91. The Week in: Little Hag
An interview with Avery Mandeville of Little Hag!
When I was a senior in high school, I interned at Bar-None Records, demoing CD’s (Sharpieing through bar codes to make them unsellable before sending them off to radio stations and blogs). I loved Glenn and Mark, the heads of the label, and have kept in touch with them since 2009 (!), so proud that a local business based in Weehawken has had such an impact in the world of indie music. Glenn reached out a few years ago to let me know I had to check out his newest signee, this sea-punk redhead with a Buddy Holly hiccup and a complete distaste for censorship. I was in love immediately, and now have a photo of Avery Mandeville, Little Hag’s frontwoman and one of the first people I texted when Scandoval broke, in my wallet. Avery graciously agreed to an interview, and I was all too happy to use this to promote her new single, “You Blew It!”
Little Hag is working through her issues and has a brand new album to prove it. Now That’s What I Call Little Hag aptly showcases the wide ranging songwriting of Avery Mandeville. Using 8 different producers and studios she delivers punk rock bangers, deep disco dives, torch songs, folk ballads and much more.
She rages against capitalism when things go awry while working at a Jersey bar in “1000 Birds.” She skewers an ex in “Would It Kill You?” and “You Blew It!” but she can also turn the lens around and scrutinize herself (“God I'm So Annoying,” “HHSTTHN”). The songs “All 3” and “Oops!” ponder the private vs. the public persona, while “Suck Out The Pain” imagines a way to surgically remove heartache. Finally, she finds new love on the sappy sapphic track “King Cake.” Oh yeah, there’s also an ode to her vibrator (“The Machine”) that might just be a metaphor for the coming AI revolution.
Little Hag was formed in 2016 in the suburbs of central Jersey by Mandeville, guitarist Matt Fernicola and drummer Owen Flanagan; joined in recent years by bassist Mitchell Warren-Devlin and keyboardist/vocalist Cara Introcaso. Fern and Avery came up together in the local open mic scene, eventually hosting their own at the legendary Inkwell Coffeehouse in West Long Branch where they worked on what would become Avery’s debut self titled material. After signing to Hoboken’s Bar/None Records in 2020, they released Whatever Happened To Avery Jane, a compilation of older tunes with the new summer bummer pop single “Tetris” about the mortifying feeling of COVID induced lust. Then came the truly messy, NSFW heavy hitters on 2021’s Breakfast EP, an unholy trinity of "Piss,” “Blood" and "Cum.” Their following sophomore LP Leash was abrasive and daring, calling out a variety of shitty dudes - exes, alcoholics and old man stalkers - and the ugly ways we self sabotage. The power of these feminist anthems saw Little Hag take the late stage performing with Bright Eyes, Alex G, Interpol and Spoon in their hometown of Asbury Park, with Naked Giants in L.A. and at Feile Na Greine festival in Limerick, Ireland.
For the forthcoming Now That’s What I Call Little Hag, Mandeville got out of Jersey to clear her head after a breakup. She quit her job and went to Durham, NC to visit friends and write a song every day for the month of January before settling into her new home in South Philly, recording with engineer Mark Watter (Alex G, Liz Delise) at Headroom Studios and Erik Kase Romero (The Front Bottoms). Little Hag bites down hard on your brain and doesn’t let go, with infectious live energy, unabashed audacity and a penchant for the uncomfortable and taboo.
Follow Little Hag on Instagram, TikTok, Bandcamp, Website, Apple Music, Spotify, and Linktree.
I actually don't know this about you - where did Little Hag come from? I know you use your name in your music and branding: Whatever Happened To Avery Jane? and "But come on Avery, nothing is free" in "The Whole World," which is the line I scream the hardest during your set, every set. What was the decision process in adopting a band name vs. using your own, and were there any strong runners-up?
I wanted to separate my real self and my singer/songwriter years from the full band music we were making. When we signed to Bar/None Records it felt like a good time to rebrand! The origin of Little Hag’s name is kinda stupid. I was going through a phase where I was changing my Instagram handle weekly to like @officiajoeyfatone and @officialdanitykane. At some point it became @littlehag and just stuck. My handles before that were @mrnicebutt and @nomoremrnicebutt so things could’ve been… very different.
This is something I agonize over weekly as a writer myself: how do you get out of your head when sharing lyrics and writing that feels NSSF (not safe for family)? What boundaries have you set with employers or relatives about consuming your work, if any?
I basically write everything without holding back and then just pray that my family doesn’t see it. My previous 2 records are rather tame compared to the new one so I’m horrified of my girlfriend’s parents listening to any of it. My current method of crowd control is just not sharing anything on Facebook which seems to be working.
How many exes have you pissed off with your songs? Have any of them reached out and if so, please drop their names and addresses here so I can (redacted) and then (redacted) them in an unmarked (redacted).
I think often people don’t know that a song is about them (or maybe I’m delusional). My most recent ex definitely has mixed feelings about the songs I’ve written about him but he’s not my bass player anymore so at least he doesn’t have to play them.
