British Punk newcomer Kate Nash has compiled a new group, and together they have released a new track called “Girl Gang,” a frenetic, angst-filled cover of Fidlar’s “Cocaine.”
Despite being only twenty years old when she released her debut album Made of Bricks in 2007, Nash has made quite a name for herself in the punk scene. In the seven years since the debut, Nash has moved to Los Angeles, fully absorbing the punk scene there and forming a new group with several of her friends. Her move to the city has helped Nash become more aware of the changing political landscape, fueling the material that has now become apart of Girl Gang’s repertoire:
I just turned 27 this year and I was like, I am not the 27 year old that I imagined I would be. I felt that within myself I’d lost this sense of what was going on, and I felt a little uneducated and lazy.”
It was Nash’s experiences in the City of Angels that lead her to bring her girlfriends together and talk about every socio-political topic under the sun for hours on end. It was these lengthy conversations that ultimately led the group to come together and form Girl Gang:
It got kind of emotional. People were really opening up about the fact that they really needed this and they had these experiences and they wanted to do something about it. We decided what we want our role to be within the group and we talked about wanting to educate each other. It could be as simple as starting a book club to picking a subject that you’re passionate about and educating people about it.”
At its core, punk rock has always been about shaking society to its core and taking a stand against contemporary social values. Girl Gang is taking that core concept and moving into a more conscious effort to bring all of the issues to light, and it all starts with the new single.
“Girl Gang,” which rhythmically covers “Cocaine” by Fidlar, has been changed slightly in terms of both lyrical and musical content, and the result is something that feels like what the Sex Pistols could have become had they moved in a more blatantly socially-conscious direction. With a rocking beat that feels like it came straight out of 70s-era punk and lyrics that push the envelope a-la Patti Smith, “Girl Gang” shows the potential of an exciting new L.A.-based group that will surely be brought to mainstream attention very soon. You can see the video for “Girl Gang” here.
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