Frat Mouse is a band started in 2019 by two high school seniors that got out of hand. After 3 albums and nearly 4 years of constant music, Frat Mouse is truly the bleeding edge of the West Coast emo scene. Today, you’ll find Frat Mouse ripping up Los Angeles’ favorite venues and never leaving them the same. Made up of members Griffin, Truman and Ben, the trio is currently taking the world by storm with their infectious brand of music. Their latest standout track “Closure,” which sets the tone for their upcoming release in a few short months, will entice you immediately.
Truman of Frat Mouse shares regarding the latest track:
“Closure” is a speeding in the residential neighborhood Wu-Tang the blunt jammer that we wrote so we could scream it at shitty venues and start mosh pits. We wrote it together while on a bender and couldn’t stop laughing and crying as we wrote the second verse. At its core it’s about hanging out with your friends and making music that’s true, reflective and impulsive.”
We had the honor of catching up with the members of Frat Mouse for an exclusive interview below!
What can you share with readers about your upcoming release?
FLEAHOUSE!!! Is an album we are taking our time making sure is the best it can be. It’s ambitious and fresh but it still sounds like Frat Mouse, and it’s got to be some of our best music we’ve made. I have no doubt that this is our best work yet, we’ve just never had so much fun working on a project like this. When we grouped up and made the time to put together the album, it all just flowed so perfectly. We knew exactly what we wanted to make and at the end of our recording sessions we had music we couldn’t wait to share with everyone! This is the stuff that we want our band to be remembered and known for, and we hope that Fleahouse can be more than just a new age for Frat Mouse, but maybe a new age for emo. IT’S TIME FOR THE 6TH WAVE BABY! West-Coast emo on top 4ever. -Griffin, Bass
How does this project compare with your other projects you had in the past?
Frat Mouse is the most down-to-earth project I’ve been in, at the end of the day we’re all just great friends. The dynamic is always right when we’re together, and it helps our music flow and feel right. I love these boys – Ben lopez, drums
What about this project makes you most proud?
For me, being accepted into the scene that I fell in love with as a kid and dedicated a lot of my time and energy to supporting and being involved in is definitely the biggest achievement of the band. I love indie music, I love emo music, and I love so so many of the bands and artists in the scene. To be included in that means the world. This along with playing venues that I frequented while coming up have made me so so proud of Frat Mouse and all our friends who helped us along the way. -Truman, Guitar
Was there a specific goal you were trying to accomplish with this release?
It’s always been about making exciting music that we love and represents us on a personal level. We also wanted to try to push emo forward by bringing it back a little to the 2014 wave of heavy but personal music, being serious about serious emotions while acknowledging the very non serious human aspect of such heavy feelings. TLDR: we wanted to make it bang! -Truman, Guitar
What inspires you to create music? What motivates you to keep going?
We write all our songs together, and use lyrics and themes from our lives and relationship with one another; our inspiration really just comes from our connection with each other and the music we make. Stepping on stage and hearing people sing our lyrics back to us is such an incredibly special feeling. We hope that anyone listening to our music can feel just a little bit of what we feel when we get together and do what we love. Our motivation and inspiration comes from our family and friends, they are always right at our back supporting us and helping us succeed. -Griffin, Bass
If you could collaborate with anyone – dead or alive, famous or unknown – who would it be and why? If it’s an indie/DIY artist, please include a link so readers can check them out.
The obvious answer for me is Kurt Cobain, not so I can collaborate musically but just to hang haha. In terms of musical collaboration I think the band Microwave has always been one of the biggest inspirations and favorite bands of all time – I record all the Frat Mouse music in my bedroom, so I would love to get in a studio with Microwave and record a set or a song or something. It would be a dream. -Truman
What was the last song you listened to? Favorite all-time bands/artists?
- Pretty Pimpin by Kurt Vile, but my all time favorite artists are Title Fight, Microwave, Nirvana, Pinegrove, and Big Thief. -Truman
- Cirice by Ghost, and my favorite band is a tie between Pinegrove and the Foo Fighters. They’re both artists I can just hit shuffle on and enjoy the ride. -Ben
- Still Into You by Paramore. My favorite artist is Alex G and my favorite band is Remember Sports. I’m also a huge fan of Radiator Hospital, Retirement Party and Prince Daddy. -Griffin
Where is the best place to find you and stay connected?
Instagram! Follow our band and personals! <3
We also just launched our website at fratmousemusic.net hope we keep in touch! :*
I really appreciate your time. Is there anything you’d like to share beforewe sign off?
Thank you everyone so much for checking us out and we’re actually playing at the Troubadour in a couple weeks! April 8th! We are all just so excited to have the privilege to perform at such a historical and legendary venue. Here’s to hoping we get to see some of you out there!
