Gully Boys come into their own with a fierce, tender debut album
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Audio transcript
[GULLY BOYS, "BREAK"] You stitched the seams, you held me just right
You caught me still, found me with bright eyes
You shut me out, and I'm pulled right back in
NINA MOINI: One of Minneapolis' most recognizable names in rock music today is putting out their long-awaited debut album. Gully Boys have been playing grunge-infused pop songs on local and national stages for more than nine years. Their upcoming self-titled album contains songs that their superfans know and love, plus many new releases as well. We're going to listen to some of those in just a moment. Gully Boys guitarist Mariah Mercedes is here in the studio with me. Thanks for coming by Minnesota Now.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Oh my goodness, thanks for having me, Nina.
NINA MOINI: Mariah, I'm so excited for you, nine years of the band. I know you joined in around 2020 or so. But I think when people think about bands like this that already have so much success, they're like nine years? What took nine years? So tell me a little bit, like, why now? Why is this the moment this is finally happening?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think finally establishing ourselves-- Gully Boys have been around in the local scene forever, almost a decade. But when these guys started this band, they did not play their instruments that they are playing now. So I think a lot of people start bands from maybe another leg up, perhaps.
And so it takes a long time to find the sound, find your groove, figure out how to work as a band together. And now is just the culmination of everything that we've learned in the last almost decade and the full outfit, plus me as well, which is very exciting. And yeah, so it's just a culmination of who we are and how far we've come.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, and that's the part that we don't always see, is the 9 or 10 years that a group or an artist had before something finally comes together. So that's fun to hear about. But I will say that your superfans know that you all just have such great chemistry. And I wonder where that does come from. You've spent a lot of time together now. But is that something that you have to foster? Do you ever get sick of each other? What is that dynamic like?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think Gully Boys is super unique in that we just all love each other so much. We hear about some bands that are not friends at all. And we're like, how do you do that? We're on the road. We're like elbow to elbow the whole time.
NINA MOINI: Well, it helps. It's like trust.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, totally. Yes. Yeah. I really don't know. It has come so natural and, even being the one that has jumped in on the moving train, to foster relationships with these people so quickly. They're just awesome.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. Let's take a listen-- very exciting-- to your lead single from the album, called "Mother." Let's listen.
[GULLY BOYS, "MOTHER"]
(SINGING) With every one I've taken down, another one crawls out
What did you say to me?
Would you say that to your mother?
Cold light of day
NINA MOINI: I love it. I noticed you look down and to the side when we're playing your music.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Kind of zone in
NINA MOINI: A little shyness or if you're just listening. Tell me about that song. What does it represent, "Mother?"
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes, "Mother." "Mother" is a tune that is this-- it's about-- for those of us who what it's like to get catcalled, be verbally harassed in public, going about our daily lives, this song is sort of like a fantasy about being able to fight back at your aggressor in those moments. And it's kind of tongue in cheek.
That line, "Would you say that to your mother?" is, I think, something I think we all wish we could say in those moments. Oftentimes, it's terrifying out here to feel empowered to talk back or stand up for yourself in those moments. It's really scary. So we made a song where that is possible, where you can feel powerful and fight back.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, and I wonder, too, where does that come from? These are just life experiences. And when you're all together, and you're being creative, or maybe in the songwriting process, is that something that you like to do apart or together?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. Usually when we're writing, someone will bring a piece in, whether it's like an idea, or a lyric, or a music instrumental sort of thing. But when we write, we usually do it all together. "Mother" was one that we started writing the top line all together.
NINA MOINI: Cool.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. It's a super unique experience being in a band of all women, femmes, AFAB people, where we can really dive in and have this shared experience and, yeah, pull it out together.
NINA MOINI: Super cool. We're going to listen to "Bad Day" next. Is that one you all did collaboratively too?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: Let's take a listen.
[GULLY BOYS, "BAD DAY"] Everyone trips up on your perfect, tender heart
I always see you falling apart
Bad day, I guess I never really had a bad day, Bad day
I'll say, suddenly everything is looking OK, OK
NINA MOINI: I like that. I like that for a morning affirmation.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. I've never had a bad day. I will never, ever have a bad day.
NINA MOINI: So what is the inspiration there behind "Bad Day?"
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Yeah. This one was one that Nat brought in to start. Nat started us off. The inspiration is, we all have the friend, or we are the friend, who is perpetually having a bad day and showing a little bit of love for that friend, but also being like, I would also like to have some space for my bad days. But yeah, we got a lot of tongue in cheek sort of--
NINA MOINI: Yeah. I love that. Yeah. It's like everyday stuff people can relate to with a little bit of a twist. I like that. So you're going to be on a national tour this fall with another Minneapolis band, Durry. And it's not going to be the first time, I'm sure, that you've toured all over the country. But how do you keep the energy up? How do you keep the vibes up when you are on tour?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think we have been so lucky to tour with so many amazing bands, Durry being one of them. I actually toured with Durry with his old band back in the day. And I think we just have fun with each other. And one of our friends, the other day, as we were listening to the album in full, she goes, you can really tell when you guys let loose and just have so much fun with each other is when you're doing the best work and stuff. And so, yeah, I don't know.
