Q&A: PINKLIDS Polish the Surface Then Crack It on “EYE-CATCHING SILVER”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
RETRO FUTURIST PUNK GETS A DYSTOPIAN EDGE — PINKLIDS’ new single “EYE-CATCHING SILVER” cuts straight to the heart of fantasy. At its heart, the track explores the feeling to create something idealized and unattainable: a figure shaped by projection rather than reality. Through a retro-futurist lens, the band dissects ironic constructions of femininity and the persistent disconnect between what one gender believes the other wants and what they truly desire.
Heavily inspired by the campy, hyper-stylized sci-fi universe of Barbarella, the track builds its world from retro-futurist fantasy with its metallic textures, exaggerated femininity and industrial soundscapes.
“I imagined a factory worker gone evil scientist in one of those industrial mill buildings who built himself his dream robot lady. It’s silly with darker, more dystopian undertones,” frontwoman Amber Lawson says to Luna. “This single explores the fantasy of creating something idealized and unattainable, ironic constructions of femininity, and the disconnect between what one gender believes the other wants and what they truly desire.”
Sonically, “EYE-CATCHING SILVER” balances stripped-down punk energy with near-mechanical precision. The structure refuses traditional formulas, opting instead for instinct over polish. Hooks don’t land predictably; transitions feel intuitive rather than calculated.
“I liked the idea of building something that feels perfect on the surface, but starts to feel hollow the longer you sit with it,” Lawson says. “The song lives in that space between attraction and discomfort. It’s playful, but there’s something kind of sad underneath it.”
LUNA: Welcome back and thank you for talking to Luna again. It's super exciting to have you back since the last time we talked when “JUNKY GARDEN ” was released. I would love to catch up and see how life has been treating you and what you have been up to since the last time we talked.
AMBER: Oh man, a lot. Life has been somewhat of a rollercoaster. This band is family to me, and I think they have seen me at both my highest and lowest points these past couple of years. My father had a stroke in early 2024 which was a huge setback for me personally. I did end up booking our first tour while in the hospital. It motivated me to commit more time to the band and really push us forward. My father is my biggest supporter and always wants me to keep moving, so that is what I did. I was traveling back and forth between Boston, Massachusetts and Joshua Tree, California for some other musical endeavors. Then of course we were offered an opening slot for Jack White’s No Name Tour at the end of 2024. That was the toughest secret to keep of all time. It still blows our mind that we were offered such an exceptional opportunity with only “JUNKY GARDEN” out at that time.
LUNA: Your newest single “EYE CATCHING SILVER” feels like the band is fully locked in. What inspired the single and what thematic ground or emotions did you feel drawn to explore this time around?
AMBER: Funny enough, this song was not written for PINKLIDS. It was a guitar riff that I wrote and brought to Zach [bass] for a side project of ours. There was a time when we spent our days and nights in his parent’s basement writing and recording and swapping instruments until we drove ourselves crazy and gave up. The demo sat for a few months until I revisited and added lyrics. At some point I believe it was titled something like “Life of a Teenage Robot Prostitute.”
The song and its message has definitely evolved since PINKLIDS claimed it. I was inspired by the feel, architecture and history of Lowell — where I was living at the time. Also, heavily inspired by Barbarella. I imagined a factory worker gone evil scientist in one of those industrial mill buildings and built himself his dream robot lady. It’s silly with darker, more dystopian undertones. Obviously, it’s absurd to think you can build your ideal person from scratch — which I guess is closer to reality actually now more than ever with A.I. This single explores the fantasy of creating something idealized and unattainable, ironic constructions of femininity, and the disconnect between what one gender believes the other wants and what they truly desire.
LUNA: The music video for “EYE-CATCHING SILVER” exists in a retro-futurist sci-fi world. What drew you to mid-century futurism as the aesthetic lens for this story?
AMBER: Colors. Textures. Mystery. The late 60s and early 70s did retro-futurism, avant-grade, sci-fi movies so well. I’m a huge Alejandro Jodorowsky fan and have always been inspired by his color palettes and surrealistic nature. Jumping ahead to the 1980s, David Cronenberg’s Videodrome and Scanners were also a huge point of inspiration behind this music video. We took a risk aesthetically with the numerous iPhones as props in the video. We thought, how could we keep that nostalgic feel of this retro-futuristic world we have built while also including devices that are so of this time? We tried our best to combine the organic look of film with something that had more of a creepy modern edge to it. The sparkle of the 80s with the practical, kitschy look and costumes of the 60s. PINKLIDS often teeters the line between all three decades, which inevitably affects the way we write music as well.
LUNA: Have you taken any risks or experimented more, whether that’s lyrically, emotionally or sonically, with this new music compared to your previous releases and what does that look like?
AMBER: Well, I think we are all constantly pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. Our moods, our jobs, what we've been listening to recently. The list goes on and on. They all affect how we contribute to the writing. I will say, we did not spend much time writing this song. Sometimes those are the most fun. The outbursts of ideas that were flowing between Zach and I, were very on the spot. I remember pausing the track, cutting it up, and not telling Zach what the reason was for doing so. I just told him to hit the drums as if he were Animal from The Muppets on meth — those are the noisy breaks you hear throughout the song that Matt [drums] has now polished to noisy perfection. PINKLIDS is on a constant journey to find the sound. We don’t know what that is yet, but we’re searching.
LUNA: You’ve described embracing intuition over polish. What does it mean for PINKLIDS to lean into instinct?
AMBER: We’re very fortunate to have built this world in which PINKLIDS lives. At times it makes it easier for us to head certain directions or lean into certain emotions. Other times, it forces us to reflect on what we are making and why we are doing it. We usually land on “we make art and that is all we know.” That way of thinking informs a lot of what we do and how we move. I think that’s how ideas blossom and they become tangible, because no matter what we make, it sounds and feels like us. Even if the end result is not what we intended, the process stays true. We try our best to put our touch on whatever we create visually or sonically. It’s easier to embrace the chaos that way, rather than try and be something we aren’t. Just friends making art and music- that feels the most intuitive to us.
LUNA: How do you hope listeners — especially your femme audience — can connect with or find power in this new era of music from you? What emotions or messages do you want to leave with them?
AMBER: I actually struggle answering questions like this because I don’t necessarily feel as empowered as most people think I do. I often feel insecure and uncertain of myself a lot — especially in the music industry. There is no better feeling than creating art and music with good, passionate people. Just simply that, and building communities within music, with my friends, is what makes it all worth it. Playing live and moving around all wonky on stage is the biggest release. Embarrassment is an underexplored emotion. I guess the message is to find something you’re passionate enough about, to let it constantly push you to grow and problem solve. What I really want is for people to do whatever it is they want to do, without fear of judgement. Take up space and make noise. You spend more time buried in the ground than you do walking on this Earth. Spend it how YOU would like.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
AMBER: Right now, we feel like babies. PINKLIDS just turned six, and we only just started releasing music. I am elated to see what the future holds for us being in the public eye. The mystique was fun while it lasted, and in some ways we still hold onto it. We have a debut EP being released this spring. Actually, I don’t think we’ve announced this anywhere yet, so Luna Collective heard it here first. This single is the first off of it. We cannot wait to share more as the warmer days approach us. Sharing what we create is such a privilege. Thank you for being interested.
