The new queer punk band Bitter has already made a splash on the local scene. Vocalist and guitarist Maritza, lead guitarist Chava, drummer Zo, and bassist Camila released their eponymous debut album on Pup Sounds on Feb. 10. Their next show is opening for Priests at the Drunken Unicorn on March 4.
Technique: How did you all meet and decide to form the band?
Bitter: We all ended up playing at a house show together last summer, fell in love with each others’ music and started talking. From there we decided to start a new project, got together and started playing Maritza’s songs.
A little later we realized that most of us had matched with each other on Tinder, so we kinda met each other via the web before meeting in person.
Technique: How did you choose your name?
Bitter: It’s pretty self explanatory, we’re just bitter.
Technique: What has being a new band in the Atlanta music scene been like?
Bitter: It has been a truly welcoming experience so far! Any time we’ve played venues like Drunken Unicorn, the Earl, Mammal there’s been an overwhelmingly positive response. People reach out to us and we’ve made tons of new friends and met lots of other wonderful musicians. It already feels like home.
We’ve also definitely enjoyed the diversity that the Atlanta music scene has to offer as far as representation of women, people of color, queers. It’s not quite as white guy dominated as other cities, but of course there’s still a long ways to go.
Technique: What interested you in playing music, especially this genre?
Bitter: For us that’s kind of like saying, “how did you get interested in eating, sleeping, and breathing?” We’re geared more towards punk because it is really fun to be able to be loud and make as much space for yourself
as possible.
Technique: What has your experience been occupying a genre dominated by males?
Bitter: A good bit of “mansplaining” has occurred, but we have had an opportunity to meet good male musicians that are respectful and socially aware. If anything it just brings out our feminist roots more.
Technique: What do you see as the role of music and musicians in the current political climate?
Bitter: We need to keep making art, even more than we ever had, especially as people of color. Our art and presence is a form of resistance because we are living in a time where people of color are constantly being silenced.
Technique: How do your Latinx and/or queer identities inform your music?
Bitter: 100 percent, especially our presence. There is nothing about our music that is not either Latina or queer. We also want to write more songs in Spanish to represent the Latinx community.
Technique: What or who has been inspiring you lately? What kind of music do you listen to in your spare time?
Bitter: Local Atlanta bands like Cinema Novo and Art School Jocks give us life! Other bands
like Palace, Mitski, Mannequin Pussy, Cafe Tacvba, Hello Ocho, Chicano Batman inspire us as well. We mostly listen to punk rock, Spanish punk rock, Indie/Alternative.
Technique: Which song is your favorite on the album?
Bitter: “Sorry I’m Late” because it was a really interesting song to write. It’s also one of our favorite songs to perform because we scream one part together, and it has a lot of volume dynamics and rhythm changes.
Technique: What are your future plans?
Bitter: Hopefully go on tour this summer, make a new album (we’ve already started writing), and continue to be loving and supportive of each other in all of our adventures and endeavors.