Their debut single, “Sunshine,” harkens back to the days of short and sweet punk rock, clocking in at less than two minutes. The track also comes with an MTV-inspired, 90s band spot video directed by Alan Hildebrandt (of the band Priors) at Studio Del Scorpio. Teasing their debut EP, Coming Up Roses, the band is making their presence known, having played a handful of electrifying shows while their recognizable stickers continue popping up in dive bar bathrooms all over Montreal. 

We spoke to Taxi Girls about the new single and what it’s like being a new punk band in a city that has such a rich punk rock subculture. 

You’re a new band to the punk scene. What would you like us to know about you? 

Vera: Every song comes from the heart and we have a blast jamming so hopefully this permeates through our sound! 

“Sunshine” seems pretty self-explanatory, but is it about anyone or anything in particular?

Vera: I wrote this song with my partner/best friend in mind. I’m also pretty sure it was written in the winter—hence the possible frustration underlining the song. It’s funny actually because when I showed the video to him he was like, ‘It’s funny how this song is about good times with me but you’re looking all badass and angry.’ Well, now you have your answer. It was winter. In Montreal. During covid. That pretty much sums it up! As for the instrumentation, we’re pretty inspired by Green Day and I was listening to Insomniac on repeat at the time. Jamie’s bassline sounds like it could be off of that album too! 

Was the video in the actual jam space you play in as a band? What can you tell me about it?

Jamie: That’s our jam space! There is usually less razzle-dazzle. It does the job but usually smells like cigarettes and there isn’t much heat in the winter.

Vera: It’s also like a candy store for gearheads. There are stacks on stacks of vintage amps and gizmos galore. Although we only used two or three of them, it was fun putting together the wall of amps and imagining playing through all of them at once!

Lynn: The jam space is pretty big and you won’t find many that size anymore around Montreal. We are very lucky to have this room. Ryan, the guy who recorded, mixed, and produced Taxi Girls used to record there for many years. 

This one is for your director, Alan Hildebrandt: The video has a 90s MTV vibe to it. How did this come to be? 

Alan: I love to use vintage textures such as 80s, 90s TV or 70s film. Before we shot the video Taxi Girls and I bounced some ideas back and forth, some of which we used like the sing-alongs in the car. Then the band did a great job dressing the set, which was inspirational and provided some art direction for the edit and VFX. Shooting some footage on green screen allowed me to experiment before committing to a chromatic halftone and speed ramping, which I think capture the energy of the song and the bands style.

I love that this song is only 1 minute and 30 seconds long. What do you think happened to that era of short and sweet punk rock?

Jamie: I think it gets less press than it used to, but it’s definitely alive and well. 

Lynn: I believe it still exists, which is very rare but we had to at least have one. It’s so fast you don’t even have time to reflect on it! 

How important are aesthetics to Taxi Girls? 

Vera: I would say aesthetics are super important to us! Whenever we have to decide on something visual, we’re all so opinionated and picky that it takes a while until we reach a happy medium. Three different tastes make for something super original and special though, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How have your live shows been going? Do you think it will be hard to grow with all of the small venues in Montreal slowly being pushed out due to gentrification?

Vera: That’s a good question. The live shows have been awesome so far. We are super grateful for all the support we’ve received from our community and friends. It’s almost overwhelming to think about — so much love! I have faith in the grassroots aspect of the punk rock scene though. Everyone is so supportive that even if venues do end up closing, there will always be opportunities to play at house parties and the like.

What can you tell us about your upcoming EP, Coming Up Roses?

Jamie: Honestly, we are super proud of it. It’s a lot of fun and just a little taste of what’s to come.

Vera: Jamie took the words right outta my mouth, we are super proud indeed! it’s definitely a labour of love.

Taxi Girls will release their Coming Up Roses EP on July 7 via Wild Honey Records and Dirt Cult Records.