Punk Legends Trash Talk Drive Their Van Down to Miami

It's been two years since the world-renowned hardcore-punk act Trash Talk sweatily yelled and thrashed around on a Miami stage. In that time, the Sacramento act has toured in Australia and Japan and recorded and released the free EP, Tangled. Now Trash Talk is touring the nation by van and will arrive Tuesday in Little Haiti for a Churchill's show that'll surely rupture many lucky ear drums.

"We make music because we want to, not because a label told us to."

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"Florida's got a unique scene, and it's always been good to us," vocalist Lee Speilman says. "We're stoked for the weather and just to be able to skate some sweet spots. We also have some friends down here we're excited to see."

About 12 years ago, four California skate rats came together to play music. Back then, Trash Talk was abrasive and aggressive, grouped into the subgenres of extreme powerviolence and grindcore. Punks who appreciated their early sound flocked to see them. The momentum snowballed, and as mosh pits grew larger, the band toured the nation and eventually other countries.

Keeping true to their roots has benefited Trash Talk. In 2012, the band reached its fandom tipping point when rapper and record producer Tyler, the Creator began collaborating and performing with the tattooed punks.

"Our music sounds like us," Speilman says. "It's not just spastic hardcore punk; there's a method for the madness. We make music because we want to, not because a label told us to."

But after Trash Talk played a pop-up show during Art Basel in 2014, the band seemingly disappeared from the scene. They toured Australia and Japan and, last year, released a record called No Peace. It was a more polished, mainstream, and grown-up sound from the band's earlier years, perhaps a sign of maturity, but certainly not any sort of softening.

"Someone told me that a record is a polaroid of a band at the time — you can never erase it," Speilman says. "We want 100 percent complete creative control over our records because no cares about our craft like we do."

Last month, the band released its new EP, Tangled, for free on their website (Speilman urges fans to download and "fuck with it.”) Though the band has taken some time off from touring in the past few years, Speilman says he and his bandmates feel invigorated, restless, and ready to tour the country once again — playing both classics and newer songs.

"We have done several one-off dates in other countries but haven't done a full U.S. tour in a while," Speilman says. "It's nice to be in a van and do a proper U.S. tour instead of flying into a city, playing a show, and leaving."

It's an impressive feat for a band in a genre where most outfits last about as long as their one-minute songs. Ultimately, Trash Talk has been able to take an abrasive noise too searing for mainstream radio and turn it into a successful 12-year career that shows no sign of letting up.

Trash Talk. 9 p.m. Tuesday, November 8, at Churchill's Pub, 5501 NE Second Ave., Miami; 305-757-1807; churchillspub.com. Tickets cost $16 via speedfreekevents.bigcartel.com.