Asthma Kids

ASTHMA KIDS

Formed in 2024 by longtime collaborators Trevor Hutchinson and Jeremy Gill, Asthma Kids is committed to making outsider art. The Kawartha Lakes-based duo describe their sound as genre-atheism, something that allows them to break free from the chains of expected norms and mix together whatever sounds they feel inspired by, like mad scientists. Speaking about their approach to genre-fluidity, Trevor says, “I just don’t believe in genres. I want 3 chords and the truth. If I look at any mix-tape or CD or playlist I’ve ever made, the music is all over the place. It will usually have a theme and similarities of immediacy and honesty, often informed by punk, but it won’t be hegemonic. I need more diversity, not less, in my music, life and world. My biggest fear about genre is that what started as a convenient way to describe and categorize a community becomes a mechanism of exclusion that monetizes a Gated Community, and I would never join a club that would have me as a member.” This sonic alchemy infuses their debut EP Fenelon Falls 4 Bobcaygeon 0 which found the duo heading into freak folk territory, blending together elements from Americana, rock ’n’ roll, country, bluegrass, and rockabilly while exploring a myriad of topics including small towns and aliens. These songs resonated with people, garnering them new fans as well as two semifinalist spots in the International Songwriting Competition. After touring, dealing with health issues, and ultimately scrapping their eclectic planned album, Asthma Kids were inspired by the current state of the world to return to their punk roots for their new EP, The Meek Are Getting Ready. “My belief that we must actively fight totalitarianism brought me back to more obviously punk-influenced music,” Trevor says of the shift in musical direction. The duo takes influence from bands like D.O.A., Dead Kennedys, and Stiff Little Fingers as well as the rich spirit of the Kawartha Lakes punk tradition (which they’ve both participated in and which Trevor has written about for the Lindsay Advocate), while also infusing the music with their signature Asthma Kids touch. The result is four tracks that were made to be on the soundtrack of the revolution.