Pamphlets aren’t a band that formed so much as they collided into existence — a Craigslist ad, a post‑Covid Brooklyn haze, and a stroke of cosmic coincidence that put Ben Griffin and Jeremy Marquez in the same room at exactly the right moment. What began as a solitary exchange of Logic files between two friends quickly grew into one of the most compelling DIY exports from the Brooklyn/Philly underground: a project shaped by post‑punk urgency, indie‑sleaze swagger, and the emotional weight of living through a world that feels increasingly off‑axis. With their new album Somewhere in Zacatecas, Pamphlets push deeper into that tension — bigger, louder, more deliberate — without losing the raw, heart‑on‑sleeve spark that made their earliest songs resonate.
You originally came together through the Brooklyn/Philly DIY scene — when did Pamphlets officially become “a band,” and what were the early conversations or moments that made you realise this project had real momentum?
Jeremy - Pamphlets originally started in Brooklyn, basically right out of Covid. We knew each other through friend groups, but it basically started out through a Craigslist ad Ben made.
Ben - Yeah I wanted to start a new post punk band so I put up an ad in Craigslist. Only one person responded and he signed off as “Jeremy”. I was already friends with a Jeremy who loved post punk so I naturally texted him thinking he must be the guy who responded to my ad. Turns out it was him! It was clearly meant to be. Momentum wise, I first realized we had something going when people would always sing us lines from our first single “It Feels Like”. Perhaps they were playfully mocking us, but they remembered the tune so it clearly resonated.
Your sound pulls from post‑punk, indie sleaze, emo, shoegaze, and garage rock. Which artists or records shaped the DNA of Pamphlets most profoundly, and how have those influences evolved as you’ve grown?
Jeremy - Bloc Party is probably the biggest influence, along with Ought/Cola, Deeper, Protomartyr, Gang of Four. However, for this new album we really dug deep and looked back into bands from genres that we grew up with. Rival Schools, …and you will know us by the trail of dead, and VVV [Tripping you] were really big in writing this new one.
From Cause//Effect to Somewhere in Zacatecas, how has your approach to writing changed? Are you more collaborative now, more structured, more chaotic — what’s different in the room?
Ben - It’s funny you ask what’s different in the room because essentially the difference is that we were never in the same room during the writing process. In a way that solitary back and forth allowed us to really focus on the songwriting more methodically as opposed to jamming in the studio together.
Jeremy - I guess it’s a bit of both. C/E was very much a lightning in a bottle. We wrote the songs in the studio with our heart on our sleeves and really let out our frustrations and anxieties around us into our songwriting. SIZ still very much holds that essence but it’s a bit more contained, and I think that comes from how we wrote the songs. We live in different cities now, so we sent logic files back and forth to each other instead of jamming in a practice room. This sort of forced us to let these songs simmer and really dig deep on the message and tone we wanted to convey.
You worked with Caleb Thomas and Adam Cichocki on the new album. What did they bring out of you that wasn’t present in earlier recordings, and how did the studio environment shape the final sound?
Ben - I have a difficult time in the studio paying attention to much else besides the bass and guitars. Both Caleb and Adam are such active listeners that were key to hearing the complete composition and suggesting improvements for every individual instrument. Caleb was also very instrumental in adding textures like synths and additional percussion that we haven’t done much of in the past.
Jeremy - Caleb’s our “fifth Beatle” at this point. He helped us shape our sound for C/E and so we knew we needed him to be involved with SIZ. He was massive in shaping every song from start to finish, really being that extra voice to help polish the sound. Adam was massive too because for this album we wanted to go for a bigger sound. Adam has plenty of experience with much heavier bands than us, but always wanted to record an indie record so it was sort of a match made in heaven.
Somewhere in Zacatecas wrestles with corruption, greed, power, and resistance. Which themes or stories were most important for you to explore, and why did this record need to exist now?
Jeremy - We’ve always written based on what’s going on around us and this time it’s no different. I don’t want to get too ‘soap boxy’ but we’re living through a time where corruption grows in broad daylight and where we are more divided than ever. This affects us personally and as musicians we write as a means to make sense of it all, expressing our anger and grief in its purest form. It’s a way of reminding us of what’s important in our lives and why it’s worth holding onto.
