PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Morgan
Since forming in 2019, Austria’s all-female rock powerhouse Vulvarine have been turning heads with their infectiously commanding sound and unapologetic attitude. With classic influences like Girlschool and The Runaways fueling their sound, the band has been on a mission to bring raw, no frills rock ‘n’ roll back to the forefront in the modern age. Now, with their new album Fast Lane dropping on Friday Mach 28th—and a brand new record deal with Napalm Records—Vulvarine is shifting into high gear.
We caught up with Vulvarine bassist Robin Redbreast to talk about the band’s journey, their influences, and what’s next.
Vulvarine’s formation dates back to 2019 in Vienna, Austria, and with that being said, what brought you all together in the first place, and what was your mission statement for the band from day one?
Robin Redbreast: We all kind of knew each other from hanging out in the scene and at the music clubs here. Vienna is not too big of a city, so there aren’t too many options for where you can go as a music lover to find underground bands, so you eventually get to know everyone. We decided it was time for Austria to have an all-female rock band, so that was our mission statement from day one.
Obviously, the band is composed of all women. Who are some of the female trailblazers in rock who influenced the band in the first place?
Robin Redbreast: A must-mention for us is always Girlschool and The Runaways—those two are definitely our main role models and influences in terms of [women-led] rock.
Your new album Fast Lane is dropping next month. What was the experience like from a writing standpoint and a recording standpoint? Do you feel like this album is the best representation of Vulvarine thus far?
Robin Redbreast: Yes, definitely. I think it’s the best recording quality we have achieved, not only production-wise but also in terms of songwriting. If we hadn’t gotten the opportunity to support Thundermother on their European tour, then we would have given ourselves more time before we hit the studio. However, given those circumstances—doing twenty-six shows in a row in eleven different countries, with crowds of over one thousand people per night—we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to present new music. This is why we hit the gas pedal to get this album done in time, and that’s also why the album is called Fast Lane. [Laughs.]
What would you say is your favorite track on Fast Lane?
Robin Redbreast: It’s always a difficult question, but to me, I think “Alright Tonight” is the most special. I wrote that song only two weeks before we hit the studio, and it was my first time writing a song for the band, knowing that it was pretty good. [Laughs.] When I showed it to the girls, they immediately were like, “Hell yeah!”
Fast Lane is your first album for your brand-new record label home, Napalm Records, which undoubtedly has one of the largest presences in heavy music today. How did you get linked up with them in the first place, and what are your overall hopes and goals with this partnership for the next chapter of your career?
Robin Redbreast: As I’m sure you know, Napalm Records is an Austrian label, and it is the biggest label overall in terms of commercial rock music [in the country]. They also have an international standing that is undeniable and are always keen on supporting artists from their home country. Austria is a small country, so if you are making your moves in the scene and industry here, you meet people and build a good network, which led to us talking to Napalm. We’re super excited about this partnership—they have the right impact and size we need at the moment to grow this band without having too much pressure at the same time.
I’m blown away by the retro aesthetic you’ve developed with the album art and visuals for the band. How important are aesthetics, and what inspired the cover art for Fast Lane?
Robin Redbreast: Aesthetics are very important to us. Especially in rock music, people actually still buy band merchandise, which is a very important factor for us to continue doing what we do. We’re rock fans as well, so we love when bands have great art and merchandise, and we knew it was important to deliver that to our fans. Our guitarist, Sandy Dee, is a graphic designer and artist, and she really is the mastermind behind the band’s art and aesthetics.
Are there plans in place for Vulvarine to hit North America for future tours?
Robin Redbreast: That would be great one day! The live music scene and the mechanisms of how that works in America are quite different from Europe, but it’s definitely a goal of ours!
Watch the video for "Fool" by Vulvarine below
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