Hailing from New Jersey but finding her home in the depths of the Brighton and London indie scenes, slacker pop aficionado Lonnie Gunn channels her experiences and introspection into her own unique soundscape of “bubblegum grunge”. 

With the recent release of her debut EP (‘2013 Horsemeat Scandal’) , we chat to Gunn about supporting Kim Gordon earlier this year, unfortunate ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’ renditions, and sweaty release parties, as part of the Seven Questions with Music Is To Blame Series. 

Introduce yourself and where you’re from. 

I’m Lonnie Gunn, originally from New Jersey, but I’ve lived between Brighton and London since 2019. 

What do our readers need to know about you?

One time at Rock n Roll Summer camp, we had a karaoke day and I sang ‘Ain’t No Sunshine’. I was like 11 and had a floral dress on from The Gap that I thought was super cool. I didn’t realize there was a part in it where Bill Withers says “I know I know I know” like a billion times, and during the length of time that I had to sing that part, I became deeply self-aware and self conscious and ran off stage and cried. My point being that I’ve come a long way and you should all be proud of me. 

What have you got coming up that you’re most excited for? 

My EP, ‘2013 Horsemeat Scandal’, came out on August 6th which feels insane to say cuz I’ve been looking forward to this since 2024 and it’s taken a lot of rewarding but challenging work to get it out there. Plus, my sweaty release party. 

What’s the best run-in you’ve had with a fan?

We took a van to a show recently, and during the ride I received a message from a fan called Holly that she was queuing outside the venue already, like four hours before doors. I said it aloud to my band cuz I honestly thought she was joking. When I got to the venue, I met Holly outside who was standing there with her dad and we took photos together. She was so lovely and is honestly one of the coolest teenagers ever. I used to also force my dad to queue outside shows with me when I was that age so it felt like a full circle moment. 

What’s been your biggest ‘I’ve made it’ moment so far?

The easy answer is to say when I was main support for Kim Gordon in London back in April. Getting to play that show with my band, who are all my best friends in my personal life, just felt really magical and profound to the little-kid versions of ourselves that we all hold. Oddly though, I’m not sure I ever feel like ‘I’ve made it’. Creating and sharing music feels more like this continuous relationship that never reaches a particular end goal. Might sound bleak, but it’s actually really meaningful to wake up and still want to do this every day even when things are slower or less epic than the days where we get to breathe the same air as Kim Gordon. 

What are your three “desert island” albums?

This is a cruel question to ask, oh my god. Only three is insane. 

If we’re talking in rotation right now:

1. ‘U’ by underscores
2. ‘Yard’ by Slow Pulp
3. ‘Yuck’ by Yuck

If you want my three desert island albums of all time:

1. ‘The Black Parade’ by My Chemical Romance
2. ‘Bury Me at Makeout Creek’ by Mitski
3. ‘Strange Mercy’ by St. Vincent 

(Sorry for cheating x)

Sum up your sound in three words. 

fuzzy, ouchy, itchy

Lana Marshall

@lanatakesphotos / @_lanaajade

Image: Nicole Ngai

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