“Against the Forces of Nature” feels like a mission statement. What sparked that track, and how does it represent the emotional or political core of the album?
Jeremy - The name itself came from how Ben had to get his grandma’s Ford Escape from South Carolina to Philly, literally battling forces of nature with transmission issues and flooding. It’s sort of a taste of the rest of the album, heavy yet melodic, straightforward yet thoughtful lyrics.
You’ve built a reputation for high‑energy, cathartic live shows. What dates are you playing to support the new record, and how does performing these songs live differ from how they felt in the studio?
Jeremy - In the states we only have one show in Philadelphia at Ray’s Happy Birthday bar on Sat 10/17.
However we have a UK/EU tour set up in November that we’re excited about.
11/5 - Strongroom, London UK
11/6 - Abington Groove Records, Northampton, UK
11/7 - Bootleg Social, Blackpool, UK
11/9 - Heartbreakers, Southampton, UK
11/10 - La Binchoise, Binche, BE
11/11 - Nordstadtbraut, Hannover, DE
11/12 - Talsounds, Wuppertal, DE
11/13 - Noch Besser Leben, Leipzig, DE
11/14 - Loge, Berlin, DE
If Pamphlets were curating a dream festival, who are your three headline acts — dead or alive — and what makes each one essential to your ideal lineup?
Jeremy - Gotta do Sonic Youth, Death and Genesis. Sonic Youth has always been a massive influence for me. Daydream Nation was one of the first records I got. Death would be nuts to see, especially considering the history behind it. Genesis is my guilty pleasure,I’m a big fan of the Peter Gabriel era and watched many live shows from that era. I think it would be a vibe.
Ben - Jimi Hendrix, The Clash, Sade. The Jimi Hendrix headline speaks for itself. The Clash are my dad’s favorite band so they were probably the first punk band I ever listened to. They were highly influential for me plus they have such an extensive catalog so it would be legendary. Sade hasn’t had a live performance in over 10 years. The world needs her back.
You released ‘Spacesuits’ on September 23rd, tell me a bit more about it….
Yeah! This is Single #2 from our upcoming album Somewhere in Zacatecas. It's a bit of a different approach as we incorporated some acoustic guitar and is more somber/introspective in it's lyricism, but still very Pamphlets and sort of rounds out what to expect with the album.
For the Pamphlets “Come Dine With Me” special: what’s your starter, main, and dessert? Bonus points if the menu reflects your personalities or the mood of the new record.
Jeremy- For a starter let’s go with simply chips (crisps) and guac. Chips gotta come out of a greasy paper bag and guac has to have some kick to it. The main’s gotta be either a Hatch Chile burrito or a California Burrito. Let’s switch it up for dessert and go with an affogato.
Ben - I know affogato is Italian, but leave it up to Jeremy to slip in a word that includes “cat” in Spanish. Still, what Jeremy said is the perfect Zacatecas three course meal.
With Somewhere in Zacatecas being released into the world soon, where do you see Pamphlets in 12 months’ time — creatively, personally, or on the road?
Jeremy - I hope Somewhere in Zacatecas resonates with people, and I hope that momentum allows us to simply keep writing and playing shows.
Ben - Oh yeah, we’ll definitely be playing more shows, hopefully some festivals, and having fun while doing it. Can’t ask for much else. Besides maybe some more affogato.
If Cause//Effect was lightning in a bottle, Somewhere in Zacatecas is the storm cloud that finally breaks — heavier, more intentional, and sharpened by distance, politics, and the strange intimacy of writing together while living apart.
Pamphlets are already gearing up for a run of UK and EU dates, but their eyes are fixed further ahead: more shows, more momentum, more songs that make sense of the chaos around them. Twelve months from now, they’ll still be doing what they do best — pushing forward, playing loud, and finding catharsis in the noise. And if the universe keeps aligning the way it has so far, they’ll be doing it on much bigger stages.
Keep up to date with their musical whereabouts via INSTAGRAM