Dogleg Shares Aggressive and Angry Punk Single "Fox"

As with any DIY band, Ann Arbor punk four-piece Dogleg started from simple roots. Lead singer and guitarist Alex Stoitsiadis wrote and recorded a handful of songs in a basement initially, borrowing an old piece of recording equipment from a friend and without overthinking it, threw his project off the launching pad. Simple and without pressure, he created the beginnings of what he, bassist Chase Macinski, rhythm guitarist Parker Grissom, and drummer Jacob Hanlon now call Dogleg. That simplicity and eagerness to experiment has stayed an essential ingredient to this DIY punk unit, a band that continues to defy stereotypes.

“I didn’t really expect [the music] to go anywhere,” Stoitsiadis explains. “I threw it out online and pretty soon people were really liking it a lot and I was like, ‘I should start playing shows. I should start actually mobilizing this thing.” And mobilize it, he did. The first show Dogleg booked was a friend’s coffee shop, a somewhat unusual spot for fast, guitar-heavy music. But by the second show, their momentum was picking up. Over 200 people crammed their bodies into the small shop and it changed the course of Dogleg from then on.

Newest single “Fox,” released via Triple Crown Records, is loud and intense, chock full of guttural yet harmonized screaming from start to finish. In the accompanying music video, the band performs for a crowd going absolutely wild, from zealous crowdsurfers doing flips off the stage to thrashing and headbanging all around. The energy is high, the scene on stage showcasing their scrappy, youthful nature. Filmed this past spring at Bled Fest, punk kids with green and pink hair jump to the beat almost uncontrollably, their love and support apparent as they mirror back each word over infectious bass lines and thumping drums.

Dogleg’s forthcoming album is expected in 2020, but for now, similarly dirt-polished and cathartic singles pepper their Bandcamp page and other streaming platforms, dating back to 2015. “Star 67,” the first track off 2016’s Remember Alderaan?, includes a slow burning build that acts as an enticing intro much like a novel. A striking culmination of guitars hits later in the track, a segment that has an irresistible head-banging rhythm paired with softer licks and fading urgency weaved in-between.

From their 2015 debut self-titled EP, “Calling Collect” opens with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the film Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, where the main character, Scott, meets an alternate version of himself and tells a friend about how he and himself “shot the shit” and were getting brunch later in the week. The lyrics on the song aptly discuss the feeling of being stuck in one’s own mind and the difficulty of communicating to others.

Though it’s arduous to characterize, Dogleg’s music is deliciously angry and refreshing, like a savory midnight snack during a long, horrendous week of late nights studying. It gives permission to let go— explode even— and let it all out with disheveled hair flying and whipping around through the air. Aggressive and loud, Dogleg does an outstanding job incorporating sincere craftsmanship by implementing commanding riffs and generous soaring melodies.

Be sure to check out Dogleg’s newest single and keep an eye out for their upcoming album.

Tour Dates

Nov 18, PJ's Lager House | Detroit, MI

Dec 12, TETARR House | Florence, KY

Dec 13, House Show | Chattanooga, TN

Dec 14, The Wilbury | Tallahassee, FL

Dec 15, Jordi Fest | Orlando, FL

Dec 16, The Bakery | Atlanta, GA

Dec 17, Good Day Café | Columbia, SC

Dec 18, The Milestone Club | Charlotte, NC