Newcastle punks Tough Tits not only have arguably one of the best band names going but are also sounding more vital and refreshing than ever.
The trio, made up of Ayesha, Liz and Hells, have just released their latest EP Anxious/No Know to pre-empt a 2017 full of musical releases and live outings. Head over to the band’s Facebook page to find out more about their forthcoming gigs. In the meantime, we asked them to compile a selection of current influences and inspirations and here it is. Check out sonic energy and unruliness from Mika Miko, Dyke Drama, Patti Smith and the Runaways. Here’s what they had to say about their choices…
Ayesha
Mika Miko - Where the Sidewalk ends
Mika Miko are the reason I started the band. They're a bunch of lasses going mad on stage and they'll probably be my favourite band forever.
Beat Happening - Youth
Beat Happening challenged the idea that punk had to be masculine. They innovated a place in punk that wasn't aggressive or 'macho', making punk safe and accessible for everyone- much like Riot Grrrl but Beat Happening seemed to make it a lot more inclusive.
Liz Phair - Chopsticks
This is my favourite song from her collection of self-produced cassettes called 'Girly Sound' that she recorded in her childhood bedroom before she became a famous, and pretty terrible, pop-rock singer.
Priests - And Breeding
I listened to this a lot when we started the band. I imagined recreating the way their front woman Katie Alice Greer performs, but it turns out i'm not the screaming/thrashing around type.
Grass Widow - To Where
Along with Mika Miko, Grass Widow are the perfect band. They made teenage me realise there's loads of women doing incredible things and that I want to be one of them.
Liz
PWR BTTM - I Wanna Boi
A modern-day, queer, romantic banger! PWR BTTM are class.
Metz - Acetate
I'm working on a new project at the moment and it's pretty heavily influenced by Metz. Working on guitar instead of drums with this one.
Dyke Drama - The Thing I Do Best
Another queer banger. It's catchy and beautifully written. It makes me feel okay about not being the best at anything but still trying canny hard.
Modern Baseball - Rock Bottom
I can't stop listening to MB at the minute. I relate to this song, pretty much all of it. It's a testament to living and loving while being creative but maybe feeling a little bit lazy and down while you do it. I think we all need to stop giving ourselves a hard time for doing what we love and prioritising passion over a career. Maybe that's just me.
Jeff Rosenstock - Nausea
Jeff is a genius and he's a lovely guy. We played our second or third ever show supporting him and his band. He was a real Angel and so good live! His newest album is also class, have a listen, he's mint.
Hells
Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl
Three lasses singing provocative songs with added synth. Lead vox 'Vanity' was originally going to be called 'Vagina' and '6' represents the amount of tits in the band. Funnily enough Vagina Six Tits was what we were going to be called, but we went with 'Tough Tits' instead. Also Prince isn't on Spotify.
Patti Smith - Land
Land blew my tiny Teesside mind.
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
I play a Gibson SG because Tony Iommi does.
Queen - Killer Queen
Fuck off if you don't like Queen. An Indian/Persian, gay man, fronting a band called 'Queen' just three years after homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK. Hawaaaaaaaay. Also, my love for cat-suits is thanks to Freddie. My mam taped all the memorial footage off the telly for me in 1991 and I would watch it religiously. Fact.
The Runaways - Cherry Bomb - (Later covered by Bratmobile)
Proper filth and the right amount of radge. Both versions are class and both bands are obviously, big influences on what we do as Tough Tits.
facebook.com/toughtitsband
The trio, made up of Ayesha, Liz and Hells, have just released their latest EP Anxious/No Know to pre-empt a 2017 full of musical releases and live outings. Head over to the band’s Facebook page to find out more about their forthcoming gigs. In the meantime, we asked them to compile a selection of current influences and inspirations and here it is. Check out sonic energy and unruliness from Mika Miko, Dyke Drama, Patti Smith and the Runaways. Here’s what they had to say about their choices…
Ayesha
Mika Miko - Where the Sidewalk ends
Mika Miko are the reason I started the band. They're a bunch of lasses going mad on stage and they'll probably be my favourite band forever.
Beat Happening - Youth
Beat Happening challenged the idea that punk had to be masculine. They innovated a place in punk that wasn't aggressive or 'macho', making punk safe and accessible for everyone- much like Riot Grrrl but Beat Happening seemed to make it a lot more inclusive.
Liz Phair - Chopsticks
This is my favourite song from her collection of self-produced cassettes called 'Girly Sound' that she recorded in her childhood bedroom before she became a famous, and pretty terrible, pop-rock singer.
Priests - And Breeding
I listened to this a lot when we started the band. I imagined recreating the way their front woman Katie Alice Greer performs, but it turns out i'm not the screaming/thrashing around type.
Grass Widow - To Where
Along with Mika Miko, Grass Widow are the perfect band. They made teenage me realise there's loads of women doing incredible things and that I want to be one of them.
Liz
PWR BTTM - I Wanna Boi
A modern-day, queer, romantic banger! PWR BTTM are class.
Metz - Acetate
I'm working on a new project at the moment and it's pretty heavily influenced by Metz. Working on guitar instead of drums with this one.
Dyke Drama - The Thing I Do Best
Another queer banger. It's catchy and beautifully written. It makes me feel okay about not being the best at anything but still trying canny hard.
Modern Baseball - Rock Bottom
I can't stop listening to MB at the minute. I relate to this song, pretty much all of it. It's a testament to living and loving while being creative but maybe feeling a little bit lazy and down while you do it. I think we all need to stop giving ourselves a hard time for doing what we love and prioritising passion over a career. Maybe that's just me.
Jeff Rosenstock - Nausea
Jeff is a genius and he's a lovely guy. We played our second or third ever show supporting him and his band. He was a real Angel and so good live! His newest album is also class, have a listen, he's mint.
Hells
Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl
Three lasses singing provocative songs with added synth. Lead vox 'Vanity' was originally going to be called 'Vagina' and '6' represents the amount of tits in the band. Funnily enough Vagina Six Tits was what we were going to be called, but we went with 'Tough Tits' instead. Also Prince isn't on Spotify.
Patti Smith - Land
Land blew my tiny Teesside mind.
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
I play a Gibson SG because Tony Iommi does.
Queen - Killer Queen
Fuck off if you don't like Queen. An Indian/Persian, gay man, fronting a band called 'Queen' just three years after homosexuality was decriminalised in the UK. Hawaaaaaaaay. Also, my love for cat-suits is thanks to Freddie. My mam taped all the memorial footage off the telly for me in 1991 and I would watch it religiously. Fact.
The Runaways - Cherry Bomb - (Later covered by Bratmobile)
Proper filth and the right amount of radge. Both versions are class and both bands are obviously, big influences on what we do as Tough Tits.
facebook.com/toughtitsband
