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| Photo by Beau Patrick |
Joey: My name is Joey I play bass and sing backups, I’m 33 years young, I’m non-binary, and I love lasagna..
Ash: I'm the drummer, she/her, I also like lasagna, but I'm partial to chicken parm, also I sing back ups and sometimes I have a cowbell
Ali: I don’t know why it took so long to figure out what to type, because I’m supposed to be the computer guy. I play guitar, I write some songs and I sing some backups too. I like lasagna and chicken parm but I’m more partial to soup, salad and breadsticks.
Jacob: I write songs, sing and play guitar. I like italian food as well.
Ashley: I met Jacob and Ali through my husband, they all skated and did punk rock shit together. They would come over for cookouts and eventually we all started jamming together. Once we decided to actually make it a band, we needed a bass player, so I invited Joey to the next cookout and tricked them into playing bass with us and the rest is Badzy herstory.
Jacob: It was really cool how easy it all came together. Couldn’t ask for a better group of people to play with.
Ali & Joey: Yeah!
Shock Treatment: I’ve gotta say, the new LP To The Bone is nothing short of stunning! Can you tell me a bit about your experience making it? When you were laying down the songs, were you able to hear how special the record was turning out?
Jacob: Thank you very much, that’s cool and nice to hear! Making it was a good time. Our friend Brian Pretus, from Pears and Bad Operation, recorded it at Fontainebleau in New Orleans. The record was pretty easy to make, we were really well rehearsed and Brian is really good in the studio. We tracked it all live and did some over dubs here and there. We did it all in 6 days, but that was spread out over a couple of months. So we could sit with some mixes for a week or two and discuss what we wanted to do next then go in and record. In the end we did 15 songs total but only put 12 of em on the record. The recording of the songs definitely felt special to me, because I’ve never been in a band that actually put a lot of time and effort into recording and releasing something.
Ashley: Being able to sit with the songs awhile before we went back in the studio meant we could figure out more vocal harmonies. It was fun adding and building on each song, seeing where we could take it without junking it up
Shock Treatment: What are some of the bands and/or records that influenced you to want to learn how to play and write music?
Ali: I have a lot of post punk and surf rock influences when it comes to guitar, but I end up listening to a lot of different types of stuff. Like I really think my biggest music/guitar influence might be the band Polaris (Miracle Legion) from the show Pete and Pete.
Joey: Holy smokes… I’d say my brother Vincent would be my biggest influence. He would let me learn the drums while his older friends would play cover songs I loved. I spent most of my time watching his friend Jessie play his black P bass with the circle jerks sticker on it. Found Green Day’s Kerplunk! When I was 7 or 8 and immediately realized I loved music more than skateboarding. Lots of east bay punk and lookout records bands like op ivy and squirtgun... But by the time I joined Badzy I was feeling a lot of Replacements, the Nerves, Zero Boys and Chuck Berry (when Jacob would do them Chuck Berry bends on guitar)… also feel like I should mention my love for Buddy Holly… Mass Giorgini, Brian Richie and Dave Blood are some of my favorite bassist…
Ashley: In my house growing up, we listened to all kinda genres of music. When I was about seven, I wanted to be a country singer like all the pop country baddies in the 90s. My dad’s side of the family is Cajun, so we always had live music around and were encouraged to play whatever instrument you can get your hands on. Then at 11 I went down the Green Day punk/powerpop pipeline. Bay Area punk is a big influence, bands like One Man Army and Swingin’ Utters.
Jacob: When I was in fifth grade my buddy Heath told me there was an older kid down the street who had a guitar, so we decide to just walk to this dude’s house and ask him to play for us. The guy plugs in and starts playing along to Sweet Home Alabama, and I was just blown away. My folks got me a starter peavy guitar with a crate practice amp for my birthday and I’ve been playing ever since. In 8th grade I learned how to write songs by learning Ramones and Tom Petty songs. I think the first song I wrote was the chords of “I Just Wanna Have Something To Do” rearranged. Finding out about Goner records when I was a teenager was a big moment for me too. Finding out there were loud rock n roll bands from the Deep South when everything else you could get felt like it was either from California or New York. I remember hearing Memphis Treet by King Louie and the Loose Diamonds and just feeling like I found something special. He was such a good song writer and a big influence on me. I’m sure if you’re reading this you probably know who King Louie is, if you don’t go do yourself a favor.
