Evil Little Thing Wants Curiosity to Be Contagious
Punk Head: You describe the project name as a dad joke, but it also feels like a statement. How quickly did that title click into place?
Evil Little Thing: I have been looking for a name for this project for months. I was working on the music and I tried to think of a name that can work with what I was creating and also have a deeper meaning. I made a list with almost 100 different names. I was very close to naming this project Ashton Pusher, but it felt too ridiculous (although I think it's a very crispy name and I would definitely use it for something). Then I thought of Evil Little Thing. It's also because of the difference between the music and the name, but also because I feel the messages I promote can sound “evil” to both sides of the political spectrum. Because I try to promote empathy and understanding towards someone who thinks differently than you, it is almost like shaking hands with “the enemy”. But you can only make peace with enemies. For a lot of people only agreeing to listen today is a sin. So I am “evil” for everybody in some way I guess.
Punk Head: What does the phrase "stuck in a coincidence" mean to you personally?
Evil Little Thing: Most of the time we have very little control over what happens to us. There are so many unrelated things happening at the same time that are crafting our reality, so the only thing we really have control of is what we do and how we respond. Realizing that we are stuck within them can set free our immediate response mechanism. Because if you think something is on purpose and someone else or something bigger than you made it happen, you are almost forced to defend or attack. But if it is a coincidence that started it all, maybe no one meant for it to happen the way it did, so now there is an opportunity to find a way out into something better.
Punk Head: After spending years in supporting roles, what have you learned about yourself through the process of becoming the person standing at the center of the story?
Evil Little Thing: I was doing almost every role there is. I did music videos, album covers, backline, played on records and on tours, branding, content etc. And I think the most important lesson is that a good team is the most important thing when you are trying to make something happen. But if the team is not functioning well, then it's the worst, it's a dream killer. So for myself that was a call to try to do things my own way and be the leader this time. I always want to work with other people, that's how the best things are made, but there has to be a clear direction, so I wanted to carve this path myself this time. I’m still involved in supporting roles because I really like doing it. The best example is Agat, she is amazing. If you don't know her you should definitely check her out. I am her drummer and I also did some of the music videos, photos, branding and I still try to be helpful in any way I can because I really believe in what she is trying to do.
Punk Head: The song arrives during a period when algorithms often reward outrage and certainty. Do you feel artists have a responsibility to resist those dynamics, or simply reflect them?
Evil Little Thing: That's a great question. As in many things, there are multiple contradicting answers to this question, and I can agree with all at the same time. Because I do think that artists are just people, and sometimes you want to express outrage, you want to say something that is certain and feel a part of a movement, that's very human, and that's ok. But at the same time you are feeding a beast that will use this against you. The same thing you are doing is making the people you disagree with double down, and it creates a cycle that is not bringing any solutions other than destruction of each other. I believe that artists who want to make a difference and change the world have a lot of responsibility on their hands, because a good song can be so powerful, and a good artist can be really impactful and truly change the world. So we have to be careful and think deeply about what we are doing and saying.
Punk Head: If someone listens to this song and still disagrees with your worldview afterward, but feels slightly more curious about the people they disagree with, would that count as a success?
Evil Little Thing: Definitely! It's called radical listening. You are not trying to understand why they are right, you are trying to understand why they think they are right. In other words you are seeing them as humans first, even if you deeply disagree, you can try to understand where they are coming from. That's the first step towards solutions. If we are only demonizing each other, it's a path that only leads to suffering. The path of acceptance is not sexy, it’s almost cringe, but it’s the best path we have for a better future.
