Punk rock might have been the force that brought Destroy Boys together, but it’s far from the only touchstone for their music. From their first record through the beginnings of their fourth, they have continued to write and sing about what they know. School drama and elitist cliques encountered in their teens have given way to the pain of relationships and the inherent feelings of misunderstanding and isolation that is all too common for young people navigating a hybrid of physical and digital worlds.
Started in Sacramento in 2015 by Alexia Roditis and Violet Mayugba while they were still in high-school, initially the band released acoustic demos on Bandcamp. Destroy Boys first proper record, Sorry, Mom remains a classic for the band’s fans, having spawned the underground hit I Threw Glass At My Friend’s Eyes and Now I’m On Probation. The follow up record, Make Room, recorded by Martin Cooke (Death Cab for Cutie, Of Monsters and Men) was tracked in just 4 days and yielded favorites such as Crybaby and Duck Eat Duck World (later featured on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack.)
Adding drummer Narsai Malik to the fold in 2018, Destroy Boys began to tour in earnest, venturing as far as the UK, opening for numerous up-and-coming indie bands. As their own songs took off on Spotify and TikTok they signed with Los Angeles label Hopeless Records in 2020. Working with Philadelphia producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Circa Survive) their first Hopeless release was the snarling, one minute ripper, Muzzle. The eventual LP Open Mouth, Open Heart, released in late 2021 chronicled a band dealing with familiar pandemic-frustration and the rise of online gossip and bullying – and they dealt with these head on with songs ranging from Escape to Locker Room Bully.
Despite that year-long setback, the band returned to touring in summer 2021, suffering the obligatory headache of Covid-cancelled shows, re-booking and re-reroutings. But their fanbase, which had been locked up as the band grew sevenfold online came out in droves. Headlining for the first time brought a succession of sold out shows and the reassurance that their connection with their audience was never stronger.
Rolling into 2022, the band toured the UK with Alkaline Trio and Taking Back Sunday before crisscrossing the US several times as they continued to support the LP. With lauded performances at Riot Fest, Dia De Los Deftones, and more, they have since begun work on their fourth album. Working with Carlos De La Garza (Bad Religion, Paramore, The Linda Lindas) the recordings dig further back to embrace everything from garage punk to 90’s college indie rock.
2023 holds yet bigger experiences for Destroy Boys. Following appearances at Coachella they return to the UK and Ireland for Slam Dunk Fest, several headline shows and then multiple runs in Europe, taking in notable festivals including Roskilde, SBAM! And Sziget. Along the way fans can expect new music in advance of their as yet untitled fourth record.
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