Winona Fighter opens up about 'My Apologies To The Chef (Deluxe)' and pivotal year as a band
BY AMBER BINTLIFF
photo by amber bintliff
Emerging from Nashville in 2022, Winona Fighter is one of the most in-your-face, vibrant acts found in the modern punk scene. The trio, consisting of frontwoman/multi-instrumentalist Coco Kinnon, lead guitarist Dan Fuson, and bassist/producer Austin Luther, has experienced an intense catapult into the spotlight with their debut album My Apologies To The Chef releasing earlier this year.
The group channels every emotion imaginable into the 14-track album, from blinding rage and frustration to unmistakable raw vulnerability and angst. Now, they’ve released the deluxe edition of My Apologies To The Chef that sees the band in a more stripped-back, intimate light with acoustic versions of each song, two covers and a brand new bonus track.
Televised Magazine caught up with Winona Fighter before their acoustic New York City show earlier this month to talk about this new expanded edition of the album, the whirlwind of a year they’ve had and more.
Amber bintliff: Your explosive debut record, My Apologies To The Chef has been out in the world for six months now. What has it been like watching the response to that over the last few months?
COCO KINNON: I'd say it's been pretty crazy. I think you set certain goals for yourself and when you achieve those goals, it's other worldly, but then when you far surpass those goals, it just is indescribable. I think especially seeing things happen that we never even planned on, like our song, “You Look Like a Drunk Phoebe Bridgers” charted up to #33 on alternative radio. Just things like that, it's pretty, pretty insane.
photo by amber bintliff
Amber bintliff: Awesome. The deluxe edition is out now and includes all acoustic versions of the album’s songs, congratulations on that! What made you guys decide to go in that direction for the deluxe?
AUSTIN LUTHER: We did an acoustic version of “You Look Like a Drunk Phoebe Bridgers” and our management and label heard it. I think they liked it so much that they were like, “You know what, what if you did the whole record just acoustic?
COCO KINNON: I got the text with that idea when I was about three quarters of the way through a bottle of white wine. Our manager texted and he was like, “This might be crazy, but the whole album acoustic version.” I was like, “I'll do anything after three quarters of a bottle of white wine”
AUSTIN LUTHER: Yeah. It was fun and we got to kind of take some liberties and be creative with the songs in an acoustic, stripped down way.
Amber bintliff: Also the album does feature a brand new track, “(Don't Get) CLOSE,” that was released back in July. Was this a track that didn't previously make the cut, or was this something new that you made and thought this belonged on the album?
COCO KINNON: It was always very, very close to making the cut.
AUSTIN LUTHER: No pun intended.
COCO KINNON: The thing I really admire about this song is it didn't have a place on the record, but I think it is the perfect segue into the next round of stuff we're gonna write. I think it was the perfect closer of the album while also kind of introducing some new elements that maybe weren't previously on My Apologies to the Chef.
Amber bintliff: Can you guys share a little bit about that song’s inspiration, meaning, how that came to be?
COCO KINNON: I feel like everything on My Apologies to the Chef is very reflective on my life up until this point, my human experience and things that have happened to me. Whereas “(Don't Get) CLOSE,” was the one song out of the group of songs that was more reflective of me as a person.
photo by amber bintliff
I wrote it about my first amazing relationship after being in an abusive relationship and how I was kind of like a fucking crazy person to my now husband for a long time. Mainly, just trying to navigate that relationship and also all of my relationships, like my relationship with my family and my friends. It's like there was no easy way to deal with it all and get through that so that’s what this song represents.
Amber bintliff: One thing that I really admire is your energy in your live performances and how unafraid you are to talk about those heavy, personal topics in your music. From my point of view, the spirit of punk is very much alive in the three of you and I'd love to hear your thoughts on the last year of your career and what being a band has meant to you guys in this scene.
DAN FUSON: Thank you very much for that by the way. It's interesting. To go back to what Chloe was saying earlier, we've been doing this for quite a long time. I guess when you start playing guitar or whatever, you're in a bedroom by yourself and that's as good as it's gonna get. So getting to this point over the last year, especially with the record being out and people knowing the words and stuff, my mom, who’s not a huge punk rock fan, will come to shows and be like “This is crazy people know who you are and know the words to your songs!” This last year has been more than I could have expected either, and I think it has just made me appreciate a lot more and made all of us wanna just go harder and just keep going. You see how all the hard work starts to pay off, so it just makes you wanna work harder.
AUSTIN LUTHER: I feel like we made this record in a bubble in Nashville because it's not the normal thing that's happening in Nashville. So we were very much in our own little world while making it and when we released it we're like, ‘alright, hopefully, like people like it.’ People actually really did like it. that phenomenon of being very closed off, working on something, and thinking that it’s good to then releasing it and having people like it, I think is a huge payoff for that. Also, I feel like at every show, we always meet someone that's like “This song or this record or whatever got me through this thing in my life and I wouldn't have been able to do without that song or your record or whatever.” That's always extremely meaningful to us.
