CARSEX is a band out of Long Island, California specializing in punk music. Says of the band’s website, the story behind their name sounds exactly like “what the name implies: Sleazy, primitive, uncomfortable & just as good as your friends told you it’d be.”

CARSEX has been together since 2016, formed by a group of friends and fellow musicians in the Long Island scene, with Nigel Burk as lead singer, Jeremy Schott as lead bassist, Justin Jolley and Shane Lausch on guitar, and Adam Jackson on the drums.

The band’s newest track is called “Sitting Ducks.” Burk called it “a kind of ‘they live’ type song. It covers the helplessness and monotony of a modern world and the meaninglessness that follows what’s viewed ‘important’ by society at large, and the misalignment of priorities in today’s chaotic times.”

Burk shared further details with the Independent about how the band came to be and how they express themselves as artists in the current music scene. 

Were there any musical artists who inspired you/your band?

Nigel Burk: Well, I would say, [it was] more desert rock, like Queens, the Stone Age, and Caius. Definitely heavy hitters. I personally [grew] up on LA grunge, Germs, Black Flag, and that whole deal. The Cramps were always a really big inspiration of mine. We also really dig David Bowie and Lou Reed. Justin’s a big fan of Zeke; that inspires him a lot. 

What got you all into music in the first place?

Burk: I’ve basically been playing music since I was 12. My older cousin was super into music; my dad was always a bass player; it was always just supposed to be. I grew up completely surrounded by music, so I think that it was just a natural progression. As far as the other guys, I’m not sure. I think that they started in their teens as well.

How did you learn your skill on your instruments? Were you guys self taught or professionally trained?

Burk: I’m pretty sure that all of us were self taught. Actually my first instrument was drums, and then I went on to sing and play guitar, like a year or so later. It certainly took a while, messing around with different tabs and stuff like that for guitar. When I first started playing drums, I was 12, and filling in for my grandmother’s church band that I was visiting over the summer. I didn’t really have much to do, and so I just spent my time, you know, dicking around, just trying to figure out how to do the drums. Eventually I caught on …as far as playing guitar and singing, it was just trying to emulate the different people that you like at the time, and then developing your own style over time. By doing it all the time. 

How do you interact with the current music scene? 

Burk:  The music – particularly in the Long Beach music scene, what we’re most heavily involved in –is very diverse to begin with. I feel like our sound’s ebbed and flowed as far as our style goes. Sometimes it’s not as popular, but sometimes it is. And naturally, as you progress as a band, you start developing your actual sound. We play in LA and Orange County. Mostly we’ve played [Las] Vegas. We are in touch with each other enough to where we generally will get a pretty positive response. we’re very much a live band, and very interactive with the audience.

What messages do you want your band to promote?

Burk: Self expression, like [a] camaraderie in a similar way of thinking. And the relatability to a terminal landscape that we find ourselves in.

Are you touring?

Burk: Currently, we are not. Once we release the album, we do plan on having a small tour, probably in late January, early February. We’re working on confirmation for different venues, like San Diego, LA potentially, San Francisco, kind of like a California tour with a Las Vegas show, most likely and possibly New Mexico or Arizona. A southwest-type situation, I guess.

Which band member would win a hotdog eating contest?

Burk: Probably Justin. He can really put food down; he definitely can scarf some big meals pretty quick. I’m a fairly slow eater myself. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Burk: Rock N’ Roll, I guess.

Nigel Burk, lead singer, performs “Sitting Ducks” at Chain Reaction in Anaheim, CA. (Chris Michael Media)The band has previously released 2 EPs: 2019’s CarSex and 2020’s 2020 EP, which featured the singles “Your Generation” and “Lovesick”. A new EP is being finalized and will be released in the 1st quarter of 2025.