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Lauren Denitzio on fronting Worriers and working with Laura Jane Grace

Over the past few years the Brooklyn-based band Worriers, which operates as a collective centered around frontpersonLauren Denitzio, has crafted their own blend of conscientious and infections punk music. The combination of which struck a chord with out trans vocalist of Against Me!, Laura Jane Grace, who stepped in to produce their first full-length album, Imaginary Life, out August 7th on Don Giovanni Records.

Amped on the release, Lauren shared a bit about the band’s history, how the record came together and what comes next for the rockers.

AfterEllen.com: How did Worriers come to be?

Lauren Denitzio: Worriers started as a side project between myself, Mike Hunchback (Hunchback, ex-Night Birds) and Justin Sullivan (Ringers, Babies) who were both in other bands at the time. I had only ever been in one band before and I was looking to play music with other friends, just for the experience. The band evolved into something more active over the past few years and has become my main project, though the lineup has changed.

AE: What’s the story behind the name?

LD: We had a hard time coming up with anything that really fit us. I think we were a bit of an anxious group, or at least I certainly was and am. So, the term stuck.

AE: How’s being on the Don Giovanni team so far?

LD: It has been wonderful working with them. I’ve known Joe and Zach for over a decade from playing shows in New Brunswick with my previous band. They had put out records for us and when Worriers were working on our first EP, they wanted to work with me on that. The label definitely feels like a creative family and I’m excited to have their support. I can’t imagine working with a label on this particular record that I didn’t already have that level of trust and support with.

AE: What was the inspiration behind the album?

LD: I was writing a lot of songs that were about different parts of my life that felt like another universe, or a life I was no longer living. A lot of the songs came from putting myself in a scenario that could’ve been had I made different choices, or lived during a different period of time, or if the world was a bit different place in general. The group of songs definitely came together with those things in mind.

AE: How was working with Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!) and Marc Jacob Hudson, who recorded and mixed the record?

LD: It was a really wonderful experience and they’re both people that I consider to be a great fit with us and for this record in particular. I learned a lot during the whole process and it was really comforting to be able to work with people with whom I felt safe sharing our songs and lyrics. Laura Jane and Marc are both really talented and generous people and the band had an amazing time with them. We had never specifically worked with a producer before and I’m glad that this was our first experience with that.

AE: What’s been your favorite part so far of playing in Worriers?

LD: I think my favorite part is being able to collaborate with several people on a regular basis in order to both write and perform the music. Our process of writing and playing shows has been really positive and I’ve been able to work with talented friends, who have become like family over the past few years. I think the flexibility we have between recording and playing live, in terms of a somewhat different lineup at times, though potentially a hurdle, has been really rewarding.

AE: How do you find that your sexual identities have shaped your music?

LD: I don’t know that it shapes our music so much as it puts us all on a similar page in terms of what we’re trying to find at shows. We all come at performing with different experiences and I think that having a number of queer people in a band just makes you all very aware of the negative things that have happened in certain crowds, or spaces that weren’t very accepting, but we all try very very hard to create a positive environment for ourselves in light of that. Especially when some of our songs talk about gender identity or that are about queer relationships, we realize that being in a band that could talk about those things openly wasn’t always possible, and we value the ability to do that and seek out spaces that support that, among other things.

AE: Where do you find that individuality and personal message have a place in music?

LD: I don’t think there’s a place in music where those things don’t fit, to be honest. Anywhere from the sound to the way you play your instrument to the way you approach shows should be in a way that feels like your own. Or at least those things should be up to your individual choice or style. Especially when there’s so much music and art out there that’s so accessible, I think it’s important to try to show some of your own worldview when putting things out into the world.

AE: On the heels of your August 7th album release for Imaginary Life what comes next for the band?

LD: We have a few tours planned for this fall, including a few shows with Cayetana and then The Fest in Florida. We’ll be announcing a lot of US shows in the coming weeks.

AE: What’s your current jam?

LD: I can’t stop listening to the new Hop Along record, Painted Shut. I think it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard in a very long time and it really challenges the genre. I don’t even know what to call them.

AE: What’s one thing we wouldn’t be able to find out about you through an internet lurk?

LD: I feel like I should share something nerdy, so maybe one thing is that I started studying classical piano when I was seven years old and could play songs like Guns ‘N Roses “November Rain” or basically anything by Billy Joel on piano before I ever picked up a guitar.

For more on Worriers, check out their Bandcamp, Facebook and Tumblr.

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