Bummer Hill : Chaos, Collaboration, and Atlanta’s DIY Music Scene.
We caught up with Bummer Hill to talk about their new release and the Atlanta scene.
Written by Frequency ATL
Interview by Trudie Storck
Photos by Ellen Arden
Atlanta’s own Bummer Hill are carving out a space in the city’s eclectic rock scene — one full of grit, humor, and heart. The four-piece — Jack Kern (vocals/guitar), Dawson Beck (bass/vocals), Chance Adams (lead guitar/vocals), and Ruy Tobar Mosqueira (drums), fresh off their most recent tour with Motion Sick sat down with Frequency ATL ahead of their show to talk about their latest release, the messy beauty of writing together, gear obsessions, and why Atlanta’s DIY culture always finds a way to survive.
“It’s about wanting to be heard but not knowing how.”
“Communication gets lost so easily now; everyone’s locked into their own bubble.” — Jack
The band’s newest project, “Don’t Ask Us What These Songs Are About,” leans into themes of miscommunication, feeling unseen, and the difficulty of making genuine connections in a fragmented world. “The title was meant to make people ask what it means,” says Jack. “And the songs are the answer. It’s about wanting to feel seen and heard but not really feeling that. Communication gets lost so easily now; everyone’s in their own bubble.” The album title is intentionally ambiguous, inviting listeners to interpret the songs for themselves.
Using imagery like tinnitus and ADHD as metaphors for misunderstanding, the lyrics find humor and tension in disconnection. “Don’t ask because I won’t give you a straight answer,” Jack laughs. “Either I didn’t hear you right, or I misunderstood you completely, and now we hate each other.”
Writing Without Rules
“This release was the most collaborative thing we’ve done yet.” — Jack
For the first time, Bummer Hill abandoned demos and built songs together in real time. “Before, I’d bring a full demo to practice and we’d build from that,” says Jack. “This time, there were no demos. We wrote everything in the room together. I was rewriting lyrics as we jammed.”
Ruy credits that freedom for shaping the record’s texture. “Compared to our first release, this one was way more experimental. The feeling was that we had a lot of ideas to put out there and had a wider palette to work with.”
Stretching Their Sound
When asked which track pushed them the hardest, everyone answers at once: “Call Me What You Like.”
“That one took us a while to get it right,” says Dawson. “Its a double chorus followed by a jam for the last half of the song. We wanted it to make sense live and make it so that people would want to listen to it again. We were all trying some outrageous shit but then we had to par it back to make it make complete sense. It was a particular challenge structurally.”
Jack nods. “And each instrument and element gets its moment to shine. It’s us flexing creatively and technically — a big step for a band that’s usually focused on songwriting and hooks. But this was out moment to throw that all out the window.”
Gear Talk: Analog Dreams vs. Digital Precision
The band lights up when the conversation turns to gear.
“I’m obsessed with my Boss GX-10,” says Dawson. “No more patch cables — I can build full pedal chains and switch presets on the fly.”
Chance grins. “My 2012 Gibson Les Paul Standard is my baby. The way it blends with Jack’s single-coil tone just works. Not too muddy, not too sharp. It can get overbearing sometimes when you have a band with a lot of single coil or humbucker players.”
Ruy, meanwhile, draws from hip-hop influences. “I love Pearl Drums and stacks and splashes that sound like trap hi-hats and claps. I grew up on Metro Boomin and JD Beck. There is a specific clap that I have been chasing for years because it fits into everything. And shout out to Atlanta Drum Shop for coming through each time. Most of my gear comes from there.”
Jack keeps it classic. “I’m a Fender Guy through and through. I’ve got a 2019 Mexican Telecaster with a hot rail in the bridge. I use a tube amp and a traditional pedalboard with patch cables — I like my stuff analog.”
The Atlanta Scene
“We like each other. We protect each other.” — Ruy
When asked what makes Atlanta’s growing music scene special, they don’t hesitate. “We like each other. We protect each other,” says Ruy. “After the pandemic, people were desperate to revive local art. Now there’s more support than ever. Community support is everywhere and it feels like a much safer place than we would have expected for a chaotic local scene with so many different styles.”
Jack adds, “It’s chaotic in a good way — noise and art rock adjacent acts are making some really cool stuff right now. Altanta Hardcore is and has always been a really tight knit group. Screamo is also have a big moment right now. A lot of top notch Emo bands in this city haven’t been able to stay together.”