NINA MOINI: Do you have a must-have thing that you always have to be eating or drinking or kind of a favorite snack?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. We all have our go-to gas station faves. Yes. Nat loves a pickle. Cathy's gotta have some Nerd Clusters.
NINA MOINI: The best candy out there right now. Everybody knows, I'm going to ask a food question.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Good. Yes.
NINA MOINI: What about just your fans, interacting with them all over the country, interacting with them here? What's that like?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Oh my gosh, it's awesome. We have the best fans. And most of them are queer. Some of them are dads. And I think it's really excellent that we can encapsulate a sort of wide range of people that can get into our music and into our message. And they rock out, which is the best.
NINA MOINI: Well, isn't that the best, if you can reach-- if it's so universal that you can reach so many people?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah.
NINA MOINI: So just before we gotta wrap things up, I just want to what you're hoping that people will walk away with from this album, dropping on Friday, how you're going to be feeling on Friday, and what you want for people when they experience this album?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, golly, I hope that people can relate to the album. I hope that people walk away being like, what did I just listen to, in a way. Yeah. We cover a lot of range on this record. We go from really heavy to really soft and delicate and just really encapsulating all of what we are as a band and all of what the human experience is. And--
NINA MOINI: It's all a part of it.
MARIAH MERCEDES: That's right. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: It's all a part of it. Mariah, thank you so much for coming by Minnesota Now, and congratulations.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Thank you so much for having me, Nina.
NINA MOINI: That was Mariah Mercedes, guitarist for the Twin Cities band the Gully Boys. Their debut album, again, comes out October 3, Friday. And if you can't wait that long, you can hear the entire album played over the air on our sister station, The Current, tomorrow. That's Thursday at 9:00 AM with exclusive commentary from the band. That's you. All right, everybody, that's it for Minnesota Now. Thanks so much for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow at noon. Thanks for joining us. Have a great rest of your day.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
You caught me still, found me with bright eyes
You shut me out, and I'm pulled right back in
NINA MOINI: One of Minneapolis' most recognizable names in rock music today is putting out their long-awaited debut album. Gully Boys have been playing grunge-infused pop songs on local and national stages for more than nine years. Their upcoming self-titled album contains songs that their superfans know and love, plus many new releases as well. We're going to listen to some of those in just a moment. Gully Boys guitarist Mariah Mercedes is here in the studio with me. Thanks for coming by Minnesota Now.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Oh my goodness, thanks for having me, Nina.
NINA MOINI: Mariah, I'm so excited for you, nine years of the band. I know you joined in around 2020 or so. But I think when people think about bands like this that already have so much success, they're like nine years? What took nine years? So tell me a little bit, like, why now? Why is this the moment this is finally happening?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think finally establishing ourselves-- Gully Boys have been around in the local scene forever, almost a decade. But when these guys started this band, they did not play their instruments that they are playing now. So I think a lot of people start bands from maybe another leg up, perhaps.
And so it takes a long time to find the sound, find your groove, figure out how to work as a band together. And now is just the culmination of everything that we've learned in the last almost decade and the full outfit, plus me as well, which is very exciting. And yeah, so it's just a culmination of who we are and how far we've come.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, and that's the part that we don't always see, is the 9 or 10 years that a group or an artist had before something finally comes together. So that's fun to hear about. But I will say that your superfans know that you all just have such great chemistry. And I wonder where that does come from. You've spent a lot of time together now. But is that something that you have to foster? Do you ever get sick of each other? What is that dynamic like?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think Gully Boys is super unique in that we just all love each other so much. We hear about some bands that are not friends at all. And we're like, how do you do that? We're on the road. We're like elbow to elbow the whole time.
NINA MOINI: Well, it helps. It's like trust.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, totally. Yes. Yeah. I really don't know. It has come so natural and, even being the one that has jumped in on the moving train, to foster relationships with these people so quickly. They're just awesome.
NINA MOINI: Yeah. Let's take a listen-- very exciting-- to your lead single from the album, called "Mother." Let's listen.
[GULLY BOYS, "MOTHER"]
(SINGING) With every one I've taken down, another one crawls out
What did you say to me?
Would you say that to your mother?
Cold light of day
NINA MOINI: I love it. I noticed you look down and to the side when we're playing your music.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Kind of zone in
NINA MOINI: A little shyness or if you're just listening. Tell me about that song. What does it represent, "Mother?"
