I do like a bit of an attitude, having plenty myself! The favourite word people tend to apply to me is ‘fiesty’ and it is, I feel, a good adjective to apply to our featured artist today, Annie Davis – AKA Trashy Annie – the 2023 CMA of Texas Americana Artist of the Year.
This is a fairly extensive piece with an interview and a review of her new single “Some Strange” which came out on June 13. This was a single that saw her collaborate with Thommy Price (Scandal, Billy Idol, Blue Öyster Cult, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts).
Turning to the press release, here is some biographic background (felt like using some alliteration there!).
With a sound forged in the bars of Austin and tested on stages from New York to L.A., the band blends country soul, punk defiance, and hard rock grit into a high-octane live experience that Rockin’ Magpie Magazine raved as “grittier than Ashley McBryde or early Kacey Musgraves ever went, and I bloody love it”. Trashy Annie is releasing their upcoming album Let It Kill You fall of 2025 and a forthcoming collaboration with Joan Jett’s longtime drummer Thommy Price, Trashy Annie is gearing up for an ambitious 2025 North America tour this fall. The band continues to challenge stereotypes and raise hell—one unforgettable show at a time. Annie Davis came to music later in life, picking up her first guitar at 44. A self-taught songwriter, she penned her first track “Runnin” in 2020, launching a creative firestorm fueled by determination, whiskey, and an unapologetic middle finger to convention. An expert in biomechanics and a successful entrepreneur, Davis funneled her work ethic into mastering multiple instruments and co-producing her own recordings throughout the pandemic.
On to the interview…
Listening to your music and looking at the visual side of the official videos, you really reminded me of Debbie Harry/Blondie. Is there an inner punk inside you?
Annie: Right out of the gate! This is my favorite first question I’ve ever received in an interview. Thank you. And yes there is – I love Debbie Harry. I love The Runaways. I love the Sex Pistols. We touched on punk a little in the first single I released earlier this year, a high octane version of Me and Julio “Down by the Schoolyard.” My vision for that tune was high energy punk with a southern rock flare, which I think we nailed by adding a fiddle to a slightly unhinged, off-the-rails rocker of a tune. Coming up later in the summer you’re going to hear more of my punk side come out, specifically with the release of MIGRAINE.
Before putting this together, I listened to the 2023 album “Sticks and Stones” (always a requirement at this magazine that we listen to the artists we interview lol) – what a damn good song “God Save the Queen” is—slick, melodic punk/pop – enjoyed the style and the lyrics. Tell me about that one—it is very “you,” I think?
Annie: This song is really my love letter to all the music I grew up listening to. At one point, I sat down and tried to count, and I think there are 20 or 25 references to songs, albums, and bands in that one. I love to hide easter eggs in my lyrics, and that song is really just one big easter egg hunt with its references nostalgic rock: Toys in the Attic and Nine Lives by Aerosmith, Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrisette, Open All Night by The Georgia Satellites, Runnin’ with the Devil by Van Halen.
An image question: moving into the music business, a girl needs an image to grab attention. Just like a doctor has a form of uniform, I guess—did you think, “I need to wear a whole lot less clothing for this job?!” (lol). Question – put more seriously – did you consider the image side much at all, or just what came naturally?
Annie: Great question. I feel like my style is a mash-up of Kid Rock with Jem and the Holograms. I think there is a part of me, especially early on when I was very new to songwriting, that thought… “well if I can’t play the guitar I’m at least gonna look cute trying”. Ha! But what I also realized early on, is that I hate society’s constructs on fashion in regards to age. In the 1940s, women weren’t even able to wear pants in public. I mean, C’mon people. I thought by 2025 we’d have moved past judging people for what they want to wrap their bodies in, but that has proven to be far from the case. The name Trashy Annie came about because when I released my first song under Annie Davis, I received a bunch of criticism on social media about my clothes being “too young” for me. I was new to social media at the time and remember thinking to myself “wait, this is what people are focused on? Not the music or my voice or the band or the lyrics but my clothes?! This is ridiculous.” It was heartbreaking at first and I wondered if I had made a big mistake trying to play a young man’s game in my mid 40s.
