Rising punk act Winona Fighter has today shared their take on Violent Femme’s “Blister In The Sun”, out now via Rise Records. Fans can stream the song here: https://winonafighter.lnk.to/BITSAPR. On the new cover, front woman and multi-instrumentalist Coco Kinnon shares: “The inspiration for doing a cover of ‘Blister In The Sun’ came when we were talking about doing an acoustic variant of our record,” shares front woman and multi-instrumentalist Coco Kinnon. “We love to honor those who have paved the way in everything we do, so it was only natural for us to pay homage to the folk-punk legends themselves, Violent Femmes. We are really stoked about this cover and getting a nod of approval from the band themselves made us all the more proud and excited.”  Adds Violent Femmes co-founder and bassist Brian Ritchie: ”I am thrilled to hear Winona Fighter’s reinterpretation of our eternal standard, Blister In the Sun. We are always proud when our music seeps into subsequent generations of musicians and listeners. Winona’s pithy approach keeps much of the original energy, while adding several novel details. Coco’s lead vocal seems true to Gordon’s blueprint until she substitutes attention-getting high harmonies for the melody. The song was always androgynous and non-gendered. This is amplified in Winona Fighter’s take. I also love when, after a relaxed pace for the bulk of the song, the band sends the song into the stratosphere like a rocket ship at the very end by kicking ass and turning up the volume. Nice touch.” “Blister In The Sun” will be featured on the upcoming deluxe edition of the band’s critically acclaimed debut album My Apologies To The Chef. Set to be released digitally on September 5th with limited edition vinyl available for pre-order now, the expanded album will feature acoustic versions of every song from the original record, as well as their cover of Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage” and the recently released track “(Don’t Get) CLOSE”. To pre-save/pre-order My Apologies To The Chef Deluxe, please visit: https://winonafighter.lnk.to/MATTCD. Winona Fighter recently wrapped up their multi-leg Yes, Chef Tour, which included the band’s first ever UK headline tour, a performance at Slam Dunk Music Festival, and three US legs including sold out shows in New York City, Chicago, Nashville, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Denver, and Kansas City. The band will be back in Nashville and Boston this fall, as well as at the Orlando stop of the Vans Warped Tour. Tickets available for all upcoming dates at winonafighter.com. Additionally, the band has just announced that they will be returning to New York City on September 3rd for a special unplugged performance at Silver Lining Lounge. The free show, which comes on the heels of the band’s recent sold out NYC headline date, is presented by SPIN’s Lipps Service Podcast. RSVPs are open now here.

About Winona Fighter Based in Nashville, Winona Fighter—frontwoman and multi-instrumentalist Coco Kinnon, lead guitarist Dan Fuson and bassist/producer Austin Luther — formed after Coco moved there from Boston, and made a strong impression with their 2022 debut EP, Father Figure. Three of its songs—”Subaru”, “You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers” and “Wlbrn St Tvrn”—were re-recorded for MY APOLOGIES TO THE CHEF, the band’s debut album, but their power and potency is in no way diminished. In fact, the rage and frustration that courses through them, and which also infuses the band’s energetic and compelling live shows, feels even more visceral, pointed and necessary than before, something that carries over into the other songs too.  “I feel like we’re taught to suppress our anger,” Coco says, “whether it’s to do with what’s going on in the world or in our lives. And that’s so lame. Why are we so okay with people being sad and anxious, and not okay with people having an outlet to be angry? That just blows my mind. I think if more people were able to be angry, maybe everyone would be a little happier.” Recorded by Austin at his home studio (“I call it Studio A,” he smiles. “A for Austin”), MY APOLOGIES TO THE CHEF is a wonderfully raw and cohesive reflection on life today that bottles the spirited and cathartic energy of the band’s live shows, as well as the angst and anxiety of being alive. The tone is set immediately with “JUMPERCABLES”, a catchy indie-punk anthem that’s fun and fiery in equal measure, before “You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers” and “Subaru” soar with the band’s trademark catchy hooks and choruses. Elsewhere, “Swimmer’s Ear” balances tender aggression and self-deprecation, “Johnny’s Dead” is a heart-wrenching tale about substance abuse, and “Swear To God That I’m (FINE)” is an explosion of defiant self-affirmation. One of the angrier songs on the album, “R U FAMOUS,” is a blast of powerfully bitter vitriol tempered by humor, intelligence, and nuance.  That balance is something also present in the snarky catchiness of “I Think You Should Leave” and throughout the blistering urgency of “I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE”, a song about dating abuse inspired by a letter Coco wrote for a therapy session. The idea was to write it, get all her feelings out and then destroy it, but for some reason she kept it. When she stumbled across it sometime later, the band were already gaining ground and the idea for the song was born. “I found it at a time where people were starting to really listen to our music,” she remembers. “There were a lot of young women coming to our shows and a lot of dads being like, ‘Oh my God, my daughter would love you guys.’ So it felt like the right time to use my voice to sing about something pretty serious. When I showed it to Austin we thought it could maybe motivate people who had been—or still are—in the situation I was in to speak up and speak out and try to get their power back. Originally, I wrote it for me but feel now like it’s a song for other people. And there’ll be these big ass grown dudes in the audience scream-singing it, so I think it means a lot to more than just the young women I had intended it to be for.” Despite the strength in these songs’ delivery, underlying them all is a raw vulnerability. It’s the band’s ability to overcome that, and the adversity that inspired it in the first place, that makes this album truly special. That comes across nowhere more strongly than on the album finale, “DON’T WALLOW”. Originally written about the band flyering to promote “Johnny’s Dead” outside a festival they weren’t actually playing, the song turns a negative and embarrassing experience into a source of positive inspiration.  “It was very humbling,” says Coco, “and a little embarrassing to stand outside of a music festival you could be playing and handing out flyers, but we want this so bad. You should be uncomfortable all the time during this process. That’s how a lot of our career has felt up until this point and I think it’s going to continue to feel that way. If you’re comfortable, you’re not doing enough.”  It’s an attitude that captures Winona Fighter, and this debut record, perfectly. For Additional Info: https://winonafighter.com/https://www.facebook.com/winonafighter https://www.instagram.com/winonafighter https://twitter.com/winonafighter https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmJw0iV9J05v4MCSeW1ju4A

