A three-piece punk band from Western Sydney, So I Says To Mabel recently released their second EP 'Make Your Mark'.
A collection of songs that presents themes of discontent, anger, hopefulness and positivity against chunky riffs, catchy melodies, surging bass and barraging drum beats, the trio of Jacqui, Doug and Jono are creating their own brand of poppy yet menacing skate-punk.SISTM's live show embraces a heavy playfulness where it is always a competition to see who can get the highest step count, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes.
Who is So I Says To Mabel... We are Jacqui (vocals, guitar), Doug (bass, screams), and Jono (drums). We met at a Scrabble convention in Perth where we argued about if it's called an airplane or aeroplane.
We sound like... A mixture of old-school My Chemical Romance with some Suicidal Tendencies thrown in for fun.
Our first gig was... The very first SISTM gig was November 2022 at Yulli's Brews. We were scared that our songs had too much yelling in them compared to the other bands that were playing.
When did you settle on the group's name, and was it a unanimous decision... It was unanimous. It opens us up for straight forward abbreviations (e.g. SISTM, The Mabels), or fun alternatives (e.g. So I Screwed On The Table).
In the studio we usually... Think of excellent jokes to introduce songs, but then forget them when we play live. :-|
If we could tour with anyone... Frenzal Rhomb, Clay J Gladstone, Blink-182, Taylor Swift (Jono is a massive Tay Tay fan).
To date, our most embarrassing moment was the time... Jono: We played an older song at a Dubbo gig recently, which I had never played live before and had only rehearsed with the band two nights prior. The song had ended, but I was still playing for a good five seconds or so after Doug and Jac had stopped.
The most scary scenario we've found ourselves in, was... Being heckled by a drunk dude to play REM instead of our excellent punk stylings.
What celebrity/ famous person would you love to be spokesperson of the band... Troy McClure. Although I heard he was sleepin' with the fishes.
If you had to live in a city abroad, where would you choose and why? Doug: London, to get out of the sun. Also, Aussies come from England, so it's like returning the trash back to the litterbug.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? We'd probably ask you to bring something for us to be honest.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? LOVER! Our previous jam space was frequented by a turkey. That turkey had a bigger following on the socials than we do.
No matter the expense, send me a case of... Doug: Homemade nachos and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (nerd alert!).
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... Jac: I go to the gym every morning just to make fun of all the luvos who film themselves doing squats.
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Jac: Folding a fitted sheet. Like it's not even possible. Doug: Cooking. I'm gonna be hungry again. It's just never ending.
Do you have any phobias... Doug: Poison/ venom and open bodies of water/ unrelenting waves. These things can't be beaten with will and fight.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Doug: Maybe 'Survivor'; building a hut counts as affordable housing, right?
Best local takeaway joint for a midnight feed that will leave you with a food coma? Jac: You realise I'm asleep on the lounge by like 9pm right?
Which fictional character best describes your personality? Jac: George Costanza from 'Seinfeld' – "We've got to give presents to people for moving?!" Doug: Goku from 'Dragon Ball Z'. We're both seen as being quite the goof, but most of our time is actually spent pre-occcupied with training and seeking to be better and stronger.
Last show you binge-watched? Doug: 'House'. The silly relationships and dramas caused by the lack of maturity between these brilliant minds is entertaining. Jac: 'Gossip Girl' (for like the 15th time in my life). I'll see myself out.
