Buffet

What is the origin of this song?
I wrote this song after a run in with this old man that hit on me at a buffet. He was comparing me to the food and how good it looked. It made me feel so uncomfortable that I had to leave the store and also so angry that he put me in that position. All these other similar experiences I had with gross men poured out into this song. It gave me a way to let my anger and frustration out, but also reclaim some of that power I lost from those experiences where men made me feel minimized. Singing this song helps me reclaim my power that was lost in situations where men made me feel minimized. I hope it can be a source of power for anyone that needs it.

How was the recording session?
We recorded “Buffet” with the rest of the album on the central coast of NSW back in March 2021. I was very lucky to get to work with Tim Harvey, who drove up from Melbourne to engineer and produce. My band and I had been playing this song live for a while before recording it, so we were really prepared. Tim had some really great sound ideas, which brought its grunge and cowboy desert sand worm side to life. That’s what I imagine when that lead vibrato guitar comes in.

What were the references, influences or musical inspiration?
There wasn’t a direct musical influence, just an accumulation of influences and emotions over time. It came out pretty heavy from the start and then my band helped really bring the grunge to its full potential. For recording I referenced Oblivious by Jessica Lea Mayfield, Cut My Teeth by Peggy Sue, and Soft Stud by Black Belt Eagle Scout – real crunchy, powerful songs.

What do you like most about the song and why?
This is probably my heaviest song, so it’s so fun to play live with the band and really lean into it. I also loved writing the lead guitar parts for this one and finding the right effects for them. I could layer and tinker with guitar parts and sounds all day.

What did you most enjoyed of the writing, production and recording process?
I really love the demo process and working out harmonies and lead guitar parts. Once I have a solid demo down, then I feel like I can bring it to the band for them to add their clever ideas to it. It’s exciting to watch the song morph and grow into this bigger thing than just a song I wrote alone in my bedroom.

What was the most difficult part of the process and how was it overcome?
The most difficult part was probably writing the song and then talking openly about the song and the lyrics. It brings up a lot of emotions, anger mostly, but it’s been a good way to work through some of that and connect with others on the topic.

If you could have invited anyone else to collaborate, who would it have been and why?
If I could bring him back from the dead – Kurt Cobain. I’d love to just hear what music he’d be making now if he were still alive.

What is the biggest challenge to present this song live and how has it been solved?
There are a lot of layered guitar parts on this one, so live doesn’t have all the elements of the recorded version, but it still gives off a great heavy feeling. Maia Marsh, who plays lead guitar for the live shows does a really incredible job of giving it that layered, full feeling. You wouldn’t ever think any parts were missing when hearing her shred.

Recommend us a song that you have heard lately and that you like.
Garbage Truck by Hemlock.