Getting To Know… Summer Cannibals

With its rich diversity and reputation in the hardcore punk scene, it’s no wonder that Portland continues to churn out melodically cohesive, cogent and buzzworthy bands. Summer Cannibals is a prime archetype, fresh off an album release (Full of It) off Kill Rock Stars, the lady-led band is already making waves at festivals like Sasquatch! and Riot Fest, just to name a few, and embarking on a full-throttled UK tour that started in October. While the burst in hype has been relatively fast-paced for the band, it took front-woman Jessica Boudreaux some time to figure out exactly where music fit in her life.

“I didn't know how great it would feel to play rock music,” she admits. “And when I did, it was like, 'I've gotta do this all the time.' I feel like I found my voice when I started this band. I just try to focus on being tasteful while still making it fucked up and cool and intense and [exactly] like rock music.”

Even with the drive ever present, Boudreaux still found a greater push within her Pacific Northwest region that allowed her to really pull the trigger and pursue music.

“I saw Ty Segall around the same time I was starting this band at Bumbershoot,” she reminisces. “My boyfriend at the time had won tickets, so we were going from stage to stage, and it was all really boring. I was not enjoying myself at all, and then we just randomly happened upon Ty playing, and it was like, 'Oh, my God.'  They go so hard, and the energy is amazing. My first thought was, 'I wonder why I haven't been seeing women performing like that at that level,' and now that I've started, I've been finding more and more, but at the time, it just wasn't something that was easily visible. That was really inspiring and made me want to play constantly so that I could get to a place in my playing and singing and performing — where I could push that hard and still play the guitar.”

With the addition of Devon Shirley, Jenny Logan and Harrison Rapp, Summer Cannibals are sharper than a Kasumi knife and pack a harder punk punch than one to the gut. During their extensive headline tour this summer, we had the chance to get to know Summer Cannibals a little better in Chicago.

Jessica Boudreaux

Age: 25
Instrument: Vocals, guitar
Moment/experience when you knew you wanted to pursue music: I had always been interested in music, but it wasn't until I started writing songs for Summer Cannibals and played my first show with this kind of music almost four years ago that I decided to wholeheartedly pursue music as a career path. 
What being in a band has taught you: It's currently teaching me how to not stress too hard about the small stuff. And how to be stuck in a van with four other people for nine hours at a time. 
Most noteworthy musical career highlight to date: Signing with Kill Rock Stars and releasing this third album. 
Pre-show rituals: Hide, stretch, drink a beer.
Animal that most illustrates your style in playing/performing: Bull.
Greatest influences: My mom, all different kinds of movies, art, Patti Smith, books, bad relationships.

Devon Shirley

Age: 32
Instrument: Drums
Moment/experience when you knew you wanted to pursue music: Watching my close friends Gregg Ziemba and Kyle Gray play little DIY punk shows with their band A.D.D. completely changed my life. I was probably 14 and was like "This. This is what I want to do. I need to learn an instrument and be in a band. Thanks, guys! :)”
What being in a band has taught you: I've been touring and paying music since I was 19. I've grown into myself on the road and in bands, and I've gone through a lot of hard times while on tour and living out of a van, essentially. I could make a giant list of a million things that being in a band has taught me, but I suppose the biggest thing is it's taught me how to never surrender and to never give up on something you love to do no matter how low things get — perseverance. 
Most noteworthy musical career highlight to date: Years ago I played some Mountain Dew Festival and people were not feeling us AT ALL. I dodged multiple nacho cheese bombs, but my drum kit wasn't as lucky. The floor tom took a direct hit. I left that cheese on there for at least two years. 
Pre-show rituals: Tequila. 
Animal that most illustrates your style in playing/performing: A ring tail lemur...on fire...in space. Fire in space, you ask? How can that be?! It's a vacuum! To which I reply....magic. 
Greatest influences: (Early years) Cursive, Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, ATDI, Refused, Dead Kennedys, The Damned. (Later Years) Radiohead, Autolux, The Velvet Teen, My Bloody Valentine, Pizza, Burritos, Whiskey, Ramen, Tequila, Synthesizers, Albert The Dog, Captain Walker, Naps.

Harrison Rapp

Age: 35
Instrument: Guitar 
Moment/experience when you knew you wanted to pursue music: Playing with my sister’s guitar when I was a kid. I couldn't play chords or anything. I was four years old and no one was trying to teach me, but I would make up "songs" on the open strings that reminded me of music I'd heard on the television. Scores for crime dramas or suspense films. 
What being in a band has taught you: Equanimity. 
Most noteworthy musical career highlight to date: We played in San Antonio two nights ago and it was awesome!
Pre-show rituals: Four stretches, 10 breaths, one shot of tequila
Animal that most illustrates your style in playing/performing: Fried Alligator
Greatest influences: Movies, friends.

Jenny Logan

Age: 32
Instrument: Bass
Moment/experience when you knew you wanted to pursue music: There was no single moment. I was playing piano and making guitars out of rubber bands since before I learned how to talk properly. 
What being in a band has taught you: How to be part of a functional family.
Most noteworthy musical career highlight to date: Opening for L7.  I've loved them since I was a teenager, and they've had a big impact on my thinking about women and performance. They still slay live, and they're super fucking nice, too.
Pre-show rituals: Wandering off to explore whatever city we're in.
Animal that most illustrates your style in playing/performing: Excitable dog with poor sense of balance.
Greatest influences: Joy Division, Jay Reatard, Denis Johnson, Roberto Bolano.

  

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