CATBITE TALKS THIRD-WAVE SKA AND WORKING WITH PATRICK STUMP OF FALL OUT BOY FOR THEIR SINGLE “TIRED OF TALK”
Ska is among the most polarizing genres ever invented. Consequently, it is also unavoidable, especially in underground DIY spaces. Ska’s punk roots are often misunderstood, but its evolution over time is no mere coincidence. Artists like Catbite allow ska to grow continually, captivating new audiences. Their newest EP, ‘Doom Garden,’ takes the road less traveled, with ambitious collaborations and unexpected sounds easing their way into a traditional ska EP. However, despite these potentially chaotic choices, Catbite’s signature sound remains palpable, insinuating longevity for the Philly-based band. Catbite is marked by soulful lead vocals and effortlessly catchy instrumentals. Together, their inherent chemistry creates hit after hit, and their journey is no less impressive.
The band formed in 2018, but vocalist Brittany Luna and guitarist Tim Hiddlebrand had other priorities. The pair were planning their wedding, but it was always the music that brought them together. Therefore, they could delegate time wisely to divide planning tasks with jam sessions. Catbite was, in essence, a pre-pandemic baby that had small odds of making it past those initial years. Hiddlebrand expressed some frustration about his creative endeavors in his high school era band and needed something fresh. Thankfully, he didn’t let those frustrations stop him, instead recognizing a star who was itching to be born: Luna. “The band was drifting in a different direction musically, not really playing ska anymore. And I was like, ‘I’m kind of over this. It’s not fun anymore,’” Hiddlebrand explains.
Most great things in life begin as happy accidents, and Catbite’s inception was no exception. The pair agreed to collaborate out of genuine interest and creative drive. Their built-in dynamic, paired with years of effort within the scene, culminated into initial excitement rather quickly. Of course, there was still work to do; they recorded their debut as a signee to then-new Bad Time Records. The label already had heavy roots in ska, with artists like We Are The Union sharing the roster with Catbite in its initial stages. Catbite had only played about four shows before their LP was released, but it was met with high praise from the scene, thanks to the rapport they had established over the years. Their only mistake was taking a bit of time off in 2019, only playing shows lightly, blissfully unaware.
“I mean, obviously nothing happened that year,” laughs Luna. “Our original plan was to be in Canada the weekend the world shut down. That didn’t happen, but our goal was to hit the ground running with touring because we hadn’t done that at all. Then, we pivoted to being an online band.”
Consequently, the pursuit of online music creation has been beneficial for many. For example, Catbite collaborator, label mate, and friend JER was already known for their We Are The Union efforts. However, the spike in TikTok views allowed JER’s solo project and Skatune Network covers to gain tons of traction. Nickelodeon was onto something with their ‘Worldwide Day of Play.’ When confined to our rooms, we must find other means to distract ourselves from the weight of our thoughts and feelings. So, we either create or, in most cases, doomscroll. Still, doomscrollers like myself helped creatives like Catbite and JER initiate a new wave of ska into mainstream views, which was crucial in keeping DIY venues alive during the pandemic. Where was the ska scene to go when the world eventually re-opened its doors?
“We were able to get our name out and maybe an even further reach than we would have otherwise,” admits Luna.
Catbite’s bold-yet-traditional take on ska not only captivates a solid foundation of fans, but engages an entirely new audience with the genre. ‘Doom Garden’ takes the band to new sonic territory, while staying true to their roots. Luna’s influences pull from Hispanic music, thanks to their Peruvian heritage to the same emo nonsense as this wide-eyed journalist. However, we also share an undying love of Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, 3OH!3, and A Day To Remember, making “Tired of Talk” a full-circle moment for all. Hiddlebrand was Luna’s introduction to ska, but his early tastes included Fall Out Boy, Good Charlotte, Linkin Park, and Simple Plan. These earlier heroes added post-punk flair to Catbite’s current sound. “I was pretentious as fuck,” laughs Hiddlebrand.
However, his inclination to changing his mind made room for magic in Catbite’s world. Luna’s earnest love for artists like Paramore softened Hiddlebrand’s rougher, more elitist edges—making their collaborative efforts with Fall Out Boy even more impactful. The legacy band often surprises casual listeners with their quieter influences, like ska and reggae, transforming into features by Wyclef Jean and Burna Boy. Many would be stunned to see that Patrick Stump’s playlists align closely with Hiddlebrand’s. He spent many years in Chicago’s DIY scene before joining in as the famed Fall Out Boy frontman. These core values still stand tall, as audiences are introduced to artists like Catbite or Hiddlebrand’s colleagues, The Interrupters, thanks to efforts like this feature.
“The original idea I had for ‘Tired of Talk’ came from ‘Out of My Head’ by Ashlee Simpson,” confesses Luna.
Catbite’s inherent balance cultivates greatness in the studio, with each member putting focused efforts on certain elements. For Hiddlebrand, that’s initial composition efforts; he’ll get a hook or riff going, and Luna will build melodies or lyrics based on his sketches. Sometimes, living together unearths incredible creative potential. “We’ll sometimes sit down and write a skeleton of a song in one sitting. That’s almost always how it happens. She sent that song in the group chat, and we sat down. I’m easily inspired by things. If I listen to something and I’m inspired by it, so many cool things are set off in my head. I thought to do ‘Tired of Talk’ as a reggae rock steady. We messed around with that feeling, sat on it for a little bit, and came back to it the next day. The song was done by the next time we came back to it.”
Unbeknownst to Catbite, Stump’s creative process is similar. He often tinkers around with things, whether he’s given fragments of poetry from Pete Wentz or plotlines for Spiderman cartoons. In many ways, collaborating with Catbite for “Tired of Talk” was a match made in heaven for both parties. Their sound is right up Stump’s alley, while their laid-back creative process made way for engaged efforts on his end. As a result, the song transformed into a balanced track with Luna and Stump’s voices working in tandem rather than competing for the spotlight. Plus, Stump provided more instrumentation, a horn section to round out the ska vibes. Everyone was an equal-opportunity collaborator, despite Stump’s legacy status. Catbite learned very quickly that Stump is anything but a douchey rockstar archetype.
“We looked at the song files and saw a trumpet file (from Stump). We didn’t even have an idea to have horns on the song. He sent us back 32 tracks,” laughs Luna.
The collaboration on “Tired of Talk” is highly symbolic of where Catbite is headed. They fully embrace and honor the past while looking towards the future, much like Fall Out Boy. As they continually weave their inspirations into their music, more expansion will ensue for the band and ska as a whole. “Tired of Talk” bridges many gaps between ska, emo, and pop-punk alike. Eventually, more sonic barriers will fade, especially as legacy acts hop on up-and-comers’ tracks. Catbite and Patrick Stump have easily released one of the most interesting tracks of 2025, all thanks to their creative integrity.