The Buzzers

Lately, our zine has been focusing quite a bit on Canadian bands. It wasn’t really a plan — it just sort of happened naturally. There are simply a lot of interesting projects coming out of Canada right now. One of them is The Buzzers, whose latest record you can find reviewed on our site. Since we already knew Mike a bit, one thing led to another and we put together this interview. As always, we were curious about their experiences within the subculture world, their views on the local scene and the global context, the ups and downs of being musicians — and, of course, who secretly listens to pop at home. So, ladies and gentlemen — The Buzzers.

When and how were The Buzzers born? Do you remember the moment when you said to yourselves: “Yeah, we’re going to be a band!”?

BENNY: Well, the idea came in late 2018 but we had a lot of figuring out to do, mainly in terms of the line-up and some other speed bumps. I wouldn’t say we were really formed until the 4 of us who are the current line-up started playing together, so maybe it was sometime in 2023-ish?

How did you choose the name The Buzzers – and what does it actually mean?

BENNY: That was tough! It’s a shitty story actually… We kicked around a few names, as you do, one day I was just “doin’ my business” in the bathroom and took notice of my hair clippers (or buzzers as I’ve always called ‘em) and thought there’s no way The Buzzers isn’t taken, but after searching and asking around that seemed to be the case. That was that.

Who was there at the very beginning, and how did the lineup change over time?

BENNY: I was there at the start, and there were a few other guys that came and went who just weren’t on the same page for various reasons. We hit a standstill in 2020 where it was looking like it wouldn’t happen at all. I couldn’t just throw in the towel so that’s when I recorded a solo record (‘Cutting It Close’). I couldn’t play any instruments but I had half a drum kit, bought a shitty guitar and bass and went at it. Mike expressed some interest in playing guitar and that really put gas in my tank to keep at it. We practiced with a few others, then managed to wrangle Lauren on bass and Matt on drums.

Do you remember your first rehearsal – how did it go? Who brought the first beer to rehearsal?

BENNY: It’s hard to pinpoint a first rehearsal for us, but someone always brings the beer haha. Even if some of us are off the piss at the time we’ll bring some near-beer for ‘em. There’s a great brewery across the street from our jam-space too so that doesn’t hurt. I think?

What motivated you back then to play Oi!/streetpunk? Or how would you describe your sound in your own words?

MIKE: Since this question was left for me, it might skew the overall answer for the rest of the band, but “back then” for me was nearly 30 years ago now! I basically fell into playing in a band by accident as I had bought a bass guitar as a teenager but never did anything with it. Then when I was about 18 I met a guy (who is still a good friend today) and when he saw the bass case in the corner of the room at my place, he asked if I played bass and I said not really…. So he told me it was easy and he would show me and the next thing you knew I was in a band! We had a few original songs, but mostly did a lot of cover songs by the likes of Last Resort, The Business, Blitz, etc.

How would you describe your musical development from the first songs up until now?

BENNY: It’s definitely “grown” and improved over time. I was writing faster/angrier songs early on, not that they aren’t now, but if you go back you’ll get what I mean. Having the line-up we’ve got now has definitely tightened our sound up and influenced how I write, which sure as hell improved everything.

How do your songs come to life – is it a team effort, or does someone have the final say?

BENNY: I write / record basic demos of our tunes, and then we all give ‘em a listen and see who likes what, then go from there. We’re all on the same page so any input/changes we want are pretty easy to make happen. Some of our recordings are new versions of old stuff that we felt needed another chance, so it’s been nice to see those get another go.

How important are the lyrics to you compared to the music itself?

BENNY: Equally. Our songs are just about all the usual shit most of us in our thing can relate to, but I try to not be too on-the-nose. I want to get my point across fast and with feeling. Oi! is pretty damn perfect for that. If you don’t happen to understand much english but you’re stickin’ around to hear a song, odds are you’re feeling the sentiment on some level.

What do you want people to take away from your shows?

MIKE: Unfortuantely there have only been a handful of shows so far (only 4 at the time of this interview), so it’s hard to say really. We had a great time in Montreal at the Oi! Fest in April of 2025 and generally we got really positive feedback from that, so that was good for our confidence. Overall though, we do take the band seriously but we try to not be too “serious”… so hopefully people will walk away from our set with a smile on their face and have had some fun with us.

If you had to sum up your own song in three words, which would they be?

LAUREN: Catchy, relatable, melodic.