Shock Treatment: Like I mentioned before, BADZY is based out of New Orleans. What do you think are some things that people misunderstand or get wrong about your hometown?
Joey: It’s hot and it’s dangerous, but it’s also chill, and the food is good.
Ash: They think it’s their fuckin’ trash can and its not
Jacob: I don’t know what people’s misconceptions are, but to me it’s great place to play music. There’s a lot of great people and bands down here.
Ali: You know, the whole tour was so pleasant and nice, I really don’t have any bad things to say. Everyone was so welcoming Into their scenes, venues, and houses on some occasions.
Joey: We played our first basement show in Milwaukee…
Jacob: Actually, it’s pronounced MEELEEWAHKAY. Which is Algonquin for, the good land…
Joey: Thanks Jacob… Thanks to Ali I learned how to make spread sheets. Spent way too much monies on beef jerky. We went to the Replacements let it be house which was pretty rad. I personally had a great time in OKC at the Pet Shop! Shout out Chaz, bassist in Filth Hounds!
Lows… Paco at the Holiday Inn West Allis, Wi
Jacob: It was a lot of fun. Every place we played was a lot of fun, don’t think there was a bad show. I Gotta thank Ryan from Criminal Kids and Zach from the Whiffs for their help with the booking. Also Jenna in Ditchweed and Cheap Glue for helping us get on another bill when things got a little hectic in Minneapolis. Dan from Some Hearts for letting us crash. My friends Cory and Meg for letting us crash in Memphis. Too many others to thank that I can’t think of right now.
The Highs… Shawarma in Milwaukee, The Church in Tulsa, The Liars Club Show in Chicago, Cheapo Records in Minneapolis
The Lows… Backup sensors on the 2027 Chrysler Pacifica
Shock Treatment: Going out on tour and playing to all these different faces every night, do you think rock ‘n’ roll still has the power to change someone’s life? And do you think it was ever really meant to?
Joey: For sure, it was meant to change lives… Rock n roll is what helped me build the strong connections with the people I love… I would say all the good qualities i have are from being raised by rock n roll. it definitely has the power to change lives.
Ashley: Hell yea rock n roll can change lives, it gives us a built in community, its our job to nourish it and gate keep this shit from creepy dudes and loser wife beaters
Jacob: I don’t know if it was meant to, but I wasn’t doing much before this band, so it’s changed my life a bit.
Ali: I definitely think any creative endeavor has the power to change lives. I don’t think anything is meant to do anything though, if that makes sense.
Shock Treatment: BADZY draws inspiration from so many great rock ‘n’ roll eras. What are some bands and musicians you wish you could open up for at their peak from throughout history?
Joey: A sick show would be with this rad band from the late 70’s The Normals… They were a band based out of New Orleans. I think opening for the replacements would go over well along with the nerves, the saints, the boys, dang… Being on a bill with Dead Milkmen would be a dream come true.
Ashley: The Clash, Green Day hit us up! AD/DC, Cheap Trick
Ali: Hey I would also say the Clash, Operation Ivy, and Television
Jacob: Tom Petty/Johnny Thunders and the Hearthbreakers, Teengenerate, Tommy Keene, Generation X, Small Faces I don’t know it’s too many bands to think of.
Shock Treatment: What’s in store for BADZY for the rest of 2026?
Ashley: We’ve got our record release show and some other local shows coming up. Planning a weekend tour back to Florida in October, and possibly East coast tour further down the road at the end of the year.
Jacob: Keep working on new stuff to try and get enough good songs together for a new record down the road.
Joey: Fear City Fun Fest asked us to do a Gonerfest after show at DKDC in Memphis, that should be a lot of fun. Look forward to getting the new songs together…
Shock Treatment: Where are the best places people can go to follow the band and buy or listen to your music?
BADZY: badzy.Bandcamp.com and at shows. Thanks for doing this with us by the way <3