My Apologies To The Chef Deluxe Tracklist:

1. JUMPERCABLES

2. You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers

3. Subaru

4. HAMMS IN A GLASS

5. TALK

6. Swimmer’s Ear

7. R U FAMOUS

8. I Think You Should Leave

9. I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE

10. ATTENTION

11. Wlbrn St Tvrn

12. Swear To God That I’m (FINE)

13. Johnny’s Dead

14. DON’T WALLOW

15. (Don’t Get) CLOSE

16. Sabotage

17. JUMPERCABLES (Acoustic)

18. You Look Like A Drunk Phoebe Bridgers (Acoustic)

19. Subaru (Acoustic)

20. HAMMS IN A GLASS (Acoustic)

21. TALK (Acoustic)

22. Swimmer’s Ear (Acoustic)

23. R U FAMOUS (Acoustic)

24. I Think You Should Leave (Acoustic)

25. I’M IN THE MARKET TO PLEASE NO ONE (Acoustic)

26. ATTENTION (Acoustic)

27. Wlbrn St Tvrn (Acoustic)

28. Swear To God That I’m (FINE) (Acoustic)

29. Johnny’s Dead (Acoustic)

30. DON’T WALLOW (Acoustic)

31. Blister In The Sun

Upcoming Tour Dates:

9/3 – New York, NY @ Silver Lining Lounge (hosted by Scott Lipps)

9/13 – Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works (w/Cartel)

10/18 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club (w/Driveways)

11/15-11/16 – Orlando, FL @ Vans Warped Tour **

Praise For My Apologies To The Chef:

“A ripping record fusing pop sensibilities and punk fury, the punny-titled band comes through with a record that serves as a genuine and exciting introduction to the world of Winona Fighter.” – Consequence

“The record’s 14 songs balance infectiously catchy hooks and melodies  with powerful (and powerfully delivered) lyrics that are personal, political,  and perceptive in equal measure…Full of riotous sing-alongs that are as fun as they are profound, My Apologies is a stunning debut that’s all the more effective for the band taking their time to find themselves.” – Flood Magazine

“Their debut album, My Apologies To The Chef, sounds as much like a fist fight as it does a good time. Dishing out anger and frustration about modern living, boys, and anything else that dares to catch their line of sight, Winona Fighter is fun and feisty in equal measure.” 

– ScreenRant

“From the distorted pop-punk guitars to the catchy drum beats, it has everything that a pop-punk album should have.” – New Noise Magazine

“With My Apologies To The Chef, Winona Fighter cements themselves as one of the most exciting new voices in punk. Their ability to blend humour, anger, and vulnerability into a cohesive body of work speaks to their undeniable talent and dedication… It’s an invitation to scream, mosh, and, most importantly, give a damn.” – Crucial Rhythm