Winged Rodents and Midwest Punx: Like Bats Vs. Totally Crushed Out
by Ryan Pangilinan
The Midwest seems to breed great punk bands like there’s no tomorrow. One such group is Indiana’s Like Bats, a band that mixes punk ferocity with melodic instrumentation and harmonies, not unlike J. Church or the Lawrence Arms. Their 2009 demo (recently reissued on Traffic Street Records) was one of the surprise EPs of the year and subsequent splits with Young Devilry, Strait A’s, and Rumspringer have only whet the appetites of kids who are paying attention.
Like Bats is gearing up for a winter tour, playing alongside the likes of Jettison and Lemuria, as well as a new 7” entitled, “Look on the Bright Side” (Traffic Street). Recently, singer/guitarist Mike let Totally Crushed Out pick his brain a bit about the workings of being like a bat.
TOTALLY CRUSHED OUT: How did Like Bats get together?
Well, Like Bats was a band I started when I was 16 with completely different people and a kind of different; way shittier sound. It went through a couple line up changes before it died. Then in October 2008, I broke up with my girlfriend and started writing songs that became our demo and I wanted to get a band together to play the songs. And I just really like the name Like Bats for some reason, so I decided to kind of extend it off of that.
On the demo, there's an influence of fast melodic bands like Lawrence Arms, Screeching Weasel and 88 Fingers Louie. Is it fair to say that you guys have a pension for 90s punk?
Yeah man, 90's punk is definitely one of my favorite styles of music. We all love bands like Jawbreaker, Red 40, Crimpshrine, Pezz and bands like that. But 90's emo bands definitely plays a role as an influence as well.
Lyrically, the songs have been about the negative aspects of a relationship; are the songs autobiographical and if so, have you heard any responses from whom they might have been about?
Yeah, the songs on the demo are about a specific break up I went through. She actually got really pissed at me when she first heard it and didn't talk to me for a while. Haha. But whatever, I don't care.
Your tours, by and large, have been centered around the Midwest and parts of the East Coast. Are there any plans to tour out west?
Well this winter, we're doing a southern tour. And in the summer, we're going to do a full US, which will definitely include dates out west.
The demo has been reissued on Traffic Street and you have a 7" on the way; what other plans are in store for Like Bats?
Well, we got the tour this winter, and the 7" should be out early or mid January. After that, more touring and hopefully some splits and I just started writing the full length, but I have no idea when that will happen.
by Ryan Pangilinan
The Midwest seems to breed great punk bands like there’s no tomorrow. One such group is Indiana’s Like Bats, a band that mixes punk ferocity with melodic instrumentation and harmonies, not unlike J. Church or the Lawrence Arms. Their 2009 demo (recently reissued on Traffic Street Records) was one of the surprise EPs of the year and subsequent splits with Young Devilry, Strait A’s, and Rumspringer have only whet the appetites of kids who are paying attention.Like Bats is gearing up for a winter tour, playing alongside the likes of Jettison and Lemuria, as well as a new 7” entitled, “Look on the Bright Side” (Traffic Street). Recently, singer/guitarist Mike let Totally Crushed Out pick his brain a bit about the workings of being like a bat.
TOTALLY CRUSHED OUT: How did Like Bats get together?
Well, Like Bats was a band I started when I was 16 with completely different people and a kind of different; way shittier sound. It went through a couple line up changes before it died. Then in October 2008, I broke up with my girlfriend and started writing songs that became our demo and I wanted to get a band together to play the songs. And I just really like the name Like Bats for some reason, so I decided to kind of extend it off of that.
On the demo, there's an influence of fast melodic bands like Lawrence Arms, Screeching Weasel and 88 Fingers Louie. Is it fair to say that you guys have a pension for 90s punk?
Yeah man, 90's punk is definitely one of my favorite styles of music. We all love bands like Jawbreaker, Red 40, Crimpshrine, Pezz and bands like that. But 90's emo bands definitely plays a role as an influence as well.
Lyrically, the songs have been about the negative aspects of a relationship; are the songs autobiographical and if so, have you heard any responses from whom they might have been about?
Yeah, the songs on the demo are about a specific break up I went through. She actually got really pissed at me when she first heard it and didn't talk to me for a while. Haha. But whatever, I don't care.
Your tours, by and large, have been centered around the Midwest and parts of the East Coast. Are there any plans to tour out west?
Well this winter, we're doing a southern tour. And in the summer, we're going to do a full US, which will definitely include dates out west.
The demo has been reissued on Traffic Street and you have a 7" on the way; what other plans are in store for Like Bats?
Well, we got the tour this winter, and the 7" should be out early or mid January. After that, more touring and hopefully some splits and I just started writing the full length, but I have no idea when that will happen.
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