Features

Austin’s Die Spitz - Ava Schrobilgen, Ellie Livingston, Kate Halter, and Chloe De St. Aubin - stumbled onto the scene in 2022 after not watching the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt. In record time, they carved out a reputation with two EPs and a live show that feels less like a gig and more like a controlled demolition. Now they’ve gone and dropped their debut album, Something To Consume, produced by none other than Will Yip. Keep reading to see what the positively charming foursome had to share about their influences, the album and working with Will Yip.

PRT: You started the band after a late-night viewing of the Mötley Crüe movie The Dirt as a way to hang out more often. What has been the one moment for you personally where you were like “holy shit, this is really going somewhere?”

Kate: We never watched “The Dirt.” In fact, I’ve never even heard of it. I don’t know who is spreading this ludicrous misinformation but I’ve had enough.

PRT: I’ve seen you described in articles as “the hottest new punk quartet” and “the future of female alt-rock.” What is it like to read that about your band?

Ava: Pretty cool but I’d like it if people stopped focusing on us being all female and started focusing on the more important things, like all of us being vampires. 

Ellie: I pooped my pants.

PRT: Musically, you pull from a lot of different influences. If I heard Throw Yourself To The Sword on the radio and Pop Punk Anthem came on next, I wouldn’t necessarily think I was listening to the same band. Is there a lot of musical overlap between the four of you or does everyone bring in their own style?

Ava: There’s definitely as much overlap as there are differences in our collective music taste, but that’s what makes our band unique. We all write the beginnings of our songs, which the genre and sound can differ from writer to writer. But we bring it to the band and let everyone have creative freedom, and that collaboration is what makes the different genres flow together in a cohesive “die spitz” sound.

PRT: Lyrically as well, things are moving in different directions You have a song inspired by the Twilight movies, but you’ll just as well get political. How important is that anything goes mentality for you?

Ellie: We write about things that take up space in our mind. As much as personal issues can take up space it's impossible not to think about innocent people dying and the way facism and shit agendas are consuming our media and the world around us.

PRT: Previously, you released 2 EPs. Was it more challenging to write and record a full-length? And if so, in what way?

Ellie: Nah, we had a lot of material we were excited about for the full length. It was more about a pressure of people expecting us to make something really good.

PRT: You recorded Something To Consume with Will Yip. What’s the most important thing you learned from him?

Ava: That picklebacks are a great way to consume alcohol.

Ellie: I second this

PRT: Maybe a dumb question, but did you find it difficult to hand your songs to someone you didn’t necessarily know well and have them go “let’s get rid of this part, keep this, change that up”?

Chloe: I didn’t find it too difficult mainly because we did know him, in a way. Although we had never met him personally, I think we were all aware of Will’s reputation and were fans of his work (especially the production on Title Fight’s records). I’m just grateful he cared enough to chop up our songs and try to make them better. 

PRT: How did you end up with Third Man Records? And what I always wonder, how involved is Jack White with signing a new band?

Kate: Sweet Megan Loveless saw us at South by and took a chance on us. Jack White's involvement and the inner workings of Third Man are none of your business.

PRT: Do you have a favorite part about being in a band: writing, recording or playing a show?

Kate: My favorite part about being in a band has got to be the adventures that come from it. Ava once said “tour is just collecting pretty views and funny stories” and that sums it up for me.

PRT: Now that the album is out, what’s up next for Die Spitz in the coming months?

Ava: One million tour dates and we’re gonna learn how to juggle together.