The Bad Penny (beta)

Roughly a month ago, emo-ish punks Still Bones unveiled a new EP. (Listen to it here.) Start/Stop is something of a blink-and-you-will-miss-it release, as the band barrels through its three songs at breakneck speed, with the entire release totaling only about eight minutes.

That said, Start/Stop captures the essence of the Baltimore band, which consists of John Gamble (vocals, guitar), Vinnie Burke (drums), Jake Butler (bass) and Ethan Salem (guitar). Gamble actually originated Still Bones as a solo project during COVID. He called it “a way to finally organize all the bits and pieces of songs I had written over the years. But the vision was always to be a full band, because being part of a scene and building community is what it’s all about.”

The band has stated that the light speed at which the release proceeds mirrors the urgency of modern times, with the world undeniably changing at an ever-increasingly rapid – and frightening – pace.

“There’s a lot of fucked up shit happening, and it’s hard to see any meaningful way to create change, so instead we just feel angry,” Gamble said. “This I want to rebel but don’t know how energy mixed with a one step forward two steps back sense of malaise is at the heart of Start/Stop.”

Helping keep Gamble stable and calm during these perilous times is his trusty dog Coda. Judging by what Gamble told us in his Pet Sounds submission, he’d be faced with a Sophie’s Choice were he forced to pick between Still Bones and Coda. Look at the below photos, and you’ll see why: Gamble has raised one very happy dog with a huge smile to prove it.

We recently caught up with Gamble to learn more about Coda and the crucial role she plays in his life.