Which bands or albums were your very first inspiration when the band was formed?

BENNY: The standards of course, but also some classic country (the old stuff), rock, etc. Specifically though…Sparrer, Menace, Partisans, Vanilla Muffins, Slade, CCR etc! Inspiration’s a tricky one ‘cos it’s hard to pinpoint without unintentionally ripping anyone off. I just try to write songs I’d want to listen to.

Which record do you always take with you on tour? Do you ever listen to your own records, or does it feel weird?

LAUREN: We have yet to go on a full tour! I imagine we will take all of our recorded material. I do not think it’s weird to listen to your own records. It’s good to be proud of the work put in. Listening to one’s own material is also a great way to improve riffs, or try out something different.

Do you have someone among you who secretly listens to pop or jazz, and you caught them doing it?

BENNY: Haha yep! I’m a sucker for Carly Rae Jepsen, old Katy Perry, the good years, real shit haha. Jazz specifically is ruined for me due to a bad mushroom trip when I was about 18. I’d never eaten them, was in a horrible mood, and hadn’t yet learned that’s a terrible combo. I didn’t think it could get worse so I ate a whole mess of ‘em. Way way way too much. The plan was to go paint (graffiti) to blow off some steam. So I put on some Miles Davis and started sketching, half an hour later I saw the devil. Drugs are bad, hippies!

Were you influenced more by the British, European, or American Oi! tradition?

BENNY: Probably more British, but there’s so much great stuff from all over that it’s hard to say. Canadian too!

What inspires you more – politics, everyday life, or just a bad day at work?

BENNY: Tough call! The world’s been a worsening shit show since (before) we became a band. I don’t know. For myself, a lot of what pisses me off I guess, which happens to be plenty.

Do you have any “band ritual” before a show?

LAUREN: For a pre-show ritual, we haven’t really come upon anything that we all do together yet. We’re probably just making sure we have a stage beer at the ready and don’t have food in our teeth.

What attracted you to the skinhead/punk subculture?

LAUREN: Being among the lower rungs of society, working like a dog only to remain in that same position…. And to build on that, there’s the unifying element that makes one feel like they are among like-minded individuals. Despite being among a disappearing social class economically, all of us are still able to rock up dressed to the nines and lookin‘ smart.

Credit: https://www.instagram.com/domdphoto/

What was your first experience with an Oi! gig?

MIKE: Again, since this question was left to me, this answer might not be the same for the others, but my first legit “Oi!” gig was probably in the early 90’s when I spent some time in the UK, and that was when the ‘revival’ kind of started to happen and there were a lot of “all dayer” gigs going on. I can’t remember all the bands, but I went to The Forum in Kentish Town to see a bunch of bands; if memory serves me correct it might have been Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects, Abrasive Wheels? There were about 8 bands and I had been to plenty of punk gigs back home in Canada with crowds of maybe 100 people at most, so to have HUNDREDS of people at a gig that were ALL into the same music as me was amazing. I also met Tony from Step-1 for the first time that day! For a kid from a small town in Canada, it was amazing…

What was the Vancouver scene like when you were starting out?

LAUREN: The Vancouver scene was a LOT smaller in years past. Long shadows were cast from some now-defunct bands like Lancasters, Subway Thugs, Emergency, Alternate Action etc, so there were some skins around, but local gigs were generally hard to come by. Things sort of picked up again when the Have a Good Laugh festival started up – our spikey punk friends always ensured there was an Oi! night, which brought in a lot of good bands and helped to get things moving again. It’s still somewhat of a smaller scene compared to other big cities, but it’s growing exponentially now. Vancouver has been hosting some excellent bands lately, and more are still to come. Watch this space!

Who were the local heroes of your scene?

LAUREN: Though maybe not exactly local heroes, those who were there making the scene what it is today are notable – Greg Huff, Mike Jo (although he’s lived all over), Will Brydon… there’s probably a few I’m forgetting, but all these dudes are treasured friends, and still engaged in musical projects today.

Does the Canadian scene have something specific that can’t be found anywhere else?

LAUREN: Yeah, it’s weird because Canada itself is massive, but the Canadian Oi scene is actually really cohesive despite the distances between the major cities. Most Canadian skins are very used to travelling around the country to make it to the gigs and festivals, so it’s a pretty close-knit scene despite a lot of us living in different provinces. You’ll also find that we’re a generally peaceful bunch – not a lot of fights at Canadian Oi! gigs!

