It’s been 10 years since the duo of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss last released a record as Quasi, 30 years since they dropped their debut, and 20 years since they’ve been seven years gone. Yet none of this feels particularly relevant when Coomes looks back on his teenage porcupine years over ambient synths and thumping drums at the onset of Breaking the Balls of History’s opener “Last Long Laugh,” which, like the album that follows, could have landed just about anywhere in the band’s timeline were it not for the societal ills—documented between other oddball proclamations—that feel so directly tied to the twin eras of COVID-19 and doomscrolling.
But it was “Queen of Ears” that announced Quasi’s triumphant return a few months back, confirming the band’s DNA remained fully intact through the eventful decade since Mole City was released. As Weiss tells it, the raw output of artists such as The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, and The Modern Lovers formed the groundwork for the project, with each successive album leaning into different musical and lyrical themes—in the case of Balls, that includes the playful punk of Bush Tetras and the directness of DC underground collective The Evens. “Our goal this time,” shares Weiss, “was to make a record that reflected our stripped-down, live sound. Two people in a room playing music together. No frills, no hocus pocus.”
Ahead of the new album’s release this Friday, Weiss went on to detail 10 of the specific tracks Quasi look to for inspiration while sharing how several of them influenced this record’s themes. You can pre-order Breaking the Balls of History here, and check out Weiss’ picks below.
The Velvet Underground, “Sister Ray”
“Sister Ray” isn’t just a casual influence on Quasi, it’s in our DNA. The wild chaos, the affirmation of life, the rejection of everything corporate and conservative—this sprawling masterpiece embodies a Quasi mission statement if one existed.
Sun Foot, “Mean World”
Sun Foot are great friends of Quasi. Their individuality and unique vision center around love and instinctive positivity. Sam cites their childlike, insightful blues lament for optimists “Mean World” as directly inspiring our slightly more political version “Rotten Wrock.” You can hear it in the loping shuffle, the undercurrents of knowing despair, both seemingly suggesting the idiocy and cruelty humans inflict are nearly unbearable.
Gene Chandler, “Duke of Earl”
“Duke of Earl” is a literal influence on our song “Queen of Ears,” with the title being a direct play on the original. The catchy, simple riff is also echoed in the Quasi composition. Cypress Hill ripped off “Duke of Earl,” too, for “Hand on the Pump.” They simplified the riff even more than we did!
Flipper, “Life”
Realness is a constant theme running through Quasi’s music and was at the forefront of our minds during the writing and recording of Breaking the Balls of History. The unvarnished approach to art and music is a constant theme, taking song form in our track “Shitty Is Pretty.” “Life” by Flipper conveys their own, yet universal, desperate, primitive, and raw sentiment, “life is the only thing worth living for” sung from the dark depths of real pain.
The Modern Lovers, “Roadrunner”
The profound influence of “Roadrunner” on band fave “Riots & Jokes,” with its rollicking organ solos, head-shaking driving beat, and spirited feeling, is undeniable. Both catchy and loose, these songs are definite cousins.
The Evens, “Around the Corner”
Our goal this time, on our tenth album, was to make a record that reflected our stripped-down, live sound. Two people in a room playing music together. No frills, no hocus pocus. Another similar underground duo whose music lineage has a direct line to Quasi’s is Washington DC’s The Evens. Their approach renders them present and accountable, naked without recording tricks and gimmicks to hide behind. The result is visceral, emotional, and direct. An exceptional attempt at artistic honesty.
Soft Machine, “Hope for Happiness”
The exciting live version of this song that you can find on YouTube from 1967 has inspired my drumming and shown me over and over how improvising within a rock song format can be explosive and exciting. We take something like “Hope for Happiness” and apply that frenetic spirit to a song like “Riots & Jokes.” This isn’t the first time we’ve built improvisational sections to our songs (“R&B Transmogrification,” “Seal the Deal,” “The Rhino”), and it definitely won’t be the last.
Bush Tetras, “Too Many Creeps”
I saw Bush Tetras recently and I was reminded how much I love their intelligent and playfully humorous type of punk. Like Quasi, they’ve been a band for decades, and the chemistry between singer Cynthia Sley and guitarist Pat Place is thick. Like Sam and me, they speak their own language, built on respect and admiration for each other, and for what the other person is doing musically. They aren’t afraid to speak out about politics, women’s rights, and the sad state of the world, usually in a sarcastic, humorous way while also making us dance. Sounds familiar!
W.I.T.C.H., “Introduction”
“Introduction” has been on repeat for months. I couldn’t love this song more. And although it might not have directly influenced Breaking the Balls of History, its catchy, organ-based riff and unrefined sound might give you some pretty strong Quasi vibes. You feel like you’re in the room with Jagari and company as he pleads “I love you, I need you” over and over—it’s authentic and joyful, exactly what we hope comes across in our own music.
The Stooges, “No Fun”
Another song firmly embedded in Quasi’s DNA, “No Fun” touches on a lot of what we do musically. The raunchy, unembellished, rebellious approach with a heavy rhythm and a dose of sarcastic humor resonates and inspires us to always keep it real.