But that was the beginning of something big for me. That was the moment when I realized WHY I write music. I write for myself and for the people that resonate with the messages that I am putting out into the world. I realized how important it is (in music, but also in life) to stay true to my authentic self. That doesn’t apply to my writing, it applies to every part of Trashy Annie. It was then and there that I knew I would never let anybody dictate what I wear, no matter my age, size, or anything else, and I hope that young girls and ‘women of a certain age’ can see somebody like me and realize that it is OK to be yourself and find your own fashion, no matter what anybody else has to say about it.
The album “Let it Kill You” is out later this year. Do you see it as a natural extension to the 2023 sound, or is it moving in new directions?
Annie:There are some common threads between the two for sure. I am so proud of them both. The commonalities between the two albums will certainly be apparent in a couple of key areas that I think are authentic to me. One of those being the raw, vulnerable, often edgy lyrics that teeter precariously in the perfect sweet spot between offensive and hilarious (at least in my opinion, but I did write them and I’m not sure cracking MYSELF up with my own lyrics counts, so we’ll see what the fans think..hahaha!).
I have certainly grown as a performer since “Sticks and Stones.” I was very new to music when I wrote and recorded that album, I was blown away when I found out it had been submitted for Grammy consideration by members of the Recording Academy. When I wrote “Let it Kill You,” I knew that I wanted to take the very best of “Sticks and Stones” and continue to build around the concepts I loved from that album. I am a rocker at heart, and while my music may have started in the country genre, and still has some lyrical roots in that world, “Let it Kill You” is an evolution for me in the sense that I have begun leaning further and further toward a heavier sound. Even with that, I craft my albums to feel like a mix tape. I get bored listening to even my favorite bands’ albums if they don’t have enough variety to keep me guessing. “Let it Kill You” has the variety that I personally crave as a listener. At one point we go from a heavy, intense 2 minute metal song about head trash and mental instability to a seemingly sweet, fiddle-driven southern rock tune about walking into a bathroom late at night and stepping into a pile of freshly shaven pubes. I like to keep ’em guessing.
“Some Strange” is a statement track for the new album to come—I’m going to note a strong drumbeat—I think drums (jungle drums for example) can be so exciting—they provide the heartbeat for the track and this one rocks away in style! Do you have a regular band or do you chop/change hired guns as required?
Annie: I have gone through a ton of bandmates over the years. Coming into this industry from the more traditional business world I had NO idea how challenging it would be to put a band together and run it like the business that it is. Finding bandmates who match when it comes to schedule and availability for rehearsals and shows, ability and desire to tour, sense of humor (a big one for me, I don’t wanna spend two weeks in the van with an asshole, no matter how talented they are) is hard. In addition to all of the logistical things that need to match, you also have to find bandmates who truly believe in the music and how far the band can go or it will never work. It is certainly possible to use hired guns to get this accomplished, but they are likely never going to do everything in their power to move the needle forward on the vision, because after the show is over they pack up their shit, take their check, and move on to their next job. At the end of the day, the most important thing I can do as the leader of my band and a steward of the music, is to recruit great bandmates. I’ve had to kiss a lot of frogs and I have found talented guys who are a helluva lot of fun to trek around the country with, know how to serve the songs, and believe in where this thing can go.
“Nuclear Meltdown” (with 162k+ listens now on Spotify, I note) is probably your most popular song, but it is (in my opinion) less atypical of your music. If a reader here was brand new to you and had never heard one of your songs, which one would you recommend they play first and why?
Annie: I love “Born Pretty” off of “Sticks and Stones.” To me, that song is quintessential Trashy Annie and oozes with ‘fuck you’ attitude. It is all about a girl with a glass eye, a unibrow, a chipped tooth, greasy hair, and a limp. When the world asks her what the hell happened, she simply responds “ I guess I got lucky, I was born this pretty!” To me, this song is representative of what Trashy Annie is all about. Be yourself, love yourself, dress the way you want no matter your age or size or what anybody else has to say about it.
Fun fact about “Born Pretty”… I did have a fan in Bisbee AZ come up excitedly after a show to tell me it is his FAVORITE song about a glass eye (he has one). Not sure how steep the competition is in that category but I’ll never forget that comment.
I’ve enjoyed watching some of your videos on YouTube. Will there be one made for the new single and how much say do you have in the overall direction of the interpretation?
Annie: Thank you! I make all of the videos myself. I am getting better and better at editing. I’m pretty terrible at technology so it’s a learning curve, but one that I enjoy. Even though making videos can be time consuming, for me it is important that I maintain control over expression of the songs visually. For instance, my most recent single “Some Strange,” which I co-wrote with Joan Jett’s longtime drummer Thommy Price, is about a steamy one night stand that starts in a dive bar and ends in a seedy motel. Most people would immediately think “dude song” when they hear the concept, but I wrote and sang the lyrics, so when I made the video, I actually ended up making it all about two women finding each other in a biker bar.
Lastly, what is the best concert you have attended as a fan? Who was playing and what made it great?
Annie: I have been to a lot of shows in my life. Amazing shows. I saw the Eagles on their Farewell Tour when they opened with “Seven Bridges Road,” a capella from a dark stage. It was haunting. I’ve seen Aaron Bruno from AWOLNATION climb onto the roof at Stubb’s, I’ve seen the Beastie Boys and The Grateful Dead and a ton of incredible performers in nearly every genre playing packed out venues with stage productions that rival Broadway. But there is one particular event that I will never forget, because it shaped me as a performer:
Before I picked up guitar or wrote a single song, I remember going to a private show in Houston. It was put on by a huge fan of The Refreshments and he had hired them to play his birthday party. These guys are an incredible band that had a couple of big hits back in the 90s. The host knew every word of every song. He had built a stage, brought in lights and made a huge production of everything. Unfortunately, it quickly became apparent that the host was the only one who knew the music. A few songs in, people kind of started drifting off to get BBQ or go inside in search of air conditioning. Roger, the lead singer, essentially ended up playing a two hour set and singing to one guy. One very, very happy guy. The band performed like they were playing for 1,000 people. They didn’t cut the set short, take extra breaks, or get drunk. It was 95 degrees out with so much humidity that everything just felt wet and yet they poured (and sweated) their hearts out on that homemade stage. I remember thinking “THIS is what you do when you’re a pro”. I’ve never forgotten that show. We’ve had nights that we love, packed, sweaty, and fun. We’ve also had nights where it takes every ounce of energy to get out there and put on the show of a lifetime because there’s a hurricane warning and no one shows up (we’ve had this happen more than once). But I remind myself of Roger’s performance on those nights and I think to myself, “if I can’t have the best two hours ever, up here playing music with my friends, then I’m in the wrong industry. Let’s fucking rock.”
Too right! Words of wisdom in these troubled times…
My review:
“Some Strange” has that Blondie feel, melodic punk with radio friendly fizz. The main riff works great and the drums pound a fast beat, the feel of the piece took me toward The Bombpops, and the production is crisp. It’s a great summer single.
“Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard” is punk with a fiddle! The track is frenetic, hitting the ground running at a 100m sprint (it is only 1.55 long)! It has a chant background vocal that will lead to some fun fan interaction I am sure.
“Nuclear Meltdown” introduces the eye of the hurricane. It is a punk ballad, dark imagery over a softer melody. It shows a vocally strong performance from Annie, and I do really like this track- I would say its not atypical of her music, but I enjoyed the style and it is a track I will be happy to return to and listen to again.The instrumental harmony and break mid-track was really good too.
“Knock Knock” moves in solid rock territory, a great chorus, and it is very catchy! You play this one and you end up singing along to it afterward! Essentially this one blows away the cobwebs and had me off my sofa having a quick bounce around with the cat.
So in summary, is Trashy Annie squeezing the lemon of success?
Hell yes—and she’s spiking the lemonade with moonshine, glitter, and a middle finger to convention while she’s at it.
With music that crashes through genres like a tour bus with no brakes, lyrics that flick the bird at conformity, and an image born from pure unapologetic self-love, Trashy Annie isn’t just making noise—she’s making a statement. Whether she’s belting out punk rebellion with a southern twist, or singing odes to glass-eyed confidence queens, Annie is carving out a space that’s 100% her own—and it’s a space worth stepping into.
Turn it up, pour yourself something strong, and keep your eyes peeled—because this Trashy train is rolling hard, fast, and loud.
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Stream music by Trashy Annie here
Artist Website here
Feature by Anna-Louise Burgess
“Some Strange” Written by: Annie Davis and Thommy Price
Produced by: Annie Davis, Jeff Lusby-Breault, PH Naffah, Chris “Frenchie” Smith
Mixed by: Chris “Frenchie” Smith
Mastered by: Dave McNair
Musicians: Annie Davis,Mark Younger-Smith, Miles Barker, Ryan Smith, Blake Jurasin, Amir Neubach, Chris “Frenchie” Smith