I would kill to be a fly on the wall watching you pitch a Little Hag branded dildo to Glenn (
, owner of Bar/None Records). What is the merch item of your dreams? *please say booty shorts please say booty shorts*If I could mass produce Little Hagtachi WandsTM without charging a million dollars for them that would be so iconic!
How does being from New Jersey inform your lyricism and ethos?
Being a Jersey Girl is so important to me. I love the beach, pork roll, and having a man pump my gas. I probably would be A Bitch no matter where I was from but being from Jersey makes me That Bitch.
Does film influence your work? Novels? I’d love for you to share one of each that you think is underappreciated.
I love Yorgos Lanthimos and George Saunders. Anytime I think I’m being weird I remember those guys and realize nothing I could ever do would even scratch the surface.
What tracks would be on an exclusive EP of covers?
I’ve been struggling to pick a new song to cover since we did “The Bad Touch” by Bloodhound Gang for years but have since retired it. On my plate right now are a bitchy version of “Wild World” by Cat Stevens, “Take Me Away“ from Freaky Friday, and ”Radiation Vibe” by Fountains of Wayne.
Walk me through your perfect day.
My girlfriend Emily and I link up with our besties Mike and Ali at their house in Belmar and get bagels from Corner Bagelry. We walk 2 blocks to the beach and swim and laugh. For lunch we get Jersey Mike’s. When we’re burnt we retire to the house and make dinner plans while playing TV Guide (each of us picks an episode of TV to watch. Last time we did Supermarket Sweep, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Infinity Train and Drag Race). Maybe we go out for pizza or oysters but either way we drink 100 beers and then fall asleep on the couch. This is also what we do every weekend.
How are you enjoying Philly?!
I really love it and I want everyone I love to move there so I never have to leave! Though I do miss the shore in some ways, I foresee myself staying in South Philly for a long time.
At what point in the process of creating an album do you start dreaming up the cover art? Do you experience the album art in the way a synesthete might, where the color or tonal composition of the album image comes to you from the sound of the music you’re creating?
I’m not very visually inclined so coming up with art always involves enlisting my talented friends for their skills. When I came up with the name “Now That’s What I Call Little Hag” I wanted to recreate the vibe of their iconic art and my girl Chloe Fallon really brought it to life, with single art by Julie Chencinski.
I’d love to know your dream bill. Where do you sit in let’s say a group of three, and who else fills the marquee? For the record, my dream bill always featured myself headlining (for the confidence boost I desperately, like serotonin, need) with you and Shannen Moser opening.
I’m a HUGE Shannen Moser fan. I’ve seen them a few times in Philly on bills with Greg Mendez and I always walk home in a daze. My life’s dream is to do a proper support tour opening for Spoon. I would sell my soul and go to hell for that.
What is the nichest, most unexpected, possibly weirdest Instagram account you follow? Could be a hedgehog who wears little hats. It could be an account that reviews scents of hand sanitizer. For full transparency I follow one that is just videos of a nice British doctor cleaning out people’s ears. It’s disgusting. It makes me want to go to medical school.
My friend Maggie has an account @truebeefacts which is just random lies about bees. It is so stupid. Also @coolstuffforsale123 with the extremely unhinged Facebook marketplace listings.
I know you have karaoke’d competitively: do you pay less attention to your voice during than you would for a live performance? What is your favorite karaoke track?
The fun of karaoke to me is in taking risks and being drunk and bad. I like doing “Primadonna“ by Marina.
What is something really really petty that you hate? A dolphin bit me once so I deeply do not fuck with dolphins, for example.
When men with nice hair wear hats. A hat is none of your business.
Strangest place you’ve had inspiration strike, or strangest place you’ve whipped out your phone or notebook to write down lyrics?
A lot of the time I’ll be at a party or show and have to sneak off to a quiet place to write or sing into my phone. Or I’m driving and speaking lyrics into a voice memo like Dale Cooper.
What comes first, music or lyrics?
Lyrics. I have a running list of ideas or lines and then I’ll sit down to write and see what goes together thematically and build from there.
What do you have too much of, and what do you not have enough of?
Even though I’ve moved a bunch and gotten rid of a ton of things, I always feel like I have too much stuff. I have just enough of everything else.
What is the worst flavor of gum?
Anything fruity. Why do they even make that? (for ME, for ME, a woman who has two giant cartons of cherry limeade gum in her car right now!!! - TG)
Thank you for the photos!
To read:
I thought
made an argument from deep empathy:
This is literally just Simone:
This is literally just Lugosi:
Actually my babies:
Actually ’s babies:
Various and sundry:
The most Tara Giancaspro damn shit I have beheld:
Well, the second-most:
…Tied for third, as I am a RENOWN Diamondback:
WINKY:
Feeties:
The energy I am hoping to enter every room with my hand on the hip of now that I’m ******, and the energy I hope you bring to your coming week:
Love you bitches,
TG
IT’S MY BABIES!!!!!!! I love your interviews and you being an amazing tastemaker and illuminating these cool people. And I am so so so honored that I got to hang out with you in person and that my little chickens ended up here!
I love the kitties! Especially the ginger!