The Banger Blast ⛧ Interview with Princess Beast of Animal Schoolbus! ⛧
September 2024 Issue #4 | The Official Newsletter for The Whizbanger Show hosted by Sara Whizbanger
Logo design by Mark Devito
Welcome to The Banger Blast!
Hey, Fam! Fall is upon us! The weather is cooling where I am, and the snap in the air brings me joy no matter how hard life gets. Halloween is around the corner, and like any metalhead worth their salt, I’m already curating my horror movie watch list for October. More on that later. This issue boasts a rare interview with Princess Beast of Animal Schoolbus and toddler grindcore fame! She’s growing up fast, as kids are wont to do, and she’s now thirteen. When I reached out to Charlie, Beast’s poppa, he graciously allowed me to send over the questions, and Beast took the time to answer all my questions without complaint! Thank you, Charlie and Princess Beast, for your time.
Thanks to my good pal Ryan Ogle at Clawhammer PR, I first learned about this incredible young talent a couple of years ago, and it was love at first toddler growl! In this exclusive interview, Princess Beast shares her musical inspirations, creative process, and what it’s been like working with her dad. From her love for Taylor Swift to her fascination with horror movies, this young artist breaks boundaries and defies expectations. I had so much fun reading her responses, and like any good interview, I wanted to hang out with her, share Skittles, and help her write those six songs so she could get her guitar. She’s funny, irreverent, clever as all get out, and I hope I get to meet her someday.
Get ready to be charmed and amazed by Princess Beast's candid insight. Meet the powerhouse behind Animal Schoolbus: Princess Beast!
Princess Beast Interview with Sara Whizbanger
Sara Whizbanger: What drew you to grindcore at such a young age?
Princess Beast: I was 2 when I heard my dad making music and I asked if I could do it too so it was more about what my dad was doing. I have to admit I don’t know too much about grindcore but my dad says he likes 90s English stuff. I like Taylor Swift and Misfits and Grumpster.
SW: Can you share specific works (movies, music, art, books, weird people, etc.) that shaped your musical style and Princess Beast persona?
PB: I watched Sophia The First and Daniel Tigers neighborhood and Barbie when I was two and three. I also watched Caillou which is this Canadian show about an awful bald kid. That’s the sample in the first song. Now I like Percy Jackson books.
SW: What does “Beast” represent for you? Is it an alter ego, a performance, or a deeper part of your identity?
PB: I used to chase my dad around the house making monster noises and he would say “oh no here comes the beast”. That’s how we found out I have a scream voice.
SW: What’s your favorite food?
PB: Tater tots!!! And ramen and avocado toast.
SW: Animal Schoolbus’ lyrics are raw and spontaneous. Do you write from personal experiences, observations, or a blend of both?
PB: For the early stuff my dad would write down if I said anything funny so it was a blend of both. But for a song I wrote recently, it was a real life experience.
SW: Where do you see Animal Schoolbus and Princess Beast headed? Are there any sounds or themes you’re eager to explore?
PB: I’ve been trying to write some music that sounds a little poppy but I still want to do more Animal Schoolbus. My dad has a hundred projects so I have to wait for him to have time. My dad says if I write six songs on my own he’ll get me an electric guitar.
SW: Do you like horror movies? What’s your favorite and why?
PB: I watched a couple and my favorite is Sleepy Hollow because it’s cool and that’s my favorite horror movie. My parents showed me the new IT movies and they were boring and not scary. My mom is a goth and she likes horror movies A LOT!!
SW: Your songs have a fascinating contrast: brutal music paired with lyrics about cartwheels and “Mommy Words.” How do you and your dad come up with these ideas? What's the creative process like?
PB: My dad still writes down funny things I say and stuff. He makes the music and then we try to match them right. We don’t think about it too hard.
SW: Working with your dad must be a unique experience. How does that relationship shape your music and your time in the band? Do the two of you ever have different ideas about the musical direction?
PB: Yes. My dad is always trying to get me to listen to hardcore and death metal with girl singers but I really like Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. I’m a Swiftie. I like pop music and I like music from Musicals like Beetlejuice and Six which I know all the words. So I want to do something like that but my dad doesn’t want to so we disagree. On that and a lot of things like when is bedtime.
SW: When performing, is that a character you become, or is it part of your everyday self? How does it feel to be on stage?
PB: I love being on stage. Princess Beast is part of my everyday self when I’m with my friends and being silly. I love performing and acting and dancing. My dad says I’m really good at ‘drama’.
SW: Do you know that you are incredibly inspiring? What’s it like to know that?
PB: I don’t know that. I don’t know. Who am I inspiring? Four-year-olds?
SW: Grindcore can be an intense scene. Have you faced any challenges or surprises being a young person in this genre? How has the community welcomed you and Animal Schoolbus? (I heard you got the Barney sign of approval!)
PB: I haven’t had any challenges. The only challenges I’ve had is my friends thinking its weird but they’re my friends, they think everything I do is weird. The comments we get on youtube are all nice though. My dad just told me who Barney is. I thought you meant a purple dinosaur. Do you mean napalm death guy?
SW: Beyond Animal Schoolbus, what are your dreams and goals? Do you see music in the future, or are there other things you'd like to try?
PB: I would like to be a photographer. I still see myself writing music but I would like to be a photographer or actor. Also my dad just reminded me I did guest vocals on a new death metal cd called Recreational Dismemberment coming out soon.
SW: What’s your favorite candy?
PB: Skittles all the way. Skittles are the best candy, no one can tell me differently because there’s so many different flavors, original, sour, tropical, wild berry.
SW: Grindcore often has a political edge, touching on feminism and anarchy. Do you think about those ideas when you're writing or performing? What do you hope your music says to the world?
PB: I didn’t know that, but anybody should be able to be or do whatever they want. I’m vegan, though, and my dad wants to make vegan hardcore songs with me.
SW: What would you say to people who listen to your music, especially other people your age and younger?
PB: Do good in school. Don’t give up. Getting braces kind of hurts, but it’s worth it.
Thank you so much for your time! Keep being awesome!!
Sara Whizbanger
Animal Schoolbus Socials:
Stay metal, stay punk, stay free. See y’all on the flippity flip! 🤘 Signing off from your favorite heavy metal hippy and sending you all the love in the world,
Sara Whizbanger
Write for The Banger Blast!
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The Whizbanger At Large:
Sara Whizbanger Discusses The Return of The Whizbanger Show, and Bay Area Thrash History | Ghost Cult Magazine June 20, 2024
A Fistful Of Questions With Sara Whizbanger | The Ripple Effect March 10, 2024
Sara Whizbanger on Happy Hour with Heather & Guest | February, 2024
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