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes, "Mother." "Mother" is a tune that is this-- it's about-- for those of us who what it's like to get catcalled, be verbally harassed in public, going about our daily lives, this song is sort of like a fantasy about being able to fight back at your aggressor in those moments. And it's kind of tongue in cheek.
That line, "Would you say that to your mother?" is, I think, something I think we all wish we could say in those moments. Oftentimes, it's terrifying out here to feel empowered to talk back or stand up for yourself in those moments. It's really scary. So we made a song where that is possible, where you can feel powerful and fight back.
NINA MOINI: Yeah, and I wonder, too, where does that come from? These are just life experiences. And when you're all together, and you're being creative, or maybe in the songwriting process, is that something that you like to do apart or together?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. Usually when we're writing, someone will bring a piece in, whether it's like an idea, or a lyric, or a music instrumental sort of thing. But when we write, we usually do it all together. "Mother" was one that we started writing the top line all together.
NINA MOINI: Cool.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. It's a super unique experience being in a band of all women, femmes, AFAB people, where we can really dive in and have this shared experience and, yeah, pull it out together.
NINA MOINI: Super cool. We're going to listen to "Bad Day" next. Is that one you all did collaboratively too?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: Let's take a listen.
[GULLY BOYS, "BAD DAY"] Everyone trips up on your perfect, tender heart
I always see you falling apart
Bad day, I guess I never really had a bad day, Bad day
I'll say, suddenly everything is looking OK, OK
NINA MOINI: I like that. I like that for a morning affirmation.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. I've never had a bad day. I will never, ever have a bad day.
NINA MOINI: So what is the inspiration there behind "Bad Day?"
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Yeah. This one was one that Nat brought in to start. Nat started us off. The inspiration is, we all have the friend, or we are the friend, who is perpetually having a bad day and showing a little bit of love for that friend, but also being like, I would also like to have some space for my bad days. But yeah, we got a lot of tongue in cheek sort of--
NINA MOINI: Yeah. I love that. Yeah. It's like everyday stuff people can relate to with a little bit of a twist. I like that. So you're going to be on a national tour this fall with another Minneapolis band, Durry. And it's not going to be the first time, I'm sure, that you've toured all over the country. But how do you keep the energy up? How do you keep the vibes up when you are on tour?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, I think we have been so lucky to tour with so many amazing bands, Durry being one of them. I actually toured with Durry with his old band back in the day. And I think we just have fun with each other. And one of our friends, the other day, as we were listening to the album in full, she goes, you can really tell when you guys let loose and just have so much fun with each other is when you're doing the best work and stuff. And so, yeah, I don't know.
NINA MOINI: Do you have a must-have thing that you always have to be eating or drinking or kind of a favorite snack?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah. We all have our go-to gas station faves. Yes. Nat loves a pickle. Cathy's gotta have some Nerd Clusters.
NINA MOINI: The best candy out there right now. Everybody knows, I'm going to ask a food question.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yes. Good. Yes.
NINA MOINI: What about just your fans, interacting with them all over the country, interacting with them here? What's that like?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Oh my gosh, it's awesome. We have the best fans. And most of them are queer. Some of them are dads. And I think it's really excellent that we can encapsulate a sort of wide range of people that can get into our music and into our message. And they rock out, which is the best.
NINA MOINI: Well, isn't that the best, if you can reach-- if it's so universal that you can reach so many people?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah.
NINA MOINI: So just before we gotta wrap things up, I just want to what you're hoping that people will walk away with from this album, dropping on Friday, how you're going to be feeling on Friday, and what you want for people when they experience this album?
MARIAH MERCEDES: Yeah, golly, I hope that people can relate to the album. I hope that people walk away being like, what did I just listen to, in a way. Yeah. We cover a lot of range on this record. We go from really heavy to really soft and delicate and just really encapsulating all of what we are as a band and all of what the human experience is. And--
NINA MOINI: It's all a part of it.
MARIAH MERCEDES: That's right. Yeah.
NINA MOINI: It's all a part of it. Mariah, thank you so much for coming by Minnesota Now, and congratulations.
MARIAH MERCEDES: Thank you so much for having me, Nina.
NINA MOINI: That was Mariah Mercedes, guitarist for the Twin Cities band the Gully Boys. Their debut album, again, comes out October 3, Friday. And if you can't wait that long, you can hear the entire album played over the air on our sister station, The Current, tomorrow. That's Thursday at 9:00 AM with exclusive commentary from the band. That's you. All right, everybody, that's it for Minnesota Now. Thanks so much for tuning in. We'll be back tomorrow at noon. Thanks for joining us. Have a great rest of your day.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
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