Interview With Chat Pile

RIYL: The Jesus Lizard, Korn, Shellac

Oklahoma sludge outfit Chat Pile made their east coast debut at the Brooklyn metal mecca, St. Vitus. I had the pleasure of talking with them a bit before their show. Outside the venue, the line stretched down the street as several people had gotten to the venue early in the hopes of securing one of the eight remaining Grimace Smoking Weed figurines the band was selling.  After we went inside, we met up with the band at the bar, and they led us downstairs to the green room, which was bustling with friends and fellow performers floating in and out of the room to say hello and share excitement about the band’s upcoming performance. In the interview, we talked about film scores, 90s alt-rock, and their new record out now via The Flesner, God’s Country. 

Chat Pile’s performance was as ferocious and untethered as the recorded material suggests. Drummer Cap’n Ron donned a one-of-a-kind Chat Pile hockey jersey and slammed into their pummeling single “Why.” The room immediately opened up and became a human meat processor. Vocalist Raygun Busch was in his world, pacing back and forth across the stage like an animal stalking prey. The audience wanted to scream the lyrics back like a typical NYHC show, but this was not that. While the music calls for some movement, if you don’t take a minute to watch the band’s onstage energy, you’re only getting half of the show. I was winded, bruised, and begging for more by the night's end.

Watch "Tenkiller" on Netflix and preorder the soundtrack, written and performed by Chat Pile here