Born To Party
Teen Mortgage formed in 2017 when guitarist/vocalist James Guile connected with drummer Ed Barakauskas through a stroke of luck via a desperate Craigslist ad after James relocated to Washington D.C. from Liverpool. They quickly built a reputation in the local punk scene, proudly channeling a timeless punk spirit and a hooky pop sensibility, with a sound that’s both fun and absolutely furious.
The band’s name is a nod to the absurdity of living in the era of late-stage capitalism, as the two musicians juggled day jobs while pouring their angst and observations into their songwriting. They draw on their city’s hardcore heritage by crossbreeding East Coast hardcore with garage and surf-rock, keeping a strong focus on hooks and melody. It’s thrashy, riff-driven punk in the style of Dead Kennedys, The Cramps, FIDLAR, and the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtracks, whilst the lyrics tackle topics like the military-industrial complex and the drudgery of dead-end jobs with underdog optimism, feeling both nostalgic and urgently of-the-moment.
A major turning point came in 2024 when Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan took notice of the band and personally invited Teen Mortgage to open for Smashing Pumpkins and Weezer on an arena tour. By mid-2024, Ed made the leap of quitting his nursing day-job to pursue the band full-time, and their trajectory has only pointed upwards, scoring slots at major festivals including Download and Louder Than Life. On stage, James and Ed create a huge wall of sound using clever pedal setups, and they never fail to get a mosh pit sweaty and smiling.
We caught up with the band to find out more:
Tell us the story of the Craiglist ad?
I (James) am lucky to have dual citizenship in US and UK, and had moved from Liverpool, UK to the greater Baltimore, Maryland area. I had a couple demos and was desperate to get back in to playing live shows with a different line up after the move, so I posted them on craigslist. Ed (drums) happened to be scrolling through for a source of comedy as there are some strange and desperate people on there. He landed on my post and liked the songs, we had a jam and from there the rest is history.
What’s the significance behind the name Teen Mortgage?
The name was inspired by Darren Cullen’s art piece “Pocket Money Loans” that was featured in Banksy’s Dismaland show. I thought a ‘teen mortgage’ was the next step up from a pocket money loan. ‘Mortgage’ means ‘death pledge’ in latin, so it refers to the fact that in America, once you turn 18 you take on a series of different loans in order to survive and you do so til death.
Who are some of your biggest influences, inside and outside of punk rock?
Skate videos from like 1990 - 2004, thats the golden age of skate videos. What a time to be alive. Skateboarding taught me to have a DIY ethos and that if you practice and progress you will meet your goals. It’s all about mind over matter. I love horror movies and the way the villains and creatures of those movies can often be likened to people in real life. Misfits and The Cramps are big influences. We’re always comparing making music to the art of making food. Like does it have substance? Has it got enough sauce on it? Is the plating and presentation minimal in its aesthetic?
Can you take us through some of the messages and specific issues throughout Devil Ultrasonic Dream?
It’s all about living your passions in kind of a ‘fuck off if you don’t like it’ kind of way. I write about what I know - working shit jobs during late stage capitalism, partying, and horror movies.
Has joining the legendary Roadrunner Records changed anything about how you recorded the album compared to previous releases?
It didn’t change a lot, we recorded with our longtime collaborator Kenny Eaton. The only difference is this time a label was paying for it instead of us. It meant there was less pressure about spending time in the studio. Because we had recorded together previously we were able to build on that working relationship and make the best record we feel we’ve made so far.
What’s the story behind the album title?
What’s the story behind the album title?
“Devil Ultrasonic Dream” is saying explore your human proclivities and passions as much as possible in spite of christian fascists, religious zealots, or anyone who is trying to stop you because it doesn’t fit their agenda. I was inspired by the ‘satanic panic’ from the 1980s and the music is largely inspired by that era of punk, metal, hardcore, etc. It’s crazy that America has another satanic panic in 2025 and I wanted to make something that portrayed the devil in an unserious way - he’s just a rude little dude like Bart Simpson or Sonic the Hedgehog.
Do you prefer playing in huge arenas, festival fields or tiny clubs?
Each one is fun in their own way, but I would have to say to tiny clubs. They’re the most intimate and energetic of the 3. It’s always the best when the audience is able to stage dive and crowd surf.
Any cool stories or lessons learned from the Smashing Pumpkins tour?
Weezer was also on the tour with us and we all had dinner together in Glasgow. After, Rivers took us to see Doja Cat at Ovo Hydro (which is where we played the following night). That was a beyond surreal experience.
The lesson we learned was make sure your song has a big chorus with words people can relate to, as obvious as that sounds. Hearing the arena crowds sing their songs every night was one of those moments where you think “oh yea this is the whole point of doing this, this is what we’re all working towards”.
Are there any festivals you dream of playing which you haven’t yet?
I think every artist dreams of the big ones like Glastonbury and Coachella, we’re no exception. We’d love to do Psycho Fest or Primavera. We’re stoked to play CBGB fest this year, Iggy Pop and Jack White are headlining - bit of a dream situation.
What’s the ultimate goal of Teen Mortgage?