garbagebarbie Return With New Single “punk” and Music Video
Los Angeles band garbagebarbie have released their first single of the year, "punk," alongside an official music video inspired by conversations overheard in the city's dive bars.
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AUX TEAM
6/29/20262 min read
Photo by Josh Deangelis
Los Angeles four-piece garbagebarbie have returned with their first release of the year, unveiling the new single "punk" alongside its official music video.
The track draws inspiration from conversations and encounters the band has experienced during nights out at dive bars across Los Angeles. From regulars smoking outside to strangers waiting in line for the bathroom, "punk" brings together a cast of familiar characters shaped by the city's nightlife.
"The song holds up a mirror to ourselves. It pokes fun at the LA bar scene, which, even though we can make fun of, it doesn’t change the fact that we are still in that scene," drummer Dan Karasev said.
Bassist Anson Knopp added that the writing process was rooted in real experiences. "In a way, it was method acting. We stepped into the character the song creates while drawing from the absurd things we’ve overheard in LA bars—the kind of comments that make you do a double take and wonder who in the crowded room could have possibly said something like that."
Musically, "punk" combines crunchy synths with driving drums, while frontman Fletcher Milloy delivers lyrics from the perspective of a dive bar regular, touching on insecurity, excess and self-awareness with a sarcastic tone. The single marks the band's first new music of 2026 and offers another look at their sharp, character-driven songwriting.
About the music video, they added: “The star of the video, our buddy Sam, was the obvious choice for the role because he is exactly the type of character you’d want to find at your local dive. He’s a rowdy local legend and loved by all at Crawfords,” says guitarist Braedon Huff. “The community at this bar is so important to us because this band essentially started out of it,” continues Karasev. “Matt, the owner of Crawfords, has also been so supportive of us since we started making music. After we played our very first show in 2023, we didn’t know how to follow it up because we spent all this money throwing a warehouse show for people to come to for free. Matt opened his doors to us and let us throw a DIY show at the bar. The community has backed us ever since.”
Watch the music video:
