Reno ltd.
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Interview/words: Aysha Swanson
Images: Alex Smith
Brisbane's post hardcore Reno ltd. have never been ones to mince words. On their latest single, “Don’t Vote For Politicians It Only Encourages Them,” the band channel a simmering frustration that’s been building since late 2023 - a frustration sharpened by local headlines, global atrocities, and the familiar churn of political theatre. Equal parts confrontational and cathartic, the track fuses abrasive, slogan-ready lyricism with a driving, punchy urgency while carving out something distinctly their own.
What began as a slow-burn collection of lyrics became a time capsule of mounting exhaustion, touching on everything from youth incarceration to Australia’s complicity in global conflict, all filtered through Reno ltd.'s unfiltered, satirical bite. With lineup shifts reshaping their dynamic and an EP on the horizon that promises a turn toward slacker, post-hardcore textures, this single stands as both a provocation and a pressure valve.
Ballpoint Press caught up with Reno ltd. to unpack the politics, the punchlines, and the line they love shouting live.
This is Reno ltd.
AYSHA: “Don’t Vote For Politicians It Only Encourages Them” is a pretty confrontational title, what was the moment or feeling that sparked the track?
JEREMY: This song was such a slow burner in the creative process, so it’s hard to pinpoint a certain moment or feeling that sparked the track. I had been slowly writing lyrics for the song since the end of 2023, so it serves as a time capsule of us growing more and more frustrated with politicians (coal and gas puppets).
JOSH: I think it was also around the time of the Peter Dutton shenanigans
CHARLIE: Yeah it was around the time the Pinkenba six
AYSHA: The song taps into a kind of political exhaustion a lot of people are feeling right now, was this written from frustration, satire, or a bit of both?
JOSH: Definitely out of frustration first but we like to add a satirical element to it
JEREMY: Yeah, it's definitely a blend of the two. I like saying gnarly shit that will get under people's skin a little (especially conservatives and people who want to maintain the status quo). Also, Josh and I spend a lot of time discussing a whole heap of issues, and most conversations end in “well it’s not gonna change anytime soon”. It’s a pretty depressing conclusion to come to when discussing urgent topics such as youth incarceration (which disproportionately affects First Nations children) and the genocide in Palestine and our government's complicity in it.
AYSHA: There’s a bluntness to the messaging that almost reads like a slogan, was the direct approach intentional from the start?
JOSH: Since it is quite a drivey punk song it made sense to have an abrasive title which illustrated our frustration and grabbed people’s attention, in the same manner as a slogan.
JEREMY: Yeah I don’t like to mess around with talking about how I feel when I write lyrics. Ya gotta go straight for the kill. I think the notion to “don't vote for politicians, it only encourages them” is actually kind of lazy and doesn’t offer much for discussion. But I see conservatives churn out lazy shit about economic management and anti-semitism all the time so I thought we could cut ourselves some slack.
AYSHA: Does the track come from a specifically Brisbane or Australian perspective, or were you trying to capture something more universal?
CHARLIE: For me it feels more universal because it reflects a growing distrust towards the people and systems that govern us. Universally, we need to remember that these so-called elected officials are servants of the people, not the latest winner of the popularity contest.
JOSH: It discusses a very prominent and serious global issues through an Australian lens.
AYSHA: Musically, the song feels urgent and punchy, did the sound come together to match the tone of the lyrics, or did the message grow out of the instrumentation?
JOSH: I think the message was matched to the instrumentation. We were listening to a lot of idles at the time of writing the music and we were still experimenting and finding our sound. So when we made this instrumentation, it felt right to match it with this frustration we were feeling.
CHARLIE: We sat on the instrumental for a while. Sankey wrote the lyrics almost immediately which is rare for us
All Laugh
AYSHA: You’ve had some line-up changes (with new members coming in and older members departing). With this EP, how much did those new voices and perspectives shift the live performance or recording process?
JOSH: Got to give credit to our old guitarist Mitch. It was his initial idea for a riff which triggered the making of the instrumentation. Sadly, he left before we recorded this song and the EP. But we had to play as a three piece for a bit which was actually quite fun and allowed us to really work on our sound.
JEREMY: Yeah shout out Mitch, we wouldn’t be here without him! Our secret new band member has opened up a whole new world of possibilities with our songwriting. We’ve actually been refining some of our recorded stuff so we can incorporate their magic into the song better, so yeah, it has definitely shifted our perspective both in the studio and on the stage as well.
AYSHA: When you write something this politically charged, do you think about audience reaction, or is it more about getting the feeling out honestly?
JEREMY: I feel like it comes from both those angles, especially with this song. As a youngest sibling, I’m always looking for a reaction, so it just comes naturally whether I like it or not. Whenever I write about something politically charged, I feel like I’m getting something off my chest. Unfortunately, in this day and age we have some dickheads like Nigel Farage and Pauline Hanson having their voices platformed, while the average person who suffers under capitalism often goes unheard. So as someone who’s lucky enough to have a platform through music, I feel a sense of duty to serve that privilege by being honest and calling out injustices.
JOSH: definitely what Jeremy said. It very much feels like getting something off your chest. And we are lucky enough to have music as our outlet and for me art as well. And we definitely want a reaction out of the audience otherwise we haven’t done our job
CHARLIE: We’ve always been pretty vocal about our beliefs. For me at least, it’s a cathartic experience releasing something that feels true to us. Hardcore and punk music isn’t about painting yourself as a political martyr, it’s an expression of your environment and beliefs like all art.
AYSHA: The title suggests a loss of faith in the system, is the song more about politics itself, or about the feeling of powerlessness around it?
JEREMY: I feel like this song definitely conveys a feeling of powerlessness. I constantly question whether our voices are even being listened to by politicians, especially since they display such a lack of listening skills and operate as if there are no consequences for their actions.
CHARLIE: For sure, there’s definitely a sense of shared powerlessness, but there’s unity in that. Unity is always hopeful.
AYSHA: I am someone who is really drawn to lyrics and you guys really know how to write. I want to know what your favourite lyric or line from the track is and if you could pick it apart for us?
JEREMY: Hell yeah thank you! My favourite lyric is “They ousted Whitlam and they drew the fucking line”. I LOVE shouting that line live. The line draws on Gough Whitlam’s illegal dismissal. Ever since he was dismissed, partly for threatening to not renew the lease on the US military base at Pine Gap, no politician (even those patriots from One Nation and the LNP) has had the backbone to confront the US for using the base as a tool for its global surveillance and missile attacks.
AYSHA: With an EP on the way, does this single set the tone for what’s coming, or is it more of a standalone statement?
JEREMY: This is definitely a standalone statement. We are starting to deviate from the punky tones of ‘Vocation’ and ‘Dont Vote For Politicians It Only Encourages Them’ and are delving more into a slacker, post-hardcore sound. We’ll hopefully have more to come on that by the end of the year.
AYSHA: Hell yeah keen for it!
FIND RENO LTD. HERE
Comments