How long has Out of System Transfer been a thing, and what are some of the things you've achieved during that time?
Jesse and I have been playing music together under various monikers (originally “Up Against the Wall String Band”) since 2008. The McKinley song is actually from around then, probably summer of 08. We’ve been playing under the name Out of System Transfer since about 2012. My proudest achievement has probably been booking a 2-month-long European tour last spring, as well as our two previous cross-country tours (third one happening this winter!). Opening for Mischief Brew a couple times was a really big deal for me, especially since we got to know Erik a little bit and he once tweeted about our Crass cover!
How would you describe your music to someone not familiar with it?
I usually say “high-energy political punk-influenced folk music with trombone” to anyone who isn’t familiar with folk punk in general. To people who know what folk punk is, I usually use our tagline of “gonzo antifolk punk rock radical leftist hootenanny”.
So you're getting ready to go on tour, starting January? Are there any upcoming shows you're particularly looking forward to?
Really looking forward to playing a house show in Hillsborough NC with our friends Rent Strike and She/her/hers! Also stoked about returning to Seventh Circle in Denver, where we’ve had two really amazing shows in the past. We’re also playing 924 Gilman in Berkeley CA for the second time, which is an incredibly historic and cool place.
Do you have any favorite places you've played in the past?
Monkey Palace in Boston, where they have a great, welcoming scene and I always have a blast. Konvent Zero in Spain outside Barcelona, an old convent that’s now a huge INCREDIBLE art space (I have some good stories about that show). Wild at Heart in Berlin, our first European show - they had a great turnout and got us WASTED after our set! Also the Curly Cow in Witten, Germany, a vegan punk cafe run by a really sweet older man who totally hooked us up. Finix in Hasselt, Belgium, an amazing squat that’s been occupied for 10 years and had an awesome show for us complete with tasty Belgian beers.
What about least favorite?
York, UK, where we got SCREAMED at by an angry Brit for criticizing the police. Pascagoula, MS, where the bar regulars walked out during our set but we played to two very enthusiastic fans. Anywhere that doesn’t give free drinks to musicians.
So you play the banjolele? What made you pick that instrument?
I picked up the ukulele just to have something to play in big group jam sessions that wasn’t a guitar or banjo. I’ve always enjoyed old-time music and I really liked the snappy percussive sound of the banjolele - I often tell people that I play the chorded snare drum in our band!
What about your role in Funkrust Brass Band?
I’m a founding member (on alto sax) of Funkrust Brass Band, a 15-piece post-apocalyptic disco punk brass band. I definitely take way less of a leadership role in Funkrust because we have so many members and I’m so often on the road with OoST. However, I help book local and out-of-town gigs with Funkrust, and I’m helping organize our Spring trip down to Honk TX, a brass band festival in Austin. Many of the Funkrust members don’t come from a punk background, so I enjoy putting us on shows where people may be a little outside their comfort zone - but we always have a great time!
What are some things you do outside of music?
I love to cook and bake and I’m pretty good at both! If you're a musician on tour or visiting and I host you, I'll probably insist on cooking for you, and I try to cook at house shows etc if possible when we're on tour. I also like riding my bike around Brooklyn. When I can get outside the city, I enjoy hiking, bouldering, and kayaking. Jesse and I recently went on a 3-day backpacking trip where we summitted the highest peak in the Catskills! We are planning on buying a National Parks Pass (if they’re open…) during our upcoming winter tour so that we can visit some parks on our days off - right now we’re planning on hitting up Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, maybe Joshua Tree and Mojave.
What projects are you working on right now? What should people look forward to?
Just recorded 6 songs in the fall, going to release cassingle in January and prob full EP in March after our tour. We have a whole bunch of new songs that aren’t recorded yet, so people planning on seeing us this tour will probably hear a lot of unfamiliar songs. We’ve got more tours planned, including another summer Northeastern tour, getting out to the Midwest and the northern parts of the West Coast in the fall, and hopefully returning to Europe in 2020 or 2021. I’d really love to play shows in Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
Don't forget to catch Out of System Transfer on tour! Also, check out this interview with Matt Pless!
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