COCO KINNON: Yeah and I think bands are rare these days. You know, you have bands, but maybe half or more than half of the bands are hired guys. Whereas like, yeah, we have a touring drummer with us, but we’re a full band. We record all the music ourselves and to be able to be a real life band in this era of TikTok solo artist stars and heavy tracks, things like that. I think it's been so cool for us to just kind of stick to our guns and do it as raw and real as possible and have the impact that we've had and form the community we have. I mean, it's so cool, we ran into someone from Charlotte on the street and they flew up for the [NYC acoustic] show. I think everyone is realizing how special this is and I think that shows us how special and cool this is.
Amber bintliff: In addition to the new song and all the acoustic versions, you also have two covers on there. The first one is already released and it’s your take on "Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. You previously stated that this cover was so important to you because you believe in honoring those who have paved the way before you. How did it feel getting that nod of approval and getting to put your own spin on such an iconic song?
COCO KINNON: It was crazy. You can honor those who came before you and paved the way all you want. For us it was like, ‘Oh, we're doing an acoustic album. We need to bring in the acoustic folk-punk legends themselves.’ I have to credit Austin on that, it was his idea. To be able to do the cover and be like, ‘well, I mean, we think this is good,’ but to have the Violent Femmes themselves say ‘this is great and here's why it's great’ With my vocals, we were recording them and Austin was like, ‘do you wanna just flip the octave the whole time?’ I was like no I feel that's what everyone, every girl would do and I want to honor that weirdness of it.
Amber bintliff: Also you guys have been cycling through a couple covers throughout the Yes, Chef Tour that you just finished up, including the second cover on the album “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys. What made you guys want to record a studio version of that specific track?
AUSTIN LUTHER: I think we had the opportunity to go in with the three of us, Chloe, on drums, and then Dan and I on our normal instruments. I mean that's weird to say about Chloe because she's a drummer, but we got to go into a studio, which we never actually recorded in a million dollar studio. We've been ripping that cover live on tour so we were like why not go in the studio and lay it down and have it be a kind of a cool little bonus track.
DAN FUSON: It just kind of provides the energy of the live show and I think that was kind of our way of being able to grab that little bit of that magic by just having all of us live in the studio together. I think it speaks for itself on the record.
photo by amber bintliff
Amber bintliff: If the deluxe edition of my apologies to the chef could be turned into a meal of your choice, what would you choose and why?
AUSTIN LUTHER: I would say the deluxe version is a nice tray of fresh croissants. Light, fluffy, you know, acoustic, airy, acoustic light. Buttery and delicious.
DAN FUSON: I was gonna say, we're edging into the fall/winter territory. This is gonna be like a nice warm bowl of chili because you still have a little bit of that spice from some of those other songs. A little “Sabotage” comes in, occasionally that “(Don't Get) CLOSE” so there's a little spice that comes through if you add maybe a little jalapeno.
COCO KINNON: Well those are well thought out. I was just gonna say it's like a nice surf and turf. Just two totally opposite things, but they work together so well.
Amber bintliff: All great answers! All very, very different, but still on brand for the album. Now you guys are doing the acoustic New York show and you've got a couple more along the way before you get to Warped Tour. In comparison to your usual, very high energy performances, what are you most excited for with this run of more stripped back intimate shows?
COCO KINNON: I was always a huge fan of the MTV Unplugged storytellers growing up. I was saying earlier in the day that Nirvana's MTV Unplugged is probably one of my all time favorite records in general. So I'm really looking forward to giving the audience some more insight into these songs and I feel like we're just all gonna be hanging out. I'm really excited for that, especially for the people who are, who flew in for it. It's gonna be such a cool experience that none of us have ever been able to have before.
Amber bintliff: When people leave a Winona Fighter show, what do you want them to take away from the experience?
AUSTIN LUTHER: If they haven't known that community in the room before, to find their people and to be a little sweaty.
DAN FUSON: I want people to take away from notify shirt show, uh, a new T-shirt maybe. I love the idea of a sense of community. I hope people who are coming into the show and need a bit of a release of some kind are able to find that and leave with their cup more full than when they arrived.
COCO KINNON: I think it's just having a sense of a welcoming community. I say we have everything from frat boys to alternative girls, to those who choose not to identify any which way to, I mean, five year olds. It’s such a melting pot of people and I have never seen anyone have a moment of discomfort at our shows, which I think is pretty rare when you put all those people in one room together. So, I think just feeling like they're in a welcoming space to come as they are is what we hope for.
winona fighter just announced that they’ll be joining waterparks as support for their u.s. prowler tour this november and december in select cities. the band IS also set to perform at this year’s vans warped tour in orlando, fl on november 15-16th.
