© Courtesy of Mr. Dinkles
Mr. Dinkles is an LA/Seattle punk duo comprised of vocalist and guitarist Mac Rettig and drummer Rocco Ramos. The duo recently released R.I.P.T., an EP blending garage rock, post-grunge, power-pop, and lo-fi punk, and tackling economic uncertainty, social media fatigue, political frustration, and personal burnout. We caught up with Mac to discuss the making of R.I.P.T., the realities of being an artist today, and creating art that makes people think.
The B-Side Hour: Your new EP R.I.P.T. tackles political and economic anxiety, online culture, and the chaos of being an artist today. Looking back on the finished record, what feels like the common thread connecting these themes?
Mac Rettig: What connects them is that they're all my own personal experience and perspective of how I feel about the world today.
The B-Side Hour: Punk is often described as more than just a genre. What does a punk mindset mean to Mr. Dinkles?
Mac Rettig: Not sure, I only write what is true to me. Punk is supposed to question the norm always and call out injustice.
"Creating art that makes people think is, and has always been, a powerful tool"
The B-Side Hour: R.I.P.T. balances sharp social commentary with sarcasm and self-awareness. How do you strike that balance without diluting the message?
Mac Rettig: I think just whatever feels right in the moment without it feeling forced.
The B-Side Hour: On Grinding My Teeth, you explore the exhaustion that comes with having to spend a lot of time and energy creating content to promote music on social media. How has that reality shaped your experience as artists?
Mac Rettig: I didn't sign up to be an influencer, but it's nice to know that your audience appreciates relatability. So the more natural the videos and the more comfortable you feel in your own skin, the better the results.
The B-Side Hour: The shifting rhythm between the verses and choruses of Grinding My Teeth seems to mirror the relentless cycle of social media. Beyond lyrics, how do you use composition itself to reinforce a song's message?
Mac Rettig: I was just playing with the idea of Grinding My Teeth in different forms of a song, and I eventually put those forms together.
"I wanna sing loud to make sure people hear me and what I'm saying"
The B-Side Hour: Following Grinding My Teeth, IDRW dives into creative burnout. When you find yourself in that headspace, what usually helps you reconnect with music?
Mac Rettig: I write best when I'm alone, it gives me time to process and create without feeling judged during my process.
The B-Side Hour: Eat Chips Talk Shit feels like the release that comes after venting to friends. Did making R.I.P.T. serve a similar purpose for you creatively?
Mac Rettig: R.I.P.T. was a difficult album to make with how many songs I wrote and took out. I think R.I.P.T. is only the beginning of a bunch of songs I wrote that will eventually connect into a bigger story. R.I.P.T. is only the first chapter.
The B-Side Hour: Letter to Elon takes aim at Elon Musk. What led you to focus the song on him specifically, after the broader critique of billionaire culture in Socialism Ditty?
Mac Rettig: I wrote Letter to Elon first, specifically to just play with the idea of digging into more political topics. To be honest, there's plenty of great material to write about Elon Musk. Felt like I didn't even write the song. I just strung his lore together.
"Punk is supposed to question the norm always and call out injustice"
The B-Side Hour: Despite the heavier themes running through the EP, there's still a sense of resilience underneath. What do you think is the most powerful tool for pushing against these issues?
Mac Rettig: Awareness. Being aware, questioning, and thinking is the best tool we have. Creating art that makes people think is, and has always been, a powerful tool. AI could never create something with such layered meaning.
The B-Side Hour: You've already taken some of the R.I.P.T. singles on the road. What has it been like seeing the audience react live, and how does performing them compare to recording in the studio?
Mac Rettig: Studio recording sounds more fun and catchy, while performing them live feels more like a manifesto. I wanna sing loud to make sure people hear me and what I'm saying. When I say those words, people either absorb them by standing still, or get riled up as if they've never heard punk before. I'm very specific with my setlist because I always want to make sure that none of my songs sound the same, otherwise the live performance feels less memorable.