VOIID are band that I’ve seen far too many times to count. At this point, I would have seen them hit the stage on well over twenty-five occasions and I hope that I’ll be around for another twenty-five shows and more. After a few months off the road to help recharge the batteries, they’re well and truly back with a vengeance, currently being slated to play with the likes of IDLES and LA Dispute. Before all of that happens however, they saw fit to do another hometown show at SILO 23, and it was there in The Brightside beer garden that I managed to ask them five quickfire questions!
VOIID are:
- Anji Greenwood (Vocals) (Interviewed)
- Kate McGuire (Guitar and vocals)
- Mina Cannon (Drums) (Interviewed)
- Antonia Hickey (Bass)
1. Sometimes you get told to try and fix something that’s well beyond repair. Have you ever had to do a task that made you feel like you’re Watering Dead Flowers?
Mina: Where do I start? So much is coming to mind right now.
Anji: The Watering Dead Flowers metaphor is about mental health and watering a dead flower. So honestly, the main thing I’ve watered is my mental health and it’s still dead. But other than that, probably just like teaching consent and body neutrality to people. It’s really fucking hard when people don’t listen.
Mina: What she said.
2. Can you describe a time in your life where you’ve really been told by other people to give a new fad or trend a try only to very quick discover that it’s Not For You?
Mina: Sleep Token! That shit is ass, some bitch told me it sounded like Deftones, there was no Deftones in sight bitch, that stuff sucks!
Anji: (laughing) What was the question again?
Mina: When you gave a trend a go and it sucked.
Anji: Right when One Direction came out, I know sore topic right now, my sister tried to get me to like them and I just didn’t care and that was me at like twelve. Never into them, never cared.
Dakota: You’re going to get cancelled for that comment!
Anji: I know, RIP Liam Payne. I found out and then later found a sticker (of him) at Lifeline on (the same) day and I was like “Oh how weird is that”. RIP.
3. The Bedroom appears to be a recurring place and motif throughout your debut album but some are definitely different from others. Can you tell me about the strangest and potentially most alarming thing that that you’ve ever seen someone keep in The Bedroom of their home?
Anji: Wow. That’s a good question.
Mina: I have an answer but I don’t think I can share it.
Anji: (laughing) You don’t want to say it?
OB: Oh, we can censor large parts of it for comedic effect.
Anji: Yeah, let’s censor it for comedic effect.
Mina: Just answer it with like *beep*. Oh my god, I don’t know. There’s so much that’s coming to mind.
Anji: Are you putting it to me? Well, I think men tend to keep things in their rooms that shouldn’t be in their… rooms. I don’t know what I’m talking about-
Mina: Oh, I have one!
Anji: Mouldy cups?
Mina: Okay, the mouldy cups was wack. No, I have one, but it’s not alarming. It’s actually very cool. But one time I went to a house party, and the person who was holding the house party was like, “You seem like the kind of person that likes weird stuff”, and I’m like, “Absolutely, I do.” They had a wet specimen collection in their bedroom, and it was very cool.
4. The song Hell is definitely inspired by spending too much time getting into the rider while on tour due to lack of anything better to do. What’s the best green room you’ve ever been in and what’s the worst one? We will censor the name of the worst one as to not inadvertently burn any bridges.
Anji: Oh, the worst one was F*******’s P**** in Sydney. I was underage. I had to sit in the cool room where they kept the kegs and it smelled like mouldy feet. It was really gross.
[Editor’s Note: This venue has since closed]
Mina: I’m the best one, I think is Astor Theatre.
Anji: I don’t remember-
Mina: That was on the DZ tour, you probably don’t remember.
Anji: Yeah, I don’t remember (giggling).
[Editor’s Note: It was quite the tour!]
Mina: But yeah, Astor Theatre is very beautiful and also The Princess green room is phenomenal. Princess green room is amazing, I am such a fan of any green room that has a pool table which is literally just The Princess Theatre so slay, shoutout!
5. And last but not least, what’s your favourite brand of Cheap Wine and does it come in a bottle or a goon sack?
Anji: (cringing at the memory) Oh god! I don’t drink wi- No, okay, we’re ladies now that was that was when we were teenage goils. I’m a lady now and I love Tread Softly. They might they have my favourite pinot noir and prosecco.
Mina: Brown’s Brothers Pink Moscato, seven bucks and it comes in a bottle. But I only do that if I want to become an insane person, so not often.
Due to the flurry of gigs I often find myself attending these days, I go longer and longer without seeing a lot of my old favourites. But whenever I find myself in the front row of a VOIID show, seeing the girls take to the stage, it feels like 2017 for me all over again. To be able to connect with something that you’ve done many times before, yet for it to still feel fresh and new each time, is well worth celebrating. Later on, after a call to go “freakazoid” for the last song, the band coined the hashtag #freakazoidvoiid and then immediately decided that they hated it and never wanted to hear it again. Neither do I, but something I reckon that everyone should hear again and again is their new single, anatomy of a hug, which came out yesterday!
Massive thanks to Dakota (@strictly.sentimental) once again for putting up with all the chaos and getting us all the snaps in this article. Checkout more of her photography right here!
You can listen to the new VOIID song below: