Not everything we do has a very politically charged message – says Norwegian pop-punk group SLØTFACE as we sit down to talk about life on tour, their upcoming EP and political engagement.

It’s the first night of their UK tour, and Sløtface are chilling out in the pub room at The Islington as I arrive for this interview.

Polite phrases are exchanged, and we sit down, trying to ignore the piercing sounds coming from the on-going soundcheck in the room next door. Bassist, Lasse Lokøy tells that they just had a four-song showcase for about four people, so they’re “really excited to play a full set for a bunch of people, hopefully.”

The Stavanger outfit are soon to release their second EP this year, following their successful controversial EP Sponge State (May 2016). Forthcoming Empire Records is to be released on Propeller Recordings November 18th.

It (the EP) is the last four songs from a session we did last year in Ålesund in Norway. ‘Take Me Dancing’, ‘Empire Records’, and, ‘Bright Lights’ have already been released, then there’s a fourth song that’s unreleased until the EP comes out – lead singer, Haley Shea, explains.

“Spoiler: it includes some piano parts and it’s actually our first ballade.” Interesting.

And we recorded it while drunk – Hayley confesses.

Not everyone was drunk! I’m a professional drummer so I don’t drink – Halvard Wiencke objects.

Halvard was ill, so he was puking whilst drumming. So he’s allowed not to be drunk.

The band has a fair bit of touring experience to look back on. In spite of barely having turned 20, the group has already played in the UK multiple times, sold out shows in Germany and toured around their home country, Norway. Getting on the subject of tour stories however is seemingly a bit off record.

Let’s just say that there has been really fun nights, particularly one night in Glasgow, involving drunken popcorn throwing, public urinating and almost getting arrested. Wild life.

At this point the ongoing soundcheck in the background takes over, and we decide to continue the interview whilst the band grabs a bite. Out on the street I soon end up in a debate with Haley about the meat industry, its environmental damage and of course, the stands of young people today.

Continuing the conversation of touring:

This is our second real tour, because when we’re touring in Norway we have a few days break in the middle of the week. So when we’re, like now, actually playing every night, it’s a whole other thing, and I think that’s really really fun because you’re just doing what you love all the time.

It’s still pretty new and an exciting experience for us because we haven’t done it that much – guitarist, Tor Arne Vikingstad adds.

Having been a bit around in the UK before, I was wondering how it is in comparison to touring in Scandinavia. Haley says that “touring the UK, a lot of things are better, but then there’s like some things that are more stressful than touring in Norway, like equipment wise. But food wise it’s a lot better.”

Water wise it’s not as good as Norway.

Yeah. But then beer wise it’s better.

Moving on before starting a discussion.

We want people to be engaged and talk about issues that are important to them

Sløtface have a reputation for being controversial, not only do they have a feminist stand more vibrant than most bands, they also had to change their name earlier this year to “avoid censorship”, and their Sponge State video sees the band joining young activists in an protest against Nordic Mining’s dumping of toxic waste. But when asked, the group seems pretty relaxed about the whole idea.

Lead by examples? Not really! It’s not always relevant to bring up political issues – Lasse ponders.

I think you can be political without being really formal political. You can have a normal discussion, and you can have a little agenda behind it but you don’t need to highlight it all the time.

We try to have a balanced crew, and as many women as men when we hire. But like it’s not a thing that we talk a lot about it I guess. And then there’s that fact that our politics are a lot about individualism and there is no wrong way to be a feminist or something as long as you have the right ideas in the back of your head. The last single we released is literally just a silly song about that record stores are cool. Not everything we do has a very politically charged message – Haley explains.

I think that’s important too. Show a different side of our band – Lasse adds.

Yeah cause like, just having fun is kind of like a political message too.

With that in mind, I’m wondering what they want people to take from their music. Though they have some ‘silly songs’ as Haley said, we can’t ignore the fact that much of their lyrical content conveys a message in some form.

We want people to get engaged about things, and even if you don’t agree with something that we’re saying in a song, then at least you’ve reflected over why you disagree – Haley says. We want people to be engaged and talk about issues that are important to them, so whatever that might be.

It’s been quite a year for the Norwegian foursome, and when asked what the highlight was, “KOKO!” is the first answer. “It’s our biggest show in the UK so far.” “It was so fun because there was so many people there. And it was a good show,” Tor Arne adds.

“Did we paintball this year, or was that last year?”

“The fact that we’re going on a US tour is the biggest thing that has happened,” Lasse says, while Hayley’s big one was their Bright Lights release at Nylon magazine. “I read that magazine religiously when I was a teenager, so to be in that magazine, that was my highlight.”

Letting the band have the last say:

Don’t do drugs, unless you want to.

Also consider a third party candidates for the US election.