If you spent any part of your teenage years trying to ride escalators in platform boots, Softcult is for you.
But while the Canadian duo describes themselves as “music for mall goths,” they might be selling themselves a bit short. Their sound transcends food courts and fluorescent lighting with layered sonic landscapes that will remind you of alt-rock pioneers like The Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones and Slowdive. Formed by twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, they combine a sound rooted in alternative tradition with forward-thinking lyrics that take aim at misogyny, gender violence and power imbalances.
Ahead of Softcult’s show at Cobra Lounge on March 24, we talked to drummer Phoenix Arn-Horn about recording at home, their dream collaborators and the enduring power of Nirvana.
FOR FANS OF: TEENAGE WRIST, PINKSHIFT, HOLY FAWN
L to R: Mercedes (singer, guitarist and keyboardis), Phoenix (drums & vocals)
DESCRIBE YOUR OWN MUSIC
You’ve described what you do as “music for mall goths.” Who were your teenage mall goth idols?
“We were obsessed with Amy Lee from Evanescence when we were wee baby goths, and still are to be honest. She’s an icon.
Also Trent Reznor is my goth king and always will be.
Q&A
“Love Song,” is a powerful, sweeping epic that hits you in the gut like Slowdive’s “Alison” or “Plainsong” by The Cure. What are some of your favorite alt-rock love songs?
“ ‘Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby’ by Cigarettes After Sex, ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star, and ‘Don’t Delete The Kisses’ by Wolf Alice are some favorites for sure.”
Who is your dream collaborator for a future Softcult song?
“We’re both massive Deftones and Crosses fans so it’d be a dream to collab with Chino Moreno in some way, Kathleen Hanna’s also been a huge influence on us and our music lyrically, I think if we were to collab with her we could die happy. Also, Robert Smith because he’s our goth father.”
If you could have just one album with you on a desert island, what would it be?:
“I think for Cedes it would be In Rainbows by Radiohead, and for me I’d have to pick In Utero by Nirvana.”
What’s your must-have snack in the tour van?
“Cedes loves those “hot pickles” you can get at gas stations. They’re pretty sus in my opinion, but the girl can’t seem to get enough so we don’t judge. For me, I love a good chip. Maybe some hummus if we have a cooler with us.”
Riot Fest: “Love Song,” is a powerful, sweeping epic that hits you in the gut like Slowdive’s “Alison” or “Plainsong” by The Cure. What are some of your favorite alt-rock love songs?
Phoenix Arn-Horn: “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby” by Cigarettes After Sex, “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star, and “Don’t Delete The Kisses” by Wolf Alice are some favorites for sure.
RF: Who is your dream collaborator for a future Softcult song?
Phoenix: We’re both massive Deftones and Crosses fans so it’d be a dream to collab with Chino Moreno in some way, Kathleen Hanna’s also been a huge influence on us and our music lyrically, I think if we were to collab with her we could die happy. Also, Robert Smith because he’s our goth father.
RF: Last year you released covers of Nirvana’s “Been a Son” and “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle.” Why do you think their music still resonates with listeners today?
Phoenix: I think Nirvana were able to capture a certain kind of angst that people through all walks of life feel. Sonically they were so dynamic, you can hear their influence in pretty much any guitar band to this day. I think the fact Kurt Cobain was always so outspoken on equal rights and the way he railed against the typical “rockstar” attitude resonates with a lot of people to this day. He vehemently rejected some of the more toxic aspects of being in a band, and it’s unfortunate that he’s no longer with us because we still need those “anti-rockstars” in the music industry in my opinion.
He wrote in the Incesticide liner notes, “If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of different color, or women, please do this one favor for us-leave us the fuck alone! Don’t come to our shows and don’t buy our records.”
That has always stuck with me. Of course, as a queer person in the music industry it inspired me. It’s the same mentality Mercedes and I try to embody with our music, and I have so much respect for a man in his position using his platform to speak out for others. I could honestly talk about Nirvana all day, but I think those are some of the main reasons they had the staying power they did.
RF: You’ve also cited Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins as an influence. What are your favorite SP tracks?
Phoenix: Between the two of us, it’d have to be “Mayonnaise,” “Hummer,” “Crush” and “Cherub Rock.”
RF: What is one book everyone should read?
Phoenix: It’s hard to narrow it down to just one, but I’d say probably Animal Farm by George Orwell.
I remember reading it as a teen and the way it opened my mind to a lot of concepts I’d never considered before. It definitely taught me a lot about our systems of power, and to always question them and hold them accountable when they perpetuate inequality. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
RF: You’ve described what you do as “music for mall goths.” Who were your teenage mall goth idols?
Phoenix: We were obsessed with Amy Lee from Evanescence when we were wee baby goths, and still are to be honest. She’s an icon.
Also Trent Reznor is my goth king and always will be.
RF: If you could have just one album with you on a desert island, what would it be?
Phoenix: I think for Cedes it would be In Rainbows by Radiohead, and for me I’d have to pick In Utero by Nirvana.
RF: If you had advice for musicians trying to record at home, what would it be?
Phoenix: Honestly, just don’t get discouraged. It’s easy to compare yourself to other people and think you don’t match up, but the truth is there’s so many resources out there for you to learn from, anything you want to improve in you totally can. YouTube tutorials are your friend, even though they can be annoying as hell. Try and soak in knowledge from anywhere you can. And most importantly I’d say don’t get hung up on how you’re “supposed” to do something. Honestly most of the time I feel like I have no idea what I’m doing, I don’t have any sort of theory when it comes to recording, I just try and trust my ear and experiment. Sometimes doing things the “wrong way” can lead to something unique that sounds awesome.
RF: What’s the best live set you’ve ever seen?
Phoenix: I think Cedes would probably say Men I Trust. We got to see them in Toronto last year and they were incredible. For me, I’d have to say Slipknot. They were a bucket list band for me to see for a long time and it was one of the most insane concerts I’ve ever been to. The energy from the crowd was amazing. Maggot 4 life.
RF: What’s your must-have snack in the tour van?
Phoenix: Cedes loves those “hot pickles” you can get at gas stations. They’re pretty sus in my opinion, but the girl can’t seem to get enough so we don’t judge. For me, I love a good chip. Maybe some hummus if we have a cooler with us.
Softcult @ Cobra Lounge
Soft Blue Shimmer
March 24 // Doors at 7:00 PM
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