INTERVIEW: Trashy Annie drops new cover

Trashy Annie is an Austin-based band fronted by Annie Davis, a trumpet player turned rocker who didn’t even pick up a guitar until the age of 44. Starting as a pandemic experiment, her pursuits quickly transformed into a fully formed musical rebirth and in just four years, Annie went from writing her first song to touring the country, bagging the 2023 CMA of Texas Americana Artist of the Year award while earning a reputation as one of the most uncompromising voices on the scene today.

The name Trashy Annie itself is a badge of honour; after receiving online criticism for wearing clothes that some deemed “too young” for her, Annie doubled down, claiming the label with pride and using it to christen her band. Rather than retreat, she built a thrilling act around her vision and hit the road with all the grit and glitter of someone who knows exactly who she is. Completely discarding the rule book, Trashy Annie has become a band that feels just as comfortable throwing down rowdy, hard-hitting rock anthems as they do delivering stripped-back, emotionally charged acoustic cuts.

Her songs pack a mix of humour, heartbreak and attitude that make them instantly engaging, inviting you to laugh, cry and throw your fist in the air, often within the span of a single set. Following a string of well-received singles, that diverse yet cohesive voice quickly earned the band a deal with Cleopatra Records in 2022 for the release of her debut album Sticks and Stones which landed the next year.

This year she’s returned with more releases, building up to her highly anticipated sophomore record, Let It Kill You, which is set to drop on Halloween. Ahead of the album’s release, she’s dropped an epic reinterpretation of Buckcherry’s notorious anthem “Crazy Bitch” and where the original sparked controversy for its bawdy lyricism, Annie saw a chance to flip the context, reclaiming the track through her own lens. Blending punk punch, outlaw country swagger and gritty dive-bar energy, the cover hits with the same ferocity as the original but carries a distinctly Trashy Annie stamp that’s fierce, rebellious and thoroughly her own.

Set up by a voicemail style vocal sample, the strike of drums and crunching guitar chords kicks off the track as Annie’s commanding vocals enter to spin the familiar lines alongside lively wah-drenched guitar leads. Flowing with raucous energy of chocked guitar rhythms and bluesy licks capped by Annie’s gripping vocal performance, the cover sees her reframe the track in her own way while paying respect to the original.

Cut with soaring guitar leads and a passage of country rap stylings, “Crazy Bitch” sees Trashy Annie set the already rousing track on fire to deliver a killer new version. Continuing to build the hype for the band’s upcoming second album, fans won’t have to wait long for their next dose of potent modern rock music from Trashy Annie.

We caught up with Trashy Annie to find out more about her musical journey so far, her new cover of “Crazy Bitch” and what she’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Trashy Annie below.

How did you get together as a band?

Trashy Annie’s my brainchild, and while I’m the ringleader, I’ve got a killer crew of misfits who bring the noise alive. We’ve hooked up through late-night gigs, dive bar jams, and a shared love for music that punches you in the face. The journey is the destination with creating a great band – my one big requirement is that everyone has to agree that our combined performance needs to have the energy of a house on fire.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

I grew up fawning over the raw power of Joan Jett’s snarl, the unhinged energy of Iggy Pop, and the bold arrogance of Kid Rock. Add in some Courtney Love for her chaotic brilliance and that’s my recipe. Locally, I’ll change my plans to go hear Madam Radar’s harmonies or Patty Griffin’s poetry.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

Late nights, bad breakups, and the rush of adrenaline from pushing limits. These aren’t unique but I actively seek to put myself in difficult situations just for the excitement. Being at home and sleeping in my own bed keeps me sane, but the songs come from the mess.

A private preference of mine that can often lead to a spark is a new journal (unlined – never with lines!) and a fresh marker. I’ve found that I just don’t have the same experiences or get decent results when typing or even having my phone or computer nearby.

What’s been your highlight for the year so far?

We’ve received awards, been honored for our stage performance and I even won a grant from a local organisation called Wavemakers (I took the entire grant and filled our gas tank to keep touring). And it’s not musical, but my biggest highlight had to have been getting the call from Jesse letting me know that CBS wanted me to fly to Fiji and play SURVIVOR with 17 strangers for Season 49.

What do you love about the Austin music scene?

People ask this all of the time and I have a different thought than most: there’s not a lot to love right now. Austin is so expensive to live in yet musicians are still getting paid the same thing that they were getting 20 years ago. It’s gotten so bad that there’s a movement to force SXSW to pay bands who they are showcasing more than $250 (attendees are paying thousands of dollars to attend).

Fortunately we have a great philanthropic population and non-profits that help musicians with healthcare and living expenses.

Music is hard. Making music as an up and coming artist in Austin is probably harder than it should be.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

As loud and as often as possible!

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

I want listeners to see my music as a sonic kick to the teeth, but it’s got layers. I forget where but I heard someone say that our music had “lyrics that chew glass and spit glitter.”

Over time I’ve gained confidence and feel very comfortable defying genres and expectations.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

Can I have two?

Joan Jett – she’s a Goddess and I’ve worn out my cassette tapes of her music
Kid Rock – he’s a musical genius who has crafted the most incredible persona

What message did you want to get across with your new release, “Crazy Bitch”?

“Crazy Bitch” is about owning the chaos and kicking in the door of the musical fraternity that runs the industry. It’s for anyone who’s told me to sit down, shut up and know my place. I wanted to be loud, be messy, be me.

It’s liberation through distortion. I took the most misogynistic song in history and turned it on its head.
To all the groupies and rock fans out there: if you wanna have fun, fuck a crazy bitch.

What can fans expect from your upcoming album ‘Let It Kill You’ that is releasing on all streaming platforms October 31?

It should feel like a mix tape that your best friend made for you before you got on the bus and went to summer camp in 1985; a musical version of “it’s a small world” at Disney where I’ll take you on a journey through Rock and Roll, Country, Punk. There’s our version of “Wheels on the Bus” that we wrote for our youngest fan and I even rap a little bit on “Big Red Bow”.

What’s been your favourite live performance so far?

Earlier this year I got to stage dive for the first time. It’s significant because, in order to stage dive, there have to be enough people in attendance and up close to the stage. Any up and coming artists know that getting people into a club to hear new music in a time when there are more apps, platforms and algorithms competing for attention than ever before is really, really, really hard. That’s why my first stage dive was such a memorable experience.

Who would be 3 artists to headline your dream festival? And where would it be?

I live on the Guadalupe River and have a stage on the property that overlooks the water. I’d host my music festival here for my closest 50 friends and we’d open with Amyl and the Sniffers followed by Tyler Childers and close out the night with The Struts belting out “KISS THIS!” while we all enjoy the stars and Milky Way that you can see because there’s no light pollution out here in the country.

You are going to be on Survivor Season 49 that premieres Sept 24 on CBS, what can you tell us about it?

I can tell you (1) the legal agreement was longer than anything I had ever seen before (2) it was so hot (3) making fire with a machete is something everyone should try once in their life and (4) you’re not allowed to be naked any more [thanks to Richard Hatch] but I shed as many clothes as production would allow me to within the first 5 minutes of getting to our camp.

Finally, what do you have lined up for the rest of the year?

Our schedule for the rest of 2025 is packed tighter than a Frontier Airlines flight to Atlantic City. The premier of Survivor is the 24th of September, our new album, “LET IT KILL YOU” drops 10/31. We’ve got at least one biker rally and lots of watch parties with reality TV fans who are requesting we join them in cities all across the US. I guess I’ll sleep when I’m dead!

Watch the music video for Crazy B*tch below