We Kill Cowboys is a captivating four-piece psychedelic punk band hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, founded by the talented tattoo artist and singer-songwriter, Alex Muller. The project took flight in 2020 when Alex revisited her musical roots, crafting a collection of songs for her inaugural solo EP, titled Let It Burn. While the EP eloquently mirrored the somber tones of lockdown isolation, featuring sparse arrangements with acoustic guitar and Alex's emotive vocals, her musical vision soon evolved towards a more robust, electric sound. Recently, we had the privilege of hosting Alex on our show, courtesy of Plug Music Agency and Mongrel Records, where we delved into several key aspects of her and the band’s journey.
Exploring the Alt Scene's Glorious Past
During what some would consider the SA alt scene’s golden days, Alex was a 15-year-old who found solace and a sense of belonging in the scene that was, so we found out what that actually looked like twenty-plus years ago.
Alex vividly recounts, ‘It changed my life; I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the scene back then. It was word of mouth; there was no social media, so it was fucking flyers; it was posters; it was going to the merch stand. It was a really organic scene and I just think for kids like us that struggled a lot growing up, it was a place where we felt heard and seen and safe and could just experience things without getting totally fucked up, you know? It was really about the music; it was a special time.’
Navigating the Social Media Landscape
Social media stands as a vital pillar for gaining exposure in today's music landscape. Despite its potential tedium, it remains an indispensable tool for reaching a broader audience. Alex emphasises the necessity of adapting one's perspective towards social media
‘It’s about shifting perception around social media because, as much as I’m also a person who’s like, fuck that, I know the importance of it and that it has the ability to enable you to connect with people and not only get you out there but see what’s happening and be inspired by that, and that fine balance of not comparing yourself and being overwhelmed by it, but rather going okay cool, this is a tool that can be used to push the music. The world’s changed, so you fucking post every day; create that content because, at the end of the day, you’re only going to get as far as you’re going to get by putting the work in. If you want to push things, you've got to do what it takes, and social media is a part of that.’
Partnering with a Label
Navigating the intricacies of working with record labels can be daunting, often shrouded in misconceptions. Alex sheds light on We Kill Cowboys’ relationship with Mongrel Records and shares some of the best practices and steps to take before signing with a label.
‘We aren’t full-blown artist deal vibes, so for me, we have a great understanding that us, Mongrel Records, and Warren Gibson are here for the common understanding of pushing the music, and there’s total freedom; no one here is trying to capitalise on anything; other record labels are a different deal though. It’s all about trusting your instincts, trusting your gut, doing your research, and understanding who you’re going into these contractual obligations with, whether you’re independent or with a label. You’ve got to do your research, dude. That’s what it falls down to, you know?’
Cultivating and Sustaining an Online Audience
With over 700 monthly listeners on Spotify at the time of writing, We Kill Cowboys has achieved a significant feat in garnering streams. Yet, maintaining a devoted audience is a greater challenge. Alex shares the band’s secret to achieving this.
‘It’s down to the social media thing. I make a big effort with those small things, like creating really good content and posting every day, but keeping it very organic and real, and people feel connected to that. Also, playing live as much as we can—the more you play, the more you create those followings—and playing with different bands at different venues, going on tour, doing those different things. It’s always hard because, what is that formula? So I think it’s a day-by-day thing of looking at it, studying it, being ourselves, and putting ourselves out there.’
Honest Reflections on the Cape Town Alt Scene
The Cape Town alternative scene receives well-deserved praise, yet it isn't without its nuances. This is what we unearthed when we got Alex to give us her honest opinion on the scene.
‘Look, there’s a lot of great shit; there’s a lot of fucking great bands; there’s people doing really cool stuff with the right idea working together, but the scene can be very cliquey. There can be situations where the same sort of bands play the same lineups without integrating other bands into them, and it can be very niche like that. I would love it to be a case of people being more broad with their lineups, to introduce more varieties and more genres into these lineups like it was back in those old days. We lost a lot of venues after COVID as well, so it has been difficult here, but also a lot of great things are happening.’
Alex’s SA Top Picks
In wrapping up our interview, it would have been remiss not to delve into Alex's top local picks within the vibrant SA Alt scene. The task was no small feat, given the multitude of incredible bands gracing the scene.
Alex says, ‘I feel like I’m being a bit biased, but definitely Ruff Majik; those dudes are just power, and they’re fucking amazing human beings. There’s also a band called NANI?! A Cape Town band. That dude sounds like Kurt Cobain reincarnated. They’re amazing; they’re young; they’re a three-piece; they’re awesome. I’d say the third band is Evert Snyman and The Aviary, like holy shit balls, my brain exploded when we watched them play; they are amazing and also just wonderful people, but there’s so many more, like Peasant, TOUGHGUY, fucking Black Lung, Cistamatic, and more.
Conclusion
In this enthralling episode, we delved into the multifaceted world of We Kill Cowboys, gaining insights into their music, label dynamics, audience engagement strategies, and candid reflections on the Cape Town alt scene. It's an episode brimming with knowledge, offering musicians essential tools for their own journeys. If you've gained valuable insights from Alex and her band’s experiences, we'd love to hear from you. Stay connected with all things We Kill Cowboys here, and catch the full audio episode here.
Main Image by Anthony Strauss
