate Los Angeles," and obviously I don't actually hate L.A, but it was more like a battle-cry for everyone else in the world, to send out the message that it doesn't matter where you're from. You don't have to be from New York or L.A, some of the greatest bands in the world are from Omaha Nebraska. The Replacements are from Minnesota, Cage the Elephant is from Kansas, and so it's kind of subverting the message that's being sent right now that all rock music is from L.A. It's just about being proud of where you're from, and giving a portrait of our identity.

A lot of the album takes you through a typical Saturday night in our youth, as kids from the Bay Area. It's about feelings of loneliness, feelings of depression, but also finding your friends, figuring out who the fuck you are. Part of Drive North, and Uncool Records, our record label, is being ok with wherever you are in life. You don't have to know who you are, I don't know who the fuck I am, and so it's just about sending the message you're doing just fine.

[Photo via @stove_rowe]