One half of the emerging duo details the band’s trajectory, where they fit stylistically and how being independent is a rewarding grind.
The latest episode of the Heavy Award-winning podcast from Craig Reynolds in The Downbeat changed programming a bit to offer a live installment of the series featuring special guest Milkie Way of Wargasm.
Toasting a casual old-fashioned to better lubricate the conversation, the two began their chat referencing the last (and first) time the two crossed paths – backstage at the 2021 Heavy Awards.
It was during the broadcast that Way experienced a bit of a wardrobe malfunction – an incident that caused the livestream to go down. Way addressed the snafu and brushed off the big deal that was made by people in the momentary reveal of a bit of skin – apologies to the fans that missed Sleep Token.
Way and Reynolds got into the quality of shows Wargasm has been playing on their most recent tour. In fact, each of their headlining dates have sold out with the exception of the biggest date which is slated for Thursday November 25th at O2 Academy at Islington. All this before the band jumps on to support Yungblud, Creeper and Enter Shikari and Trash Boat heading into 2022.
There was some banter about Adele’s industry muscle and her ability to get Spotify to change their model in removing the shuffle option for album streaming. Way aligned with the move and said that the change is something more conducive to how artists intend to have their music consumed. Reynolds agreed with the spirit of the move but took some issue with removing the option all together.
In a bit of role play. Reynolds assumed the part of Nan (Grandma) in asking Way to explain to the layman what it is that she does as an artist. Way explained that the name Wargasm naturally prompts a reaction on it’s own but further detailed that it’s more than a band, it’s a thing. Stressing that while the music comes first, there is a visual component to Wargasm that is equally important. If it has the band’s name, there is a standard of quality that the media has to meet – even more impressive is how the band does this independently.
In getting a better understanding of all that encompasses Wargasm, there was naturally some comparison talk. Way explained that the band often gets the electro punk label and often gets aligned with the likes of Prodigy – a sizing up she shares is a compliment. Furthering the talk about genre and category, Way and Reynolds talked about how well Wargasm would fair on a Stray From the Path tour – with Reynolds being overwhelming optimistic, Way not so much.
The two then moved into the reality of the livestreaming era. They weighed the pros and cons of sharing performances via the stream – appreciating that the technology allows fans who can’t come to show to still enjpoy the experience. Reynolds was adamant that livestreaming is likely here to stay and will alleviate some of the pressure to create live bills that are so on dimensional.
In a bit of a loose segue, Milkie Way revealed that Wargasm is currently in the studio and while there is no real concrete plan as to putting out an album, the creative flow is strong and the songs are developing organically. Drawing comparisons to the likes of Atari Teenage Riot, the punk spirit at the core of Wargasm is alive and well.
Stream the latest episode of The Downbeat with Craig Reynolds and Milkie Way of Wargasm below.
Sign up for the Knotfest Email List for exclusive access to news, tours, interviews, pre-sale codes, giveaways and more.