Do you see a difference between the older and younger generation of punks/skins?

LAUREN: Kind of surface level answer here, but it seems as though the online presence of the younger generation of punks and skins is a lot more important. More seriously though, it seems like when everyone is all together at the gigs/festivals, the younger fans bring fresh energy and perspective, while the older generation bring the lived experience and roots.

How do you see the Canadian Oi! scene today? What do you enjoy the most about it?

LAUREN: The Canadian Oi! Scene is growing rapidly. BC Bovver and New Noise from the North are some compilations that exemplify just how much music is coming out of Canada. One of the events we all look forward to is Montreal Oi Festival – it is THE place to be each spring, and essentially functions as a massive reunion for all of us.

Are there enough venues in Canada that support this kind of music?

LAUREN: Venues come and go, especially in Vancouver where noise bylaws tend to get our spots shut down. But yes, there are institutions that are still around, and a lot of our friends own bars and venues that can support this kind of music and the rowdy fans.

How do you perceive the differences between the North American and European scenes?

LAUREN: Europe has had a longer history with this kind of music, so their scenes are a lot bigger and thus home to more festivals with legendary bands. There are also a lot shorter distances between the destinations of big European cities, so touring is easier. That said, Canadians pull out all the stops and demonstrate the best possible hospitality for bands who venture to tour here, so we’re always encouraging touring bands to visit us – it’ll be worth their while!

Do you follow new young bands – which ones would you recommend to fans? Do you have a tip for a band we should definitely check out after this interview, even if they’re not well known?

LAUREN: Some of our friends from Montreal Oi fest! They’re not lesser known, but if you haven’t interviewed Ultra Razzia, Reckless Upstarts, Black Dogs, Pure Impact, Puffer, the Prowlers, First Attack, I’m sure they have some valuable insights for Tighten Up.

Who would you most like to go on tour with?

LAUREN: Any of the aforementioned bands would be a blast to go on tour with!

What were the reactions to your first recording? And later to the Bloody Minded EP?

BENNY: People seemed to keep the hate to themselves if there was any! Haha. Pals and others were supportive from the start, and gettin’ good feedback from people you respect is huge. Bloody Minded has gone over pretty damn well too. I think we’re all proud of it and it’s damn nice to see any bit of support we’ve had, so thanks!

Do you have a favorite fanzine or review that really made you happy? Have you ever received a totally bizarre review?

BENNY: Haha one review said the singer sounds like a fucking crow in a bowler hat or something, that’s still a favourite. I don’t think he likes us.

How important are physical releases to you compared to digital ones?

BENNY: Very! Mike, take over…
MIKE: Yeah, it is definitely the ultimate goal for any band to make records I think, and it does give you more of a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. But over the years I have learned that the value for digital music is paramount as well, and I have embraced that format finally. While I will always prioritize making vinyl records, the ability to reach more people and share your music via streaming, etc. can really help not only to grow the profile of the band, but even the revenue that you can draw from digital sales and streaming can help as it is not cheap to play music. The cost for instruments, practice spaces, recording costs, etc.

Do you feel that music has pushed you forward personally, not just as a band?

BENNY: Absolutely. It’s a damn great outlet, introduces you to people you might never have met otherwise, takes you places, maybe gets you in a bit of trouble, all good!

What can we expect from The Buzzers in the coming months?

BENNY: We’re sitting on a good handful of new songs that we’re just trying to sort recording. Not sure yet exactly how we want to release ‘em, there’s some compilation and split talk on the table that’s exciting, maybe a full length.

Where would you most like to play a gig – your dream destination?

BENNY: We need to get our asses to Europe and the UK. Japan is big on the list!

What would you like to say to people who are listening to your music for the first time?

BENNY: Thanks for fucking supporting us. None of it is lost on me, really. Obviously we hope you’re into what we’re doing, but if not, piss off we’ll see you in hell. Haha No, honestly thanks for checking us out and thanks to you Tighten Up! Stick with us, good things are comin’ slowly but surely.

Looking back – would you have done anything differently, or would you leave everything as it is?

BENNY: Hindsight being 20/20, we’ve had some time wasted but it’s water under the bridge. Other than that, I always think I should’ve done better or more, ya gotta be a little hard on yourself I think, but eh we’ll keep swingin.’

The last word is yours – is there something I didn’t ask, but you’d like to say?

BENNY: Thanks for the love!