Shauners (Middle-Aged Queers)
photo by Arthur Wernham
What are your top five albums that were released in 2023? (In order 1-5)
- Ostraca - Disaster
- Svetlanas - Alien Blues
- The Iron Roses - Iron Roses
- Darkpark Dissidents. - Pink & Black Album
- Hickey - From the Depths
What band did you discover in 2023 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? How so?
Loud Graves! Members of The Applicators, Tsunami Bomb, and The Hammerbombs. I'm somewhat biased because they're friends, but they are somehow filling the void that Dear Landlord left in my heart. Remember Dear Landlord? What a great band. I'm not exactly saying that they sound exactly like Dear Landlord per se, but the songs are hitting me in the same way.
How will you remember 2023 (in terms of music)?
The year everyone realized that they're not actually listening to all the vinyl records they bought.
What can we look forward to from you in 2024?
We have a split 12" coming out with Raging Nathans in 2024 on DCxPC records!
We're heading back into the studio in late December 2023 to finish up what will be our third album. Tentatively titled, Theatre of Shame.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2024?
Speaking of DCxPC records, Ninety Pound Wuss (Yes, THAT Ninety Pound Wuss) has a live album coming out that was recorded at the show we played with them in Washington over the summer. It was a terrific set; I'm looking forward to hearing it again!
With physical media sales seemingly less popular than ever, what are some the best ways that fans can help to support the musicians when they go to a live show?
Firstly: Actually come to a live show! Attendance is still nowhere near where it was pre-pandemic. I know we all got a little older and discovered that we enjoy wearing sweatpants but the scene right now is so good!
As far as buying stuff at the merch table is concerned, records are cool. I still listen to records. I love the ritual of having a new record and putting the needle onto the vinyl. But it's not very convenient. The markup is not terribly great for bands either. T-shirt are fine but if you're over the age of 35 (which most of us are these days, hahaha, we're all getting old!) you probably have enough black t-shirts with band logos on them to last us several lifetimes.
Recently, I've just been handing touring bands a $20 bill. I liked their set, I don't need another t-shirt, odds are I will probably only stream their music in my car. I like to think of it as buying all the streams I will eventually listen to.
Shauners – social media links
- Twitter: @middleagedquers
- Instagram: @middleagedqueers
