Artist’s Choice: We Are Joiners

‘First, last, and everything in between’ is an interview feature where upcoming artists talk about some of the favourite music from throughout their lives and how it’s influenced them.

Dutch lo-fi punk duo, We Are Joiners, began self-releasing a series of singles and EPs in 2020 and, since 2022, have been working with New York indie label, Totally Real Records. Their latest EP was released in December.

Multi-instrumentalist, Joep, spoke to us to talk about his musical history.

First song you remember falling in love with?

I was about 14 and my friends mom took me to a country night. She was this Shania Twain-type country singer with a cowboy hat. She sung Blue Bayou by Linda Ronstadt and I was floored for the first time in my life. So, Blue Bayou. Don’t kill me 😉

I think most people really start to form their musical ‘identity’ as teens. What music would best define your teenage years?

Im my case, it was the second half of 1991. I was just expanding my Metal phase into Alt- Rock and “Hey, there’s Badmotorfinger. Hey here’s Loveless. Hello Nevermind. Oh hi Spiderland.” I was treated so well by Indie Rock in those months, I thought the bar was always this high.

In the beginning, my formative influences were Anthrax and Black Sabbath but equally important My Bloody Valentine or Pixies. I’m a punk late-bloomer, it only really hit me hard about 5 years ago.

So, who exactly makes up We Are Joiners, and what’s the history of the project?

My long time bud, Niels, and I decided to do some recordings again. We had several fun projects in the past, like The Very Sexuals:

Now we decided to enter the home-recording era and make music with minimal means. My drum-machine broke down and a few weeks after that my 11-year old nephew decided to quit drumming. I got his kit and WAJ was born. I accidentally recorded a song called Metalmouth within an hour and the idea of this fast 8-track method was born. Now, 45 songs later, we are ready to leave this demo phase and record a studio album.

What’s your go-to sad song?

Definitely Dinosaur Act by Low. The vocals of Mimi and Alan gut me every time in this one. It captures the hell of being alienated and dissociated from everything. Almost every other Low song could also be the answer to this question by the way.

Go-to banger?

Miracle drug by AC Newman, always gets the job done. Uplifting, melodic and the fucking hooks are out of this world.

Who/what are some of the key influences on your music?

Bob Mould (duh). Kim Deal, Frank Black, Will Toledo, Daniel Johnston, John McCrea.

And WAJ sounds this way because of the sound of this 8-track and acoustic guitar that I use (that I distort, of course). If I had other equipment we would sound a lot different.

You released your latest EP, NORA, in December, tell us a bit about the story behind that.

NORA is about my dear friend, Arno. Initially, I planned to do a whole album about him. The rough life he had makes him an excellent storyteller, and sweet people deserve to get songs as a present. We were once working at a homeless shelter together. I admire his passion for seeing human beings for who they truly are; no matter how low they get. We also used to book shows at the local homeless shelter. Lots of Punk, Americana, Rock; those nights were incredible! He wrote part of the lyrics for the EP too.

Your guilty pleasure?

I don’t think I believe in guilty pleasures. Music, no matter the genre, can hit you. Whether it’s Slayer or John Denver, it’s just sensitive people making art. One artist a bit far from my usual taste is Tante Leen. I really love old Jordaan* music and Tante Leen always makes me cry.

*The Jordaan district of Amsterdam was a working-class neighbourhood which was home to many of the popular Dutch-language music stars of the 50’s and 60’s. And even birthed its own musical sub-genre, Jordaanlied.

Your chance to really prove your hipster credentials – tell us about an obscure favourite that not many people will know?

There is an artist called Redroot, a one-man home-recording project from Gainesville Florida. He has hardly any internet presence, but I’m a huge fan of his. He’s also a rad visual artist. Listen and BELIEVE

What’s next for We Are Joiners?

It stresses me out, but I think we are working on our debut about now. We have some solid sketches and we are going to work a little harder and deeper on the songs, instead of writing and recording in an hour like we have been. I still want it to sound like shit but the good shit, you know…

Finally. What’s the last song you fell in love with?

Trouble by Talking Kind. Just Wow, so impressed.