#381 Ben from The Real Sickies

Edmonton’s pop-punk powerhouse Real Sickies are set to release their fifth full-length album, Under a Plastic Bag, on March 14, 2025, via Stomp Records. The album’s first advance single, “Triage,” is out now, offering an electrifying glimpse into the band’s knack for blending raw punk energy with sharp, melodic hooks. Known for their relentless touring and infectious anthems, Real Sickies have cemented their status as a standout act in the global punk scene, with even Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day calling them his favorite Canadian punk band. “Triage” embodies the chaos and resilience central to the band and their new album. Inspired by a harrowing car accident Ben Disaster and his family survived after returning from a European tour, the track reflects a surreal mix of panic and perseverance. After their car flipped on black ice, Ben and his wife emerged unharmed, finding their dogs casually on the highway. “As much as we wanted to go home, we went ice fishing as the shock wore off,” Ben recalls. This experience fueled the song, which took shape under producer Joshua Wells. “Josh really helped bring it to life. It wasn’t complete until we let it out in the studio—it’s chaos, but real. It asks, ‘What do you fix first?’” The accompanying video, directed by Jesse Nash, adds frenetic creativity with miniature models handcrafted by Ben, including a matchstick airplane and a glitter-covered Titanic. “It was so much fun,” Ben says. “Alvin and Snobs—our two stars—were tough but nailed it. The process also made me reflect on the album’s environmental themes. We documented it all to avoid repeating it. The video is a deep dive into the psyche, asking again, ‘What do you fix first?’” This new album also marks a shift in the band’s sonic landscape, embracing new wave, power pop, and indie influences. The band recorded with renowned producer Josh Wells (Autogramm, Black Mountain), who is known for using classic gear and recording equipment to capture the true essence of these genres. Wells’ stamp is all over the album, shaping its sound with his meticulous approach to creating authentic new wave textures and power pop hooks. Discussing the first single, Wells said, “This song reminds me, at first, of being on adderall. Random thoughts, itchy eyes, the urge to rock really fast. But then, the song settles into a sick, focused motorik jam. Here we get some alien percussion floating down from another universe to join in and rocket ahead. For a moment, the human jam fuses with the aliens, but then the relationship deteriorates, the humans get mad and break out, the whole thing ending with a total meltdown.” D I S C O V E RBandcamp: https://realsickies.bandcamp.com/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/realsickies/Youtube:https://youtube.com/stomprecordscanadaLabel: https://stomprecords.com/bands/real-sickies/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/@therealsickies/Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/artist/69zOtixHikb7pSLZGKYYRN?si=GZODBBr-TIaaF7n5d33HFA This Episode is brought to you by..Go to BETTERHELP.com/apologue for confidential online counselling.use the code word Apologue for a 7 day free trial Checkout my YouTube Channel with long form interviews from the Subversives | the History of Lowest of the Low. A weekly release on Tuesdays .https://www.youtube.com/@simonhead666 Pledge monthly with Patreon https://www.patreon.com/apologueShop Apologue products at http://apologue.ca/shopCheck out new Four Square Here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/brighton-beach-ephttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/seven-oh-sevenhttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/industry-at-home–21st-anniversary-remix-remasteredhttps://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/foursquare/when-weeks-were-weekends