Dawson laughs: “The emo bands keep fucking up, but the variety here? Unreal. Atlanta’s full of talent — it just needs spaces to thrive. Sometimes I feel like everything is working against the Atlanta scene. There are so many thriving scenes right now in Ohio, Florida, New England, Washington, and Chicago too. But Atlanta has never really been on the map, but part of the reason is venues kind of die out and the only places that people can really end up are higher-end spots.”
Venues and Vibes
“Eyedrum has that intimate energy,” says Jack. “But Masquerade spoils you — water, tea, a green room, drink tickets. Total luxury compared to DIY tours. We had the opportunity to play Hell a few times and big stages feel so cool but we like playing little intimate spaces too. They all have their merits.”
Ruy points out how fragile those DIY spaces can be. “A lot of them have shut down or been priced out.”
Dawson nods. “The Druid is a really cool house venue. The ceiling is enormous, it sounds great in there, and turn out is usually pretty good. Railroad Earth is another great DIY venue. I hope they all stick around. But that’s the thing, I feel like Atlanta in general is so full of vibrant and exciting bands and what makes it difficult for those bands to shine and to break out of Atlanta is that venues and DIY spaces keep shutting down or are managed by not great people. That ends up restricting places for bands to play. But the scene finds a way.”
A Surprise Parking Deck Show
When asked about their favorite gig they light up. “The parking deck show at Kennesaw State University,” says Jack. “Third story of a parking deck under a security camera. Kids showed up en masse because it was within walking distance to their dorms. We thought it’d get shut down immediately.”
Ruy laughs. “You could hear it from outside the lot, but everyone kept it a chill and sober space.”
“Two hundred kids showed up,” adds Dawson. “That show gave me hope — if there’s no venue, people will make one.”
Chance adds, “That’s punk.”
Atlanta Artists to Watch
Talk turns to the Atlanta scene again—specifically, who deserves more attention.
“There’s this new hardcore band, Muelas,” says Jack. “They’re incredible. Their first show at the Masq blew me away. They’re all scene veterans, and what Susie brings from her mariachi background makes them completely unique. Hardcore can often end up sounding similar, but they’re doing something fresh.”
Dawson nods. “Back to Earth have been around forever, and now they’re making their best music. They’ve had lineup changes, but they never quit. I hate when good bands just give up because they get bored or stub a toe—Back to Earth really want it.”
Collectively they shout out Strumbrush, Pinto Sunshine, and All I Hear Is Birds.
“There’s so much talent here,” says Ruy. “People just need to keep showing up. Atlanta thrives on persistence.”
Oh, The Hills They’ll Die On…
When asked about the weirdest metaphorical hill they’d die on, Bummer Hill’s answers come fast and matter of fact.
“Drums go down first,” says Ruy. “If I’m still tearing down, get the fuck out of my way.”
Chance jumps in. “If you’re breaking down the stage before we play, don’t wrap your cables and chat with your friends while I’m holding an eighty-pound amp. That’s the hill I’ll die on.”
Dawson laughs. “Mine’s probably that lyrics matter—like, really matter. I go through all of them before we record, and sometimes I’ll put my foot down. If I hear one more line about undertows, trenches, or striking a match to watch it all burn, I’m walking out.”
Jack grins. “That’s fair. But it’s never been that bad—at least not for anything that’s out yet.”
The rest of the band laughs between gripes about stage etiquette, gear chaos, and lazy writing, their collective energy says it all: Bummer Hill believe in doing the work, doing it right, and meaning every note.
What’s Next for Bummer Hill
As our conversation wraps up so the band can prepare for their set, we get into what everyone can expect to see next from Bummer Hill.
“We’re writing a lot right now,” says Jack. “This double single was kind of a transitional project. The next thing, whatever form it takes, is going to be our best work yet. We’re out of our adolescence.”
Dawson adds, “Adult mode Bummer Hill, and expect more TikToks. One of only ways to grow as a band these days is to have a social media presence.”
Jack adds, “And stream ‘Don’t Ask Me What These Songs Are About,’ and watch the music video. We are very proud of the music video and got very sunburnt for it and you can really tell. It’s a really dope music video.”
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