MisterWives’ Lyrical Guide to Letting Your Freak Flag Fly
If you’re like me, you’ve probably lived that punk rock anti-authority lifestyle a little bit. And I’m not talking about being FULLY anti-establishment, because let’s not get arrested or whatever. But, let’s live that life just enough to show the world how truly effing radical and non-basic we are — especially with musical choices.
When looking for a punk rock musical spirit animal, Mandy Lee —lead singer for MisterWives — fits that bill perfectly. Not to mention, her fashion vibes are pretty on-point. The band’s single “Machine” has been out for a few months, and has a pretty sick neon tribal post apocalyptic video to go with it.
The band has been dubbed possibly the new “No Doubt,” and if you can recall any of the vibes Gwen Stefani had back in the Tragic Kingdom days, we’re not mad about it at all.
With their new album, “Connect the Dots,” out today, the band isn’t staying quiet about keepin’ shit real when it comes to who you are. While songs like “Machine” have quite literal anti-establishment lyrics like “We’re not part of your machine” as its chorus, other songs are about “Coloring Outside the Lines” and being obviously in support of “Revolution.” Again, something we ain’t mad about.
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In other words, this album should probably be your new punk rock stay-woke go-to album for when shit gets real. And Mandy’s advice for when that happens? “Resist but also rest. It’s crucial to ‘stay woke’ but [you have] to find a healthy balance between being engaged and proactive, also knowing when to log out of social media/turn off the news. Music is also always my go to.”
Check out Mandy’s lyrical guide to keeping your individuality below! And duh, go download the album ASAP.
Machine — “I am tired of abiding by your rules, causing me to second guess my every single move….”
Would you say any of you have problems with authority?
We don’t have problems with authority except for that one time Marc got arrested and Will got kicked off a plane… we’re super punk rock. Long story short, if someone tells you the only way you’re going to be a successful band is if other people write your music for you and you abide by the “playbook,” you’re going to have a whole lot to get off your chest
Revolution — Did you mean for this song to be such a woke anthem?
This song was a direct response to all that has been going on in the world and was written with a heavy heart that refused to stay quiet. As difficult as it is to watch so many injustices repeatedly occur in an unforgiving amount of ways, I wanted the message of hope, love, and equality to resonate louder than all the fear, sadness, and anger.
Coloring Outside the Lines — “They say time slips away when you’re having fun, that’s why you said let’s change our lives into a dull one, Don’t wanna blink one day and all this will be over, if only time would stop so we would never grow older”
Obviously, we can’t stop time, but ideas on the best way to stay having fun and in the moment? What are the best ways to color outside the lines?
I’ll never forget when Etienne and I first started dating, everyone warned me that it was a big mistake and wouldn’t end well. Turns out it was the greatest decision I ever made. Getting to fulfill your wildest dream with the person you love most is a pretty damn fun way to color outside the lines. I’m definitely not qualified to give life advice but please do carve your own path no matter how unconventional it may be. Oh, and eat your dessert before supper.
Let the Light In — “Let’s dive into waters open wide, that will wash away our cries.”
This line has a vibe of adventure, what’s your idea of a crazy adventure?
“Let the Light In” is a five-minute-long adventure meant to take you to a galaxy far far away where becoming weightless doesn’t require any effort. That song was one of the most fun to make on the album and although it’s the longest song on the record, it came together the fastest and collectively is our favorite. Besides touring and recording music which are the most exhilarating escapes, chasing waterfalls and rollercoasters is next in line.
Only Human — “Drink as we sink into the ground, where we hit such a low embarrassed to make a sound.”
What would you say to anyone who is afraid to voice their opinion?
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” – Yoda
Drummer Boy — “Never was afraid of death, but now you got me stressin’ about everything single breath.”
What’s on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish some day? Anything super weird or funny?
After playing Madison Square Garden on the Panic! At The Disco tour, the bucket list seems pretty dang fulfilled and difficult to ask for anything else in life, except having a park where all our spirit animals can roam harmoniously. Unfortunately, Will’s is a dinosaur so we’re going to have hire some scientists to extract mosquito DNA…
Machine — “I believe in Individuality.”
Why do you believe individuality is so important?
It’s all you got. What a waste of precious life if you’re going to be an imposter in your own body!
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