Girl at the Rock Shows

I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I feel like I’ve lost my swagger, lost part of that spark. I could blame it on demanding and straight-up rude clients with my booking company or a lack of super stunning shows when it comes to my blog, but either way, I just feel like I’ve lost a little bit of a strut that I used to have, and I’m desperate to get it back. Thankfully for me, when this whole idea of a lost spark was really getting to me, I was introduced to “Bad Man,” the debut single from Penny Rebels. This song and this group’s overall sound filled me with a sense of swagger that seemed to be so much more than what I was missing out on, and by the end of my eighty-seventh listen through this song, I knew I had to get to know this band a bit more.

If you could compare yourself to an animal, what would it be and why?
A labrador dog. Just happy to be here, tongue hanging out, wagging our tails in rhythm.

If you could have dinner with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
James – Elvis, the Myth the Legend, because he’s a fascinating enigma to me.

Eng Wei – Prince. But only if he chooses the restaurant and we’re all required to wear purple. We’d just sit there quietly, basking in the aura, and hoping he doesn’t judge my dessert choice. (Which would be a trifle)

Rahul – Tough one, maybe Robert Johnson, I’d want to know if he really did do a deal with the devil!

Have you ever been able to finish a Rubik’s Cube?
Only by reapplying the stickers. We’re musicians, not wizards.

What was the first concert you ever went to?
Eng Wei – Extreme, Hammersmith Odeon, Pornograffitti tour

Rahul – Metallica 1992, Wembley Arena, Black Album Tour

James – Tina Turner, Wembley

Everyone says that every crowd is their favorite but, what city has the best audience and why is it Minneapolis?
We’ve never been invited to Minneapolis, but we heard Minneapolis crowds don’t just clap—they clap in time. That’s rare, and we respect it.

What’s your go-to coffee order?
Eng Wei – Black. Occasionally with oat milk if I’m feeling emotionally vulnerable.
James – Flat White
Rahul – Flat White

What’s the worst concert you’ve ever been to and why?
Eng Wei – probably one where I was the one on stage. I had a terrible flu and there was snot flying everywhere. Had to have a box of tissues on the amp, ready to soak it up

Rahul – The Killers – not because they were bad but because we got there too late to see Sam Fender who was supporting them!

James – Our old band Bohica. Kings Head in Fulham. I arrived late with the drummer who had drunk a bottle of vodka. I also drank, I don’t remember the gig and apparently I never faced the audience during our set. Let’s just put it all down to nerve’s.

How would you describe your music to your grandma?
Eng Wei – she didn’t speak English and my Cantonese is terrible. So I would pull a face like there was a bad smell and gently nod my head like I was enjoying it.

Rahul – Bahut achcha hai (It’s very good!)

James – “Hi Grandma, the music is like a Werthers Original dunked in Bovril” 

Favorite lyrics of all time?
“We all live in a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine, a yellow submarine” – The Beatles, Yellow Submarine. It’s deep.

If you were to rob a bank, what would be the song playing in the getaway car as you escape?
Genuinely, Bad Man by Penny Rebels. Or Sabotage by The Beastie Boys if we weren’t allowed to pick our own music.

What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
Eng Wei – usually the last one I went to as I only have a short term memory
Rahul – Crowded House, 1994
James – Silverchair, Shepherds Bush Empire (I went two nights) or Faith No More – Brixton. Both bucket list bands for me.

What’s your favorite thing to do outside?
Eng Wei – sliding down a snowy mountain on a piece of wood trying to stay upright. Followed closely by trying to barbecue during a British summer and pretending I’m having fun.

James – My favourite thing to do outside is socialise with friends, explore a city, bars & restaurants.

What’s your favorite method of listening to music (i.e. vinyl, cassette, 8-track, etc.)
Eng Wei – Vinyl. Because flipping the record over is a great way to up my daily step count

James – Definitely Vinyl, I love the whole process, it makes you listen to an album properly like the artist intended without the temptation to switch to other artists like you can with say Spotify.

What’s one thing I should know before listening to “Bad Man”?
Eng Wei – It’s not about being evil. It’s about swagger. About defiance. About looking cool while missing your bus.

James – Time is always moving, stop, breath and don’t take things too seriously… Oh and don’t push too hard when you fart…

This is the debut single for Penny Rebels but I’m sure you have other songs ready to go. Why did you choose to release this one first?
Because it kicks down the door, walks in wearing shades, and doesn’t apologise. We thought that made a good first impression.

Who wrote the lyrics to the song and who wrote the instrumentation?
Eng Wei – the music came first. Influenced by the stank face I gave my grandma whilst describing our music, then that influenced the lyrics. Then we refined it all during rehearsals in the jam room. Also known as “The sweatbox”

How long, in full, do you think it took you guys to perfect this swagger-filled anthem?
Probably one of the songs that came together the quickest for us. Somewhere between two rehearsals and a lifetime of listening to records our parents warned us about.

Was there a particular influence that reigned supreme while you were writing this track?
More visual than musical. Think of a Guy Richie or Tarantino gangster movie but the lead character is played by Adam Sandler.

Who came up with the concept for the video?
Our guitarist, who swears he wasn’t watching Bullitt with Steve McQueen when he thought of it… but he absolutely was.

Do you really think you’re a “Bad Man”?
Only if eating the last biscuit counts as bad. Otherwise, we’re misunderstood at best.

What makes a “Bad Man”?
Both these concepts: an insecure one that considers himself a bad person, or one with arrogant confidence, swagger, slightly scuffed boots and a refusal to believe they’re not the most important person in the room.

If a top-40 rap/hip-hop artist were to cover this song, who would you hope it would be and why?
Eng Wei – Dizzee Rascal, because he’d turn it into a chaotic banger with a cheeky grin and a bassline that could start a minor earthquake.

James – Little Sim’s because she is a powerful artist, she always creates incredible work and I think she would hopefully do something very unexpected with the song.

As mentioned, this is your first release ever. When can we expect more?
Very Soon. We’ve got songs queued up and a metaphorical van full of riffs just waiting to hit the road.

Is there anything else you want everyone to know?!
Yes. We’re Penny Rebels. We make music you can dance to, strut to, or start a revolution to. Preferably all three at once. And we absolutely appreciate a well-timed clap.

I was hooked the second I heard “Bad Man” but truly fell in love with this group with every passing answer to my quirky questions. Not only are they absolutely right, we can clap in time here in Minneapolis, but I loved how they too think that “Yellow Submarine” from The Beatles is much deeper than some people think. Okay, I kid, but, really, there are so many dimensions to this band and that comes from the strong personalities that make up the people behind the band. That mixed with that unforgettable ‘Penny Rebels swagger’ leaves you with a heck of a song that is absolutely worthy of a looksie and listen this afternoon so, what are you waiting for? Check it out and show this killer band some serious love.

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