Pour Habit

Pour Habit are one of Fat Wreck Chords most exciting bands to play under their banner in recent years. Hailing from Long Beach and Compton, their 2007 album 'Suticide' (re-released in 2009) is a powerhouse of high energy skate punk. Following up with 'Got Your Back' in 2011, the boys have been touring hard and are once again cmoing to grace our shores with their highly rated live show. They'll be playing alongside Australian punk stalwarts Hightime and coastal fun merchants Totally Unicorn. We caught up with drummer Colin Walsh about everything happening in the world of Pour Habit.

How's things for Pour Habit?

Let me see, we basically toured around, did a lot if US stuff, a lot of local shows and right now we’re just putting all the finishing touches on writing the new album and looking forward to getting out on the road to Australia.

So you’re looking forward to the tour?

Absolutely man, we had a lot of fun out there with the guys that took care of us last time and the bands that we played with were just so fucking awesome, so we’re really excited to have Totally Unicorn and Hightime and Anchors, you guys always seem to have killer bands out there so it’s going to be an awesome tour.

What led you guys to playing with Totally Unicorn?

Why we like them is basically because they put on the best show, they probably kicked our ass the first time we played with them because we’d just got to Australia and we didn’t really know what we we’re doing. We were partying too much and they played and just blew us away, they were awesome you know, great music, great stage show and we’ve been in contact with them just to thank them for doing it so we’re stoked.

So is it going to be a bit of a party atmosphere at the shows?

Oh dude, definitely, every time, we’re not like a serious emo band or anything and we’re just going to be out there making sure that it’s a party every night so we can definitely look forward to seeing who can be the number one, one-uppers out there, it’s going to be a lot fun.

How’s the reception been to ‘Got Your Back’?

With ‘Got Your Back’ it was kind of a bummer because when bands are starting out they’re always broke you know and in debt and when ‘Got Your Back’ came out and got good reviews it was the first time we had not been in debt. When we did our two cd release shows out in California in Long Beach and Hollywood we were stoked and then the day our CD came out our van and trailer got stolen with all of our equipment and all of our merch, everything, so ever since then it’s been tough on us, luckily we have had a lot of bands helping us out with lending equipment. So we don’t even have our own equipment so when ‘We Got Your Back’ came out is kind of a bummer but I think that people liked it and honestly I don’t think they liked it as much as the first one but that’s why I’m really stoked on this third one ‘cos the second album we put so much pressure on ourselves thinking it was a make or break thing. When it’s all said and done it’s just us making music and having fun, I like it, I think it’s a good album but I think we’ve still kept progressing musically and making it sure it sticks to us as a punk band and we want people to believe what we’re thinking, we’re not trying to be fake in any way so I think people liked it and I’m sure a lot of people didn’t like it but we just like to get together and make music.

What’s it like being a punk band from Compton?

I’m going to have to start referring these questions to Charles, Eric and I are not from Compton and I don’t think we’re allowed to speak for them but that’s where the band started. Charles and Steve started Pour Habit there with a bass and a guitar and writing songs about skating and other things associated with what they thought about on a daily basis and we were all friends when they needed a drummer and I filled in and we just decided why wouldn’t we make this a band. We used to practice three or four times a week at Charles dads house ‘shout out to Mr Green’ and that was kind of where our home-base was and a lot of people would always say ‘you gotta really jump on success, you guys are from Compton’ it made all of us a little uncomfortable but I see how it’s interesting. I like how Charles and Steve are two of the most genuine individuals I’ve ever met, they don’t follow any rules they just do what I want to do and I think that’s kind of refreshing .

Are you guys stoked to be on Fat Wreck Chords?

Me and Eric grew up idolising those bands waiting for the Fat Wreck comps to come out and a lot of how I learned to play songs from Derrick from Lagwagon and Jordan from Strung Out, listening to that Fat Wreck style. We got some support from other bands that believed in us and and Fat Mike really liked our shows so he gave us a shot. People have all these horror stories with labels and for us it was just like they’ll help us out if we need help and it’s still DIY, we still got to do everything ourselves and no one can do anything for you if you don’t put in you r own work, Fat has been like a family I’m stoked to be with Fat wreck chords, it’s awesome. We’ve gotten to play with all these great bands, I know Eric was subbing for No Use For A Name and unfortunately like the worst thing ever happened when Tony Sly passed but, you know, but he got to play at No Use For A Names very last live show and has a lot of memories with those guys. Fat Wreck has just been so important to me in my life in the fact that I grew up listening to that and all those Fat bands.

There’s a bit of a connection there with the drummer from Strung Out there?

Yeah Jordan, I don’t know if he still likes or not but he’s like the guy who really took us under his wing at first, he is an awesome dude and Strung Out has always been super great to us, Jake would play guitar with us sometimes and Rod and Jason and Chris. Jordan actually grew up next to where Eric and my parents lived and so he was older than us but he was always kind of like a legend around our neighbourhood. Everyone kind of looked up to him and Strung Out and he was the first guy to give us a show, I remember how nervous we were like it was the biggest deal ever and it got cancelled which was probably a good thing because we were just so stressed about it but then we played with them and it was the best time and after that he really helped us out, showed us what it was like to be a band and what you have to do. One of the first things he told us after we got signed to Fat Wreck Chords was not to look at the internet because he was like ‘dude you have to have some thick skin’ but you know Jordan was one of the guys who was the biggest help and influence to us, hopefully he hears this, he’s on killer tour right now so me and him; when he gets back.

Is there anything you’d say is like a highlight for you guys as a band?

Dude, highlight for us, I’m not trying to say it just cos but all of us love Australia so much, a lot of reasons, I’m not gonna try and get too political right now but out here there’s a lot of ‘one side vs the other’, the thing with Australia when we’re out there is just a lot of fun, everyone that goes out goes out to have a good time and there’s a lot of unity even in the way people are friends out there it’s just so cool. Everyone’s real good to each other and doing those NOFX/Bad Religion shows, when we were on that tour actually some of our favourite shows were the sideshows we did where it was just us and that band Anchors, it was crowded smaller rooms where people come up on the stage, it was just awesome.

So are we going to be seeing the handstand at the shows?

Oh yeah, you know it and Charles has some new moves going so we definitely will not disappoint. We’re going to have plenty of alcohol sponsorships out there so it’ll be good and were just going to bring a lot of cool stuff and throw some cool little mixes in there, maybe a few covers and we’re going to do Suiticide front to back. We’ll be having a good time, probably do a little road song with the other bands, maybe do a song together. We’re giving away some free B side songs for anybody who’s interested so they can go to the sites and download some other stuff, you’re going to see some good stuff man, I’m looking forward to it.

Sounds pretty cool, any closing thoughts?

Buy a ticket and get your ass to the show.

Nice, thanks so much for your time man, hope the tour goes well.

Yeah man well thanks for giving us the time we always appreciate it and we better see you after the show or Charles is going have to get in your face.

Awesome, thanks again.

Ok see ya.